Family activities

[lhafer]

I want our family to become more active. We live in Houston, so our weather is pretty brutal during the summertime, we don't have hills or mountains nearby, the beach is about an hour away, but we don't really have "decent" ocean water (brown water, tiny waves, etc).

I would love to have a 'thing' that our family loves to do. You know how you see families and they all like to surf, or hIke, or bike ride, or go boating, and they like to do it as a family? That's what I'm looking for. Doesn't necessarily have to be outdoors...I would just like it to be something that leads toa more healthy lifestyle - get away from the tv, and be able to get closer.

My kids are 7 and 3.

So does your family have an activity?

[gatorsmom]

I love Houston! My dH grew up there and he said growing up his dad bought a used outboard boat. They spent summers boating and waterskiing on Lake Summerville.

If my kids were those ages I'd take them to the beach in Galveston or Clear Lake (i saw dolphins while swimming in Texas city before!) DH suggested going to the Rodeo, the many little community festivals, the museums (your children's museum is fantastic) or just ice skating at the Galleria.

It's a short drive, really, to do some fantastic sightseeing in San Antonio and Austin. And when your kids get a little older you can do some geocaching.

[lhafer]

I love Houston! My dH grew up there and he said growing up his dad bought a used outboard boat. They spent summers boating and waterskiing on Lake Summerville.

If my kids were those ages I'd take them to the beach in Galveston or Clear Lake (i saw dolphins while swimming in Texas city before!) DH suggested going to the Rodeo, the many little community festivals, the museums (your children's museum is fantastic) or just ice skating at the Galleria.

It's a short drive, really, to do some fantastic sightseeing in San Antonio and Austin. And when your kids get a little older you can do some geocaching.

We do all of those things quite regularly. But I don't consider that family stuff. Going to SA or Austin are usually short weekend vacation trips that happen occasionally, usually when DH is doing recruiting work at UT in Austin. I take the girls to the museums all the time, but during the week in the day when it's less crowded, so DH is never with us. The rodeo just happened, and won't be back until next year, and it really isn't our cup of tea anyway.

I think boating would be fun. We would have to find a place to store it when we weren't using it though (a storage facility). FIL just bought a boat, b ut they in DFW.

I also think camping and having a popup camper could be fun, but DH hates camping and thinks that kind of camping is for the birds.

[gatorsmom]

We do all of those things quite regularly. But I don't consider that family stuff. Going to SA or Austin are usually short weekend vacation trips that happen occasionally, usually when DH is doing recruiting work at UT in Austin. I take the girls to the museums all the time, but during the week in the day when it's less crowded, so DH is never with us. The rodeo just happened, and won't be back until next year, and it really isn't our cup of tea anyway.

I think boating would be fun. We would have to find a place to store it when we weren't using it though (a storage facility). FIL just bought a boat, b ut they in DFW.

I also think camping and having a popup camper could be fun, but DH hates camping and thinks that kind of camping is for the birds.

DH just asked if you have a neighborhood pool to hang out at. Going to the pool or one of the beaches in and around Houston in the summertime was wonderful because the water was so comfortable. Whereas in Wisconsin the water is always cold. Even in August.

In the morning before the heat gets brutal, what about biking with the little one in a bike trailer and the older one on a tagalong (I think that is what the add-on seat is called). Hiking in one of the local forests could be something a family would enjoy together too.

[ellies mom]

We've starting taking the girls to a local climbing gym. They love it. DH and I are going to get our belay certification and I will probably start climbing too because it is something I've always wanted to do. It works for our family because there is an adult for every child. So we take turns with each girl depending on their moods/needs. They have a blast and we love watching them.

Some pluses- Climate control! Confidence building, problem solving, learning how strong and capable their bodies can be. It can transfer to outdoor climbing as well.

Minus - It can be spendy. The gym we are going to has memberships and then you can rent equipment. We will probably buy the equipment pretty soon. The kids climbing harnesses work for a huge weight range (there is a different style for your youngest but you could sell it when no longer needed. And they design the shoes to be adjustable as well. Plus a lot of people buy used for their kids to save money.

