Five Family Nights to Love in Your New Home

When you open the door to your new family home, you open the door to a new era of family memories. That means countless living room laughs, fun-filled birthday parties, and of course, unforgettable evenings with your favorite people. So get ready for a brave new world of DIY taco nights and backyard campouts under the stars, because UFCU has some family night ideas for whatever life you want to live.

1. Open Air Film Screening

Say “Hasta la vista, baby” to babysitter struggles and overpriced concessions. Give everyone in the family the best seat in or out of the house by creating an all-ages movie tradition right in your own backyard. Cover the lawn with cozy blankets, string up a bed sheet for the screen, and project some animated blockbusters (or share classics from your own childhood). Elevate the experience with a homespun snack bar filled with healthy treats for the little ones, Texas vino for the grown-ups, and popcorn for the whole family.

2. DIY Family Dinner

Whether you’ve got a house full of fearless foodies or picky eaters, you can upgrade that ordinary Sunday dinner to a choose-your-own-culinary-adventure everyone will love. Build a DIY taco bar atop that glorious kitchen island and let the kids craft their own Tex-Mex feasts. Set up a pizza station where each family member can pick their own toppings and take part in the creativity. Or look to your favorite food blogs and recipe videos for more inspiration! Whatever the main course, when you cook and eat together, family bonding is always on the menu.

3. Living Room Karaoke

Want to open the hottest concert venue in Central Texas? Then transform that spacious living space into a family-friendly karaoke “club” and watch your little stars sing, dance, and unleash their inner divas. No need for a pricy karaoke machine or uber-hipster DJ; simply stream some online lyric videos to your TV and home speakers, and you’re ready to rock. The more musically inclined parent can even jam along with a personalized acoustic backing track. Trust us: your home karaoke crew will be pleading for an encore.

4. Backyard Campout Adventure

Nothing says “family memories” like a good old-fashioned campout. Thankfully, as a homeowner, you’re free to escape to nature for the night without ever starting the car. Ah, yes: once again, the blank canvas that is your backyard comes through for the fam. Leave all signs of technological life indoors, pitch a tent steps from your back porch, and lead the kids on an at-home exploration under the stars. UFCU’s recommendations for the evening? Folktales and S’mores by the fire pit. Sing-alongs and bedtime stories by flashlight. And anything else that’ll nurture those larger-than-life imaginations.

5. Game Night 2.0

For as long as most of us can remember, moms, dads, sisters, and brothers have united at dining room tables across America to compete over board games. And with modern technology like motion-based gaming and virtual reality headsets, families can now celebrate this timeless tradition with a 2018 twist. Introducing family video game night. Play a few rounds of interactive bowling, team up for tablet trivia, or let the kids guide you through the latest adventure world. Sometimes family connection comes from the most unexpected places!

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