Once you’ve set aside family time in your family schedule, what can you do to have fun together? You don’t need elaborate or expensive plans to have a good time. In fact, simple fun is back in style! Consider adding some of these simple and free activities to your online family calendar:

Play in the park
Now that the weather’s getting nicer, you can head outdoors. If your kids are bored with your local park, search out interesting parks in other neighborhoods. Keep a log of where you go, and let the kids add ratings and comments. Your Cozi Family Journal might be the perfect place to keep track of your park outings!

Take a hike
Hikes come in all shapes and sizes, so even if you have young kids, don’t feel intimidated about taking a hike. Get a guidebook for fun hikes in your area, and find hikes that sound appropriate for your family. If you have older kids, you can let them get involved in selecting the hikes, and they can take turns choosing where to go. They’ll probably have fun rating the hikes, too!

Conduct science experiments
Kids love science experiments! Get a book of experiments, and spend a few minutes or a few hours letting the kids be mad scientists. You might have a mess to clean up, but for some inexpensive and stimulating indoor fun, science experiments can’t be beat!

Fly a kite
Find some fun areas with wide-open spaces, and take your family out to fly kites on a beautiful and blustery afternoon. If you only have one kite, you can also bring a Frisbee or a boomerang or a football to keep the rest of the family busy while the kids take turns controlling the kite.

Plan a picnic
Let each family member choose a course, and fill up a picnic basket or backpack. Add a picnic blanket and some mitts and balls, and you’ve got a free, fun, family afternoon in the backyard or an open field.

Make art projects
Whether you’re trying to beat the heat or stay out of a downpour, art projects at the dining room table are a great way to engage the whole family. Add art projects to your family planner that will be fun for all the ages represented in your family, and encourage everyone to enjoy the process. The only rule? No competition and no criticism; just fun!

TIP: Use the Cozi shopping list feature to help organize your family time projects and outings. You might need a shopping list for supplies, or a to do list for the ideas you’ve come up with for future family activities. The whole family could even spend an evening generating a list of ideas for family time activities. Brainstorming about good ways to spend time together can be a fun family event in itself!