20 Fun Things To Do With Kids Today

Being a parent means you always have to have a running list of fun things to do with kids TODAY, TOMORROW, YESTERDAY, NEXT WEEK. You catch my drift. We need to stay on our toes, folk. Look sharp!

Whether it’s summer break or winter recess, after school or a rainy weekend, parents all have one thing in common – bored children.

It’s not their fault, either. Children have ever-growing minds with endless curiosity. They are like sponges – always looking for more knowledge and experiences. It’s a good thing!

20 Fun Things To Do With Kids Today – Free Or Almost Free

And so, it is our duty to do what we can to combat boredom and excessive downtime and come up with a variety of fun family activities that will keep our kids engaged without breaking the bank. The last thing I want is all of my children spending an entire weekend on the iPad.

If you’re looking for fun things to do with kids today then you’ve come to the right place. I’ve crafted a simple list of fun things to do with kids that will ensure memories are made and quality family time is created.

Fun Activities For Kids

Children’s activities range in a level of effort – let’s just be honest here. I tried to include a mix of social good, freebies, family-centric focused, and local options that I know any parent can find nearby. Take a look and see what will work best for your current situation.

Go to the Park

Out of all the fun things to do with kids, this is the easiest one to figure out in a pinch. Head to your local park with the family and enjoy the sun along with a change of scenery.

Playgrounds are the perfect place to just get outside, run around, and let some steam off. The local park with your kids requires no pre-planning! Time at the playground is time well spent.

Visit A Pet Store

Pack up the car and head to visit the local pet stores. This is always a fun way to see new animals without committing to a new pet. But be warned, depending on the type of children you have, you might see a lot of begging. Everyone wants a new puppy, right?

My particular family can head to a pet store and realize that it is just for fun. We recently adopted a dog and have no intention of bringing another one home. You know your kids – if these indoor activities for kids will turn into a mess, then avoid it.

Take A Hike

I don’t mean to get out of town. I literally mean to take an actual hike. If you are looking for fun places to go with kids, it’s up! Hike up a mountain or a trail and watch the children find things they’ve never seen before.

Surely you have a few hiking trails near your neck of the woods. A hiking adventure with kids is always a great idea.

Visit Grandma

Grandmas are so much fun, aren’t they? Grandparents adore seeing their grandchildren whenever possible. So, hop in the car and go visit Grandma because everyone wins when it comes to time with loved ones.

You don’t need anything on your agenda. You just need to walk through that door, sit on the couch, and let the day progress. As a mom, I love to hand over responsibility. Grandma takes it all with open arms.

Have A Picnic

Whether you pack up a picnic basket and venture out to your backyard or choose to have a picnic in the park, it’s always a great way to enjoy a meal together. Fun family activities do not have to require a lot of time or energy. Open up your fridge, make a few sandwiches and be on your way.

Visit A Shelter

Many animal shelters let families go in and see the animals. It’s a great way to give a little love to animals in need of some attention. Call around to see if the local animal shelters in your neighborhood are open for visitors to socialize with the pets in their care. These indoor activities for kids give back which is so important!

Fun Things To Do With Kids Today Related: 20 Things To Do With The Kids This Weekend

Have A Scavenger Hunt

Whether you head outdoors to do a nature scavenger hunt or make up an indoor scavenger hunt list of your own, this is always a fun thing to do with kids and they truly are great team building activities for kids.

In the end, it gets the kids moving and keeps their active imagination flowing. We LOVE to do this! In fact, on my blog, I’ve created several scavenger hunt lists you can check out:

Create A DIY Project

Get out your craft supplies and get those creative juices flowing. What new designs can you make together when you bring out the glitter, glue, and feathers? Literally – anything is possible. As long as you lean on your imaginations, the world is your oyster!

Be sure to visit my DIY page to get a few ideas if you don’t know where to start.