[lhafer]

DH just asked if you have a neighborhood pool to hang out at. Going to the pool or one of the beaches in and around Houston in the summertime was wonderful because the water was so comfortable. Whereas in Wisconsin the water is always cold. Even in August.

In the morning before the heat gets brutal, what about biking with the little one in a bike trailer and the older one on a tagalong (I think that is what the add-on seat is called). Hiking in one of the local forests could be something a family would enjoy together too.

Yes we lived in a master planned community that has a couple of pools. They open on Memorial Day weekend, and close Labor Day weekend. It sucks because it's already 80+ degrees here, and the heat stays around until October. I really wish they would open the pools earlier and have them open longer.

But I'm not really looking for things to do...we do those. I'm looking for more of family hobby type of activities. And if anyone on here does that type of stuff.

We have some friends who have a family hobby of boating. They even moved to a house on the lake so they could have a boat. My dad and brother have a family hobby of hunting every weekend. They also own a fireworks stand, so they all do that on the major holidays. Have some other friends who have a family hobby of scuba diving. Have another friend who has a family hobby of camping in their pop up camper.

Right now the closest thing my family has to a family hobby is movie watching and playing video games. DH is a pretty avid gamer, and now my 7 yr old DD is too.

[lhafer]

We've starting taking the girls to a local climbing gym. They love it. DH and I are going to get our belay certification and I will probably start climbing too because it is something I've always wanted to do. It works for our family because there is an adult for every child. So we take turns with each girl depending on their moods/needs. They have a blast and we love watching them.

Some pluses- Climate control! Confidence building, problem solving, learning how strong and capable their bodies can be. It can transfer to outdoor climbing as well.

Minus - It can be spendy. The gym we are going to has memberships and then you can rent equipment. We will probably buy the equipment pretty soon. The kids climbing harnesses work for a huge weight range (there is a different style for your youngest but you could sell it when no longer needed. And they design the shoes to be adjustable as well. Plus a lot of people buy used for their kids to save money.

This could be something we could do. We already go to a gym that has a rock climbing wall, and my 7 yr old does that when I take classes (the child center folks are there with the group of kids). But we all enjoy rock wall climbing.

[hellokitty]

How about geocaching?

[Philly Mom]

I was going to suggest rock climbing as well. Great family activity and can lead to future family vacations.

[gatorsmom]

Well, it sounds like you have some potential ideas- boating, scuba, etc. keep in mind a lot of activities are seasonal. Our family downhill skis in the winter and camps and boats in the summer. So you could do the neighborhood festivals as a family in the summer and do something else at other times of the year. And I know you said you do those little trips with the kids during the week but those little types of trips are great for the whole family when the kids are little. Would your husband enjoy doing those while the kids are small?

Another consideration is cost. Boating can be expensive unless you know it's something you'd really enjoy. Scuba diving can too. Whereas biking and hiking are relatively cheap. So is geocaching. We have neighbors whose kids are relly into skateboarding. The whole family does it. They also do rock climbing and rappelling together. My cousin's fmily loves rollerblading together. How about gardening together? Could you start a little garden in your yard to tinker with? What about fishing? You don't even need a boat. And its great for all ages.

What you could do is visit a sporting good store and get some ideas there. You can check out the prices of the equipment too. That might be a good place to start. GL!

[mariza]

How about bowling? DH and I joined an adult league so that's "our thing" but we do occasionally bring the kids to the bowling alley on our own. They really like it.


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[bisous]

Ours really is hiking. We all love it and it is so nice to get out in the beautiful outdoors.

[Momit]

How about geocaching?

:yeahthat: I have never done it but it sounds fun. Your 3 yo probably won't get it yet but the 7 yo would enjoy it.

There are also scavenger hunt games like Stray Boots that are fun. We just did one in NYC and DS really enjoyed playing along.

[ellies mom]

There are also scavenger hunt games like Stray Boots that are fun. We just did one in NYC and DS really enjoyed playing along.

This sounds so cool! One of the cities is local to us and this is exactly the type of thing we would love to do. Since you've done it, maybe you can answer my question. Did you "buy one" for the family as a whole to use or one for each adult? I would be OK with getting one for each adult (but sharing would be great) but I don't think I'd want to pay for each child also.

