Parenting can be busy and can become a series of routines that look and sound like a to-do list: wake up, get to school, pick up from school, do homework, eat dinner, get ready for bed, and then we do the same set of things the next day and so on and so on. Without intention, raising kids can simply become survival mode.
What if this fall, parents drew a line and declared this to be the season of fun? Could it even be possible to have 31 Days of Fun?
YES IT IS!
In no particular order, here is a list of 31 simple ideas for having fun any day you wish throughout the year.
To bring some randomness to the fun, you can write each idea on a piece of paper and place them in a bowl. You and the kids can surprise yourselves with what you choose to do each day from the bowl.
- Plan an indoor scavenger hunt. Pick 10 easy things to look for in the house.
- Austin Family Kid Zone craft can be found in every magazine issue.
- Write a note to a friend or make a card to give to a friend just for fun.
- Start bath time early for more fun and call it bathtub swim time.
- Video chat with a friend or family member.
- Schedule time to video chat with a friend.
- Make a gift to give for the holidays.
- Make a vision board for hopes and dreams, using crayons, stickers, or pictures from magazines.
- Read a book and snuggle. Then If your little one hasn’t started reading yet have the child look at the pictures and tell you the story based on the pictures.
- Write a story and make a book with pictures.
- Throw a game night. Choose any board game you have at home.
12. Make a card house.
- Make a time capsule for 2024. Write down memories of things you’ve done this year and put them in an envelope to open next October.
- Walk a pet. Don’t have a pet? Ask a neighbor if you could walk their dog. A fun way for a family to help a neighbor.
- Art day. Make a picture to place on the refrigerator or frame it.
- Draw a picture of your teacher and give it just for fun.
- Make an easy recipe such as a basic soup.
- Take a walk in the neighborhood, walk in a different direction, and count the animals you see.
- Make a fort in the house with blankets and pillows.
- Try a new food, such as a different flavor of apple.
- Tell your child three things you love about him. Next have each person share three things they love about each other.
- Play the best/worst game. Ask your children the best things and the worst things that happened in their day. This is a great way to find out about your child’s day on the way home from school.
- Plan a date night. For a special treat, dress up, have a candlelight at home, go out to eat, or you could make a night of it in your living room, taking pictures, setting the table, pulling out the chair before someone has a seat, etc.
- Designate a snack night. Use a muffin tin to make it easy. You can line it with foil or cups and put little snacks inside such as fruits, vegetables, or chicken fingers, etc. It’s a fun way to teach serving sizes to kids.
- Draw with sidewalk chalk. Make a picture or hopscotch and play with your little one.
- Does your child like video games? Play the video game with the child or watch the kids play and cheer them on along the way!
- Make a paper airplane and fly it.
- Make a movie with a tablet or smartphone.
- Play hide and seek in the house.
- Prepare a picnic for the living room.
- Throw a dance party. Declare it’s party time and play a song on your phone.
Parenting can be fun in the midst of the chaos that can arise. Make memories. Enjoy the holiday season.
Decide what fun things you’d like to keep doing in the months ahead. Ask your kids what other fun things that they can think of that the family can do throughout the year.
Learn what your kids like most, explore new fun ideas your kids may think of, and discover how interaction builds within your family along the way.
Take pictures as you’re having fun. Share your pictures on Austin Family’s Facebook and Instagram with #31DaysofFun. We can’t wait to see the love and fun your family is having during the month. Intentionally nurturing a home of play and fun creates memories that will last a lifetime. You will never regret having fun with your kids. They grow up so fast and change so quickly. Do something fun today!
Celeste Dianne Wade is a writer, public speaker, and a popular health coach in Austin. The eldest of seven kids and an only child, she loves travel adventures with family. She jas worked on over eighty films and television shows with the themes of parenting, family, and health.
