Ten Great Family Activities

Need some fresh family night ideas? Here are ten great ideas for a fun day out of the house for a special family activity.

1. Movie Night
Go on line and check for current movies. Choose appropriate movie picks based on ratings and content based on age of your children. Offer two movies to your family. Take a vote on which movie you will see. Plan to get snacks at the theater. Sharing a family size popcorn can be the most economical pick especially if they offer free refills. The second economical pick would be a pack of family sized candy. You could by several packs and enjoy sharing them.

2. Bowling Night
Find a local bowling alley that is kid friendly. You may want to check it out ahead of time to ensure that the setting is family friendly. Snacks are available so bring some extra money for the vending machines as kids often love that more than bowling. Share one lane and enjoy. Cheer loud, laugh a lot and learn a few skills.

3. Ice Skating
Check to see if you have an indoor rink near you. This is great fun and they are open year round. The rink area is kept cold so even if its summer wear jeans and a jacket. Children can learn easily with skate aides offered for new skaters. (These actually look like sliding adult walkers that are used to help you stand up on the ice.)

4. Aquarium
Find an aquarium closest to you. This makes for a great day trip and is worth every penny. Enjoy the many exhibits and take lots of pictures. Your children will love the many fish, turtles and sharks.

5. Zoo
Great day outdoors. Many zoos are open year round. Check out your local zoos seasonal hours and rates. Bring some extra cash for snacks or pack a lunch. To save a few dollars on a souvenir stop and pick up some minuture packaged animals at a Walmart or similar store. These packages are about two dollars for ten or so animals. Kids love them and will spent hours after the trip to the zoo playing with them.

6. Library
Free night out. Check your local library schedule for family night activities that include free movies, puppet shows, and art and crafts sessions.

7. Roller Skating
This makes for a great all American family night out. Bring cash for pizza and the video games.

8. Park
Find a great park near you. It can be a state park with lakes and trails for bike riding or long walks or a city parks with great play ground equipment. Bring a packed picnic basket and a table cloth for the picnic tables. Enjoy the weather and the fun.

9. Swimming
Find a swimming pool near you. YMCAs are a great resource for indoor swimming. The family memberships are very reasonable and they have many family time swims available.

10. Museum
There are incredible museums available that will suit your families interest. Science, Art, Train, and Plane museums are just a few of the options available. Google museums in the cities within one hour of you to find some great museums. All museums also have cafeterias for a light lunch or dinner.