10 Creative Ideas for a Fun Family Night in Kansas City
Lots of activities in Kansas City bring welcome diversions as the weather gets cooler. For parents, cooler weather also means the approach of winter and lots of indoor together time. Keeping children entertained through the winter can be a challenge! So, how do you beat the boredom and find some family fun inside? Our metro moms weighed in, and here are our top 10 ideas for a night of family fun indoors:
- Game night. This is a time-tested and always popular option when the family is spending time indoors together. Board games, video games or word games all enhance priceless time together. Games like I Spy are even good for the younger kids. “Game night is the best! As our kids get older, we pick different games and have started keeping score. We are even starting to learn some card games. It is always quality time,” says Laura Pope, Kansas City, MO, mom.
- Bake-a-thon. The family that bakes together stays together! Pick out your family’s favorite recipes and spend the evening in the kitchen together baking some delicious treats. Let the kids help with the measurements, checking the ingredients and watching the oven timer. It is a great way to incorporate some math lessons into a fun evening. Enjoy the treats together or pack them up as gifts for neighbors and friends.
- Campout. Bring out the tent and sleeping bags for a family campout in the living room. Tell ghost stories, sing campfire songs and don’t forget the treats! “Sleeping in the living room with the family is one of my favorite childhood memories. Everyone under a big pile of blankets—it was so cozy and such a special thing because we didn’t do it very often,” says Elizabeth Hoffman, Overland Park mom.
- Role reversal. It’s time to shake things up. Let each member of the family choose someone else’s shoes to live in for the night. Take on that person’s tasks and responsibilities and enjoy the time learning a bit more about that member of the family. Make sure to keep it safe—no young kids’ cooking on a hot stove!
- Scavenger hunt. Create a modern day treasure hunt! The reward can be anything your family would enjoy, from a treat to eat together to tickets to a family event. Hide clues around the house and watch the kids use their detective skills to find each one. Once they find all the clues, they can put them together and solve the mystery of what or where the treasure is. You can even try letting the kids put together a hunt for Mom and Dad and see what they come up with!
- Movie night. Movie night is a great way to share old traditions and create new ones. Parents can see old movies from their childhoods become new again for their children, and the family can enjoy watching new movies together. “Watching Peter Pan with my kids meant a lot,” says Donna Rivers, Kansas City, KS, mom. “It was my favorite movie when I was a kid, and seeing them enjoy it, singing those old songs—it was just great.” Pop some popcorn and cuddle up!
- Dance party. Turn up the music and turn on the fun! Dancing is great exercise and a great way to make fun memories. Let each family member have input in the music selection and try teaching each other some new moves. Make some home movies of the kids learning how to do the Robot or the Roger Rabbit to enjoy watching later!
- Contests. From setting up a bowling tournament in the living room to playing a marathon game of table tennis, there are lots of possibilities for inside sports. “Our favorite inside sport is Wii Bowling. No mess and no cleanup, and everyone loves it. My youngest wins most of the time, and he loves bragging about it,” says Kathleen Pease, Olathe mom. You can even invent your own sport based on your family’s interests. Don’t forget to plan a fun celebration for after the game!
- Theme night. Select a theme for the evening and make sure everything fits into it. Depending on the ages of your children, the theme could be a letter or number or even a period in history. Make sure your dress, meal and evening activities all fit in with the theme! “We always had fun planning menus around theme nights when we were teaching our kids their letters. Meals with the letter Q were challenging!” says Kristen Woods, Shawnee mom.
- You call it. Let each member of the family choose the activity for one night. This takes the pressure off Mom and Dad for having to come up with the entertainment and also allows you some insight into each person’s interests. From learning a new craft or trying a new game, you will be surprised at what the kids can teach you!
Melissa Bellach is a freelance writer and mom of two living in Overland Park.