Family Fun

Top 10 Sports Movies for Families

October 3, 2018 By Terri Thompson

I’m not a big sports fan, but I love a good sports movie.

They’re full of feel-good moments, stories of teamwork, and underdog stories. And, these characteristics are exactly why they’re perfect for a family movie night.

So, grab the family and get ready to cheer with our Top 10 Sports Movies for Families! You’ll have a fun night!

And, when you’re ready to plan another movie night, check out all of our recommended family friendly movies here.

Settle in for a fun family movie night with your kids to watch one of these awesome choices from the Top 10 Sports Movies for families.

Note: I pulled the age suggestions from Common Sense Media. These suggestions are just that – a suggestion. You know your kids better than anyone and can best make the decision as to what movies are best for your family.

Disclosure: There are Amazon Affiliate and other affiliate links in this article which means, at no additional cost to you, we could receive compensation for our recommendations. You can read our full disclosure policy on our Disclosure Page for more details.

Sports Movies for Families with Kids under 10

Air Bud (ages 6+, rated PG) Usually, I try to find movies that appeal to both kids and parents, but I’ll confess that this choice is much more appealing to kids. But, it’s a cute movie for kids who love dogs – and sports. Plus, it’s the sports movie that best appeals to the younger kids.

The Rookie (ages 7+, rated G) The Rookie is the story of a high school baseball coach who promises his team that if they’ll win the division title, he’ll try out for the major leagues. This movie is great for families, but may not be as appealing to younger kids because the movie revolves around an adult and not kids.

Cool Runnings (ages 8+, rated PG) Cool Runnings is a funny and positive movie inspired by the Jamaican bobsled team’s appearance at the 1988 Winter Olympic Games. It’s a fun choice if you love underdog stories.

Miracle (ages 8+, rated PG) If you’ve got hockey fans, this movie about the United States hockey teams’ unlikely gold medal victory in the 1980 Winter Olympic Games. And even if you’re not hockey fans, you’ll enjoy this movie and will be cheering along the whole time.

The Sandlot (ages 8+, rated PG) This story about shenanigans of a pick-up neighborhood baseball team in the 1950’s. This movie is full of nostalgia and is a family favorite at our house. This movie does include swearing, including by some of the kids, so if that bothers you, you may want to pre-screen it.

Sports Movies for Families with Kids ages 10 and up

A League of Their Own (ages 10+, rated PG) A League of Their Own is a classic sports movie based on the All-American Girls Professional Girls Baseball League from the 1940’s. It’s full of positive female role models with a good message about teamwork.

Invincible (ages 10+, rated PG) I love this underdog movie about a 30-year-old down on his luck man who goes to open try-outs for the Philadelphia Eagles and makes the team. It’s a great movie that shows the power of dreams and that it’s never to late to chase them.

Little Giants (ages 10+, rated PG) What happens when you don’t make a peewee football team because you’re a girl? Well, hopefully your dad volunteers to coach your own rag-tag football team. This movie is full of potty-humor and has some swearing, but overall it’s a fun and positive choice.

Mighty Ducks (ages 11+, rated PG) The Mighty Ducks is the story of a ragtag hockey team and their coach, who doesn’t even want to be coaching but has to because of a community service violation. This is a fun and positive movie about teamwork and the joy of sports. But, like a few other choices here, there is some swearing which makes it more suitable for older kids than for younger ones.

Rudy (ages 11+, rated PG) I will confess that Rudy is one of my all-time favorite movies (and I’m not even a football fan). It’s based on the true-story of an underdog who overcomes great odds to play football for Notre Dame. You cheer, you’ll cry, and you’ll have a great time watching this with your family.

Which one of these sports movies for families are you going to watch for your next family movie night? Do you have a favorite that didn’t make the list?

Recommended Family Movie Night Resources:

If you’ve got Amazon Prime, it can be so easy to have a fun movie night. They’ve got so many family friendly movies available via streaming (in addition to other great benefits). You can sign up for Amazon Prime via this link.

