Plan the day in blocks: one that moves, one that makes, one that's quiet, one snack they help with. Pick all four before anyone's bored.
Move early. Save the quiet plans for after lunch.
Stalled? Every card has a fix. If that fails, switch blocks.
Ages 1–5 65
- Tummy time with Dad3–5 min, a few times a day · $0 · Ages 0–1
- Toy cleanup race: picture bins, a song and a timer15 min · $0 · Ages 1–4
- Picture-book point-and-name for toddlers15 min · $0 · Ages 1–3
- The transition timer: they press start, then we switch5 min · $0 · Ages 1–4
- Toddler bedtime: a 15-minute wind-down, then the routine40 min · $0 · Ages 1–3
- Two good choices, and the silliest-way game10 min · $0 · Ages 1–4
- Toddler pouring station with cups and funnels30 min · $0 · Ages 1–3
- A day home alone with a toddler, in blocks15 min to plan · $0 · Ages 1–3
- Toddler snack helper: wash, tear, stir, pour20 min · About $5 · Ages 2–4
- Blanket-fort reading den45 min · $0 · Ages 2–8
- Rainy-day hallway obstacle course30 min · $0 · Ages 2–6
- Set up a calm-down corner30 min · $0 · Ages 2–7
- A week of “when-then”: calm limits that stick10 min a day · $0 · Ages 2–8
- Catch them being good: a week of specific praise10 min a day · $0 · Ages 2–10
- Remote-control Dad: pause, rewind, fast-forward15 min · $0 · Ages 2–6
- They're having a hard time, not giving you one10 min · $0 · Ages 2–10
- Freeze dance with Dad's playlist20 min · $0 · Ages 2–8
- Kitchen band: pot drums, shakers and a song45 min · $0 · Ages 2–8
- Make-your-own pizza night60 min · About $15 · Ages 3–12
- Library card day: their own card, their own books90 min · $0 · Ages 3–12
- The screen-free swap box30 min · $0 · Ages 3–10
- The feelings check-in: a number, a word, what helps15 min · $0 · Ages 3–8
- Repair after you lose your temper10 min · $0 · Ages 3+
- Consequences that fit: logical, not harsh20 min · $0 · Ages 3–12
- Pretend shop and a wait jar (ages 3 to 5)20 min · $0 · Ages 3–5
- The dice-roll rainy day1 hour · $0 · Ages 3–10
- Throw and catch: a hundred quick reps with Dad20 min · $0 · Ages 3–10
- Telling your kid someone has died20 min · $0 · Ages 3+
- Cookie decorating night90 min · About $15 · Ages 3–12
- Build a snack board for the family30 min · About $10 · Ages 3–10
- Sticker storybook: they stick, you write30 min · About $5 · Ages 3–7
- Trash-can basketball league30 min · $0 · Ages 3–10
- Breakfast date: just you and one kid1 hour · About $15 out, $3 at home · Ages 3–8
- Tiny adventure ride: bus, train or walk to somewhere new2 hours · About $5 · Ages 3–6
- The lost sheep hunt, and what to do if you get lost40 min · $0 · Ages 3–7
- Spend, save, give: three jars30 min · $0 · Ages 4–9
- Sort, fold, put away: the laundry crew30 min · $0 · Ages 4–10
- Pancake Saturday45 min · About $5 · Ages 4–10
- Living-room campoutOvernight · $0 · Ages 4–12
- A 20-minute family workout in the living room20 min · $0 · Ages 4–14
- A summer reading streak20 min a day · $0 · Ages 4–12
- The nightly question journal10 min a night · About $5 · Ages 4–14
- Balloon volleyball in the living room30 min · $0 · Ages 4–10
- Audiobook and coloring hour: a calm reset1 hour · $0 · Ages 4–10
- Dad builds, kid launches: straw rockets45 min · $0 · Ages 4–10
- Library and cocoa date: they pick books for you both90 min · About $5 · Ages 4–9
- Home movie date: tickets, a snack bar and their pick2.5 hours · About $5 · Ages 4–10
- The cardboard giant target throw45 min · $0 · Ages 4–10
- Rain gauge and animal pairs, a rainy-day double1 hr · $0 · Ages 4–10
- Storm watch: count the thunder, then talk about fear30 min · $0 · Ages 4–10
- Paper-plate fish and the running-away talk40 min · $0 · Ages 4–9
- Build a wall together before the timer rings45 min · $0 · Ages 4–10
- Tie a square knot and a bowline30 min · $0 · Ages 5+
- Show your kid what you do at work30 min · $0 · Ages 5–12
- A chore chart you'll actually keep30 min · $0 · Ages 5–14
- Cardboard marble run on the wall or a box90 min · About $10 · Ages 5–12
- Make a family media plan together45 min · $0 · Ages 5–17
