Mike and I started a tradition about a year ago that we always try to get the whole family together on Friday nights for Family Fun Night. Our original rationale was that if we can get our kids used to it now, then maybe when they’re fifteen they’ll feel this overwhelming familial guilt if they don’t hang out with us on friday night. Do you think it will work?!?

Whether it will work in ten years or not, we still continue to come up with new and different activities for our kids to do that are fun,bonding, and give us a little comic relief after a long week. So I plan to share some of our ideas in case it inspires anyone to do the same. I’m going to start with my favorite sport – volleyball.

Our kids are young so real volleyball is not an option. But that’s the beauty of volleyball. It all goes back to the classic game of hot potato. We count how many times we can keep it in the air. One time, my oldest and I got it 20 times. See if you can beat that with a 6-year-old. (I’m secretly hoping you can bc I’m not sure it’s that impressive.) When we add in the younger crowd, our record is nine. We get two and three A LOT but we still hold out hope that one day we can break ten. Our infant even gets into it watching the ball fly around the yard or the living room…occasionally adding in the accidental header that we are always sure to count.

Some guidelines to consider:

  1. Use a SOFT, bouncy ball like a kickball but maybe even softer so when you have the occasional baby header it won’t cause tears. You can usually find them at any grocery store. I’m sure Over the Rainbow sells them. 1379 sells Volley Lites which are lighter weight than normal volleyballs but I think something bouncier for a family activity would be better.
  2. For living room volleyball, limit movement to one step from your starting spot so it doesn’t become tackle volleyball. Also, there won’t be as many fights about whose ball was whose.
  3. Be patient. My kids always want to go longer than me because I get frustrated by not getting many. They could go all night and we have to remember that we should encourage them to keep moving if they’re enjoying it.
  4. If one or more want to take a break, we sometimes run (race) to the kitchen, grab water, eat one bite of food, and then go back. The other day it was broccoli. Random! But we kept taking broccoli breaks. Whatever keeps them in it.

Hope this helps fill your friday afternoon!