Ideas For a Night In With the Family

It isn’t always easy to think of fresh, fun ideas for a family night-in that will suit all ages but here are some fail-safe ways to spend an evening together that everyone can enjoy.

A Home Movie Night

If you are a family who loves watching films together, why not bring the cinema experience to you? Get in some drinks, popcorn and other movie snacks, like crisps or pick ‘n’ mix, get cosy with blankets and cushions and settle down for a home movie night. If this is something you like to do on a regular basis it might be worth investing in a fitted media room and a surround-sound system for that real silver screen experience.

Arts and Crafts Night

For something more hands-on, you could hold an arts and crafts night where everyone has to make, draw or paint something. This is a great way to get creative and have fun together and at the end of the evening, you should all have something beautiful to show for your time and effort. Pinterest has loads of family arts of crafts ideas you could choose from or you could order a pre-made kit, such as a home pottery or tie-dye kit.

DIY Pizza Night

Making your own pizzas is a fun activity and also means you don’t need to worry about what to eat afterwards! Why not make pizza dough from scratch and let everyone choose their own toppings? To introduce a bit of healthy competition, you could all try a slice of each other’s pizza and rate the flavours! This is also a great way to get youngsters interested in cooking - and clearing up afterwards!

Games Night

Board games are a staple of family nights for a very good reason. Done properly, a games night is a great way to connect, unwind and have a laugh together but there are a few rules to follow if you want to avoid tears and tantrums along the way!

First, think carefully about what game/s you’re going to play and the ages of those playing. Younger kids have shorter concentration spans and won’t always understand all the rules and intricacies of longer more complicated board games that require strategy, like the classic Monopoly. They’re also likely to get frustrated if they soon realise they have little chance of winning.

Short games that rely more on luck than skill are great equalisers and bonus points if they also involve everyone getting a little bit silly and letting their guard down. These days, there are more board games to choose from than ever so you’re sure to find something to suit and soon it’ll become a firm family favourite!

An Evening Walk

Sometimes you just need to get outside and into nature. A family walk in the evening gives you all chance to process your day and unwind from work or school. A summer evening nature walk in the local countryside can tire out younger ones ready for bed and give the grown-ups and older kids a chance to chat and reconnect after a long day or a busy weekend. Even in autumn and winter, there’s no reason why you can’t all pop on your wellies and raincoats and head to the local park for a bit of fresh air and stomping in puddles together!