Thankfully, we’ve all gotten better at this family travel thing. And our now-teenagers look forward to the games (mostly), even on 14-hour road trips. When you’re on the road again, plan on playing these 15 car games for kids to keep everyone entertained. 

5 Car Games for Kids Under 5

1. Puppetpoolza Party – Anything can be turned into a puppet. Using what you have on hand (See what I did there?), hold a silly conversation with your child. The first time I played this game, I used my child’s Lambie. Lambie talked with a heavy Southern accent and called everyone Pancake and Waffle. She asked my daughter all sorts of silly questions, messed up the song lyrics, and tried her hand at yodeling. That puppet calmed our toddler and made the trip fun for us all.  

2. I Spy – Yep. It’s a classic game for a reason. And while it’s not a new game for you, it is for your child.

3. Hello, Yellow – See how many yellow trucks your child can spot. Give out a small prize when he finds 10. And, yes, snacks count as prizes! Then, move on to another color and another prize, like coloring pages, stickers, or a familiar stuffed animal who “snuck into the car.”

4. Cars of Many Colors – See how many different colored cars you can spot together. Red, white, black, blue, yes! Purple? Maybe. Hot pink? Almost as rare as a Hawaiian license plate.

5. And the Letter Is? – List three words starting with the same letter. Really enunciate the words. Ask your child to guess the letter. For example, you say: Book, Bear, Banana. 

5 Games for Elementary

6. Name That Tune – Create a playlist. Include songs your kids love and your go-to songs. Shuffle the playlist and take turns naming the song. Increase the difficulty by requiring title and artist.

7. The Trifecta of Road Trip Games Printables – License plate game printable, check. Road Trip Bingo, check check. I Spy Alphabet Version, triple check!

8. Spot It – Pick five random things, such as a horse, a school bus, a church with a steeple, a construction sign, and a child asleep in a car. When someone in your car spots an item, she says, “Spot it!” and then picks a new thing for the list.

9. Minute to Win It (Car Version) – How many football teams, colors, Disney movies, instruments, pizza toppings can your child name in a minute? Add to the fun by asking your child to say how many he can name before attempting it.

10. Fortunately, Unfortunately – Make up a story together. Each person takes turns adding one sentence to the story. The first sentence starts with “Fortunately.” The next sentence begins with “Unfortunately.” Then back to “Fortunately.” For example: “Fortunately, we left the house early enough to miss most of the traffic. Unfortunately, we left the bathtub water running. Fortunately, our neighbor has a key to the house. Unfortunately, his dog ate it. Fortunately, you hid a spare key.” Unfortunately, this is one of those car games for kids you need to play yourself to find out what happens next.

5 Car Games for Tweens and Teens

11. Cows on My Side – This game works best with four people in the car. Split the car into two teams, the left side team and the right side team. Teams get a point if they see cows on their side of the road. Teams receive two points if they spot a cow doing something other than grazing. And a team earns three points for seeing an unusual farm animal on their side (llamas, yaks, etc). But, if a team spots a cemetery on their opponent’s side and says, “graveyard,” the opposing team loses all their points. The side with the most points at the end of the trip wins the game.

12. Hey, Mr. DJ – This one isn’t really a car game, but letting your tween or teen take over the music is an easy way to get to know your child a little better. Ask her about her favorite song of the moment. Why does she like that artist? How does she find new music?

13. Mental Dominoes – Start the game by saying a word. The next person picks a word somehow connected to the first one. Whoever goes next picks a word related to the previous word. For example, you say DOG. The next person says BONE. Then someone says DINOSAUR.

14. Team Trivia – Load up your phone with popular trivia apps like this one and this one, and let the fun and games begin. Split into teams or not. The only real rule is no Googling! And, hey, let the winner pick where you stop for lunch.

15. Movie Mania – Start by naming an actor. The next person needs to name a movie the actor starred in. The next person names another actor in that movie. Then, the next person recalls a different movie starring the new actor. If someone gets stumped, she’s out. Play continues until only the winner is left.

What are your favorite car games for kids?

The post 15 Family Car Games to Beat the Boredom Bug appeared first on iMOM.

