August is National Family Fun Month, which leaves you with plenty of time to bond with your loved ones. Since school is right around the corner for most children, this month might be the best time to enjoy each other’s company before you go back to the hustle and bustle of your everyday routine. You don’t have to spend a fortune on family fun month either. Luckily, there’s lots of things you can do for free or next to nothing. If you’re at a loss for ideas, these ten tips should help steer you in the right direction. You might even incorporate some of these ideas into your weekly routine to help your family find more time for each other.
1. DIY Workshop
Nothing helps the family bond quite like working together to learn something new. If your family is interested in picking up new skills, then signing up for a workshop might be the best way to go. Unfortunately, these workshops do cost money most of the time, but the experience will help you save money in the long run. One of the most common workshops is a family cooking workshop. This amazing experience will give kids a basis in cooking but can also teach parents new tricks as well as frugal ways to make meals. Some stores, like Home Depot and Lowes also offer little workshops on the weekends. Some of these are free and teach wood working and home improvement skills to children and adults. Of course, the workshop you choose will have to be based on your family’s needs and desires. So, have a little fun when choosing.
2. Book Club
Book clubs are all over the place right now, which makes them a great way to bond with your family. This can also help your children gain a love for books at an early age, which can inspire them to learn more even as adults. Local libraries are a great place for the family to sign up for a book club. Often, libraries have a book of the month for people to enjoy and even offer groups to discuss the book. These recommendations and groups are often for all ages too, so you should be able to spend lots of time at the library together. Of course, many stores are also offering book clubs. For instance, Barnes and Nobel has recently started one that offers all sorts of activities for the family. More recently, kids had the chance to build their own Hogwarts Express from LEGO. These clubs aren’t hard to find either, so look around in your community to see what your family can sign up for.
3. Scavenger Hunt
One of the best free options is to come up with a scavenger hunt for the family to enjoy. This will allow you to get outside and enjoy all that summer has to offer before it goes away. There’s lots of great ways to enjoy a scavenger hunt. You might even be able to download a list of items to collect online, especially if you’re traveling to a specific destination. In fact, many zoos, aquariums and even national parks will offer scavenger hunt lists to help keep visitors busy for hours. You might also bring your camera because you never know what photo opportunities will arise while you’re exploring the world around you.
4. Get Crafty
Crafting is a great way for the family to come together and have some fun. It can also be an exciting way to get to know one another better through the expression of art. You can find so many crafts online that you might not know where to start. Many of these crafts cost next to nothing to make, especially if you have supplies readily available at home. If you want to make your craft time count even more, then you might get a jump start on some holiday crafts. This will allow you to have décor ready to go when the season arrives. It can also help you stock up on holiday gifts for your loved ones. Another great option is to make a special craft your child’s teacher, which will help start the year off on the right foot.
5. Outdoor Performances
August is a great month to take part in some exciting outdoor performances. Many communities love to bring people together during the summer, so they host a wide variety of fun things for the whole family. One option is for your family to check out a movie in the park. These movies most likely won’t be new blockbusters, but they are generally fun movies that the whole family will enjoy. Another great option is to take in a concert in the park. These can be lots of fun and are often free for all to enjoy. You might even discover a local band that the whole family will love. Often, you can even pack your own food and drinks for this event, which might make it the perfect time to indulge in a family picnic. Generally, these items are in the evening and night, so the weather won’t be too unbearable either. However, you might pack blankets and light jackets just in case the autumn temperatures decide to sneak in.
6. Build a Fort
One of the best things about childhood is the amazing forts that kids get to play in. Even adults can’t resist these awesome structures. So, this month, you might want to channel your inner child and help your little ones create the perfect fort. You have an abundance of options to choose from for this task too, so you might consider trying out a few different options during your free time. Your structure can be as temporary as a reading fort made of blankets in the living room or as permanent as a tree fort in the backyard. There’s lots of great ways to save on permanent structures too, so don’t let your budget but a damper on your fun.
7. Explore the Children’s Museum
If you have younger children in the home, then a trip to the children’s museum might be the perfect bonding experience. Often, these establishments are free or low cost, so you won’t have to worry about spending a bundle on the trip. Children’s museums offer learning experiences for kids of many different ages too, so every child should be able to find something that catches their interest. The museums might even offer shows, performances, special exhibits and more. Most museums do offer hands on activities and crafts, which will help broaden the learning experience. Parents will also find ways to enjoy themselves at the museum too, as many activities require parent and child bonding.
8. Game Night
Your family can’t go wrong with the timeless classic game night. This might be a great time to ditch technology and enjoy an old-fashioned board game. If you don’t have any games on hand, then check out the clearance section of your favorite department store or look into buying a game from a thrift store. You can also settle with a deck of cards to ease your boredom. These games can even teach children skills. If you aren’t interested in these types of games then you can always try a round of Pictionary, charades or adlibs to have some fun. Of course, if you don’t want to disconnect for a while then enjoy playing some of your kids’ favorite video games. You can have a dance party or simple play a racing or action game. As long as you’re doing it as a family you should have a blast.
9. Play at the Park
For most kids, a trip to the park is enough to keep them happy for days on end. So, you should use your local parks to help make your family fun month out of this world. One of the best things about the park is it offers so many options. For younger kids, playing on the equipment provided might be the best thing in the world, especially with their parents playing along. You can also use the extra space in the park to enjoy a few sports or made up games that will have everyone laughing and enjoying themselves. The park is the best place to bond too, since there aren’t many distractions there. This is also the perfect way to make the best of the warm weather.
10. Enjoy a Fair
August is prime fair season, which gives you a great option for Family Fun Month. Many fairs are actually free of cost, so you can go to enjoy the atmosphere without having to worry about spending a bundle on admission only. Of course, all games, rides and food will set you back a bit of money but with the free admission you should be able to get more out of the experience. Of course, those fairs that do charge usually aren’t pricey. Fairs often offer free activities like petting zoos and more, which should allow you to fill up your free time with activities the kids will love. If permitted, you should make sure to bring in water and snacks to help keep everyone satisfied if you’re avoiding the pricey fair food.
Family Fun Month doesn’t have to be a time for extra expenditures. Instead, you should be able to find value in the bonding time your family shares. These ten ideas should help you plan out the rest of the month of August, so that everyone has a blast. Your family may even look forward to August next year, as it is such a great time enjoy being together as a family.