Fall Bucket List for Toddlers

September 24, 2018 By Terri Thompson

Are you looking for some fun ideas to do this fall with your toddler? Have you thought about making a fall bucket list?

This fun fall bucket list for toddlers is full of can’t miss, fun activities to do with your little one this season. But, don’t worry, it’s not too full and overwhelming.

Here are 10 great must-do fall activities that will engage all five senses. Have fun and explore fall together with your family.

Fall Bucket List for Toddlers

1. Explore your sense of taste by eating an apple snack.

You can keep it simple and snack on a sliced apple or a bowl of apple sauce. Or you can get creative in the kitchen and try one of these delicious apple snacks for kids.

2. Hunt for acorns and practice counting.

Take a walk or a short drive to find a place to collect acorns. Bring along a small bag if you’d like to bring some home for a future activity.

Use the acorns to practice counting. Point and count – 1 acorn, 2, 3. Or, gather the acorns into small groups, for example a group of 2 or a group of 3. Keep it simple and have some fun learning!

This activity explores your sense of touch and your sense of sight.

3. Go on a leaf color hunt.

Explore with your eyes to find different colors of leaves.

Walk through your neighborhood or a nearby park. Can your toddler find a red leaf, a yellow leaf, or a brown leaf?

Look for the different colors and point them out as you go on a simple walk.

Make pretty autumn leaves and learn shapes with this fun fine motor craft for toddlers and preschoolers, a simple Leaf Shape Collage.

4. Do a leaf craft.

Continue exploring leaves with a leaf craft.

You can keep it simple by letting your toddler glue leaves to a large sheet of paper or stick them onto clear Contact Paper.

Or try this fun Leaf Shape Collage to make a fun and pretty fall decoration.

5. Shop for pumpkins and paint a pumpkin.

Take your toddler to a pumpkin patch, a farm stand, or even your local grocery store to shop for a pumpkin. Let them explore the pumpkins and pick out the one they like best.

Once they have a pumpkin picked out, let them paint the pumpkin. Spread out some newspaper, find an old shirt for a smock, and get out the paint and brushes. Let the explore and paint whatever they want on the pumpkin. The results will be beautiful!

6. Play in the fallen leaves.

Run, crunch, and jump in the fallen leaves!

Take your toddler outside and let them play. They can toss the leaves, roll in the leaves, or jump in a pile.

Get in there with them and play. You’ll have so much fun!

7. Make apple prints.

When I think of fall art projects, one of the first things to come to mind are apple prints. And, they are a perfect art project for toddlers.

You don’t have to get fancy, just let your child make prints. Here’s how we did it when my girls were little – try our trick to make the apples easier to hold.

8. Read a fall book.

Have a fall story time with a few good book. If it’s a pretty day, grab a blanket and have story time outside!

Try an apple-themed book from our list here. Or, check out this list of fall books from My Bored Toddler. There are so many great ones to choose from.

9. Play with a fall-scented play dough.

Engage your toddlers sense of smell and touch with a fun fall-scented play dough.

You can try this fun pumpkin play dough from Natural Beach Living or this apple pie play dough from The Imagination Tree. They would both be fun to play with and your toddler explores their sense of touch and smell.

10. Go on a fall nature hike.

Toddlers aren’t too young for a fun hike. They key is to keep it simple and keep it short.

Find a pretty spot to walk and explore nature. Check out all of our tips for hiking with young children before you go head out.

Get out and explore fall with your little one!

This fall bucket list for toddlers is a fun way to explore all the senses while enjoying autumn.

Explore your sense of smell with some fall-scented play dough, your sense of taste with an apple snack, your sense of touch when you hunt for acorns, your sense of hearing when you play in the fallen leaves, and your sense of sight on a leaf color hunt.

Have fun exploring the season with our fall bucket list for toddlers!

