The Ultimate 2021 Family Bucket List

A new year brings with it new priorities. This year, consider prioritizing quality family time.

What would it mean to slow down, gather around a table, play outside or challenge one another to a favorite game? It would lead to not only a deeper level of connection, but it would also contribute to a lifetime of memories and happiness.

Here is the best family-focused bucket list for those looking to spend more time together in 2021.

Gather Around Food

Food is a welcoming cornerstone of family life. Families who enjoy shared meals together are known to have stronger ties and healthier eating habits. Indeed, nightly dinners as a family can promote engaging conversation, polite table manners and even a greater appreciation for the food served. Cooking is another great group option, as it allows families to experiment in the kitchen and work together to prepare a new, delicious creation. While family meals might not be possible every night of the week, there are other ways to come together over food. Ideas could involve anything from baking cookies or indulging in a relaxing picnic in the park.

Play Outside

Playing outside need not be daunting. Plenty of fun can be had from the comfort of the backyard or driveway.

Maybe it involves roasting marshmallows around the fire pit, catching fireflies in the dark, engaging in a friendly water gun fight or getting creative with a box of sidewalk chalk. This type of play ensures plenty of bonding time and a healthy dose of fresh air for every member of the family. To truly encourage outdoor play, consider investing in a family-friendly yard. Put out sprinklers for the kids to run through or make plans to build a swimming pool. The cost of inground pool installation is worth the many benefits. Just think of all of the family pool parties!

Commit to Monthly Outings

Carve out time once a month to do something extra special as a family. These mini excursions instill a sense of adventure in children and add variety to the typical weekend schedule. Perhaps it’s riding bikes down a local trail or going stargazing outside the city. If there is a nature lover in the family, consider a trip to the local park or nature preserve to go wildflower picking or fishing. Alternatively, animal and history buffs will benefit from a family membership to the zoo or natural history museum. So many of these institutions have plenty of fun, interactive exhibits for every age. Outings can even be planned to align with the season. Winter months call for ice skating, spring months bring on the blooms at the botanic gardens, summer is ideal for berry picking at the farm and fall is all about the apple harvests in the nearby orchards.

Plan a Vacation

Planning a vacation may sound excessive and seemingly impossible, but it is an essential way to create memories and enjoy shared experiences as a family unit. Vacations also don’t have to be long or expensive. Consider driving to a nearby campsite for a few days amid nature. Days are filled with hikes, kayaking excursions and telling stories around the campfire. If a beach is within easy reach, escape instead to the shoreline. The entire family will revel in sandcastle competitions and hours long hunts for seashells. Even a ranch in the countryside could do the trick. Spend time together riding horses, learning to lasso and two-stepping in the dance hall.

Establish Game Night

Nothing quite beats a healthy dose of family feuding around a board game. Whether it takes place once per week or once per year, game nights are a fun form of entertainment for the entire family. The competition will undoubtedly heat up during such classic games as Twister, Scrabble, Uno and Settlers of Catan. Maybe a round of Poker is in order — winner takes all of the Halloween candy! For something less competitive, try working on a puzzle together. The above bucket list items prove that family time does not have to be complicated or extravagant. All it takes is a little time and a lot of love.