If you want to do something to mark the end of the year but struggle to muster up the strength, here are 12 ideas that require less energy than it takes to pack a lunch (for the last time for the next two months).

1. Summer Bucket List Party

Cue up a summer-themed playlist, scoop some ice cream, and use our Summer Bucket List printable to write down the fun things your family wants to do over the summer.

2. Post-It Pull Down Countdown

Put Post-Its numbered 1 through 10 on the fridge or your child’s bedroom door. On the back, write a joke, an encouraging message, or a silly question like, “Would you rather sit at a desk that’s made of cheese or covered in slime?” Each morning for the last 10 days of school, let your kids tear one down. On the last day, write an invitation for ice cream or a special outing.

3. Walk of Fame

In the morning on the last day of school, use chalk to draw a path to your car. In each segment, highlight your child’s achievements from the year or write a reason you’re proud to be her mom. No chalk? No time to get outside before school? Just use paper!

4. “See You Later Alligator” Treat Bags

This end-of-the-year celebration idea does take a little more work, but the kids can help. Fill small bags with candy, bubbles, and sidewalk chalk for children to hand out to classmates on their last day.

5. Summer Reading Adventure

If you have a voracious reader, visit your local library and pick out a stack of books to enjoy throughout the summer. Use a chart to track her progress and agree on a special reward for when she hits her goal.

6. End-of-Year Interview

Shoot a video of your child while you ask fun questions about his favorite things from the school year, funniest moments, and hopes for summer. Email it to yourself to have a backup file.

7. Backyard Campout

Pitch a tent in your yard or set one up on your patio. Roast marshmallows over a fire or the grill and tell spooky stories under the stars.

8. Hunt for Summer Treasure Hunt

Use one of iMOM’s scavenger hunts and hide clues around your house that lead to a hidden summer treasure like a new swimsuit or sunglasses.

9. Hydro Hooplah

Set up a slip-and-slide and fill water balloons. Surprise your kids and let them get soaked in their school clothes right when they get home.

10. Family Spa Day

Give everyone a pampering spa experience with homemade face masks, cucumber eye treatments, and soothing music.

11. “Be a Lump” Day

Kids are usually full of adrenaline when school gets out, so you might need to wait a few days for this end-of-the-year celebration idea. Pick a Sunday, and declare it “Be a Lump Day.” Prep on Saturday by baking brownies and loading up on snacks. Pick a movie marathon theme, order pizza, and eat it right out of the box. PJs and pillows required.

12. End-of-Year Awards Ceremony

Give your kids silly awards for their accomplishments throughout the year, like “Most Creative Craft” or “Biggest Laugh.” You can also celebrate growth in character with our character award printables.

As a kid, what did you and your family do to mark the end of the school year?

The post 12 End-of-the-Year Celebrations Any Mom Can Pull Off appeared first on iMOM.

So, of course, he introduced our daughters to modern-day treasure hunting while on a daddy-daughters outing. I didn’t even know about geocaching until they came home with a glow-in-the-dark bouncy ball and a small plastic puppy. But from then on, our kids wanted to search for treasures every weekend. If you’re looking for a family-friendly outdoor adventure, here are the basics of geocaching with kids to get you started.

Geocaching Basics for Families

Our girls found their first geocache in the parking lot of our local ice skating rink. That’s just one of more than 3 million geocaches to be found worldwide. Here’s how geocaching works. Start by getting a geocaching app on your smartphone. The app lists and describes the caches—or hidden containers—near your current location. 

The goal is to work together to follow the coordinates and clues in the description to find a specific container. Containers can vary in size, and most include a logbook to sign. The larger caches typically contain small items to trade. So, bring along something like a toy car, foreign coin, or even a trinket from a fast food joint so your child can pick a prize and leave one behind!

And, hey, if you find yourselves traveling along an interstate and need a new family road trip activity to try, many rest stops include geocaches.

Geocaching With Young Kids

We started geocaching with our girls when they were both under 5. My husband looked for locations on the app that were labeled “kid-friendly” in the description. Those geocaches tend to be easy to navigate and often include spots such as playgrounds, paved walking trails, and libraries. You’ll be surprised how many geocaches may be hiding where you already take your kids.

