Almost 2 months into the stay at home order the days may be beginning to blend together, but now is a great time to explore new activities with the whole family. Taking a break from school and work can help everyone to relieve stress have some fun. It is the perfect time to try new things because everyone is looking for a little adventure!

Movie Night

• A great way to change up the daily routine and do something fun without leaving the house is planning a movie night. You can make a snack and popcorn station and bring pillows and blankets around the television. The kids can pretend like they are working at a movie theater and serve the snacks to the adults and the whole family can vote on the movie of choice and enjoy the film together. This is a great way to spend quality time together without breaking the bank. It can also be a nice substitute for activities you might miss from before stay at home orders.

Total Cost: $15

Family Hike

• Another fun and inexpensive activity to do is going on a family hike. Hiking in Northern California is notoriously beautiful and is a great way to get the whole family active and spending time together. Hikes can be a great way to get the family exercising while still having fun. You can even pack a picnic lunch and enjoy it in scenic area! Make sure to check with the park or hiking area before traveling as most hiking areas are currently not allowing vehicles and parking. Two hiking areas that are open right now, though not open for parking, are Jack London State Historic Park and Sonoma Valley Regional Park.

Total Cost: $0

Rube Goldberg Machine

• If you are feeling cooped up inside a fun mentally stimulating project for the whole family is to create a Rube Goldberg machine. You may have seen some circulating on social media, but they are just chain reaction machines and can be as simple or complex as you want. Check out this video of a family that went nuts with their Rube Goldberg Machine. Once you and your family have done a simple one, you can always scale it up and have the machine run through the whole house! This is a great way to get the kids to take a break from their screens and working on a fun challenge.

Total Cost: $5

Family Sports Game

• As the weather is getting warmer another fun outdoor activity for the whole family can be organizing a sports game. Don’t let lack of players or space stop you. Many outdoor games can be adjusted to whatever situation you have. Whether in the back yard, an empty soccer field or a public park you can play games that the whole family can enjoy. Wiffle ball, soccer and basketball are great games that the whole family can take part in.

Total Cost: $10

 

This is a really tough time for everyone and taking time to spending quality time with your family can help to reduce stress. While staying at home with the whole family may feel exhausting at times, enjoying a fun family activity can a remind everyone of the positives of the current situation. Even under stay at home orders, there are still many fun and inexpensive ways for your family spend quality time together.