Family Fun for Kids of All Ages
My sons are all close in age, but still at all different stages. William is eight, Alexander is seven, Ben is five and Henry is four. People will look at us and think it’s so easy to do several activities together because we have all boys and they’re on the younger side, but it actually can be a little challenging. We have two «big boys,» one «little man» and one toddler. The age difference is really noticeable when we’re trying to find activities to do together that everyone will enjoy. William wants to do things like ice skating, skiing and «rock climbing;» whereas Henry can’t do ANY of those things. When we’re together, I want to be together, not divided up.
My husband and I have go-to things that we continuously try to bring to our family time. The most important thing is being active and being together. We also want to make sure everyone is having a fun time. We don’t want anyone feeling left out or thinking something is too «babyish» or too difficult.
The Together CountsTM Program is all about getting families active together regardless of age limits. Here are three things that we love doing together:
1. Scavenger Hunts
My sons have loved doing scavenger hunts since they were all little guys. I write down 10 things that they have to find outside, I buddy them up (one with me and one with my husband) and let them go off! I put things down that are easy: two different rocks, two different sticks, piece of grass, etc. I let the boys each take something and let them find it. They feel so excited when they find something on the list and I can cross it off. It’s a great activity to do outdoors because it doesn’t take long and the boys are active outside and we’re all together.
2. Bowling
Bowling is an all-time FAVE family activity. The reason I love bowling is because all six of us can go and get two lanes. I have the guy put the bumpers up in one lane and keep them down in the other. It’s a wonderful activity that keeps us moving and on our feet, but it’s also SO MUCH FUN. The boys get a kick out of knocking down the pins and seeing how everyone else does. For some reason, I’m always the worst bowler and they all just think it’s hilarious. Again, it’s just another great way to keep everyone laughing and together. I used to do bowling nights with my family when I was a child and I always had such great memories that I’m grateful to now share with my children.
3. Sledding
We live in Rhode Island and we have had snow on the ground since Christmas. It’s absolutely beautiful. When the snow comes down, I know it’s a perfect opportunity for our family to be outside together enjoying some winter fun. We have snowball fights, build a snowman, build a snow fort and also go sledding! Sledding is our favorite because we have a small hill next to our house and we can enjoy sledding time right in our backyard. Each boy has their own sled and we all take turns going down the hill. It’s a BLAST for all of them. I just love watching the smiles on all of their face after a sled run!
What tips do you have to keep kids of different ages active? Share in the comments below!
Audrey McClelland, a social media consultant and brand advocate is the founder of MomGenerations.com, an online destination for mothers. She is the mother of four boys – William (6), Alexander (5), Benjamin (4) and Henry (3). She speaks frequently on the topic of motherhood, fashion/beauty and social media at blogging conferences, Twitter conferences and social media mixers. She lives in Providence, RI with her husband and four sons.
For more family activity ideas check out these additional resources from The Together CountsTM program: