10 Activities To Do with Your Family This Weekend

10 Activities To Do with Your Family This Weekend

Make the most of your upcoming weekend, and plan for one (or more!) of these fun outdoor activities!

1. Rock On

Secure your picnic tablecloth with these colorful weights. To make, wash and dry rocks and cover each with a coat of decoupage glue, like Mod Podge. Before the glue dries, decorate the rocks using colored or patterned papers cut in a variety of shapes. To finish, paint a second coat of glue over the rock and let dry.

2. Visit a Fire Station

Most local stations will arrange tours for kids. This is an exciting field trip for preschoolers (especially those who love playing with toy trucks) and school-age children alike. They'll love checking out the different fire trucks and meeting real live firefighters.

3. Collect Leaves

Children old enough to handle a crayon can make angel faces. Lay a leaf on paper and rub outward with side of crayon, creating a silhouette and making different halo and hairdo effects. Remove the leaf and draw in a chin, a face, and an outline for the hair.

4. Make Sunflowers

Slice Styrofoam balls of varying sizes in half. Using tacky glue, cover the rounded side of each half with sunflower seeds. Cut petals from yellow tissue paper, and attach them to the flat side of the Styrofoam with glue. Finish by covering the back side with a circle cut from yellow paper. Attach a ribbon and tie to the branch of a tree.

5. Root, Root, Root for the Home Team

You don't have to have season tickets to get into local sporting events such as a minor-league baseball game or a town swim meet.

6. Have a Four-Square Tournament

You'll need four players and a large rubber ball. Draw a 12" x 12" square on your driveway. Divide into four squares, A, B, C, and D. One player stands in each square. The player in A starts by bouncing the ball in his square, then batting it with open hands into another square. That player must hit the ball into another square. When one player misses or hits the ball out of bounds, he moves to D, the players behind him advance, and you begin again.

7. Play Capture the Flag

You'll need six or more people and two pieces of fabric of different colors, cut into flags (one for each player). Using flour for the outline, divide your yard into two adjoining courts about 12" x 12" each.

Divide into two teams; each person places a flag on the back line of his court. Starting from their flag line, players dash to the opposite side of the field and try to pick up a flag from the other team. If a player is tagged, he's out and must stand behind the opposing team's line of flags. If he captures a flag, he's safe and can return to his court. The team that captures all of the opposing side's flags first wins.

8. Eat Out (Way Out)

Choose an exotic cuisine that your children haven't tried, such as Thai or Portuguese. Find the country on a globe or a map, and read a short encyclopedia or Internet introduction to that nation's culture. Go to the restaurant early, before the evening rush begins, so your kids can really take in the atmosphere.

9. Volunteer

There are plenty of ways for youngsters to contribute to their community. For instance, many towns have gardening clubs that spruce up public spaces. Toddlers can mess around in the dirt or pull up weeds (with supervision), and older kids can plant seeds and bulbs. Another option is to help out at one of the many animal-rescue organizations, or take your kids to visit the elderly at a retirement home.

10. Check out the Stars

Buy a star chart to get started. Then choose one spot in your yard that affords a clear view of the heavens, and venture out after dinner to watch how the night sky changes hour to hour and day to day. A little fresh air before bedtime can really help your kids sleep later too.

Written by Cynthia Hochswender