Take a walk
It's amazing how lifes pace seems to slow down when one uses the feet. Many areas and subdivisions have walking paths. Explore these as a family. Take a bag along to collect stones, leaves, flowers, or creepy crawlies. Literally, stop and smell the roses. Consider visiting a Nature Center, the Arboretum or Botanical Gardens. A walk in the city can be just as refreshing. Visit the Plaza in your city and window shop.
Read a book
Reading a chapter book together as a family is a great shared experience at the same time as a great way to improve listening skills. Our family has fond memories of reading through The Chronicles of Narnia as well as The Little House on the Prairie series. Peruse The Read Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease for book suggestions as well as a primer on the benefits of reading aloud. If you want to check out a locally placed adventure, try The Amazing Museum Adventure of Thomas Maxim Moore by Jane Bishop, a book about one boys adventures in our very own Toy and Miniature Museum. Older children might enjoy After the Dancing Days by Margaret Rostkowski about one girls coming to terms with the aftermath of World War I.
Bake someone happy
Dig out the cookbooks and gather the kids around the table. Let each child choose a recipe and prepare it together as a family. Whether it is chocolate chip cookies or chicken pot pies that you whip up, youre sure to enjoy food, fellowship, and fun with your kids.
Play a game
Dust off Monopoly or invest in a new game. (Our family favorite is Blokus.) Try a different game each night that you would normally be watching a show. Set yourselves up in tournament play and have a big celebration at the end of the week.
Explore your City
Now that winter is receding into the past, its a great time to get out and about. Visit the Zoo or the local botanical gardens. Catch a local baseball game. Tour one of our fine local museums. Use your freer time to see all that your City has to offer you in the way of art, entertainment and culture.
Plant a garden
Children love to garden and youll find digging in the dirt to be very therapeutic. Check out some library books on the subject and plan a garden. You dont need a lot of space, even some potted plants on the back deck will do. The sun, air, and dirt will be good for your souls. I love visiting SavvyGardener.com. Youll find all sorts of garden tips tailor made for your city once you start researching.
Visit with the neighbors
We live in a culture that is increasingly private. New homes no longer feature front porches, the entertainment of years gone by. They seem to have disappeared from our architecture right around the same time that TV became popular. Hmmm.. Grab a lawn chair and a glass of iced tea and sit out front. Supply the kids with bubbles or sidewalk chalk and draw your neighbors outside. The kids will enjoy playing with their buddies and you can catch up with their parents. You may find that you have more in common than you thought.
Ride a bike
Equip yourself and the kids with proper safety equipment and hit the road. Youll appreciate the wind in your face and the cardio-vascular workout for your heart. Your family will enjoy the time spent together as well as the road races. Dont forget to check out the local bike trails! For an extensive list of bike trails, visit your cities community website.
Build a fort
A dad we know salvaged multiple appliance boxes and crafted a huge castle, complete with a working drawbridge. What a fun way to spend time with the kids and let them exercise their imaginations! My husband has performed cardboard art as well, his creative juices producing a huge pirate ship. But, you dont have to go to great lengths to make a fun hideaway a few chairs and blankets will do. The important part is to join your children in creativity and role playing.
Visit a local farm or park you have never been to
There is bound to be some unique outdoor spot just waiting for you and your kiddos to explore. Have you visited your local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farm, or dairy farm? How about the parks in the next town over? Wherever you go, pack a picnic dinner and relax. Breathe in the fresh air. Laugh with your children. Fly kites. Fling a Frisbee. Run races. Be a kid again.
Savor the moments, they pass quickly. Youll find that a life without TV really is worth living. Youll reconnect as a family. Youll discover new amusements that you hadnt thought about.
These great books might help your kids understand why youve decided to take a break from the television for a while:
The Berenstain Bears and Too Much TV By Stan Berenstain & Jan Berenstain
The Berenstain Bears and the Trouble with Commercials By Stan Berenstain & Jan Berenstain
Arthur's TV Trouble by Marc Brown
365 TV-Free Activities You Can Do With Your Child by Steven & Ruth Bennett