[Momit]

This sounds so cool! One of the cities is local to us and this is exactly the type of thing we would love to do. Since you've done it, maybe you can answer my question. Did you "buy one" for the family as a whole to use or one for each adult? I would be OK with getting one for each adult (but sharing would be great) but I don't think I'd want to pay for each child also.

We had 4 adults and 3 kids using one purchased game. One person put it on his phone and read the clues to everyone. It was super fun.

[mackmama]

How about any of these?

Bike riding
Basketball
Building model crafts
Playing tennis
Gardening
Bird-watching
Hiking/walking
Cooking
Volunteering as a family
Making music
Family yoga/dance/workout
Starting a family collection (cars, stamps, coins, autographs, etc)

[infomama]

We're campers. Can't imagine life without it.
We also have a big piece of land so we do lots of stuff outside at home.

[sunshine873]

The majority of what we do has already been mentioned

- Biking. (just bought a trail a bike for DD because she got too big for her bike seat. During the summer we make it an early morning activity.
- Hiking. Great opportunity to learn about nature, etc.
- Boating. When we moved to the beach a few years ago we joined about club. That way there are boats available to us (reservations needed on weekends) and we didn't have to store or maintain them. Oh, and the club also taught us how to use the boats.
- Camping. This one is new for us. We've tented a few times, but we just ordered a travel trailer and in a few weeks we will be an official camping family complete with walls, a roof, a fridge, stove, microwave, bathroom, AC if needed and the option for a TV.

[fivi2]

I haven't done either of these, but there is the Texas Nature Challenge:
http://naturechallenge.tamu.edu/ - I am guessing you are Bayou region.
Also, the Texas parks and wildlife department has a family introduction to camping workshop.

I plan to do something this summer I read in a magazine - google a bunch of ideas of things in our area that we have never done. Write them down on slips of paper. Separate them into categories (nearby or short activities, indoor v. outdoor, all day trip, that sort of thing) put in bags. On a day we need something to do - pull one out of the appropriate bag - whatever is pulled we have to do.

Indoor could be Museums - you have a ton in Houston, or NASA, or roller skating, or caves, etc.

Outdoor could just be trying a new park or nature center, or heading to Galveston, or whatever.

Not really a hobby, but a fun idea.

[brittone2]

We camp and garden as a family.

We hike but it is tough with the 3 yo right now.

DH and I used to climb and would like to introduce the kids to it; however, it is again a bit tricky as I don't want to have to get a sitter for the 3 yo every time. It makes going regularly more difficult. DH and I really had so much fun climbing when we were dating and early in our marriage, took some great outdoor climbing trips, etc.

My family enjoys biking. I am not really fond of cycling as I have had previous issues with hip tendonitis and biking sometimes is a bit painful for me. We are going to do a few bike rides in parks with trails this spring and summer. DH read about an "ice cream tour" in an area about 1-1.5 hrs from here. A bike magazine published a recommended 20-25 miler that is almost entirely flat and incorporates 3 different ice cream shop stops :rotflmao:DH thought it would be a hoot with the kids. 25 miles is nothing for him; DS1 could do it with training. I think I can tough it out (have done a 25 miler previously) with stops ;)

We enjoy having a community pool membership.

SIL geocaches and the kids have expressed an interest in that. Truthfully hiking and geocaching worry me a tiny bit because I live in tick/lyme disease central, so it gets a bit difficult to not have that pop into my mind (and I grew up being outside all. day. long, including in the woods, but I also have a very high # of people in my life locally who have been diagnosed w/ lyme).

We bought a pop up pre-kids, and we use that several times a year with the kids. It is really fun, and I love that my kids can enjoy the simplicity of the experience. When we were in NC we lived about 30-40 mins from a wonderful lake that had beautiful camp sites, and we were going almost every other weekend regularly. It is almost easier for us when we go more frequently, as I keep the camper better stocked with extra clothes, toiletries, and other necessities for the season then (less to pack each time). My kids adore camping, and the silliest things become a tradition (a night time "toad walk" because we always see them hopping all over the campground roads on warm summer nights). I grew up camping with my parents and remember those days fondly. It is a lot of wash, etc. for a weekend, but we persevere and do it anyway.

eta: parks and rec often have family activities including hikes, bird watching, etc. We have friends who host a monthly hike for families and we're on the email list for that. We don't get to do it often, but it is really nice if you can network with similarly minded families.