If you enjoyed our Fall Bucket List for Toddlers, the above photo is perfect for sharing on Facebook of saving to Pinterest.

You may also enjoy one of these fun toddler activities:

Backyard Color Match Movement Game

Water Play Ideas for Toddlers

Shape Hopscotch

Exploring Fall Toddler Process Art at Teaching 2’s and 3’s.

And you can find all of our toddler activities here: Simple and Fun Activities for Toddlers

Family Fun in Edinburgh, Scotland

August 15, 2018 By Terri Thompson

Family fun can happen anywhere. You can find adventure at home, in your community, and even when you travel.

We’re going to be highlighting some ideas for family adventure all over the globe, starting with family fun in Edinburgh, Scotland.

MaryAnne from the awesome blog Mama Smiles – Joyful Parenting recently spent some time there with her family and she’s here sharing some fun ideas with us.

There are so many places to explore if you're looking for family fun in Edinburgh, like these places to see and tips for traveling with kids.

Let’s travel to Edinburgh, Scotland!

This summer, my husband and I took our four kids to Scotland for the summer. For four weeks!

It was our second time making the trip (DH takes students over to study), and I wasn’t sure how it would go. The kids had loved Edinburgh at 3, 6, 8, and 10 years old. What would they think of the city at 5, 8, 10, and 12 years old? We’d already spend four weeks there; would they want to revisit the same sites again? Would they be open to exploring new places?

I needn’t have worried. Edinburgh is an incredible place for families to travel. Our four weeks in 2016 flew by, and the same was even more true of our four weeks in 2018.

Family Fun in Edinburgh

As the capital of Scotland, Edinburgh is full of exciting things to do. From the free museums my children adore to two castles (the well-known Edinburgh Castle and lesser-known but not-to-be-missed Craigmillar Castle) and a palace, the city is bustling with exciting things to do. You can even tour the Scottish Parliament! There is usually a bagpiper playing along the Royal Mile, along with other street performers. This summer the kids also enjoyed a sand artist who was there every time we visited.

We always stay near the Meadows, a free public park with lovely expanses of green grass and two fun playgrounds the kids love. Hike to the top of the nearby Arthur’s Seat for stunning views of the entire city.

Travel to the edges of the city for sandy Portobello beach and sightings of Highland Coos.

The city is surprisingly compact; you can walk to many sites (a large number are found along the Royal Mile). We always take Edinburgh public transport – even to out of the way sites. My kids enjoy seeing how many people they can wave to and convince to wave back when we ride the buses.

Tips for Visiting Edinburgh with Kids

Edinburgh is one of those cities where you can experience all four seasons in a single day. You’ll definitely want to pack layers, including some that can handle being out in the rain. This summer it only rained twice, which is highly unusual. Two years ago we had only one day when it didn’t rain!

We brought a collapsible backpack along this year, which proved really useful for carrying extra layers when the sun suddenly decided to show up. The buses are not air conditioned, which can be uncomfortable on those rare occasions (like this past summer) when the weather is warm.

If you have the time, don’t be afraid to venture to cities outside of Edinburgh! Trains to Glasgow run frequently, and there are affordable buses to cities throughout Scotland. We took the train down to London this past summer, and the kids enjoyed the five-hour journey.

Thanks MaryAnne for all these fabulous tips for family fun in Edinburgh!

More tips for traveling with kids from Mama Smiles

Tips for Taking Kids on Long Flights

Packing for Trips with Kids

From San Francisco to Edinburgh via London

About MaryAnne

MaryAnne lives in California with her husband Mike and their four kids: Emma, Johnny, Lily, and Anna. She blogs about parenting, education, crafts, and family travel at https://www.mamasmiles.com/. Follow her family’s daily adventures on Instagram. Find book recommendations at Great Family Reads, and toy recommendations at Top Toy Finds.

If you enjoyed these ideas for family fun in Edinburgh, the above photo is perfect for saving on Pinterest.