- Build a real-food dinner together60 min · About $15 · Ages 5–12
- The school-morning launch pad30 min · $0–$10 · Ages 5–12
- The first-week-of-school check-in15 min · $0 · Ages 5–14
- Play Kim's game: remember the tray20 min · $0 · Ages 5+
- Play Quicksight and Farsight: two eye games30 min · $0 · Ages 5–12
- Co-op game night: think out loud45 min · $0 · Ages 5–12
- Building-brick set night: they read, you run parts2 evenings, about 90 min each · About $20 · Ages 5–12
- Tie-dye day: a shirt of many colors1 hr, plus the kit's wait · About $15 · Ages 5–12
Ages 6–9 73
- Blanket-fort reading den45 min · $0 · Ages 2–8
- Rainy-day hallway obstacle course30 min · $0 · Ages 2–6
- Set up a calm-down corner30 min · $0 · Ages 2–7
- A week of “when-then”: calm limits that stick10 min a day · $0 · Ages 2–8
- Catch them being good: a week of specific praise10 min a day · $0 · Ages 2–10
- Remote-control Dad: pause, rewind, fast-forward15 min · $0 · Ages 2–6
- They're having a hard time, not giving you one10 min · $0 · Ages 2–10
- Freeze dance with Dad's playlist20 min · $0 · Ages 2–8
- Kitchen band: pot drums, shakers and a song45 min · $0 · Ages 2–8
- Make-your-own pizza night60 min · About $15 · Ages 3–12
- Library card day: their own card, their own books90 min · $0 · Ages 3–12
- The screen-free swap box30 min · $0 · Ages 3–10
- The feelings check-in: a number, a word, what helps15 min · $0 · Ages 3–8
- Repair after you lose your temper10 min · $0 · Ages 3+
- Consequences that fit: logical, not harsh20 min · $0 · Ages 3–12
- The dice-roll rainy day1 hour · $0 · Ages 3–10
- Throw and catch: a hundred quick reps with Dad20 min · $0 · Ages 3–10
- Telling your kid someone has died20 min · $0 · Ages 3+
- Cookie decorating night90 min · About $15 · Ages 3–12
- Build a snack board for the family30 min · About $10 · Ages 3–10
- Sticker storybook: they stick, you write30 min · About $5 · Ages 3–7
- Trash-can basketball league30 min · $0 · Ages 3–10
- Breakfast date: just you and one kid1 hour · About $15 out, $3 at home · Ages 3–8
- Tiny adventure ride: bus, train or walk to somewhere new2 hours · About $5 · Ages 3–6
- The lost sheep hunt, and what to do if you get lost40 min · $0 · Ages 3–7
- Spend, save, give: three jars30 min · $0 · Ages 4–9
- Sort, fold, put away: the laundry crew30 min · $0 · Ages 4–10
- Pancake Saturday45 min · About $5 · Ages 4–10
- Living-room campoutOvernight · $0 · Ages 4–12
- A 20-minute family workout in the living room20 min · $0 · Ages 4–14
- A summer reading streak20 min a day · $0 · Ages 4–12
- The nightly question journal10 min a night · About $5 · Ages 4–14
- Balloon volleyball in the living room30 min · $0 · Ages 4–10
- Audiobook and coloring hour: a calm reset1 hour · $0 · Ages 4–10
- Dad builds, kid launches: straw rockets45 min · $0 · Ages 4–10
- Library and cocoa date: they pick books for you both90 min · About $5 · Ages 4–9
- Home movie date: tickets, a snack bar and their pick2.5 hours · About $5 · Ages 4–10
- The cardboard giant target throw45 min · $0 · Ages 4–10
- Rain gauge and animal pairs, a rainy-day double1 hr · $0 · Ages 4–10
- Storm watch: count the thunder, then talk about fear30 min · $0 · Ages 4–10
- Paper-plate fish and the running-away talk40 min · $0 · Ages 4–9
- Build a wall together before the timer rings45 min · $0 · Ages 4–10
- Tie a square knot and a bowline30 min · $0 · Ages 5+
- Show your kid what you do at work30 min · $0 · Ages 5–12
- A chore chart you'll actually keep30 min · $0 · Ages 5–14
- Cardboard marble run on the wall or a box90 min · About $10 · Ages 5–12
- Make a family media plan together45 min · $0 · Ages 5–17
- Build a real-food dinner together60 min · About $15 · Ages 5–12
- The school-morning launch pad30 min · $0–$10 · Ages 5–12
- The first-week-of-school check-in15 min · $0 · Ages 5–14
- Play Kim's game: remember the tray20 min · $0 · Ages 5+
- Play Quicksight and Farsight: two eye games30 min · $0 · Ages 5–12
- Co-op game night: think out loud45 min · $0 · Ages 5–12
- Building-brick set night: they read, you run parts2 evenings, about 90 min each · About $20 · Ages 5–12
