About This Event

When you become an adult, there’s no sudden, magic transformation that happens, telling you all you can do from here on out for fun is host wine and cheese parties.

Similarly, when you’re a kid, it doesn’t all have to be about running around like a headless chicken (although that’s pretty fun).

The truth is:

Fun is fun. It’s universal.

And many activities that are labeled as being most appropriate for a specific age really don’t need to be that way (although some definitely do)!

To help shatter age-based limitations on fun activities, we’ve put together a list of 52 exciting activity and party ideas for all ages:

Ready to have some fun? Let’s get started!‍

52 Fun Activities For All Ages: Don’t Let Age Stop You From Having Fun!‍

1. Try a new restaurant, with a fun spin!

You know that list you’ve been making of restaurants you’ve been dying to check out but haven’t had time to actually go to? Now’s the time to get it out and make a rez.

Just because some kids can be picky doesn’t mean you can’t try to excite them with something new and original.

2. Go lumberjack for the evening‍

The thought of taking a youngster to throw axes may be scary, but in a supervised environment, it’s the best, most exhilarating activity out there. Plus, at Big Thrill Factory, anyone 11 and older can participate!

3. Go to outdoor group fitness class

group fitness class in a park

Combining the pleasure of being outdoors with learning and great exercise. What could be better?

Not a whole lot. You would be surprised by the amount of outdoor yoga, dance and cardio classes that allow people of all ages to participate.

4. Plan a picnic in the park

A picnic is an amazing way to get the whole family together. No matter how old you are, you will surely enjoy the beauty of the outdoors, some great grilled food, and endless fun outdoor activities.

Be sure to bring balls, frisbees, and your running shoes!

5. Enjoy a hiking adventure

No matter where you live, you’re never too far away from a hiking trail. Hiking is a fantastic family activity, and a way for your family to see the world together.

Some hikes can be challenging so be sure to keep an eye on the weather and bring water and snacks!

6. Go Paddleboarding

Wherever there’s a lake (or an ocean), there’s the possibility to participate in one of the most loved aquatic activities: Paddleboarding.

Hop on individual solo boards or pair up and relaxingly cruise through the water while enjoying the sun! It’s a surprisingly tranquil activity with a low learning curve, so it’s perfect for people of all ages.

7. Take a sailing lesson

Wouldn’t it be cool to know how to sail? Well, there’s nothing stopping you from learning!

It doesn’t matter if you’re in a landlocked state (like we are, in Minnesota). Even small lakes often have sailing schools that offer lessons. It’s never too late to learn!

8. Community service

Community service and charity events can be an extremely fun way to help others while enriching the life and worldview of your family and friends. There are thousands of community service opportunities out there and many are open to entire families, or large groups of friends!

There’s no better feeling than doing some good!

9. A classy backyard BBQ

Skip the brats and hotdogs and fire up the grill for something unique! Build up the anticipation by smoking some brisket or pork overnight. Or grab some lobster tails for a surf and turf evening.

If it feels like a special occasion, it is a special occasion.

10. A road trip

You don’t need an expensive RV or trailer to go on a fun road trip!

Pack up your family’s belonging and head on a week-long adventure. Don’t forget to think of some games to play in the car so nobody gets bored!

No matter who you decide to go with, map out the best restaurants and sights along your journey beforehand so you can get the most out of the trip.

11. A dog park

Even if you don’t have a furry friend, many dog owners can’t wait to show off their dog and engage it in play. Most cities are teeming with great dog parks that provide an opportunity to enjoy the company of man’s best friend.

If you do have a dog, even better! It’s one of the best ways to get dogs socialized and work through their never-ending energy.

12. The driving range

It's never too early (or too late) to start learning how to golf. A trip to the driving range is an awesome family and friend activity.

Grab an extra large bucket of balls and get swinging!

13. A concert

Whether it’s a free outdoor concert or a world famous musician, take the family to enjoy a night out and hear some great music. You will be humming all the way home—and probably for days.

14. A birthday trip to a big city

Planning a birthday party? Whether it’s yours or for your son or daughter, think about meandering to the nearest big city and exploring. Try new restaurants, see new things and try the local specialty. It will be a trip to remember.

Already live in a big city? That’s fine, but when was the last time you really explored all of the sights, restaurants and shops your city has to offer? Exactly.

15. A professional sports game

There’s nothing quite as exhilarating as a professional sporting event. It’s a great way to get the family or a group of friends together and root for the home team!

If there isn’t a professional sporting event going on, there are bound to be some high school or college games you can attend. You would be surprised how fun it is to go to your local high school’s varsity soccer or football game.

16. A museum

Museums don’t have to be boring. In fact, they can be a fun and engaging time for people of all ages.