With young kids, pick the largest geocaches to find. Those containers can be easier to spot than the small ones and also tend to include the best trades. Those little treasures can be the best part for a child and can also prove to be a motivator to keep looking! So, remember to bring something to swap.

And while you’re out and about, looking for a geocache together is a natural time to introduce your young child to basic navigation terms and concepts: north, south, east, west, left, right, up, down.  

Geocaching With Elementary-Age Kids

As with young kids, look for geocaches labeled “kid-friendly.” However, you can also hunt for a cache that may involve a little longer walk or hike. Kids in elementary school are at a good age to look for geocaches that also include an educational component. Some caches provide information about local history, wildlife, or geography. We live near an area once known for gold mining. We learned more about it by following the clues of several geocaches. And, as an added unexpected bonus, one find included small nuggets of fool’s gold, which our kids excitedly traded up to receive.

Make the most of your treasure hunting in nature. Discuss the importance of being aware of your surroundings. Point out plants to avoid (hello, poison ivy!), where snakes like to curl up, or even butterfly cocoons out in the wild! Reinforce safety rules and guidelines, such as staying on marked trails, avoiding dangerous areas, and respecting nature. You can even add in a “cache in, trash out” twist by cleaning up litter in the areas you explore together.

For older kids, boost their confidence by letting them hold the phone and lead the hunt. That also gives them practice in using navigation skills. 

Geocaching With Tweens and Teens

It’s time to up your game! Geocaching with kids reaches a whole new level when you go with tweens and teens. Put their technology prowess to use (and encourage their growing independence and decision-making) by putting them in charge of using the app to find a cache, take photos of the experience, and log finds online. Challenge them to look for caches that involve “trackables” (items that move from cache to cache) and puzzle caches (finds that involve solving a puzzle to determine final coordinates). Or lead them to look for caches that involve hiking, climbing, or exploring off-the-beaten-path locations.

Also, geocaching can be a fun way to get to know your child’s friends better. Invite them to come along on a night caching adventure. Some caches are specifically designed to be found at night. Plus, your teen is a night owl now anyway! Or challenge your teens to create and place their own geocache.

What’s your favorite geocaching with kids tip?

The post Modern-Day Treasure Hunting: Geocaching With Kids appeared first on iMOM.

Kids love it when their parents get creative. Sometimes, a mom’s creativity comes from a need to cut back on spending, but the kids don’t need to know that. When you’re trying to get the kids out of the house but you’re working on a budget, try one of these 10 affordable family bonding activities.

1. Backyard Campout

Take the camping gear you may already have (or borrow some) and set it up in your back yard. Pitch a tent, roll out the sleeping bags, and roast hot dogs or marshmallows. For the full camping experience, don’t forget to tell stories or sing songs around the campfire with your kids.

2. Playground Championship

Get a list of every playground in town. Create criteria for kids to rate parks based on what they like best: the size of the equipment, necessary pieces, unique features, and the like. As you tour every park, have your kids rank them and keep a running leaderboard. Once you’ve tried them all, crown the best park with as much fanfare as possible.

3. A Cheap or Free Swim

Many pools have slow times when they lower their prices to try and get people in the water. Some will offer free swimming while others may have a one- or two-dollar swim weekly or monthly. Use Google to find out when and where to take advantage of a pool’s off hours. As a bonus, you may discover a new favorite family pool.

4. Backyard Waterpark

When you can’t get out to the local pool, find ways to turn your back yard into a waterpark. If you’ve got a backyard playset, add a sprinkler and an inflatable pool to make a waterslide. Create a slip-n-slide with a roll of poly sheeting, water, and dish soap. Want more water games? Here are 5 your kids will love.

5. Laser Maze

Take a roll of masking tape and some crepe paper or yarn to create a laser maze in one of your hallways. Kids have to try to climb through the maze without touching the “laser beams”—the strings of crepe paper or yarn—that zigzag across the hallway. For added effect, dim the lights and play the Mission Impossible theme as they navigate the maze.

