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Family Fun Jar

By Melinda Gill January 12, 2012

Last week we took our daughter to see the Laurie Berkner Band and we were inspired by the song “FAMILY.” It made us think how we as a family interact, how we work together, how we play together, how we connect as a family, how we spend time together as a family.


Often our family wakes on a Saturday wondering “what do we do today?” Do we hop in the car with no destination in site? Do we go to a local park? Do we sit at home and do nothing? Our inspiration led us to create a FAMILY FUN JAR that we will implement this New Year.  


The concept is simple – we took a glass jar and wrote down 12 family friendly activities; each month we will choose one activity to do – no matter what the activity is that will be what we do that day. 


Note to parents: tailor the activities available to your budget and the weather. Remove expensive items when things are tight. Add more outdoor activities as the weather gets warmer or add activities as venues open for the season.


These are some super fun activities our FAMILY has to look forward to this year (updated to reflect Connecticut and the large number of activities we have here):

  • Park and fast food lunch
  • Bowling
  • Art museum
  • Beardsley Zoo, Action Wildlife, nature center
  • Ice skating
  • Roller skating
  • Indoor bounce houses
  • Laser tag
  • History museum
  • Head into NYC
  • Arcade
  • Dinosaur State Park
  • New London for the Essex Steam Train or tour the USS Nautilus
  • Sledding at the local hill
  • Beach
  • Mini Golf
  • Military Museum
  • Mystic Aquarium and Seaport
  • Drive or hike to enjoy fall foliage
  • Picnic at Park
  • Visit an arboretum, botanical garden, or historical garden
  • Skiing, snowboarding, snowtubing
  • Movies
  • Old Sturbridge Village
  • A live performance, dramatic or musical
  • Science museum
  • Take a train ride
  • Maritime Aquarium
  • Children's museum
  • Amusement park
  • Fishing
  • Be Spontaneous (on the spot, think something up and do it)

Oh sure, we have more than 12 FAMILY fun days a year (and may draw a second choice on a rainy day), but this jar is meant to jump start a new kind of fun – something exciting to look forward to once a month, pulling out a surprise activity and going for it!


Yes, that is our FAMILY mantra this year – to go for it; for us as parents to Stimulate, Entertain and Exhaust our kid… we know she will thank us for it!


Now go make your own FAMILY fun jar, and then comment below what activities you put in yours – share how it is that your FAMILY will be inspired to have fun this New Year! LIKE Macaroni Kid on Facebook…we love to feature ideas, events, and loads and loads of contests exclusively to our Facebook fans!


Happy New Year from our family to yours.