[sweetsue98]

We do all of those things quite regularly. But I don't consider that family stuff. Going to SA or Austin are usually short weekend vacation trips that happen occasionally, usually when DH is doing recruiting work at UT in Austin. I take the girls to the museums all the time, but during the week in the day when it's less crowded, so DH is never with us. The rodeo just happened, and won't be back until next year, and it really isn't our cup of tea anyway.

I think boating would be fun. We would have to find a place to store it when we weren't using it though (a storage facility). FIL just bought a boat, b ut they in DFW.

I also think camping and having a popup camper could be fun, but DH hates camping and thinks that kind of camping is for the birds.

I am not a camper and refuse to go but the kids LOVE it. I gave in. ...

[army_mom]

We don't "camp" per say because DH and I have both spent enough time enjoying the great outdoors in the Army. But we do go visit the state parks around us that have cabins and do cabin camping. We look up state parks within a decent drive and plan weekend outings near them. The more popular ones book up almost immediately. Then we spend time outside "hiking" (as much as you can with small child), fishing, paddle boating, etc. Many places rent boats and some jet skis. Now that DD is a speed demon on her bike, we will bring our bikes along. We love going to the lake and will probably buy a home on a lake once we are done moving every other year. We also look up festivals and hit up those. We really enjoy that. Now that we are moving to more central US and DD is older, DH is really wanting to do National Park trips as family vacations with DD.

Gardening would be great but we rent and can't dig up backyards. Last year DD and I made a "redneck" garden out of a small swimming pool and it worked great. :D She loved helping me water and check for new zucchini and squash.

Our family hobby right now is going to the beach all summer long. Oh, how we will miss Destin when we move :crying: Maybe we will take up climbing and skiing instead since those are great ideas. We did climbing on our honeymoon but haven't done much since and DD is probably about old enough now!

We move so often we never really seem to get in a rut about what to do, so I guess that probably helps!

[ellies mom]

We usually camp with my parents during the summer. I really, really prefer staying in a cabin or a yurt. The ones near us usually have a twin over full bunkbed with a futon (mattresses encased in vinyl), a table with four chairs, power and heat. Much more comfortable than an under-inflated air mattress on the ground. And a lot easier to set up and take down than a tent. Our tent is nice and easy to put up and take down but I find the process of putting the tent away so it doesn't get ruined to be tedious. By the end of the trip, I just want to get on with leaving.

[Gracemom]

Have you been to the observatory at Brazos Bend State Park outside of Houston? On Saturday nights, they used to have telescopes set up to stargaze. I loved it when I lived in Houston. You could get a State Parks Pass and I think you get in for free. Huntsville State Park is great too. I have fond memories of canoeing there. The Renaissance Festival is fun too in the fall. Maybe you could make costumes for it as a family. There are a few nature centers in Houston too that you could tour and compare. I think we need to take a trip to Houston soon!

As for a regular family activity, I think biking makes the most sense. Houston is pretty flat and easy to bike, unless it's raining! Gardening would be good too since things grow pretty easily in Houston. Another thought is trying new restaurants. Houston has such a great variety of ethnic restaurants if your kids are adventurous eaters. I miss the Chinese food in Houston!

[okinawama]

How about geocaching?
:yeahthat:
I was going to say geocaching as well. You can totally tailor it to your abilities, age group, skill level, length of time you have available. It is a blast for families to do together!

[WatchingThemGrow]

DH's family had family tennis tournaments, went to their beach cottage, and bought puzzles from art museums to assemble together.

[Momit]

There was one more thing I thought of and have been trying to think of the name. It's called Letterboxing and it's like a family treasure hunt. Sounds easy to get started and fun. There are apparently 20,000 letterboxes hidden in the US alone. I found a bunch of info online.