6. Next-Level Fort Building

Whether it’s the leftover boxes from appliances, couch cushions, or an intricate setup of ropes and blankets, there’s no limit of ways you can build a fort with your kids. Level this activity up by giving your kids a set amount of time to build and decorate their own fort, and then have the whole family camp in them that night in the living room.

7. Yard Sales

Give everyone a few dollars and spend an afternoon going from yard sale to yard sale. See who can make their money go the furthest and who can bring home the most exciting or most valuable gift. Try this in a thrift store if it’s not yard sale season.

8. House Swap

Find another family who lives in another neighborhood or town and swap houses for the weekend. Spend the time acquainting yourself with everything you can in the other community: exploring parks, hiking trails, notable landmarks, and even the local church community.

9. U-Pick to the Table

Look up a u-pick farm in your area, and take your kids for an afternoon picking. Armed with the fruits (or vegetables) of your labor and a recipe, make a meal with your kids using the produce they’ve picked. You could also use this experience as inspiration to get your kids involved in your own garden in the future.

10. Volunteer

Family bonding activities connect you even more when you give back. There are always opportunities to serve others in places like food banks, soup kitchens, and nursing homes or assisted living facilities. Volunteering somewhere as a family will bring you closer together while making a difference in the lives of those in need.

What are some other family bonding activities you can do on a budget?

The post 10 Family Bonding Activities on a Budget appeared first on iMOM.

Whether your goal is to move more or simply to sit less, we have some ideas to get your family moving. Check out our list of 11 activities for active families, and see how many you can cross off this month.

1. Walk to lunch (or brunch) and walk home.

If it’s possible, why not walk? Our town center is about a mile away, and everyone’s famished by the time we get to our destination. It’s a great opportunity to catch up on a week’s worth of happenings in your kids’ lives.

Walking is a great opportunity to catch up on a week’s worth of happenings in your kids’ lives.

2. Bike to church.

Empower your kids by showing them the bike route to church. It makes going to church an adventure and teaches kids they can get places using their own strength and muscle.

3. Use a paddle on the water.

If you’re in gator country, this may be more of an adventure than you’d like. But for others, paddling about and using your arms to move is an experience that everyone should try. But don’t expect to go fast. It’s tough, especially the first time, whether you’re canoeing, kayaking, or paddleboarding.

4. Spruce up the yard.

My kids have long griped about yardwork, but last fall, one of them said, “Hey, our yard looks pretty good.” Because we’d worked on it that summer as a family—trimming, weeding, cutting—we all felt some satisfaction with this revelation. The vitamin D and exercise were an added bonus.

5. Play basement games.

We keep our ping pong table in our basement. But I know a family who stores a table in the garage and rolls it out in good weather. Even if you assemble a net on the kitchen table and tap a ping pong ball back and forth, that counts in the category of what I call “basement games.” Other contenders are foosball, air hockey, and anything else too big to keep in a bedroom.

6. Walk to the nearest Little Library.

I love having a destination when I walk. And fortunately, we have several little book stands within a mile of our house. It’s fun to see what’s inside for the taking. Of course, I also like encouraging my kids to drop off books when we’re done. What goes around comes around.

7. Play backyard games.

Some libraries loan games like bocci ball, cornhole, and horseshoes. My favorite backyard game was badminton—until the net got caught in the wheels of the lawnmower. (Don’t ask.) Now my favorite is frisbee. Our dog can even play.

8. Make the driveway a place to play.

A couple summers ago, we jumped on the pickleball craze and bought a net for the driveway, along with paddles and balls. It’s a fun game, especially when the grandparents visit. What’s your family’s preference for the driveway—shooting hoops? Rollerblading?

9. Do a dog field trip.

We like taking our pooch different places to sniff and explore. And she always comes home ready for a nap. Now if only my kids would follow suit.

10. Play laser tag.

Before you say no, hear me out. I played laser tag at my daughter’s birthday party, and though I didn’t get a ton of steps in (to my surprise), I did do a lot of bending and crouching. In other words, I fired up my leg muscles, but hardly broke a sweat. Plus, it was SO MUCH FUN.