- Tie-dye day: a shirt of many colors1 hr, plus the kit's wait · About $15 · Ages 5–12
- Chapter-book nights: 20 minutes, voices, cliffhangers30 min · $0 · Ages 6–11
- Talking with your kid about scary news20 min · $0 · Ages 6–14
- Set a holiday gift budget with your kids45 min · $0 to plan · Ages 6–14
- Play their video game with them45 min · $0 · Ages 6–14
- Build a family emergency kit together60 min · $20–$40 · Ages 6–14
- Tie a clove hitch and two half hitches30 min · $0 · Ages 6+
- First aid: press, cover, call30 min · About $10 · Ages 6+
- Open a family store run on points (ages 6 to 9)40 min · About $10 · Ages 6–9
- Grocery price detective60 min · $0 · Ages 7–12
- Join two ropes with a sheet bend30 min · $0 · Ages 7+
- Send secret words with the wig-wag code30 min · $0 · Ages 7+
- Spell your name in semaphore flags40 min · $0 · Ages 7+
- Whip a rope end and tie a timber hitch30 min · $0 · Ages 7+
- Light a bulb: a kitchen-table battery circuit45 min · About $15 · Ages 7–12
- Build-something date: a birdhouse, shelf or planterAbout 3 hours · About $20 · Ages 7–12
- Park the phones outside the bedrooms30 min to set up · $0–$25 · Ages 8–17
- The puberty talk, dad's version15 min · About $20 · Ages 8–14
- The online safety talk: photos, secrets and sextortion20 min · $0 · Ages 9–17
Ages 10–12 63
- Catch them being good: a week of specific praise10 min a day · $0 · Ages 2–10
- They're having a hard time, not giving you one10 min · $0 · Ages 2–10
- Make-your-own pizza night60 min · About $15 · Ages 3–12
- Library card day: their own card, their own books90 min · $0 · Ages 3–12
- The screen-free swap box30 min · $0 · Ages 3–10
- Repair after you lose your temper10 min · $0 · Ages 3+
- Consequences that fit: logical, not harsh20 min · $0 · Ages 3–12
- The dice-roll rainy day1 hour · $0 · Ages 3–10
- Throw and catch: a hundred quick reps with Dad20 min · $0 · Ages 3–10
- Telling your kid someone has died20 min · $0 · Ages 3+
- Cookie decorating night90 min · About $15 · Ages 3–12
- Build a snack board for the family30 min · About $10 · Ages 3–10
- Trash-can basketball league30 min · $0 · Ages 3–10
- Sort, fold, put away: the laundry crew30 min · $0 · Ages 4–10
- Pancake Saturday45 min · About $5 · Ages 4–10
- Living-room campoutOvernight · $0 · Ages 4–12
- A 20-minute family workout in the living room20 min · $0 · Ages 4–14
- A summer reading streak20 min a day · $0 · Ages 4–12
- The nightly question journal10 min a night · About $5 · Ages 4–14
- Balloon volleyball in the living room30 min · $0 · Ages 4–10
- Audiobook and coloring hour: a calm reset1 hour · $0 · Ages 4–10
- Dad builds, kid launches: straw rockets45 min · $0 · Ages 4–10
- Home movie date: tickets, a snack bar and their pick2.5 hours · About $5 · Ages 4–10
- The cardboard giant target throw45 min · $0 · Ages 4–10
- Rain gauge and animal pairs, a rainy-day double1 hr · $0 · Ages 4–10
- Storm watch: count the thunder, then talk about fear30 min · $0 · Ages 4–10
- Build a wall together before the timer rings45 min · $0 · Ages 4–10
- Tie a square knot and a bowline30 min · $0 · Ages 5+
- Show your kid what you do at work30 min · $0 · Ages 5–12
- A chore chart you'll actually keep30 min · $0 · Ages 5–14
- Cardboard marble run on the wall or a box90 min · About $10 · Ages 5–12
- Make a family media plan together45 min · $0 · Ages 5–17
- Build a real-food dinner together60 min · About $15 · Ages 5–12
- The school-morning launch pad30 min · $0–$10 · Ages 5–12
- The first-week-of-school check-in15 min · $0 · Ages 5–14
- Play Kim's game: remember the tray20 min · $0 · Ages 5+
- Play Quicksight and Farsight: two eye games30 min · $0 · Ages 5–12
- Co-op game night: think out loud45 min · $0 · Ages 5–12
- Building-brick set night: they read, you run parts2 evenings, about 90 min each · About $20 · Ages 5–12
- Tie-dye day: a shirt of many colors1 hr, plus the kit's wait · About $15 · Ages 5–12
- Chapter-book nights: 20 minutes, voices, cliffhangers30 min · $0 · Ages 6–11
- Talking with your kid about scary news20 min · $0 · Ages 6–14