Take a Bike Ride

Does your family own bicycles? If so, then gather up your helmets and venture off on a bike ride together through town or on a local bike trail.

We actually love to rent bikes while on vacation. It’s such a hoot to explore foreign cities this way. Naturally, we always get lost. But I have to admit that losing our way is always part of the fun.

Fun Things To Do With Kids Today Related: Rainy Day Activities For Toddles

Go to the Beach

Pack up your bags and head off to enjoy a day at the beach with kids today. A beach day always promises great fun! If you don’t live near a beach, then consider a lake or a pond. Whatever body of water is closest to your house. Fun things to do with the kids should always involve water if you ask me. LOL!

Related: Beach Scavenger Hunt Printable For Kids – Family Fun Activity

Write Stories Together

Have everyone sit down in a circle with their own paper and pencil. Then – as a team – work to write a short story together. Once the story is complete, read the final work out loud. This is loads of fun!

Another option could be one person (mom or dad) acts as the note taker and everyone takes turns completing one another’s sentences. At the end, the entire family creates a story – one small section at a time. You never know where the story will go because the next person will always pick up where you left off.

Head to the Library

Grab your library cards and take a trip to your local library. We always love to call ahead and check to see if they have any kid-friendly events on the books. Even if they don’t, it’s still worth attending. But if they do, be sure to attend during that timeslot. That would be an absolute bonus!

Take a Road Trip

It doesn’t have to be a HUGE road trip, you could just head about an hour away from home and go sightseeing. Act like a local tourist. We LOVE doing this.

My family is lucky enough to live 20 miles from Manhattan. So, we make sure to head into NYC as often as possible. It’s something the kids love to do. Full confession – we do too! No planning needed. The best fun family activities never do.

Go to a Movie

Check out your local theater to see if any good movies are playing right now and hop on over to enjoy a movie date with the kids. This is always a win in my family.

Indoor activities for kids don’t have to be complicated. Movies are so simple and will take up about 3 hours of your day. BAM! You’re welcome.

Have a Playdate

Most people think playdates are so complicated, but truth be told, playdates are lifesavers. The kids are always so occupied during this time.

Call up your friends to see if any kids want to get together for a playdate at your house and RELAX. The kids will take care of the fun. Introduce them to a few minute-to-win-it games and watch them have a BALL.

Plant Some Flowers

Plant some flowers in the yard to make a mini-flower garden with the little ones. If you’d like, you could start out with seeds making this a really cheap thing to do with kids.

If you’d like to make this more of a child-friendly event, consider making it into a fairy garden.

Pick Up Litter

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Grab some garbage bags and take a walk around the neighborhood to pick up litter as you see it. Make sure you have industrial gloves and tell your children to stay away from anything sharp. This is a wonderful social good activity, but you have to be cautious and careful about what you pick up. Parental supervision is required.

Bake Something

Search Pinterest for something fun to make with kids today. See what ingredients you have, accept that the kitchen is going to get a little messy, invite Grandma over if she is local and start cooking! This is one of our favorite things to do as a family.

Go Window Shopping

Honestly, I do this on my own sometimes and it is a stress reliever. Is that strange to say? Sometimes I just need to get out of the house and walk around my mall. Your kids will enjoy it, too. I promise.

We all get in the car and go out for an afternoon of window shopping. We promise not to buy anything – that’s the deal. But when it comes to things to do with the kids when they are bored and I am desperate, this is a quick fix.

We get our steps in, they burn some energy, and we get out of the house. Win, Win, Win!

Have a Dance Party

THE BEST! Gather up your tunes and play some music while throwing a dance party with the kids. Shake what your mama gave ya! Better yet, if Grandma is around – invite her over. This is on the top of my fun things to do with kids list!

There are so many things to do with kids today that won’t take up a lot of your time, energy, or money. These 20 fun things to do with kids today should surely keep you and the kids busy. Do you have any other ideas that you’d like to add? Would love to hear!!