11. Explore a neighboring town on foot.

When you walk, you notice so much more. We recently visited a town about a half hour away and spotted interesting wall art along some narrow streets that we never would’ve seen by car. Seeing this little town up close made our world feel a little bigger. What town could you visit with your family?

Active families aren’t necessarily running marathons on the weekends but simply doing fun activities that get everyone moving. What does your family like to do?

The post 11 Activities for Active Families appeared first on iMOM.

If your crew is super competitive and everyone enjoys it, lean in. It’s part of your family identity and can lead to more fun and character-building. Try these 5 ways to embrace your family’s competitive side.

1. Compete for a group win.

If you have a competitive family, not every competition needs to pit you against each other. One of our favorite family game night games is Just One. It’s a cooperative game, so you win or lose as one team. As we play, the banter around the table is often, “ooh, that was a clever answer” and “good thinking” because the goal is gaining points for the whole group.

2. Use competition to reinforce good character.

Even though there were three grades between us, my sister and I were very competitive in school. She got all A’s and a B? I could get all A’s. She was the editor of the paper? I could become the director in TV productions. When my mom noticed bitterness or resentment building, she would remind me of the traits that led my sister to her wins. “Your sister got the position as editor because she is a good writer but also because she encouraged the rest of the staff.”

3. Let your kids compete for character awards.

Competition can bring out negative character traits like selfishness, impatience, and dishonesty, so be watchful for how it weaves its way through your family life. You can also encourage your kids to compete for awards that recognize good character in them.

Print iMOM’s character awards, and have a monthly ceremony where everyone is recognized for something you’ve noticed. “This month, the Medal of Generosity is awarded to…” Or come up with your own awards, like Most Improved Lawn Mower or Most Likely to Let Someone Else Take the Biggest Cookie.

4. Let the seasons dictate the fun.

Every Halloween, I wait for the text from a friend who asks me to vote for my favorite carved pumpkin. Then, at Christmas, I get one with four gingerbread houses and “Vote for your favorite!” Her family loves competing to see whose holiday creation is crowned the winner. They make great memories around each season and have traditions that will last for generations.

If you have a competitive family, let the natural joy or pace of the season lead you to a fun competition, like a summer reading contest, growing a crop of vegetables in the spring, or an early fall fishing tourney. Just be sure to measure that bass to keep Dad honest.

5. Use competition to bring your family together around the TV.

Growing up, my family had one TV, so every night, we watched Wheel of Fortune at 7 p.m. We’d all sound out the words together (when we weren’t commenting on Vanna’s dress). Today, there are so many screen options that families don’t watch shows together much, but if you have a competitive family, you can use TV as an excuse to go head-to-head.

We love The Amazing Race. We choose who we think will win after watching the first episode. Each week we hold our breaths, wondering if our picks will hang on for another leg of the race. The show gave us great conversation starters like, “Was that cheating?” “What would you have done?” and “I wonder how it felt to keep going when they knew they were in last place.”

Do you have a competitive family? How do you keep competition friendly and encouraging?

The post 5 Healthy Ways to Embrace Your Family’s Competitive Side appeared first on iMOM.

Some families go on the same vacations year after year. Others go to the locale everyone’s talking about, i.e. the Blue Ridge Mountains. Both are good problems to have; I mean, vacation is vacation! But if you’re looking for something fresh, inspiring, or outside-the-box, try one of these 4 family vacation ideas for your next trip.

1. Family Camp

I thought once you hit 15, your camp years were over. Then I watched the movie Family Camp and changed my mind. It’s about a family with a dad who needs to get his priorities in check, so the mom suggests they attend a church camp together. He reluctantly complies. After all, he’s gotta stay within the cell signal in case the call for his job promotion comes in.

At the camp, they sleep in a yurt, compete in tournament-style games, and meet another family who brings out the worst and then the best in them. While Family Camp isn’t a true story (it was actually created by YouTube stars “The Skit Guys”), the lighthearted fun made me wish I were there. There’s something special about experiencing something as carefree as camp with your kids. I think it’s worth a search to find one near you—and to see the movie, because it’s really cute.

