15 ideas for weeknight family fun

I don’t know about you, but after working all day, making dinner and checking homework, I’m kinda done. While I love to think of fun ways to connect with the kids, creating weeknight family fun time can be a struggle.

To help make things a little easier in our busy lives, I’ve created a list of 15 ideas for weeknight family fun. All take minimal setup and most can be done with things you already have around the house.

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Board games

We love board games, but Monopoly is the last game we would grab for a weeknight family fun night. Quick playing games like Connect 4 or our favorite Plan Toys Balancing Cactus, are perfect for after dinner and before bedtime. One of the things we like best about playing games as a family is the opportunity to teach our kids how to win and lose gracefully. It’s never too soon to teach good sportsmanship.

Card games

Our family loves board games, but we really love card games. War, Crazy 8 and Go Fish are great games for the younger kids to practice number recognition. Hand and foot is our all-time favorite card game, but it’s not great for weeknights.

Sidewalk chalk

Yes, sidewalk chalk can be messy, but it’s great right before a bath. Our kiddos love practicing shapes and letters on the driveway and it’s great for color recognition for the little ones.

Go for a walk

Getting outdoors to explore the neighborhood is a great way to connect with your kids. To add an extra element of adventure, consider adding a scavenger hunt to your walk. We’ve pinned a few options that are good for kids of all ages on our Family Fun Pinterest board. Check it out and follow along.

Have an indoor picnic

While traditional picnics can be fun, they can also be a lot of work. On nights we just can’t get our acts together enough to cook, we like to order a pizza, throw a big blanket down on the floor and eat on paper plates. Simply changing our regular dinner location often leads to silly conversations and interesting insights from the kiddos. This is also a great option for grilled cheese sandwich night or any meal you can eat with your hands.

Lego creations

My favorite way to play Lego when we have short amount of time is to count out the same number and type of bricks, one set per child and one set per parent. We then set a timer and see who can create the best vehicle, monster or building in 10 minutes. Often the stories about the creation are just as amazing as the creations themselves.

Race cars

This is especially a good activity for the preschool set, but I have to say that it’s a favorite of mine too. I love to get out masking tape and create roads for our matchbox cars to drive on. Racing remote control cars are also a super fun weeknight family fun activity.

Play bingo

Bingo is such a fun game to play with kids. We don’t have a real bingo set, but love to find seasonal bingo printables online. (The kids like searching for them too!) We’ve pinned a few favorites to our Family Fun Pinterest board. Check it out and follow along.

Small painting projects

Painting projects aren’t typically what I would pick for easy weeknight family fun, but small projects are totally doable. I particularly love Ashley Hackshaw’s Painted Rock Cactus Plants project. Small canvases and limited colors also make painting during the week easy.

Dance party

Apparently having dance parties is one of our favorite things. In addition to being a fun way to start the day, dancing after dinner and before bed is a great way to relax with the kids. Turn the lights down, crank up the tunes and dance away. The kids will think your moves are hysterical and you will love trying to remember how to moonwalk.

Bake

Wild Man and Bunny would bake every night if they could. Making dessert is always a big hit, but making muffins or breakfast casseroles is a great way to have fun and get yourself set up for the next day. Check out our Family Fun Pinterest board for more ideas.

Make a blanket fort

Some of my favorite childhood memories include a blanket fort. I loved pulling out all the quilts, old sheets and blankets and creating a cozy fort to curl up in. Making this a family activity and gathering up some favorite books is a great way to get reading minutes in while cuddling.

Ride bikes

Like going for a walk, taking a bike ride is a great weeknight family fun activity. Taking turns as line leader, trying new routes to your favorite neighborhood landmarks and playing “I spy” as you go are fun ways to mix it up.

Coloring together

With the increase in popularity of adult coloring books, coloring with your kids got a bit more interesting. This is a great way to wind down at the end of a busy day, calm your mind and ease into bedtime.

Science experiments

Our kids are fascinated by science experiments and learning how things work. Classic simple science experiments like making a baking soda volcano or balloon rockets are always a big hit in our house. We’ve pinned a few options to our Family Fun Pinterest board.

More weeknight family fun

Want even more ideas? Check out our favorite game to play during dinner  or follow along on Pinterest – we are always pinning new ideas to help you love your busy life.

What are your favorite ways to connect with your kids and create a bit of weeknight family fun?