101 Fun Things to Do at Home for the Whole Family

We are all finding ourselves with a lot more time at home. In fact, with schools canceled, work canceled, popular tourist destinations closed, what are we all to do with all of this time at home? Since we’re a family that has been homeschooling for over 10 years, I’ve gathered some of my best ideas for time at home. Even though it’s a very stressful time, all we can do is make the best of it. And we can try our best to see this time at home as more of a blessing than a curse. So let’s start with the youngest in the family! I’ll have ideas for each part of your family, so read all the way through to find 101 fun things to do at home for the whole family.

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Fun Things to Do at Home for Toddlers and Preschoolers

1. Tape several pieces of paper on to the table, and let them go crazy coloring and scribbling!
2. Puzzles
3. Simple coloring books and crayons or markers.
4. Age appropriate board games like Candy Land.
5. Play doh – I know, I don’t do it often either. But desperate times call for desperate measures.
6. Simon says. Bonus points if you have older kids be Simon!
7. Mother May I? We love this game at our house, even though it’s so simple and quick. We play it over and over.
8. Bake something simple.
9. Finger paints.
10. Hide and seek.
11. Read books together.
12. Sprinkler day in the backyard.
13. Build a pillow and blanket fort.
14. Look at family pictures together.
15. FaceTime distant relatives.
16. Play tag.
17. Tickle fight.
18. I spy inside or outside.
19. Cloud watching and draw pictures of them.
20. Gather leaves and paste them in a notebook.
21. Watch some educational content together. Check out this post for 20 totally free educational websites!
22. Bath time with colored water!
23. Throw all of their stuffed animals somewhere unusual like in the middle of the living room floor, or even in the bathtub.
24. Old fashioned blocks. These were always a huge hit in my home.
25. Chalk or bubbles outside.

Fun Things to Do at Home for Elementary Age Kids

1. Find a good book to start reading. And if you can’t go to the library and don’t have it at home, try Amazon or a digital version.
2. Take an art class online. YouTube has so many!
3. Spend extra time on an instrument or music history.
4. Pick 3-4 great pieces of art work, print them out on a piece of paper, and have them around for a few weeks. And you’ll be amazed at what they might discover after seeing it for a few weeks.
5. Do a deep clean of their rooms. Start with one area, like a certain bookshelf or storage bin, and completely organize that one spot.
6. Start a 100, 250, 250, or even 500 piece puzzle together.
7. Write a letter to a friend or relative.
8. Write letters or cards to nursing home residents or military personnel.
9. Do movement videos and kid friendly exercises together, like on the GoNoodle app.
10. Board games. You may even have time to test out all of the board games from the back of that game closet that you haven’t played for years.
11. Make a fort out of blankets, pillows, and cardboard boxes.
12. Have a dance party.
13. Design an obstacle course. Encourage them to have their siblings or family members test it out.
14. Plan a scavenger hunt. I don’t mean for you as the parent to create this for them. Have them plan their own scavenger hunts for each other!
15. Have an “unbirthday party” or figure out when everyone’s half birthdays are, and celebrate that.
16. Celebrate a pet’s birthday.
17. Make a collage or a vision board out of old magazine pictures.
18. Children this age can vacuum out a car, and even learn to wash a car by themselves.
19. Teach your pet a new trick.
20. Make paper boats, make paper hats, or homemade puzzles out of paper.
21. Create a talent show.
22. Rehearse and perform a play for your family.
23. Egg toss in the backyard.
24. Water balloon toss in the backyard.
25. Play charades.

Things for Tweens and Teens to Do at Home

Teens can be hard to please and picky. So of course, not everything on this list will work for teens. And some of them are definitely more housekeeping and organization oriented than fun things to do at home. But seize the day, right? If you have anything to add, I’d love to hear your ideas as well either in the comments or on Instagram!

1. Clean out that backpack and organize their school papers.
2. Start a great book! Give them an audiobook or digital option.
3. Tackle that room. At this age, tweens and teens are old enough to take responsibility for their space. Give them lots of guidance, supervision, and praise.
4. Find a makeup tutorial and practice!
5. Do a fashion show through your living room.
6. Plan and cook a meal for the family.
7. Take an art lesson online on YouTube.
8. Do some extra SAT and test prep practice.
9. Start a 1,000 or even 3,000 piece puzzle.
10. Watch old family movies together.
11. Research careers and make a spreadsheet of top choices.
12. Research college choices and acceptance information.
13. Learn how to read a map, and plan a hypothetical trip, including budget and schedule.
14. Learn a new braid or hairstyle.
15. Watch YouTube videos or learn from a parent how to change the oil in the car.
16. While you’re at it, learn how to change a tire!
17. Write a letter to a friend or relative you haven’t seen for a while.
18. Practice making PowerPoint or KeyNote presentations. Current events might be a great topic to start with!
19. Make a scrapbook or a family vacation or a “year in the life.”
20. Create a time capsule.
21. Study up on babysitting or lawn moving skills.
22. Start an exercise routine. Yoga, light weights, and body strength exercises are a great place to start!
23. Google “minute to win in” games and challenge family members.
24. FaceTime or call a relative to do a family history interview.
25. Start a journal.

Fun Things to Do at Home for Adults

Ok, now prepare yourself. In fact, not everything on this list will be considered fun things to do at home. But I don’t know about you, but having more time to get stuff done that I’ve wanted to do for years is fun for me. So whether or not you find organizing fun, I’ve included some of those ideas on this list! I’ve also included some ideas for things to do together as a family. Pick and choose what works for you!

1. Get started on that Netflix or Hulu list! I don’t know about you, but I have quite a few things waiting to be watched.
2. Do a deep dive through Disney+. There are some amazing gems on there. And be sure to check out my post on the Best of the 80’s on Disney Plus.
3. Plan a romantic meal at home. In fact, you can have all of your family members dress up for it like it’s a special occasion.
4. Catch up on the photo books or photo albums that you’re so behind on.
5. Tackle the pile of kid artwork and “special papers.”
6. Organize your pantry. Bonus points if you have your kids help!
7. Clean your car thoroughly.
8. Help your teens make a time capsule.
9. Write a letter or just “thinking of you” card to someone you’ve lost touch with.
10. Call your oldest living relative. Even if you only talk for a few minutes, you’ll make their day.
11. Learn a new card game.
12. Organize the garage.
13. Check the fluid levels on all vehicles.
14. Play board games with your kids.
15. Watch your wedding video or other family videos together.
16. Get through the “fix it” pile.
17. Write a song or poem. Or paint something. Get creative!
18. Try a new recipe.
19. Scrub your baseboards, clean out a drawer, or do some other cleaning task that never gets done.
20. Sit down and play the piano, or the violin, or whatever skill you used to have that you never use anymore.
21. Take a bike ride with your family.
22. Plan an indoor or backyard picnic.
23. Start a read aloud book. Read a chapter or two each night. And you’ll be surprised at how much even your older kids will enjoy it.
24. Start a garden, plant some flowers, or do some yard work.
25. Organize your computer and digital files.

That’s it! That’s 100 ideas for toddlers, elementary age kids, tweens and teens, and even Mom and Dad!

But what about 101? We’ve got 100 fun things to do at home for the whole family. But what’s the last one? So did you guess it?

101. Snuggle on the couch. Squeeze your loved ones a little tighter. And savor this time together.