Top 10 Ideas to Make Family Dinner Fun

A collection of 10 innovative ideas to help make family dinner fun again! If you have kids, this article could change how you have dinner together.

Top 10 Ideas to Make Family Dinner Fun

Ready to make family dinner fun again?

We all know that research continues to demonstrate the importance of having dinner together as a family.

What research doesn't show, though, is what to do when eating together with your kids is more challenging than rewarding.

From toddlers who won't sit at the table to kids whining over what you are serving to teenagers with cell phones, the challenges to a peaceful meal together can seem overwhelming. We have found that purposefully making dinners more fun can make everyone happier to eat together!

As a family with three kids, we have tried many different tactics for infusing some FUN into family meals—both for the kids and for the adults.

Here are our tried-and-true TOP 10 ideas for making dinnertime fun again! Let us know in the comments if we still need to include anything. 

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1. Fondue Dinners

This is one of my family's favorite activities.

With older kids or adults, hot broth fondue to cook raw meats and veggies makes for a fabulous dinner.

For families with younger kids, the hot broth and the raw meat are potential hazards, so we usually stick to cheese fondue.

Of course, chocolate fondue for dessert is a must!

I highly recommend an electric fondue pot that plugs into the wall so the liquid stays evenly hot. An electric pot is a game changer for a fondue night that is fun rather than frustrating!

2. Host a Family Picnic

Set up a blanket, get out the picnic basket, and serve your dinner on the floor. It's amazing how special this feels.

You can do this indoors or outside: it's equally fun either way! Make sure to serve easy, finger-type foods, like  strawberry bruschetta, farmer frittata, or Chicken Wraps. 

3. Encourage conversation with "Good and Bad Moments." 

We use a conversation prompt like this at dinner almost every night.

We go around the table and have everyone share their best and worst moments from the day. Often, we mix it up and ask about a moment when each person helped someone else, felt scared, or other moments. 

More recently, we've started using conversation prompt cards that we got on Amazon. It's really opened up communication. 

4. Play games to make family dinner fun

This is especially good for younger kids who are still learning the art of table conversation.

Some of our favorites include "I Spy" and "Would you Rather?" (My kids get pretty creative with that last game!) You can find other great game options here.

5. Break out the fancy tableware—even candles!

Something about candles and a tablecloth puts everyone on their best behavior. Whether you want to celebrate a little accomplishment or just relish the fact that it is Friday, setting the table as you might for company can make a regular meal feel extra special and fun.

Make sure to supervise kids using matches. Mine love to light the candles. 

6. Theme nights can bring back the fun

Having a theme makes the environment a little livelier.

Themes could include food-focused ones like "Taco Tuesday," "Slow Cooker Sunday," and "Make Your Own Pizza Night," or your theme could be food from different countries around the world.

You could have your family dress the part, have some conversation prompts, or have each family member do a little research and present what they brought to the table—some food ideas to help you out: Taco Tuesday and Slow Cooker Sunday.

7. No silverware dinners

Some days, getting my kids to use the silverware at the table is hard. So occasionally, we eat all finger foods and officially ban silverware.

Foods like savory dips with pita bread, cheese cubes, sliced fruits and veggies, and kabobs on skewers make great options.

The kids love it, and it is pretty fun for the adults to act like kids again, too. 

8. Play restaurant

Put your kids in charge of serving the meal. (Older kids could prepare it as well!) They can tell you the daily specials, take orders, bring out plates, and clear them at the end.

A chef's hat or apron will make it even more exciting for younger kids.  

My kids love doing this—they often draw up elaborate menus and restaurant signs. As a plus, getting them to clear the table is not a struggle for this one meal!

9. Eat a "progressive meal"

Eat your meal in courses all over the house.

You could start with appetizers on the front porch, then move to salad at the dinner table.

Have your main course in the kitchen, and finish with dessert in the backyard (we recommend some of these healthy desserts).

10. Serve a customizable dinner for a family dinner

Anything that gives your family members control over their plate can be great fun. Making your own pizza, where each member builds and eats the pizza of their dreams, is a great option.

An oatmeal bar is another solid choice because each person can add fruit, nuts, seeds, and all kinds of toppings. Our family loves "breakfast for dinner". 

Let us know! What did we miss? Do you try any of these fun options with your family?

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