FAMILY ENGAGEMENT SUPPORT

MAKE TIME FOR FAMILY FUN!

During this time of school closures, teleworking, and social/physical distancing families are spending more time together than ever before. It is important to support positive interactions with “family fun” activities. Below are some activities and resources to support just taking a break and being together doing something fun!

FAMILY FUN ACTIVITIES

PREK & ELEMENTARY

  • Nature walk (gather materials) You can sort, create houses/cards/pictures with items from nature

  • Card/Board games

  • 21 questions / I spy

  • Baking and or cooking (your family can create your own recipes or do a fun challenge with a secret ingredient)

  • Create a scrapbook or photo album (can be online)

  • Make a fort and have a “camp in” with flashlights and stories

  • Mindfulness activities

  • Use “dress up” clothes and make believe

  • Draw / paint / create art

  • Use small boxes to create a mini-town for toy cars/stuffed animals

  • Use large boxes to make houses/forts

  • Create a “store” using objects from around the house

  • Hide and Seek

  • Scavenger Hunts

  • Create treasure maps and provide clues to find the “treasure”

  • Puzzles

  • Arts and Crafts

  • Make homemade Play-Doh

  • Write and perform a play

  • Make puppets out of socks or paper bags

  • Pen Pals

  • Play music and sing/dance together...have a family contest or show

  • Make instruments using empty containers and beans or rice

  • Mani / Pedi Spa time

  • Education.com (games)

  • PBS Kids

  • Build with Recycled Objects

  • Label Your House - write labels/index cards for items around the house

  • Write the house - parents place cards with different sight words/simple words around the house, students need to find all of the words and write them down on a piece of paper

  • Create your own research projects

  • Read Bartholomew and the Oobleck by Dr. Seuss and then Make Oobleck!

  • Make pyramids out of paper or plastic cups

  • Have a picnic either outside or inside in the middle of the room

  • Write letters, numbers, sentences on Post-its. Hide them around the house. Have kids find them and match them to a bigger “Key” around the house. Here is an example but can be modified to be age-appropriate: https://busytoddler.com/2018/03/post-it-names/


MIDDLE SCHOOL

  • Baking and or cooking (your family can create your own recipes or do a fun challenge with a secret ingredient)

  • Make a family recipe book

  • Board games

  • Build an indoor obstacle course

  • Create a scavenger hunt

  • Find a new show to watch or stream

  • Make a photo booth and take fun family photos

  • Learn a new card game to play with family

  • Create a blanket fort - who can create the biggest, most creative fort

  • Arts and Crafts projects - using things you have around the house

  • Family book club

  • Mindfulness exercises

  • Card games

  • Audio or videos of meditations for teens

  • Sudoku

  • Crossword puzzles

  • Scrapbooking

  • Paint nails

  • Crafts

  • Collage from old magazines

  • Create a photo album online

  • Research your family tree and create a visual representation

  • Learn a new language

  • Paper airplane competition

  • Make a family music video

  • Charades

  • Family Karaoke

  • Paper Mache Art

  • Family Talent Show/Lip Sync Competition

HIGH SCHOOL

  • Make an iMovie

  • Discover a new show to stream

  • A family book club or movie club

  • Crossword/jigsaw puzzles

  • Create a scrapbook

  • Hike/Nature walk

  • Mindfulness exercises

  • Meditation and Yoga

  • Bike ride

  • Head’s Up!

  • Board/card games

  • Running charades

  • Cooking/baking

  • TikTok challenge

  • Create a YouTube channel

  • Start a blog

  • Exercise Challenge with other family members

  • Postsecondary planning/research