Stop Overthinking It—Just Play With Your Kids

Stop Overthinking It—Just Play With Your Kids

What kids want most is you. They want your time—even if life is crazy busy. But just spending 30–45 minutes with your kids a few times a week really adds up. These are ten free activities we’ve done over the years that our kids especially enjoy when they’re little. I’m from the Midwest and write with those assumptions. If you're from a different region or climate, these might not all land—but they should get your creative juices flowing.

Star-gazing

I love the stars and still remember staring at the night sky with my grandpa like it was yesterday. We live in the country now, so we just step outside and look up. But back when we lived in town, I used to drive out to a field on the edge of the city. Staying up late gives it that sense of adventure. Do it enough and you’ll catch shooting stars, fireballs, satellites—maybe even learn a few constellations. I use two apps to identify stars and planets: Star Chart and Night Sky.

Rock-skipping

Find a pond, creek, or lake. It doesn’t have to be anything special. Show them the basics: flat rocks, a sidearm throw, calm water. Count skips. Compete. Laugh. Repeat. Simple, but sticky. More than once, this ended with my boys wading in up to their knees trying to flip the biggest rock they could find. Whatever. Just have fun.

Crawdad-catching

Look for a shallow creek, start flipping rocks, and let the chase begin. Someone’s going to get pinched, but no one’s going to die. Bring a bucket if you want to study your catch. Do it often enough and you’ll probably spot salamanders, snakes, and turtles too.

Football/Baseball/Frisbee-Throwing

Yes, you’ll need a ball or frisbee—but playing catch in the yard costs nothing. Teach them how to throw and catch. If you’ve got multiple kids, mix it up with games like keep-away. It’s classic for a reason.

Fort-building

Indoors with cushions and blankets. Outdoors with sticks and limbs. A lean-to or teepee is easy to make. Cardboard boxes are gold. One time, I brought home some huge boxes from work—they filled the kids’ entire bedroom. That fort lasted for days.

Dump-visiting

Yep. The landfill. Boys, especially, love it. The size, the smell, the noise—big machines moving giant piles of trash just hits a nerve. There’s something primal about it. Break stuff. Maybe find something worth saving. Just find an excuse to go.

Leafpile-jumping

When fall rolls around, don’t just rake—make a mountain. Let the kids jump in, bury themselves, and toss leaves like confetti. We used to build a pile at the bottom of a hill and have the boys ride their bikes into it. Good times.

Karaoke-singing

Pull up karaoke tracks on YouTube. Let each kid pick a song. We had a long “Greatest Showman” phase. This one leans more toward our girls—our boys weren’t as into it. But no one cares how it sounds. Sing loud, laugh hard, and let your kids see you be ridiculous. It’s good for them.

Book-reading

Old faithful. Should be a habit in every home. Our favorites include Frog and Toad, Little Bear, Busytown, The Wizard of Oz, and My Side of the Mountain. Just a chapter or two makes a difference.

Playground-visiting

Swing them. Do the underdog run. Play tag. Challenge them to go down the slide backwards. It’s not rocket science—it’s presence.

Family-walking

Around the block, down a trail, through the woods. Hold hands. Race to the mailbox. Tell stories. Some of our best conversations happened when no one was making eye contact. When we were broke—and we were broke a lot—this is what we did most evenings. The kids would bring bikes or tricycles, and I’d usually end up carrying someone home. But those are precious memories. Movement breaks down walls.

Airplane-watching

For a good stretch of our life, we lived near airports. We’d pile the kids in the van, drive to the viewing area, and watch the planes take off and land. Simple. Mesmerizing. Free.

I think a lot of parents are overthinking it—and overdoing it. Sure, there’s a time and place for arcades, theme parks, theaters, and other big-ticket events. Those can be fun, and there’s nothing wrong with splurging now and then. But don’t underestimate the value of the simple stuff.

These little things—walking around the block, skipping rocks, catching crawdads—are a big deal to your kids. They become core memories unless you train them to think they’re not. If you make it seem like fun only counts when it costs a lot or requires a reservation, they’ll believe you.

But if you give them your time, your attention, and a little imagination, you’ll be amazed at what sticks. Ordinary moments, repeated with love and consistency, build the kind of childhood your kids will remember forever.