Write these family ideas on 30 slips of paper. Put the slips in a jar and draw one out every other day or so. Enjoy fun family activities!

  • Hug and tell your child "I love you" every day.
  • Plan and prepare a meal with your child, and eat the meal together.
  • Have a family movie and popcorn night. 
  • Visit the library and help your child sign up for a library card. Check out books to read together. 
  • Take a walk with your child and learn about your neighborhood. Find your street on a city map. 
  • Frame and display a family photo in each child's bedroom. 
  • Show interest in what your child has learned this summer. Tell them about what you have learned. 
  • Make cards or write a letter together to send to a relative. 
  • Focus on success! List five of your child's successes this summer. Post the list! 
  • Plan a no TV day in which you focus on family home activities. Play a variety of games. Read books together. Look at family photos. 
  • Have a treasure hunt indoors or in the yard. 
  • Create a family bird feeder by using an old milk jug. Fill with seed and hang near a window. 
  • Begin a scrapbook for each child with their help. 
  • Have each family member share what they learned today. 
  • Talk to your child about his or her cultural heritage. Begin drawing a family tree. 
  • Make a list of all the reasons your child is special and post it. 
  • Hang up your child's artwork at home or at your place of work. 
  • Make, bake and decorate cookies together. Share some with a neighbor. 
  • Help your children sort through toys and books they've outgrown. Decide if there is anything to donate. 
  • Teach your child safety rules: fire drill, safety and emergency numbers. 
  • Designate a special time or day to spend just with your child. 
  • Tell your child you are proud of him/her. Think of different ways to praise your child each day. 
  • Start a collection with your child such as rocks or stamps. 
  • Plan to attend a local sports game together. Enjoy! 
  • Teach your child a skill such as sewing on a button or using a hammer and saw. 
  • Plan a picnic. Everyone in the family helps. 
  • Slip a note of encouragement in your child's pocket or under his/her pillow. 
  • Decorate a shoebox with your child to store her summer treasures and keepsakes. 
  • Take a family walk and look for changes in your neighborhood. 
  • Talk with your family about the wonderful times you had with each other during the summer.