- Set a holiday gift budget with your kids45 min · $0 to plan · Ages 6–14
- Play their video game with them45 min · $0 · Ages 6–14
- Build a family emergency kit together60 min · $20–$40 · Ages 6–14
- Tie a clove hitch and two half hitches30 min · $0 · Ages 6+
- First aid: press, cover, call30 min · About $10 · Ages 6+
- Grocery price detective60 min · $0 · Ages 7–12
- Join two ropes with a sheet bend30 min · $0 · Ages 7+
- Send secret words with the wig-wag code30 min · $0 · Ages 7+
- Spell your name in semaphore flags40 min · $0 · Ages 7+
- Whip a rope end and tie a timber hitch30 min · $0 · Ages 7+
- Light a bulb: a kitchen-table battery circuit45 min · About $15 · Ages 7–12
- Build-something date: a birdhouse, shelf or planterAbout 3 hours · About $20 · Ages 7–12
- Park the phones outside the bedrooms30 min to set up · $0–$25 · Ages 8–17
- The puberty talk, dad's version15 min · About $20 · Ages 8–14
- The online safety talk: photos, secrets and sextortion20 min · $0 · Ages 9–17
- Your kid plans a $20 family outing60 min to plan · $20 · Ages 10–14
- The car-ride talk: hard topics, side by side20 min · $0 · Ages 10+
- Extra jobs, a 24-hour wait and a dad bank45 min · $0 · Ages 10–13
- Cook-off date: your kid is head chefAbout 2 hours · About $15 · Ages 10–14
- The first-phone talk and agreement45 min · $0 · Ages 11–16
- A two-person book club with your teen30 min · $0 · Ages 12+
13 and up 33
- Repair after you lose your temper10 min · $0 · Ages 3+
- Telling your kid someone has died20 min · $0 · Ages 3+
- A 20-minute family workout in the living room20 min · $0 · Ages 4–14
- The nightly question journal10 min a night · About $5 · Ages 4–14
- Tie a square knot and a bowline30 min · $0 · Ages 5+
- A chore chart you'll actually keep30 min · $0 · Ages 5–14
- Make a family media plan together45 min · $0 · Ages 5–17
- The first-week-of-school check-in15 min · $0 · Ages 5–14
- Play Kim's game: remember the tray20 min · $0 · Ages 5+
- Talking with your kid about scary news20 min · $0 · Ages 6–14
- Set a holiday gift budget with your kids45 min · $0 to plan · Ages 6–14
- Play their video game with them45 min · $0 · Ages 6–14
- Build a family emergency kit together60 min · $20–$40 · Ages 6–14
- Tie a clove hitch and two half hitches30 min · $0 · Ages 6+
- First aid: press, cover, call30 min · About $10 · Ages 6+
- Join two ropes with a sheet bend30 min · $0 · Ages 7+
- Send secret words with the wig-wag code30 min · $0 · Ages 7+
- Spell your name in semaphore flags40 min · $0 · Ages 7+
- Whip a rope end and tie a timber hitch30 min · $0 · Ages 7+
- Park the phones outside the bedrooms30 min to set up · $0–$25 · Ages 8–17
- The puberty talk, dad's version15 min · About $20 · Ages 8–14
- The online safety talk: photos, secrets and sextortion20 min · $0 · Ages 9–17
- Your kid plans a $20 family outing60 min to plan · $20 · Ages 10–14
- The car-ride talk: hard topics, side by side20 min · $0 · Ages 10+
- Extra jobs, a 24-hour wait and a dad bank45 min · $0 · Ages 10–13
- Cook-off date: your kid is head chefAbout 2 hours · About $15 · Ages 10–14
- The first-phone talk and agreement45 min · $0 · Ages 11–16
- A two-person book club with your teen30 min · $0 · Ages 12+
- Your teen cooks dinner: one-pan chicken90 min · About $20 · Ages 13+
- Just be there: low-key time with your teen20 min, a few times a week · $0 · Ages 13+
- Coffee and an errand: a teen date where they pick90 min · About $10–15 · Ages 13+
- Read a first pay stub together45 min · $0 · Ages 14+
- Plan your teen's first real job45 min · $0 · Ages 14–18
A plan can show under more than one age group. By age instead: Under 1 · 1–2 · 3–5 · 6–9 · 10–12 · 13+. More lists: Free things to do with kids · 15-minute activities for kids · Father-daughter and father-son date ideas · Rainy day activities for kids · Things to do with a toddler at home · Bonding activities for dads and teens · Indoor activities for kids under 30 minutes · Outdoor activities for kids · Things to do at Dad's house · Screen-free activities for kids · Chores for kids by age.