17. A themed culture night

Choosing a theme—even for a night in—can be both educational and exciting.

For example: ‍

Try your hand at cooking Indian food, and accompany your dinner with fun facts and trivia about India, and play Indian music. Everyone will walk away with great cultural knowledge they would not have otherwise learned.

18. A burger battle

Who can build the best burger?

Buy various ingredients and have everyone in your group compete for the burger throne. You can even bring in your neighbors or family members as impartial judges!

Please just don’t let any kids who may be competing put candy in their burgers. Deal?

19. Trivia Night

You would be surprised how younger people are at trivia. They learn things in school on a daily basis that the older ones among us forgot years ago.

Have a fun trivia night with friends and family and give out fun prizes to the winners!

20. Lawn games

Between cornhole, bocce and ladder toss, the fun will never end. You can find most of these games at big box stores like Target and they are guaranteed to be a hit. Your backyard is about to turn into the talk of the town!

If you’re feeling overly ambitious, you can build your own cornhole set.

21. A camping trip

Camping in the great outdoors can be an unforgettable outing. It combines teamwork, exploration and outdoor activities—all in close quarters.

Don’t worry too much about having the best gear! Just focus on the great company and the amazing view.

22. Play some pinball

Whether you’re a pinball wizard or an aspiring beginner, pinball is making a comeback, and can be an exciting competitive activity for any large group to partake in.

Best of all, it’s the perfect fun activity that people of all ages can be good at and enjoy.

23. Go kayaking

Rent a couple kayaks for a half day and have a relaxing time rowing on a lake. You can even bring snacks if you’re going on a longer adventure.

It’s a great workout but not too strenuous to take away from all of the fun.

24. Compete in shuffleboard

Yes, compete. It can get pretty heated!

Shuffleboard never gets old. It’s a lot like bocce, but indoors and on a table, and is a challenging game that will captivate the entire family.

25. Check out a planetarium or observatory

Astronomy is pretty fascinating, yet not many take advantage of the opportunity to visit local planetariums to learn more about the universe around us.

Take a family or friend trip to the local planetarium and soak in some great knowledge while having a great time!

26. An amusement park

Because people start hating rides the second they get older, right?

Wrong! If you’re a ride enthusiast, you know that a love for thrills and exhilarating rides never runs out with age.

‍

An amusement park is a great place for people of all ages to let loose and have an amazing time. All aboard the roller coaster!

27. Have an arcade night!

Show me a person who doesn’t love arcade games and I’ll show you my pet alien, because neither exists.

Check out a local family entertainment center and head to the arcade for a fun-filled outing.

The real question is: Who will the Skee Ball champion be?

28. Plan a laser tag outing

Laser tag is as ageless as it gets. In fact, it may just be the best family fun activity around.

Whether you’re planning a fun party or just looking for a great time on a family night out, laser tag will keep your heart rate up and your excitement meter full.

29. Plan out a scavenger hunt

No, we’re not talking about an old-fashioned Easter egg hunt, we’re talking a full fledged adventure.

Here’s how you do it:‍

Get objects and hide them in places around the neighborhood (or if you want to get really ambitious, throughout the city). Create teams and clues, and send each team on it’s way. The first team to come back with all of the hidden objects wins a prize!

This is a fantastic activity as an alternative to the ever popular movie or TV night with friends.

30. Arts and crafts

There are thousands of opportunities to improve your arts and crafts game. From painting and pottery classes to DIY furniture and jewelry workshops, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

Most importantly, art is ageless, and no one is too young or too old to get their right brain working.

31. Backyard soccer

Soccer is the world’s most popular sport—and that may just be because it’s so easy to play at the drop of a hat.

All you need is four people, a ball and a field (your backyard will do just fine). You can use hats or whatever you have laying around to create goals. There’s not much else to it!

32. Making a YouTube video

People love YouTube, and being the 2nd most popular search engine in the world, many people actually make their own YouTube videos, ranging from tutorials to filming themselves playing video games (yes, seriously).

This is a great opportunity to have some fun with a group of friends or as a family. Put together a funny scripted home video or a cheesy action movie. Then keep it to yourselves or put it on YouTube. It will get the whole group laughing.

33. Head to the tennis court

Tennis is another sport with very limited barriers to entry. Public tennis courts are everywhere, and you don’t have to be good at the sport to enjoy it. Pair up and play some doubles!

Don’t have rackets? No problem! Many used athletic equipment stores have very inexpensive rackets that will do for any beginner.

34. Have a trampoline day

Like arcades and amusement parks, trampolines are not just for youngsters. In fact, both normal trampolines and wipeout trampolines are designed to provide a fun experience to people of all ages.

Who can stay upright the longest without falling over?

