Our Top 10 Activity Ideas For Your Next Family Retreat

Are you hoping to plan an amazing family experience that will help you grow closer together? A family retreat can be the perfect way to do just that! With a family retreat, you and your family have the chance to get away from everyday life and connect with one another in a fun, meaningful way. This guide is designed to give you ideas about how to make the most of your family retreat; from planning fun activities, exploring new places, or rediscovering old ones, there are plenty of ways for everyone in your family to participate and benefit from this special time together. So grab some snacks and let’s get started on planning an unforgettable adventure!

The difference between a family vacation and family retreat. A family retreat is typically about getting away from the everyday hustle of life, and growing or developing through fun activities, either on your own or with family members. Vacations are often seen as an escape, providing a chance to relax without any pressure or deep reflection. Both family camp (a guided retreat), self-guided retreats, and vacations have their place. In many cases, you can infuse a vacation with some of the elements of a self-guided retreat. With a little commitment and forethought, you can make a Saturday afternoon a mini family camp. Caution: Don’t try to over do any element of the family retreat motif when your kids are not expecting it. If they were expecting to go to a theme park and ride rides, don’t switch it up on them just because you suddenly got inspired to have a more meaningful vacation. You can always plan a local family retreat for a weekend after laying the ground work for it in the future.

Here are our top 10 activity ideas.

Take a break from your everyday life and enjoy some camp experiences together.

Table of contents:

Build a team feeling inside your family
Explore with a mission
Competition
Campfire stories
Prepare meals together
Play board games, party games
Unplug from technology
Boating, Fishing, Swimming
Create or recreate traditions
Carve walking sticks

1- Build a team feel inside your family

Create your own family flag

Creating a family flag based on your family crest or something that is meaningful to your family is a great way to build commitment, togetherness and fun. This can be done with a little research into your family history, or just create something entirely new.

Blindfold trust walk

Building trust and fostering a sense of togetherness within the family is an important step in developing strong, healthy relationships.

A blindfold trust walk involves the whole family in a fun outdoor activity where parents must rely on kids and vise versa to accomplish a task, focus, and connect.

Escape Room

Families have the unique opportunity to build commitment, togetherness, and fun by participating in an escape room. An escape room is a physical adventure game where players are “locked” in a room, and must use elements of the room to solve a series of puzzles, riddles, and tasks in order to progress and eventually “escape.” They usually take an hour and are facilitated by a guide, so you don’t get stumped.

2- Explore with a mission

Treasure Hunt

Treasure hunting at the Rock House Retreat is an exciting way to create family memories that will last a lifetime. The entire family, from grandparents to grandchildren, can take part in the treasure hunt and search for hidden treasure located near the trails around the property. While searching for the items, you’ll get a chance to explore the entire place and its surrounding.

Geocaching

Geocaching is an outdoor activity that entire families can enjoy together. It involves finding hidden containers, known as “geocaches,” which are located using coordinates and clues supplied by geocaching websites. Participants explore their environment to locate these caches, which often contain small items such as tokens, trinkets, or coins.

3- Competition

An outdoor adventure retreat that includes a round-robin style competition is a great way for families to bond, have fun, and create memories together. Not only does this type of retreat offer the opportunity for outdoor activities and relaxation, but it also offers something challenging and exciting to do together.

To be sure everyone has a good time, structure the competition so that everyone can participate. Perhaps each person chooses a game that they are good at, so that everyone has a good chance of winning at something.

4- Campfire stories

Campfire stories are a centuries-old family tradition which has been passed down through generations. Sitting around a crackling fire, family members gather to tell stories that range from silly and entertaining, to the frightening and thought provoking. Not only do campfire stories provide good family bonding time and entertainment, but they also provide an opportunity for family members to share experiences and values, create family memories, and develop a sense of family unity. Family members can regale each other with stories from their childhood or share family legends.

Campfire stories are also a great way to create family memories that can be treasured and look back on fondly. Whether family members are creating new stories or retelling old ones, the shared experience of sitting around a campfire can create moments that will last.

