Family Night Ideas that Kids Love

Do the words, “It’s family night!” bring a round of moans and excuses? Looking for family night ideas that they will actually LOVE?

Want to increase quality family time with a family night but you are afraid your family will retaliate if you force one more game of charades?

I’m sure a lot of families love to play charades, but there are more family night activities available. As a matter of fact, I have several family night ideas that your children will love so much… they will BEG for more family nights together.

Think about with the four Gs: games, giant, gross, and go.

Play epic games on family night

Kids love fun games. My children will play almost any board game until I want to pluck my eyeball out. They have a tremendous list of favorite games that we cycle through our family game night.

Lately, we have been playing a lot of games based on their favorite characters:

• Zelda Monopoly
• Super Mario Uno
• Pokemom Headbanz
• My Little Pony Guess Who

I used to avoid specialty board games. (I guess I was a classic board game purist.) But adding their favorite video game and movie heroes to board games keeps the children engaged.

RELATED: See the list of all of our favorite board games

Make sure to establish a few rules before you start. For instance, no cell phones or tablets allowed.

For our family, I require your complete and undivided attention when we play games. Otherwise, someone ends up getting distracted and missing a turn. Family night turns into a nightmare very quickly.

But think beyond board games too.

Nintendo Night

We often turn on the Nintendo Switch and have a Mario Kart 8 race-off. We divide into two teams of three and play a complete tournament with each team. Then, the lowest ranking three play a tournament and the highest ranking three play a tournament.

Take the fun up a notch by serving a spaghetti dinner on Super Mario party plates and having a Super Mario cake for dessert.

Finish the night with an awards ceremony using inexpensive Super Mario party favors.

More GAME ideas:

• Qwirkle Family Game Night With Qwirkle Chocolates from Artsy Fartsy Mama
• Forty Forty! from Sloely
• Mother, May I? from Sloely
• DIY Guess Who from Almost Makes Perfect
• Best Board Games for Teens from Sunshine and Hurricanes

Have giant family fun

You’ve heard the phrase “Go big or go home,” right? Why not combine them by blowing up the size of your games?

There is no need to stick around the table when you can use your entire home or yard for huge fun.

Capture the Flag

Divide the house into two territories and establish a base for each team. Have a towel or pillowcase to represent each team’s flag.

The object of the game is to capture the opposing team’s flag and bring it back to your base. But, if you are captured, you can be imprisoned and need to be rescued.

Personalize the game by adding your own rules.

Add some fun by loading up the Nerf guns! Or play outside (traditional) in the dark (not traditional.)

Indoor Snow Day

Roll up all of your socks and have an indoor snowball fight.

We set up empty boxes and move furniture around to create two bunkers. Then, it’s GAME ON. The first team to run out of “snowballs” loses.

Serve snow cones or epic ice cream sundaes for dessert.

More GIANT ideas:

• Homemade Water Slide from Meet Penny
• Living Room Blanket Fort from Handmade By Kelly
• Giant Tic Tac Toe from eHow
• Life-size Candy Land from The Bargain Hunter
• Oversized Memory Game from Dollar Store Crafts
• Cardboard Slide from The Contemplative Creative

Get gross on family night

If you are willing to throw caution to the wind and get gross with your child, they will always love family night. Like recently when my kids challenged my husband to a game of Bean Boozled (video below). Watching his face as he tasted each jelly bean… they could not stop laughing!

If eating nasty stuff isn’t on your list of fun family night activities, then get dirty.

Our family has played Pie Face, hosted water gun wars, and blown up gingerbread houses with fireworks. (Parental supervision required.)

More GROSS ideas:

• The Flour Game from What’s Up Fagans?
• Catapult Painting from Share It Science
• Bubble Gum Blowing Contest from Paging Fun Moms
• Squirt Gun Painting from Fireflies and Mud Pies
• Shaving Cream Twister from Maddi Barone
• Family Night Fun Messy Games from Lasting Thumbprints

Go for family night fun

Every once in a while, take your family night on the road.

Check your local community calendar for free museum nights and art walks. I follow the area chamber of commerce pages on Facebook to receive notifications when new events are added.

Or, if you have room in the budget, splurge on a concert, movie, ice cream, or lazer tag excursion. You can save money on special family night activities using Living Social.

AD: Save up to 80% on local family favorites

My children actually enjoy opening the Pokemon Go app on the phone and walking around the local college campus battling gyms and collecting Pokemon.

More GO ideas:

• Geocaching from Des Moines Outdoor Fun
• Family Walks: Let The Kids Lead from Mama Smiles
• Shape Scavenger Hunt from Meet Penny
• Trampoline Park from A Moment with Franca

More Family Night Activity Ideas

Need more inspirations for a fun family night? Visit a few of my friends:

• Free Printable ~ Homemade Board Game Creator from Twitchetts
• Sing Family Movie Night – Ash Punk Rock Pudding Pie Recipe from Smart Fun DIY
• How To Have A Family Fun Night When You Have A Sensory Sensitive Kid from Lemon Lime Adventures
• When The Light Went Out from Blessed Learners
• Lady and the Tramp Valentine’s Day Party from In Our Pond
• 4 ways Family Game Night makes your kids smarter! from Megan Zeni
• Family Game Night: Build A Letter from Growing Book By Book
• Start A Family Dinner Book Club from Growing Book By Book
• Family Movie Night Ideas from The Typical Mom
• 12 Free Diy Popcorn Box Printables For A Better Family Movie Night from What’s Up Fagans?
• DIY Authentic Looking Championship Belt from Intelligent Domestications
• Easy Family Movie Night from Penny Pincher Jenny
• Camping Bingo Free Printable Cards from Glue Sticks & Gumdrops
• How To Throw An Epic Movie Night from Think about Such Things
• Family Pizza Night And Ideas To Help Teens Unplug from My PinterVentures
• 7 Tips For Family Game Night from Lorrin Sell
• The Colorful Craze Totally Worth Jumping On As A Family from What’s Up Fagans?

Your Family Night Ideas

What family night activities do your children love? I would love to hear about your best family night ideas. Please leave your inspiration in the comments.