35. How about a board game bonanza?

When most people think board games, they think about tediously long sit down sessions of Monopoly and Risk. While those games are great, it doesn’t have to be that way!

With fun, engaging games like Klask and Speak Out, there won’t be a dull moment in sight.

36. Have fun with VR

Virtual Reality is all the rage these days, and it just so happens to open up doors for fun group events and outings.

Whether you decide to check out a 4D Motion Simulator at a family entertainment center, or hit up a public park to play Pokemon Go, there’s a great VR experience for everybody.

37. Plan a trip to the Zoo

Who doesn’t want to see exotic animals from all around the world?

The zoo is yet another fun activity that people tend to forget about. Next time you’re thinking about flipping to Animal Planet or watching a wildlife documentary, get yourself in a car with a group of family or friends and head to the zoo.

We promise it will be more rewarding.

38. Host your very own RC car or boat race

Buy a few RC cars, create a “race track” in your backyard or in a park and fuel your need for speed! If you live by a lake, you can take a similar approach with RC boats. Race them around the buoys until a winner is crowned.

Don’t forget to provide prizes for the winners!

39. Plan a day at the beach (or pool)

Nothing can beat a day at the beach, or even the pool. Treat it like a picnic! Bring snacks and games the whole family will enjoy and prepare for the time of your life. Remember, many lawn games work at the beach too!

40. Go apple or berry picking

The warmer seasons are perfect for apple and berry picking. Orchards and berry farms are a great opportunity to get the family or friends together. Not to mention, you will leave with fresh, delicious snacks that can last you the whole week!

41. Organize a kickball game

Here’s a cool birthday party idea:

Get a group of people together at a nearby baseball diamond and organize a competitive kickball game!

It’s likely that the last time you played kickball was in elementary or middle school—but that’s not how it has to be!

42. Head to the batting cages

Similar to kickball, batting cages are an often-forgotten childhood activity that is fun for all ages. In fact, you may never want to leave!

Have a competition for who can hit the most balls and be sure to bring a prize for the winner!

43. Play a few rounds of mini golf

Mini golf is a fantastic competitive activity for people of all ages. There’s no better opportunity for everyone in your group to work on their putting skills while having a great time.

With different obstacles on every hole, the best mini golf facilities will be challenging, and will have members of your family begging for a rematch!

44. Go ice skating or rollerblading

Depending on the season, you can’t go wrong with an ice skating or rollerblading outing. It’s a wonderful group activity.

Even people who don’t know how to skate will have a great time fumbling about the ice rink. Plus, there’s no better time than now to learn how!

45. Set up a game of ultimate frisbee

Ultimate frisbee is more than a college pastime. It’s a fun game, similar to soccer, that requires little skill to enjoy and very few materials to play (just one frisbee, in fact).

Have your friends go long as you enjoy the game in a backyard or park.

46. Go on a scenic bike ride

Whether you’re an avid biker or one who hasn’t pulled the bikes out of the garage in months, it’s time to go on a scenic bike ride.

Chances are, you live within a couple miles of a great bike trail—so grab those helmets and pedal away!

47. Attend an outdoor movie

This is the easiest one of the bunch. If it’s a nice day, why go to a movie indoors, or worse, watch one at home, if you could be enjoying one in the great outdoors?

Bring snacks and bug spray and it will be the best family or friend movie night ever.

48. Make your own Halloween costume early!

You’ve probably thought about creating a DIY Halloween costume before, but given up because you don’t have the time or energy to do it.

Well, no matter what time of year it is, if you’re looking for something to do, why not get a head start on your costume as a fun family activity? Your family will have the best set of costumes on the block.

49. Enjoy an evening of bowling

Bowling never gets old. In fact, it may just be the ultimate activity for family fun.

A night out of bowling beats a night at home glued to the TV any day. Tie up your bowling shoes and hit some strikes with the family!

50. Pull out your old instruments and jam out!

Have you ever wondered what it would sound like if your entire family pulled out their instruments they hadn’t played since high school and tried to have a jam session?

Well now is your chance to see. Have a “band practice” night, where everyone in your family plays their instrument of choice. The laughter will probably be louder than the music. The same applies to a group of friends.

Don’t play an instrument? No problem! Basic percussion and beatboxing is always appreciated.

51. Attend a county or State Fair, or even a neighborhood festival!

video of fair with carousel in background

A State Fair is the perfect way to bring a group of friends together for a day of fun, games and delicious food.

State Fair not going on? No problem!

There’s always some sort of festival going on, whether it’s a county fair or a neighborhood festival.

52. Try Go Karting

It doesn’t get a whole lot better than zooming past your friends and family in a go kart.

If it’s a chilly day, you don’t have to give up on your go karting dream! Indoor go kart facilities offer an amazing experience away from the elements.