July Simple Family Fun Ideas

July 9, 2018 By Terri Thompson

Ahhh July. Summer is here, the kids are out of school, and it’s time for a few simple family adventures.

But, what to do? There’s always swimming, camping, or visiting a playground. Those ideas are always fun, but it’s probably something you’ve already got on the schedule.

If you’re looking for something new, here are 10 ideas for some July simple family fun. These fun and frugal ideas will get you out of the house for a fun adventure and some will help you find adventure indoors.

Print out your July Family Adventures, pick out a couple of fun things, jot them on the calendar, and have some fun!

Have some adventures with your family when you try one of these great July Simple Family Fun Ideas. The ideas are frugal, easy, and so much fun!

July Outdoor Adventures

Challenge the family to a backyard track meet. Have foot races, relay races, or a long jump competition. Or, you can go bigger with a fun Family Olympics!

Do bark rubbing and try to identify the trees in your neighborhood or a local park. If you don’t have a tree field guide, you can borrow one from your local library.

Make a simple meal and have a picnic dinner outside.

Go on a pattern hunt. See how many patterns you can find outside. You can even bring this challenge inside to find patterns around the house or even your favorite store.

July Indoor Family Adventures

Have a popcorn annd movie night. Treat your kids to a favorite movie from your childhood. Do you need suggestions? Here are our favorite musicals for family movie night.

Make collaborative drawings. Start a picture and pass it on to the next person. Keep passing until everyone has contributed.

Play charades or another old-fashioned game. It you want to take it outside, you could play Red Light, Green Light or Mother May I.

Start a gratitude journal. Have each family member record things that make them grateful every day or once a week. You could buy a pretty journal or use our tutorial to create your own simple gratitude journal.

Make a simple DIY Gratitude Journal. This little journal is a great place to encourage kids to write about all that they are thankful for.

Finger Paint! As adults, we usually stand back and let the kids have all the fun. But, for this challenge, dig in and get your hands dirty too. It’s so much fun!

Have a joke-off. Learn a few new jokes and make each other laugh. You can find new jokes from a fun book or this great post from Frugal Fun for Boys & Girls.

Print out your July Simple Family Fun Ideas

You can grab a copy of your July Family Fun Ideas here. Just download and print. It all prints on one sheet of paper. Hang it up and use it to inspire the family all month long.

Choose a few ideas now and save a few for later. Even though these are July Family Fun ideas, you can do these anytime of the year.

Get your printable July Family Adventures here.

Which of these July simple family fun ideas are your going to try?

Tips for Hiking With Toddlers

May 2, 2018 By Terri Thompson

Does the thought of hiking with toddlers send shivers down your spine? Where can you go? Will I end up having to carry my kids half-way through? How can I keep them safe? All. The. Worries.

I’m here to tell you to stop worrying. You’ve got this.

Hiking can be such a fun family activity. It gets everyone moving. You can explore a new place. And, it’s a fun way to learn and explore in nature.

.All the best tips for hiking with toddlers

How to have fun hiking with toddlers

I took my kids hiking by myself all the time when they were younger. But, here’s the thing, our hikes looked a lot different than they would if it was just me and my husband.

But, no matter how they looked, they were fun and they were valuable. My kids loved a family hike.

The key: keep it simple and keep it on your kid’s level.

You don’t need to hike up a mountain or go deep in the woods to experience all the fun of a hike. For our hikes we often stayed local and would choose a paved path in a wooded area.

We also kept it short, stopping and turning around when the girls requested it. After all, there was no way I could carry both of my kids back to the car if we went too far.

A long hike for a toddler may not necessarily seem long to you and that’s okay.

Let your kids lead the way

Another thing that worked well for me when hiking with young children was to let my girls lead the way. I would stop when they stopped. I would look at what they looked at.

We would examine anything and everything that they wanted to look at. I saw so many nature treasures that I would have missed if I didn’t have the kids along.