2. Theme Time

The year my friend’s youngest child read The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, the family took a vacation to Missouri and saw Mark Twain’s childhood home, the Mississippi River, and a museum called Becky Thatcher’s House. This unique family vacation idea brought the book to life and gave them a reason to visit a different part of the country.

You could also theme a vacation around civil rights, your own family history, or even a food competition. I mean, how fun would it be to hunt for the best bar-b-que in the Southeast? A theme vacation is a great way to add education, culture, and history to family time.

3. All Aboard

Growing up, I loved watching the Amtrak zoom by on the train tracks. I always wondered what kind of people were on the train and where they were going. Maybe the next one that speeds by could have your family on it.

The train’s a great option for parents who want to see the sights and not have to worry about checking a map. And everyone knows how exhausting a road trip is when you have to drive long hours. Give yourself a break from driving and ride the rails with your kids on your next family vacation.

4. Parkless Theme Park

I have a friend whose kids are five and seven years old and they still think that all the things around Disney World are Disney World. I’m not saying you should fly to a city with a theme park and not actually go in, but if you live near a tourist attraction that has resorts and special activities, try planning a trip without the park one time.

We live near Orlando, and on one rainy day, we enjoyed a kid-friendly monorail crawl. As we rode, we stopped at every hotel and used the penny press. It was an activity that cost us exactly $4.08 for hours of fun and special memories.

What’s another outside-the-box family vacation idea? 

The post 4 Outside-the-Box Family Vacation Ideas appeared first on iMOM.

Check out these family games for your next game night or lazy afternoon. Some require zero setup (which means zero cleanup, too!), others sneak in a little education, and others get everyone moving. So whatever family game mood your crew is in, there’s something that will bring everyone together, laughing, talking, and loving well!

Family Games to Get Silly

Games that involve a lot of strategy-making or money-counting, are fun, but sometimes families just need to let loose and get silly. Kids love seeing Mom and Dad relax and act like kids themselves, so these family games are some of our favorites.

• For families who love scavenger hunts, but want to stay indoors, our Superstore Scavenger Hunt is a/c friendly. (Save our family Selfie Scavenger Hunt for a special day when you can celebrate with ice cream at the end.)
• These two fun games will get parents to let their hair down.
• And these creative games for kids are perfect for little ones who need to exercise their creative muscles.

Family Games for Outdoors

You might picture family games being played around the dining room table, but all parents know that sometimes you’ve gotta take the fun outside. These games are ideal for those days when the weather begs you to get out and breathe in the fresh air. If you want some totally original ideas, these 15 Backyard Games are silly and fun for all ages. Don’t forget the instructions, so you can start the fun ASAP!

• If you’re feeling competitive, host your own family Olympic games. If you’re crafty, you can even make medals and play the national anthem at your family award ceremony!
• For kids who love to shoot hoops, check out these four fun basketball challenges.
• When the weather is nice, the best kind of outdoor fun is camping, so be sure to check out these camping games, and seven camping ideas.

Games to Get Families Talking

When life is busy, it can feel like the members of your family are ships passing in the night. The only words you exchange are grocery requests, pick-up times, and questions about missing socks. Family games are great for connecting and talking while having fun. Your kids will giggle over our printable Mom and Dad Love Story Quiz. How well do they know how you and your husband fell in love?

• Our Sweet Talk Game is a great game to help you grow closer as a family by listening and sharing (and eating candy!).
• How well do you know your kids? How well do they know you? Play our What Do You Know? game and find out!

Games for Traveling

Game time doesn’t end when you’re on vacation. In fact, car games are some of the best memory-makers. Who doesn’t remember playing Road Trip Bingo? We have our own version plus two more car games: Road Trip I Spy and the License Plate Game.

• If you’re traveling only a short distance, there’s still time for fun with our Car Time Rhyme game.

What kinds of games does your family like to play together?

The post Family Games and Fun appeared first on iMOM.

Back-to-school time is different for every kid, but there are ways to make it memorable in a good way for each of them. And you don’t have to squeeze it all into the first day. Some simple first week of school activities can help calm nerves and create family traditions. Here are 10 memorable ways to celebrate the first 10 days of school.

