Family Fun

Top 10 Superhero Movies for Families

September 23, 2018 By Terri Thompson

My husband and two girls all love superheroes. They love the movies, the toys, and books. And, they’ve been trying to draw me into their world.

So, when we have a family movie night, superhero movies are very popular.

Since we’ve seen so many, I asked my superhero expert (my husband) to come up with his list of Top 10 Superhero Movies for Families.

And after superhero movie night, try one of these great ideas for family friendly movies to watch on your next movie night.

Grab the popcorn and settle in for a fun family movie night with these best superhero movies for families. You'll find choices for little kids and big kids.

Get ready for an exciting movie night! These movies are so much fun!

Note: I pulled the age suggestions from Common Sense Media. These suggestions are just that – a suggestion. Our family has allowed our kids of a younger age to watch all of these movies, but superhero movies can have intense scenes. 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.

Superhero Movies for Families with Kids Under 10

Get ready for a fun and exciting family movie night with one of these fantastic Top 10 Superhero Movies for families that everyone will love.

The Incredibles (Ages 7+, rated PG) – I cannot think of a better superhero movie choice for younger kids than The Incredibles. This Pixar classic about a family of superheroes is funny and exciting. It truly can be enjoyed by both kids and parents.

Big Hero 6 (Ages 7+, rated PG) – Big Hero 6 is another great animated superhero movie about a group of kids who turn into superheroes. It’s fun and has a great message. Just know that one of the main themes in this movie is dealing with grief, but in a kid-appropriate way.

Superman the Movie (Ages 8+, rated PG) – Most live-action superhero movies are not the best for younger kids, but Superman the Movie – the classic starring Christopher Reeve – is a good safe choice for the family. It’s fun and action-packed, but not as intense as the more recent offerings.

Best Superhero Movies for Kids and Tweens ages 10 and Up

Spider Man (ages 11+, rated PG-13) – There are quite a few Spider Man movies, but in my opinion, the 2002 version starring Tobey Maguire is my favorite. It’s funny, action-packed, and tells the origin story of this popular superhero.

Captain America: The First Avenger (ages 11+, rated PG-13) – Captain America: The First Avenger is probably the most tame of all the Captain America movies. It’s also a whole lot of fun! Since this is the first Captain America movie, it tells the origin story and it’s always fun to learn how a favorite superhero came about.

Wonder Woman (ages 12+, rated PG-13) – If you want to see a movie with strong female characters, pull up a couch and slip this DVD in the player. This is yet another origin story (origin stories are the best!) with a fun, sensitive, and strong character.

Ant-Man (ages 12+, rated PG-13) – Ant-Man is tamer than many of the other superhero movies and also full of humor. But, there’s still a lot of comic book fun. It’s a fun story of an unlikely hero.

Thor: Ragnarok (ages 12+, rated PG-13) – Unlike the other movie picks, Thor: Ragnarok is not the first movie in the Thor series. But, it is the funniest and has the better story. You don’t even need to have watched the first Thor movie to enjoy this one (and I know because I still haven’t watched the first one).

Guardians of the Galaxy (ages 12+, rated PG-13) – Guardians of the Galaxy is probably the most fun of all the superhero movies. It’s full of humor, an awesome group of rag-tag characters, and by far the best soundtrack out of any of these movies. It’s definitely a favorite in our family.

Black Panther (ages 12+, rated PG-13) – It was hard to decide, but Black Panther is probably my favorite out of the entire list. It features diverse characters, strong and smart female characters, an amazing fictional city, and a story that hooks you from the very beginning. It’s lots of fun with a great message.

Bonus: The Avengers (ages 13+) – I’m including The Avengers as a bonus movie on the list because it’s definitely one of the best – though it’s more suited for tweens, teens, and above. It’s more intense at times but the story is great and it definitely ties a lot of the other movies together.

If you’ve got superhero fans in the family, you’ll definitely want to try one of these superhero movies for families at your next family movie night. They’re exciting and so much fun!

Recommended Family Movie Night Resource

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.

Spend more quality time 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 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?

Fun Ways to Help Your Local Animal Shelter

April 10, 2018 By Terri Thompson

We’re a family of animal lovers. We have two pets of our own (a dog and a cat) and are always looking for ways to help other animals.

One of the best ways is through our local animal shelter. Supporting your animal shelter (or Humane Society) is a great way to make a difference in your own community.

Whether you volunteer to walk dogs, pet cats, or make monetary donations, every little bit helps. Here are some fun ways your family can do together to help your local animal shelter.

It’s so valuable to spend time together as a family doing service projects. Are you ready to help some animals? We are!

Fun Ways to Help Your Local Animal Shelter

Make a Birthday Donation

My kids’ wish lists are getting shorter and shorter over the years because they have so many things. So, if you’re anything like us, use your next birthday to help raise money for your local animal shelter.

Instead of gifts, ask your friends to bring a small donation or, if you don’t want to ask for money, ask them to bring dog toys, cat litter, cat toys, food, scratching posts, rawhides, or collars.

Check with your local shelter for specifics. Most have wish lists available online or will provide you one if you call.

Volunteer Together

Animal shelters can always use volunteers. You can walk dogs, pet cats, help clean, or even stuff envelopes. There are plenty of jobs for volunteers.

But, it’s likely that your local animal shelter has an age limit for volunteering so check first. If you child is old enough, go visit the animals together. This is a great way to spend family time with a tween or teen!

If your kids are still too young, there are plenty of other ideas in this post that they can do!

Collect old blankets or towels

Start a small donation drive to collect blankets and towels. Shelters can use these in so many ways.

Go through your home and see what you can donate. Involve your kids and let them call grandma or grandpa to see if they have any old blankets or towels to donate. You can also ask other family members, neighbors or friends.

Finally bring the kids along when you drop your donations off so that they can see this service project from start to finish.

Start a small fundraising campaign

Brainstorm some ideas for ways you can raise money for your local animal shelter.

Have a bake sale, a garage sale, collect change, have a lemonade stand, or whatever your creative minds can come up with.

Involve the family from start to finish as you plan, implement, and have fun with a small fundraising campaign.

Go shopping!

Grab your local shelter’s wish list, set a budget, and go out shopping. Let your kids pick out items to donate while staying within the budget. Before you go home, stop off at the shelter to donate all your purchases.

Get crafting

Do you like to craft together with your kids? Why not make a few things with your kids to donate to your local animal shelter. Here are a few great options:

Simple No-Sew Fleece Blankets from Mama Smiles

T-Shirt Braided Dog Toy at Kitchen Counter Chronicles

Catnip Filled Junk Food Cat Toys at A Beautiful Mess

Felted Wool Balls at Happiness is Homemade

Dog Wreath Pull Toy at Kitchen Counter Chronicles

Foster an animal

If you’ve got the time and the space, your family can serve as a foster home for animals. Sometimes shelters don’t have enough space for all the animals that need help and could use your help.

This is a much bigger commitment than the other ways to help your local animal shelter, but it’s an incredibly valuable experience. If you are interested, contact your local shelter or rescue organization and they will help you determine if your family is a good fit for fostering and will often provide training.

What are some ways your family likes to help your local animal shelter?

Family Fun

Top 10 Superhero Movies for Families

Superhero Movies for Families with Kids Under 10

Best Superhero Movies for Kids and Tweens ages 10 and Up