With work, activities, and the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it can be hard to find time to schedule family fun. But family fun nights are a great way for you and your loved ones to spend time together, so make plans to schedule a family night with some regularity.

Cook Together

One of the best ways to enjoy a family fun night is to make cooking a part of it. You can make every part of the meal a family activity by choosing the meal together, going grocery shopping, and sharing in the preparation of the food. Make sure that everyone washes their hands before getting started, as it’s one of the best ways to keep from getting sick and protect others. If you really want to shake things up, try exploring dishes from around the world or pick a dinner theme. There’s a certain pride that comes with eating food that you’ve prepared yourself and a whole dish the family can prepare is sure to go over well.

Play Board Games

Even if your kids are used to playing video games, real family connections can be made over board games. Slowing the pace down can show kids that video games aren’t the only way to have fun. If you want to make things fairer, have everyone pick a board game they like and play each game for a little while. If you’re playing team games, rotate teams for different games. Above all, make sure that game nights are fun and don’t turn into serious competition.

Get Outside

There’s lots of family fun to be had inside, but you can have lots of fun outside too by doing something active. Whether you’re playing basketball or catch, or just kicking a ball around, it’s another great way to bond. If you’re playing basketball in your driveway, make sure your driveway has been seal coated every couple of years. This will keep it looking nice for basketball games, yard games, or even drawing contests with sidewalk chalk.

Get Creative

When you’re planning family fun nights, the only limit on fun is your imagination. If you’re looking for something different from outside sports, think of other creative activities. One might be a scavenger hunt that involves clues for kids to find household items or other clues in places around your house and neighborhood. Maybe that creative activity is playing flashlight tag in the backyard. This is a great nighttime activity and if you do it, stock up on lithium-ion batteries for your flashlights. These last 75 times more than VRLA batteries, so you’ll have plenty of power to play frequent games of flashlight tag.

Watch Movies

A family fun night can be a great time to take a break from technology, but a movie night can be an exception. As with anything else, different family members can take turns picking the movies and even picking the snacks. It’s easy to spread out pillows and blankets on the couch or on recliners so the whole family can watch together. Encourage everyone to put their phones away so everyone can really get into the movie. After the movie is over, everyone can talk about what they liked or didn’t like about the movie, and you might even make plans for the next movie.

If you’re looking to strengthen your family bonds, a family fun night is the way to go. By picking activities that the whole family can get in on, you’ll experience real, unbridled joy and look forward to the next family night.