Are you getting antsy and need some fun family outing ideas? Read below for our go to favorites to get out our stir craziness!
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With three (+1) energetic boys in the house, I am always looking for creative ways for them to be entertained without (much) effort on my part.
I’ve mentioned it before, but I don’t “play” well with my kids. That is wholly David’s territory in our home. I’m always the one looking up new places to explore and get out of the house. Then 2020 happened and I had to adjust. 😊 We’re all learning our new normal around here, right?
Simple & Fun Family Outing Ideas
Drive through or Walk up Ice Cream Shop
‘Tis the season for ice cream! Though, I’m more of an all year round type of mom. 😉 Most of our trips have been quick stops for a sweet treat (before!) or after family dinner. But, even just the quick change of scenery is so good for everyone in the family. Nothing like ice cream to lift everyone’s spirits!
Local State and Metro Parks
If you’re lucky enough to live near one, like we do, there are many metro and state parks that are spread apart and have safe guidelines for families to visit and get their exercise and exploring in, while being able to enjoy the outdoors together.
Nature Trails and Bike Paths
Raise your hands if you’ve been on a lot of family walks around your neighborhood! Coming into summer, we broke up the monotony of the same family walk to explore some of the local trails.
If you’re local to Metro Detroit – our favorites are Stoney Creek Metro Park, Yates Cider Mill Park, Rochester Municipal Park, Pontiac Trail for Cycling, Lake St. Clair Metro Park, Seven Lakes State Park, Belle Isle, George George Park, Kensington Metro Park, Wolcott Mill Historic Center.
Local Zoo
Last week, we reserved a time slot for our family to explore the local zoo. Ours is open with social distancing measures and safety precautions that we, as a family, felt comfortable to enjoy. It was a beautiful day and the drive there was so exciting (all 20 minutes of it!). The boys were so excited to see all of their favorite animals!
If you’re local to Metro Detroit – here is a bit more about our experience:
- Reserve online through the website.
- Pack masks for the whole family.
- If possible, go on a day that is cooler than 80*
- There are signs letting you know where masks are required and not required.
- Most of the indoor exhibits are closed.
- Most of the restaurants and food courts are open with limited menus.
- Crowds vary depending on the day. We went on a Monday morning and it wasn’t at all.
- Bring a small cooler of drinks and snacks.
- We had a single stroller for Baby B (3 years old) and needed it.
- The train is closed.
Visits to Local Family
While our family won’t be traveling by air anytime soon, we have a few short distance road trips that we’re so excited to go on! We just got back from visiting my brother and the boys were so excited to finally meet their new cousin. As was I to meet my new niece! I had so much fun getting my ‘girl’ time in with my sweet baby niece!
Car Ride Scavenger Hunt
My kids don’t enjoy random car trips or rides. I don’t blame them, I didn’t like them when I was a kid, either. LOL. But, the last few times I had to get out of the house, I tried to make a game out of it by giving them random objects or local places to spot and find throughout our ride. I know it seems vague and simple, but they had a blast playing the game and it just felt so good to get out of the house, driving through a few miles around our city. We’ve also got a new list of local restaurants to order carry out from!
Drive-Up / Drive-Through Errands
Nothing exciting, but a necessity. My drive-up stats have gone way up in the last few months. You too, right? Quick trip to pick up our essentials and a quick drive-thru meal has been a source of comfort for us all.
Fishing
We bought the boys some fishing poles for Baby B’s birthday. David’s taken them to the creek in our neighborhood and driven around to local ponds and lakes for their wildlife fishing adventures.
Head over to stories to see my mom hack for all car rides with kids! I never leave home without a shower caddy:
Shower Caddy for all the Car Essentials
Whether you use it as a diaper caddy, kids snack storage, or to carry all your essentials – a shower caddy is a great way to organize all the things you need on the go with your kids!
Now that we’re freshly out of the potty training phase, my caddy is filled with:
- Extra pair of shorts / underwear / pull-ups / wipes
- Grocery bag for trash
- Sunscreen, bug spray, sanitizer
- Masks, sunglasses, hair ties, gloves
Click here to read other ways to fill your car shower caddy!
I’ll share more and add to this list as we enjoy this summer vacation. All these car trips and family outings have made us realize that we will soon need a new family car! What do you drive right now? Are you Team SUV or Team Van?
Shopping for a New Family Car
David and I are looking for our new family car again and we’re back to the drawing board of deciding between a large SUV and a van.
You can read our post here about the Pros and Cons list we came up with a few years back.
Autotrader is our go to resource for all things car-related. They have so much pertinent information. If you’re looking for a new vehicle, I highly recommend checking out these articles that have great information for keeping your car clean and shopping tips during COVID-19 as well as highlighting some interior perks to consider when shopping for a car that you’ll be spending some time in.
Wherever you may be, I hope you’re able to go for a short family drive to reset and recharge for another day. We’re doing our best to make the most of these days. And we’ve had such a fun time exploring some gems within a short distance from home sweet home.
Where are some of your go-to spots for fun family outings?
Simple & Fun Family Outing Ideas
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