Fridays come so hard, don’t they? The first five days after the weekend are always the hardest. Planning for fun things to do on weekends at home is the only joy we have sometimes, during the week. We could all use one or two more days between Saturday and Sunday. There are so many jokes about weekends that we could go on like this forever. Even Henry Ford – the father of the “five-day workweek” – would have a good laugh today.
We love and hate weekends altogether. Although weekends are short and fly as if someone has been holding a fast forward button pressed, these two (and a half – for some) days are meant for fun. And when the budget is tight, here are some fun things to do on weekends, no matter your personality type!
Garfield: Weekends are for nothing
Nothingness is fun! After a hard 9 to 5 week and overtime, doing nothing and hibernating for two long days sounds simply the best way to spend a weekend. Interacting with people is wearing some of us down – especially the introverts or INFJ personalities. For these two kinds of people, turning down invitations to weekend parties or social events comes naturally. For them, the best way to recharge their batteries is to spend time alone, moving just enough each day so no one thinks they are dead.
But even extroverts might need two days to sleep in, with all alarms shut down. Sleep is good for our bodies. During sleep, our bodies regenerate and repair themselves. A good night’s sleep will make us happier, more alert and more healthy, by reducing inflammation in our bodies. Almost all Americans sleep more during weekends, with an average of 18.9 hours, according to the American Time Use Survey (ATUS).
Sleeping more on weekends when you have kids can be quite a challenge. In this situation, you may want to discuss with your spouse how you’re going to spend the time and who’s going to plan activities for the children to keep them busy and entertained while off the screens, if possible. Of course, it’s more convenient to leave your children in front of the TV or with a tablet in their hands, but their screen time must be under control. They cannot tell when enough is enough. Are there fun things to do on weekends that do not require an electronic device? Yes, there are! Think about some interesting and educational board games like Monopoly – a game that teaches your kids the basics of real estate investing, Quiz Contests – games that “question” their general knowledge; even chess or paper games can be fun!
Weekends are for learning
Are you raising a prodigy? Weekends are a great time to push your kid’s limits by taking private lessons on various subjects that he/she enjoys: music, foreign languages, maths, chemistry and so on. Lessons can be taken online or you can invite a tutor at home, however, there might be a surcharge for weekends. But every now and then, weekends should mean “nothing” for children too – let them live their childhood and enjoy free time with no indications whatsoever – call it “the weekend with no restrictions”. After all, this is a time to make memories that will last a lifetime.
Make sure your kids finish their homework for Monday on Friday! And if they don’t know something, help them finish quickly. Don’t make a big deal out of it! Our education system may have its highs and lows, but parents must get more involved too! Take it seriously and enroll your kids in life skills classes and summer camps. Find time to talk with them and encourage them to achieve their goals, even if it’s not really what you’ve had in mind for them.
As adults, we also have to educate ourselves continually to remain competitive in the job market. We have to acquire new skills or information. And because it is very hard to find time to read during the week, you should invest in yourself at least during Saturdays and Sundays. Learning might not be fun and entertaining at first, but it opens doors. For example, you can build a business around what you know and start teaching yourself. Create an online course, start vlogging or write a book – all are great ways to generate multiple streams of income. When you’re an expert in your field, making more money is as easy as pie. If you have a mortgage, you will need that money to pay your mortgage faster.
Weekends are for laughing
As children, we used to laugh more easily and more often. We would burst into laughter at the most stupid reason you can think of now. As life gets more serious, we also laugh less frequently. And we really need a good (weekend) joke to laugh like a drain.
But laughter is considered natural medicine – it brings so many health benefits! That is why we recommend that you constantly seek fun things to do on weekends at home. You don’t have to empty your credit cards to have a serotonin boost. Watching good comedies and funny videos or vlogs on YouTube are definitely among the best ways to de-stress at home. In fact, Americans do spend about 30% more time watching TV during the weekend, with an average of 8.14 hours, as pointed out by the ATUS. And if your kids don’t know what else to do with their smartphones besides playing addictive games, show them how to find hilarious videos as well (depending on their age) – not before you set up parental control on your phone.