We’d look at a cool rock or feel the texture of the bark on a tree. My daughter had an eagle eye when it came to spotting wildflowers.

We picked up sticks and laid them all out to examine and figure out which were the best ones. Apparently there is special 4-year-old criteria when it comes to finding the best stick.

If you look high and look low, you’re sure to find something interesting, like this bird’s nest already abandoned for the winter.We also found bright yellow leaves, a big curvy tree, a small batch of berries (which we learned not to touch since we don’t know what they are), a secret path leading to a dock on a small lake and lots of nature treasures.

We found all of these on small, simple hikes.

Tips for Hiking With Toddlers

Keep it short.
Bring along water and small healthy snacks for energy. (And be prepared to carry your waste until you find a trashcan.)
Keep it slow. Let your kids explore and examine as much as they want.
Go someplace familiar. You will feel more comfortable if you know the area well.
Turn back if the kids start getting tired. You don’t want to push them and end up having to carry an exhausted child!
Use your eyes, ears, and nose to learn a little about the natural world around you. Experience the hike, don’t just walk it.
And the most important… Keep it simple! You will all enjoy yourself more.

Yes, you can go hiking with young children. It's a fun and rewarding family activity. Find all the best tips for a successful hike with your toddlers and preschoolers here so you can plan a successful family hike.

Let’s Go on a Family Hike!

Are you ready? Let’s do this.

Pick a location, get the kids ready, and just go. I guarantee you’ll have fun and want to go hiking over and over again.

Hiking is such a great family activity that you can do with kids of all ages. Keep it simple while hiking with toddlers and then as your kids grow older, you can go on longer and longer hikes.

Get out, explore, and have fun.

Kids to Parks Day

I wrote this post to help celebrate Kids to Parks Day from the National Park Trust which happens on the third Saturday of May of each year. It’s a fun day to get out and have fun with the family. You can attend an official event or do something on your own, like a fun family hike! You can check here to find a local event.

No matter what you do, take the opportunity to celebrate the outdoors and to celebrate your family. Have fun! Share your adventures with the #KidstoParks hashtag on social media.

Yes, you can go hiking with toddlers! Find all the best tips for a successful hike with your young kids here so you can plan a successful family hike.

Do you want to do more fun activities with your family?

Join our fun Facebook community, Creative Family Fun for Busy Families, for daily activities that are great for kids and families. We’ll chat, share, and have fun. It’s a safe and private place to share ideas for family and kids activities.

I’d love for you to join me! Just click the link below, request to join, and answer the questions (they’re easy, I promise). Come join the fun! Join the Creative Family Fun for Busy Families community here.

Family Fun

Sports Movies for Families with Kids under 10

Sports Movies for Families with Kids ages 10 and up

You may also like one of these fun family movie night ideas:

Recommended Family Movie Night Resources:

Fall Bucket List for Toddlers

1. Explore your sense of taste by eating an apple snack.

2. Hunt for acorns and practice counting.

3. Go on a leaf color hunt.

4. Do a leaf craft.

5. Shop for pumpkins and paint a pumpkin.

6. Play in the fallen leaves.

7. Make apple prints.

8. Read a fall book.

9. Play with a fall-scented play dough.

10. Go on a fall nature hike.

Get out and explore fall with your little one!

You may also enjoy one of these fun toddler activities:

Let’s travel to Edinburgh, Scotland!

Family Fun in Edinburgh

Tips for Visiting Edinburgh with Kids

More tips for traveling with kids from Mama Smiles

About MaryAnne

You may also like one of these family fun ideas:

July Outdoor Adventures

July Indoor Family Adventures

Print out your July Simple Family Fun Ideas

You may also like one of these family fun ideas

How to have fun hiking with toddlers

Let your kids lead the way

Tips for Hiking With Toddlers

Let’s Go on a Family Hike!

You may also like one of these fun outdoor family activities:

Kids to Parks Day

Do you want to do more fun activities with your family?

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