Note: Choosing lodging is a crucial decision while planning a great getaway. If you pick a location that has everything you need to pull off a great weekend, you will save yourself

5- Preparing meals together

Preparing meals with children can be a fun family activity. Kids especially like it when the food is cooked over a campfire. It’s an exciting way to make dinner!

When camping with children, it’s best to involve them in the meal preparation. Even young children can help out by stirring the pot or adding ingredients. Older children can chop vegetables and assist with grilling over the campfire. Involvement encourages children to be more interested in eating their meals.

Keep meals simple and age-appropriate. For children under the age of five, you may want to bring simple foods like hot dogs or sandwiches that are easy for them to eat. For children ages five and up, you can get a little more creative with your meals: think marinated skewers, grilled vegetables or even campfire pizza, and hobo dinners.

6- Play board games, party games

Here is a list of games you would have at your disposal when you rent the Rock House.

20+ board games, 20+ puzzles, Ping-Pong, Corn Hole, Horseshoes, Plink-O, Checkers, Chess, Badminton, Bocce ball, Washers, Chalk Art supplies, coloring books and more…

7- Unplug from technology

Unplugging from technology is essential for a successful family retreat, as it sets the tone for the rest of your time together. We live in an age where our every day lives are intertwined with technology. Whether we’re checking emails every five minutes or keeping up with friends and family on social media, it’s easy to get lost in the digital world.

By unplugging from technology, you’ll be able to focus on quality time with your family and make every minute count. This means setting aside your devices and dedicating that time to others. Spend some quality together while on a tech detox during your retreat.

8- Boating, fishing, swimming

Boating, canoeing and kayaking are sports that both kids and adults can do. You can have fun on our 5 acre lake. The lake has plenty of room for you to explore and enjoy the outdoors. We have our own boats available, so all you need is your enthusiasm to get out on the water! We also provide life jackets and paddles, making sure that everyone stays safe while having a great time.

9- Create or re-create traditions

Creating your own traditions or researching and implementing existing ancestorial traditions into your family time can be a great way to bring people together. It’s a wonderful opportunity to spend quality time together while also connecting with our heritage and learning more about our ancestors.

When creating your own tradition, think about themes you’d like to focus on. Are there particular values or stories from your family’s history that you want to honor? What kinds of activities would best represent those themes? Consider what resonates with all members of the family, as well as how much time and effort everyone is willing to dedicate.

When re-creating an existing ancestorial tradition, first research the history of the practice to understand its significance and meaning. Talk to relatives or conduct online research, if possible. See if you can find stories related to the traditions that have been passed down through generations. Gather all this information together to help get a sense of why the tradition held so much meaning for your family and how it could still be meaningful today.

Then, discuss the idea with your family and figure out a way to adapt it in a modern context. Come up with a plan that works for everyone and make sure all members of the family are contributing to its implementation.

10- Carving walking sticks

Carving walking sticks is an enjoyable and satisfying way to spend time outdoors. The process of crafting your own staff requires careful selection of a suitable limb, some basic tools such as a saw, sandpaper, and chisel or knife, and the patience and skill to create an attractive and sturdy walking stick. When sourcing your wood for the staff, look for a branch or stick between one and two inches in diameter that is straight and has few knots. It’s best to select a piece with an interesting shape, such as an Y-shaped branch or one with multiple bends. With that selected, use the saw to cut the stick down to size.

Next, you’ll need to reduce the size of the stick using a knife and then begin sanding it with gradually finer grits of sandpaper (if you want). This is where you’ll start to see the shape of your staff emerge. Aim for a smooth finish that’s comfortable in the hand yet still has character. You can also add designs, such as bands carved into the wood or small decorative knots, to add some extra personality to your staff.

Once you’re done shaping and sanding, use a coat of sealant such as wax or varnish to protect the wood from moisture. Or leave it raw and let it weather. Finally, you can add a handle with an eyelet at the top for attaching straps or other accessories.

Need More Retreat activity ideas?

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