You may also invite friends or relatives over – the more you are, the more chances to hear a good joke. And the more chances to put someone in a funny situation. Play short “one minute to win it” games, play the mime game, the Chinese whispers, the Human Hungry Hungry Hippos, and guess games like “Who am I?”. Will all these games turn your house upside down? Well, they probably will, but the fun you have will outbalance the mess you make. It will be worth it! And you know that cleaning is a permanent activity, whether you live in a studio or in a single-family detached house. How to make house maintenance more pleasant for the whole family? Delegate! Make your kids responsible for their fun, too! After all, you need a clean living room to mess around in next weekend, don’t you?
Weekends are for house chores
We all hate them, but we all gotta do what we gotta do. Are we really crazy for listing this as fun things to do on weekends? Maybe, but we like to look at things from different perspectives. Sometimes it’s enough to change the way you look at things in order to perceive a task as more enjoyable.
Use the weekends to clean the house and prepare it for a new week, but make it differently. Set up small goals that you and your kids can fulfill fast, in a few minutes. If you feel like the house is getting too full of stuff, start a spring cleaning, select the items you don’t need or no longer use, put them in boxes for charity or plan a garage sale to earn some money for new decorations or simply for fun. Yes! Garage sales are a fun activity when every family member is involved.
If you really want to make your kids more responsible, after a certain age, you can start remunerating them for cleaning their rooms, washing the windows and floors, replacing the toilet paper and other chores – this will prepare them for the real life. At first, you may start giving them screen-time for every chore they fulfill and give them money when they are older.
They have to understand that nothing comes without a cost – you have to work hard for what you want. So if they want a new fancy toy or gadget, help them purchase it by teaching them how to save money. It might be only a few hundred bucks, but later, they will know how to save for a down payment or how to pay their loans faster. Keep in mind though that children imitate their parents, so if you are splurging, you have to reconsider your “financial behavior”.
Fill your house with music!
Good weekend vibes start with cheerful and upbeat music. Listening to music is a great way to relax at home during the weekends, when you don’t feel like leaving the house or when it’s raining cats and dogs. Playing some good old tunes is one of the best things to do when bored at home. And if you want some company, why not invite some friends over for a Karaoke party? Singing is definitely among the top fun things to do on weekends. The worse you sing, the most fun you and your guests will have! However, many great businesses have started from a joke, so you might discover you have some talented friends and together could start a band or, why not, a choir that will conquer the biggest stages of the world.
Fill your house with guests!
Whether you are a homeowner or a tenant, now is the time to open your house and become a host. Almost half of Americans spend time socializing during weekends – twice as much than during the other five weekdays. Of course, speaking on the phone does seem to shorten the distance, and so do video calls, but nothing compares to the physical presence of a friend or loved one. If you’re looking for fun things to do on weekends, think about cooking. Cook for your family and friends. Time to start fishing for compliments! When you count all your love and affection as the main ingredients, nothing can go wrong! You will receive a ton of nice words and appreciation which will boost your confidence.
Host different themed parties, as well! If you have a backyard, invite your kid’s friends over for birthday parties. Buy an inflatable pool for the summer and fill it with water for the kids to have fun whenever they want, thus avoiding the expensive tickets to waterparks. Adults will also appreciate a barbeque party, especially on the 4th of July. The more space you have, the more fun things to do on weekends.
Family gatherings strengthen the bond between you. They are occasions to make plans for the future, besides having a lovely time together. Old and young, married or single – everybody deserves to feel loved and important. Don’t avoid more serious subjects either. When you have a good time, it is hard to think about the bad times that await ahead. Talk openly about estate planning and where should the seniors live. Maybe you can host your parents into an in-laws suit down in your basement or your brothers and sisters may want to split the cost of assisted living. These are tough subjects that must be addressed in the intimacy of the home.
Now, guess what – next weekend is the weekend again! Make it pass slowly by planning for it! There are so many fun things to do on weekends at home! You should never allow yourself or anyone living with you to get bored. With all the tips above, boredom should have no place in your house.
