6 Fun Activities To Do With Your Kids After School

I love that the kids are back in school this year and learning every day. It's been such a change from the last couple years and we are working on new routines all the time. I've found 6 fun activities to do with the kids after school that I have to share with you! Once the kids have unloaded their backpacks, picked out a snack and taken some downtime, I find it's important to spend a little quality time with each of them separately.

6 Activities You Can Do With Your Kids

All of the activities that I'm sharing here are for relaxing down time. I feel like the kids need that after spending the day at school. I like to have a few ideas on hand for when we have time to spend together. These 6 activities have become part of our regular routine and have been so helpful in creating enjoyable time together.

Work on a Puzzle
We started getting 500 piece puzzles to do at the dining room table. This has been a fun family project because it's something you can just participate in at anytime. It helps give the brain something to focus on and it's challenging. We have tried a few different puzzles but our favorites have been from Buffalo Games & Puzzles.
Journal Together
The kids and I each have a separate journal that we can write messages to each other in. James has one with a lock and key that he finds to be, oh-so-fun, to open! Kyla and I are currently working through A Love Journal, 100 Things I Love About Mom, by Brandi Riley. Journalling together is one of my favorite ways to connect with the kids. They really seem to open up when we do these together.
Cook Dinner or Dessert
You know the kids and I love to cook. It's one of the reasons we created Cooking With Kids. Cooking with the kids is a very special activity for us. We make it fun and they love trying new things in the kitchen. Check out our recipes to give it a try!
Paint, Draw or Color
Painting has always been one of my favorite activities, especially after school when I was younger. I've been more intentional about bringing these activities back into our routines with the kids because doing any sort of art is just good for the soul. I love these new Easy and Fun Paint Magic with Water books. These are super cool books from our publisher at Fox Chapel Publishing. Simply wet the paint brush, then paint the paper and the color comes through. I am also bringing back Paint Parties (for adults) if you need a little solo time. Any art you do together or on your own will be good for everyone.
Play Cards
We tend to play a lot of uno around here. It's a favorite for both of the kids. We also play go fish and a little blackjack.
Play a Board Game
Some of our favorite board games are Sequence for Kids, Slappy Camper and Quirkle.