1. Pose for a not-so-typical first day of school picture.

Instead of posing in front of a cute chalkboard with creative lettering, let your kiddo decide what the first-day-of-school picture is going to be like. Maybe it won’t be perfectly posed, but it’s a great way to capture your child’s personality each year.

2. Make dessert for breakfast.

Who doesn’t love eating dessert first? I know, I know—it’s not a great idea to send off your kiddos loaded up on sugar, but one day isn’t going to hurt. And can you imagine their faces when they see a banana split awaiting them when they get to the breakfast table? It will be epic!

3. Send them off with a surprise in their backpack or lunch bag.

All kids love getting surprises of their favorite treats or tiny gifts! Tuck your kids’ favorite candy bar, a new water bottle, or a fun pen or keychain into their bags. They’ll feel extra special knowing you went out of your way with a surprise. Be sure to include one of iMOM’s adorable lunchbox notes!

4. Make a paper chain.

Some first week of school activities can be extended throughout the entire year. Create a paper chain link for each day of school and have a standing ovation every time a link is ripped off. If the full year seems like too much, create a chain for each month or until the next school break. It helps to have a physical reminder of something to look forward to.

5. Go out for ice cream!

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ICE CREAM! And we scream even louder when it’s right after school on a hot August day. On the first Friday of the year, instead of heading straight home, hit up your favorite ice cream spot and opt for extra sprinkles.

6. Have a fast-food picnic dinner.

Drive through everyone’s favorite fast food joint and then head to a park for an early picnic dinner. Creating special moments throughout the first few days of school will make the start of the year a tradition-filled time that everyone looks forward to.

7. Give your kiddo some money.

Stick with me for a moment. I’m not telling you to hand over a wad of cash without reason. Give your child some decision-making authority on how he or she wants to spend a bit of back-to-school cash. Maybe a new backpack is a low priority if it means that new pair of shoes is within reach.

8. Come up with a slogan for the year.

Ask everyone in the family to create a slogan for the year and then take a vote. Consider having it framed and displayed somewhere that everybody sees it every day. Tell your children it will serve as a slogan and a goal for everyone in the family.

9. Make a video.

Grab your phone and hit record. Ask your child why he or she is excited to start the school year. If he or she has a hard time coming up with a reason, have some prompts ready to answer. Even if you don’t start until fifth or sixth grade, it will be neat to have a montage of videos to show your child come senior year.

10. Make a “Class of” t-shirt.

Every year, take a picture of your child in his or her “Class of” t-shirt, featuring the year your child will graduate from high school, on the first day of school. Make sure you purchase a shirt that’s plenty big so he or she can grow into it as the school years progress. You could even have teachers sign the back!

What are some fun first week of school activities you do with your family?

The post 10 Fun Ideas for the First 10 Days of School appeared first on iMOM.

One thing’s for certain. It makes your heart feel full when you see your kids having a good time with their friends, siblings, or even by themselves, using their imaginations. These fun activities for kids will help your kids make fun memories without taking a ton of time and effort from you—and you’ll be known as the mom who always has a fun idea up her sleeve!

It’s that time of the year!

Sometimes you have to manufacture the fun, while other times, it’s as though a special occasion or even the weather shouts, “Let’s play!” So lean in and allow the time of the year to dictate the fun. Our free 50 Things to Do This Summer printable looks great on the fridge and can help you fill summer days with memory makers. And if you’re looking for fun activities for kids with less chance of sunburn, try our 10 Things to Do With Kids on Summer Nights.

More seasonal sillies:
Make your kids smile with St. Patrick’s Day jokes.
Enjoy the Super Bowl as a family with our family fun guide and trivia.
School’s out? Celebrate with an awesome end-of-the-school-year party!

Get outdoors.

When the kids are itching to go outside and play but are bored with hide and seek, you know they’re going to come looking to you. So check out our ideas that get them breathing the fresh air and enjoying the outdoors, like these five water games.

