It was one of those days. Everything I did took effort, even the easy things. Every time I asked my kids to help me, they responded with silliness. I spilled coffee on two different outfits. I tried to sign our son up for a sport online and kept getting kicked off the site after entering information for a half hour. Then I wrecked dinner. When my husband got home, he could see I was about to lose it, so he jumped in and started to help around the house. Then he took our daughter’s karaoke machine and started to sing eighties songs to me. At first, I shook my head at him, but a couple minutes later, I was singing with him. Before I knew it, our kids joined in and we were all laughing.
Have you been stressed or tense lately? Maybe it’s time to get goofy with your family and laugh a little. Perhaps it’s time to do something you normally wouldn’t do, just to switch things up. Here are 10 wacky weekend ideas to try with your family.
1. Sing your way through your meals.
One voice at a time, of course. Make up your own melody, or change the words of a classic tune. “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” could go like this: “Danielle, Danielle, you’re a dream! Will you please pass the beans?”
2. Dance your way through weekend chores.
Create a playlist of your family’s top five upbeat songs, hit play, turn up the volume, and dance your way through the cleaning. Take a video on your phone. You’ll want to remember your kids shakin’ it while dusting their dressers.
3. Switch beds with your kids.
Let them all pile into your bed for the night. You and your hubby can pick one of their beds to squeeze into. (Pro tip: Be sure to pick the bed that belongs to the kid who’s potty trained!)
4. Wear fun wigs or silly hats.
See who can wear them the longest. Challenge each other to wear it to the grocery store or a baseball game. Do you think you could?
5. Little man rule.
All weekend, have your kids pretend that there is a little man sitting on the edge of their cups. Before they take a sip, they have to take the little man off. If they forget they have to spin around 5 times. Your kids will watch each other like hawks for a chance to bust their siblings or, better yet, for a chance to bust dad.
6. Watch your family’s favorite movie in another language.
Chances are, you already know every line. Now you’ll learn them in French or Spanish, too.
7. Have a pie war!
Head outside and give each participant an aluminum disposable pie pan, and one or two cans of whipped cream. When you shout “go,” everyone can fill their pans and throw them at their opponents. Then grab another pan and do it again. Play until you’re out of whipped cream. When the game ends, bring out the bucket of water balloons you filled up earlier—which is also an easy way to get ’em all cleaned up. (A silly string war is a fun alternative!)
8. No forks, no napkins, no problem!
Wear old clothes or bibs and have one meal completely utensil-free. And make sure it’s not hot dogs and French fries. Where’s the fun in that? Think spaghetti, gelatin, applesauce, salad, or peas. They will love watching you dig in with both hands and no manners.
9. Have a no rules weekend!
For a night or a weekend, have no rules. The kids can eat whatever they want for dinner, including cookies or ice cream. There is no bedtime and they can be as loud as they want (as long as they are not disturbing someone outside the family). They will ask for nights like this for the rest of the year.
10. Be a character…aside from the one you already are.
Try a pirate, medieval warrior or princess, animal, southern belle or gentleman, Santa, rock star, Miss or Mr. Universe—you get the idea. Invite your kids to be part of the act and take it as far as you can, with costumes, voices, storyline, a set, whatever. Get silly with it.
What is the wackiest thing your family has ever done together?
