20 Everyday Ways to Play as a Family

Incorporating play into everyday family life encourages connection, builds empathy and trust, and fosters intimacy between members. Plus, it’s good for our mental, emotional, and physical health! To help cultivate a family culture of fun and playfulness, here are 20 simple ways to play as a family.

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I’ve never considered myself a super-serious person. I LOVE to laugh, joke, and have fun, and I actually have a hard time being serious for extended periods of time. But I came to a startling realization a few months ago after researching the importance and benefits of play: I had become a bit of a party pooper with my family! As it turns out, I don’t play nearly as much as I thought I did, anymore.

As a mom, there are 1,000 things every day that need our care and attention, and we usually have several (very full) plates spinning at once. So, boy, is it easy to get stuck in “task mode.” I spend much of my day working on tasks, thinking about the next tasks, and planning for the ones after that! As a result, I (regrettably) end up sacrificing play on the altar of productivity far too often.

After doing all that research on play, however, I knew I needed to make a conscious effort to have more fun with my husband and kids. To that end, I started brainstorming ways to build playfulness into our family culture. Check out the following ways to play as a family.

20 Ways to Play as a Family

Incorporating play into everyday family life encourages connection, builds empathy and trust, and fosters intimacy between members. Plus, it’s good for our mental, emotional, and physical health! To help cultivate a family culture of fun and playfulness, here are 20 simple ways to play as a family.

1. Put a fun twist on a regular routine – Have dinner in a different room, eat by candlelight, mix-up the order of your day, eat lunch outside, dress up in costume, or designate a theme for each day of the week.

2. Do chores together (and make them fun) – Play music, have a dance party, race against each other or the clock, listen to a podcast, or talk while you work. Any activity can be infused with play with the right attitude!

3. Get silly together – Tell jokes, take funny pictures/videos, make up silly stories, or talk with goofy voices.

4. Surprise your kids with “just because” gifts – Randomly gift them with occasional books, notebooks, small toys, or special treats — just for the fun of it.

5. Take spontaneous outings – Go for a scenic drive, pick up some ice cream, visit a construction site (if you have kids who love construction), visit a beautiful neighborhood, or take in some new sites.

6. Hand out random “get out of a chore free” cards – Getting to skip out on their least favorite chore will be sure to put a smile on their face!

7. Reserve the last 30 minutes or hour before bedtime for “family fun” – Put away all screens and devices and enjoy each other’s company! Enjoy one of our favorite read-aloud chapter books or try some of these conversation starters.

Recommended Resource: The Tech-Wise Family, by Andy Crouch

8. Get physical – Get down on the floor and have a wrestling match or tickle fight.

9. Have a regular family night – Designate one night a week as family movie night or family game night. Having that regular anchor will give everyone something to look forward to each week.

10. Play outside – Run around the yard, play a game of catch or soccer, go for a bike ride, blow bubbles, tend a garden, or pick flowers.

11. Read together – Reading a book out loud together is a great family bonding activity, even after your kids are old enough to read to themselves! Here are some tips for successful family read-alouds.

12. Relish the great outdoors – Go for a walk or hike, enjoy a scavenger hunt, or explore nature together.

13. Play a sports game or backyard activity – Shoot hoops in the driveway, hit the golf course, or try a backyard game like corn hole, ladder toss, badminton, or lawn darts.

14. Battle it out – Play a game of tag, shoot Nerf guns, or have a water gun fight.

Related post: 10 Water Activities For Kids

15. Have an at-home spa night – Round up some face masks, foot soaks, and nail polish, and pamper each other at home.

16. Cook together – Invite the whole family to prepare a meal together. Things like homemade pizza and build-your-own-tacos are great for this!

17. Play in the rain – Grab your umbrellas and rain boots (or don’t!), forget about the potential mess, and delight in the rain with your kids.

18. Get crafty – Work on a craft or art project together.

19. Play in the snow – During the winter months, go sledding, have a snowball fight, or make a snowman or snow fort.

20. Camp out in the backyard – You don’t have to go far to enjoy a good old-fashioned campout. Pitch a tent in the backyard and enjoy some fun camping activities such as roasting marshmallows, stargazing, catching lightning bugs, and telling stories or reading by flashlight.