Stay outside and play with these ideas:
Try these 10 ideas for outdoor fun.
Teach your kids about God’s handiwork with these activities.
And satisfy a sweet tooth in a healthy and fun way with fun with watermelon!

Family time is the best time.

Fun activities for kids are great when you need your kids to get out from under your feet. But the best activities really are the ones that bring families closer together and boy, do we have a ton! If you think you’re up to it, try our 30 Day Family Time Challenge. We even made it into a handy printable for you.

Is your family ready for more?
Try our Family Fun Time Cards. Those are the originals and because they were so popular, here are more!
Here are fun activities for when the grandparents are over to play.
Here are family activities that won’t break the bank.
We’ve got these 10 memory-making activities that your kids will love.
These 20 ideas for a family fun night are sure to make great memories.

Sometimes they just need Mom.

We spend so much time with our kids, but it’s not always quality time. Here are some sweet ways to fill your kids’ love tanks with plenty of TLC. You can start with these five fun ways to show your kids some love.

More fun with mom:
Boy moms! Here are five things you can do to connect with your son.
Your turn, girl moms! These eight mother-daughter outings will help you connect with your sweet girl.
And here are 20 ideas for dates with kids that will make them feel like the center of attention.

Have some “just because” fun!

When the kids are bored or you want to try something a little different, these ideas for fun activities for kids are perfect—they’re simple, yet entertaining. Low stress, yet fun. Start with our free printable Colorful Treasure Hunt Clues for Kids.

When the treasure hunt is done, try this:
Teach your kids to tap into their imaginations with an imaginary trip.
Enjoy a bug-free campout with indoor camping ideas.
And this list of family fun box ideas is sure to have some activities you’ve never tried.

It’s finally the weekend!

Saturday or Sunday Fun Days are just what busy families need after a stressful week at work and school. Kick off the fun with these 10 wacky weekend ideas.

The weekend’s not over yet!
Missing something? Here are five tips for a meaningful weekend.
And here are 14 family activities that are so much fun everyone will feel recharged for Monday.

Get artsy-craftsy.

Even if you don’t have a crafty bone in your body, your kids will think you’re amazing with these fun craft activities. Start with our three cool crafts for family fun.

More crafty creations:
Here’s how to make paint for kids.
You don’t need an excuse to put on a crown, but these homemade crowns are the perfect addition to any celebration.
Your kids will love our homemade prayer photo frame, too!

Time to eat!

Cooking, mealtime conversations, the presence of family around the dinner table—they all lead to full hearts and bellies. So be sure to check out these four ways to make dinnertime awesome.

Still hungry?
Here are five family mealtime conversation starters.
Your kids can create their own restaurant with these ideas.
And spice up the dinner table with eight themed dinner ideas.

Small but mighty fun!

Every mom knows little kids need a lot of attention and the more colorful and hands-on the activity, the better! Here are 12 preschooler activities that are sure to keep them engaged.

More fun for little hands:
Get back to the basics with our happy words coloring page.
These five crafts for kids are fun for Mom too!

Curl up on the couch.

It’s a great day when your kids are old enough to sit still through an entire movie that the whole family can enjoy. Now the hard part is picking the movie! Here are eight great family movies and 10 throwback movies. All of these are under-the-radar but sure to make for some good conversations.

Celebrate good times!

When there are kids around, there’s always a reason to celebrate. Peeing in the potty, tying shoes, making the team, getting an A on an exam—here are activities to celebrate all the exciting moments. And of course, you’ve got to celebrate birthdays. Here are simple birthday ideas for the times you want the celebration to be more low-key.

Help them learn and grow.

When your kids are having fun but also growing into healthy, well-rounded little people—that’s when moms feel like they’ve earned a gold star. These random acts of kindness for families are great ways to grow in love while you serve others. We even created a cute printable to help you track your kindness!

More growing ahead!
These four family activities are must-dos before the kids get too old.
Teach your kids how to harness their dreams with a dream board.
Help them grow physically by teaching picky eaters how to cook.
And show them that screen-free fun is possible with these ideas for TV-free family evenings.

What are your favorite fun activities for kids? Share your ideas in the comments!

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