American families spent only 37 minutes of high-value time together each day in 2018.

Shocking, right? But don’t fret. Creative family activities are guaranteed to remedy this statistic.

The internet is chock full of stuff to do with your family. You’ve heard it all before. Set up a lemonade stand. Make s’mores. Go ice skating. Blah, blah, blah.

We can hear your kids now: “But Muuuuum! Awww, Daaaaad. Do we have to?” Silence those whines with this list of outside-the-box family entertainment tips for tots to teens.

Read on to level-up that precious together time.

Family Fun With Food

Time spent around the dinner table facilitates conversation. According to a joint 2019 study by Harvard, MIT, and the University of Pennsylvania, the family back-and-forth is great for brain development.

Get the kids involved with meal preparation. Bake some cookies together. Get messy and make bliss balls. Kids are more likely to eat food that they participated in cooking. Bonus!

If you don’t have a big kitchen at home, book a family entertainment cooking class. Or bundle the kids into the car and head over to grandma’s house!

Set up a Science Lab

Dirt volcanoes bubbling over with vinegar and baking soda “lava”. Speakers crafted from plastic cups. A Mars rover obstacle course in the living room.

Don’t feel confident to teach science to your kids? According to the Education Development Center, you’re not alone. A lot of parents are comfortable sharing their knowledge in areas like math and reading. But they lack confidence when it comes to teaching science at home.

Invest in some simple equipment to craft a mini science lab in your kitchen. There are children’s science kits to suit any budget. Look online for easy science activities that you can do with everyday household items.

Don’t push the educational part of these “lessons”. The whole family will have a great time and your kids will learn without knowing it.

Happy Holidays

A log cabin by the lake financially out of reach? Can’t get enough time off for an overseas sojourn? Families are renovating RVs and even school buses into comfy mobile holiday homes.

Explore your neighborhood or travel to all 50 states. There are top-quality RV parks dotted all over the USA. Look for parks that focus on family activities.

What If the Weather’s Bad?

Watching movies is an obvious choice for rainy day family entertainment. Instead of choosing basic blockbusters, go the educational route.

Share your favorite classic films with your kids. Watch wildlife documentaries. The nostalgic timbre of David Attenborough, anyone? Put on funny old flicks featuring Buster Keaton or Charlie Chaplin.

Home Theatre Design for Family Entertainment

Bring the movie theater experience into your home with a home theatre system.

When considering design for home theater systems, be sure to keep the whole family in mind. Look for wall-mounted speakers that can’t be knocked over. Choose wireless setups to limit dangerous cords.

A good quality system doesn’t have to cost the Earth. Mix-and-match brands and search for second-hand components to create a budget-friendly home theater experience.

Planning for Play

Thinking up family entertainment ideas doesn’t need to be a chore. Get your kids involved in the planning and they’ll be on board with the family activities every time.

Found these family entertainment tips inspiring? Share this article with your favorite families.