It is nap time: Fun Time with Kids - A Guest Post

BIO: JoEllen Krauss is a mom to two boys and a wife to an army man. In her spare time she spends quality time with her
family, decorates the house and writes freelance for Providian Medical. In this guest post she provides us with tips on how
to spend fun time with your kids.

Fun Time with Your Kids
In today's fast-paced society, many parents don't get to spend a lot of quality time with their children. The following ideas
are creative, inexpensive and fun for the whole family!

1. Family Game Night
One night a week, get together with your kids and have a family game night. Most board games are family-friendly, as are
many electronic games. Another fun idea is to make paper crowns to crown game night's biggest winner as king or queen!

2. Take an Art Class with Your Children
Taking a drawing, painting or sculpting class with your kids is not only fun, but creative and educational to boot! To display
all your new art, turn one wall of your home into a family art gallery!

3. Go On a Family Adventure
You don't have to travel far from home for adventurous family fun! Choose a spot in your hometown and explore it with
your children. Check out local parks, nature trails and even downtown areas of cities. For added fun, you can all pretend to
be tourists in your own town! See the sights, take photos, buy souvenirs and sample the local cuisine.

4. Form a Family Book Club
This idea for family fun takes story time to a whole new level. Each week, choose a family-friendly book, then read and
discuss it with your children. For even more creative fun, parents and children can even write and illustrate their own
stories!

5. Plan an Indoor Camping Trip
Forgo the wilderness in favor of your own living room. Make a homemade tent out of blankets and sheets, and camp as a
family. To make your camping trip authentic as possible, turn off the television and other electronic devices, and tell jokes
and stories instead!

6. Put On a Family Talent Show
Have each member of your family showcase his or her unique talents and skills in a family talent show. Hang a sheet to
make a stage curtain, and have each family member judge the others' talents on a scale of one to ten. Talent ideas include
singing, dancing, reenacting scenes from plays or movies, gymnastics and sports skills.

7. Check Out Your Local Library
Libraries are wonderful family destinations. Most have books and movies for all ages, and many schedule family-oriented
activities such as story time and crafting lessons. Get library cards for each member of your family, and let your little ones
pick out two or three books or movies a week!

8. Family Movie Night
Once a week, schedule a TV party for the whole family. Decide on a movie by voting, pop some popcorn, turn off the lights
and phones, and enjoy a movie as a family.

9. Plan a Picnic in Your Front Yard
Front yard picnics are a great way to bond as a family. Let the little ones help make and pack up sandwiches and snacks,
then lay a sheet down on the grass and picnic away! If you don't have a front yard, the living room floor is a great place
for a picnic as well.

10. Have a Family Scavenger Hunt
Scavenger hunts are fun and creative, and they also promote teamwork while boosting problem-solving skills and self-
esteem. Hide clues and items all over your house and/or yard, and help your children find their way to the main prize at
the end! You can even give your scavenger hunt a theme based on your kids' personalities or activities they enjoy.

Children are only young once, and only for a short while. Make the most of this precious time by enjoying these fun family
activities!

Source: http://www.itisnaptime.com/2012/07/fun-time-with-kids-guest-post.html

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