Okay. It’s Saturday afternoon again. Soccer is over for the weekend, the laundry is done, and everyone just finished lunch. So, now you’ve got some choices for the rest of the day ahead. You could always go on a family bike ride to the park, but you did that last weekend, and everyone seems a little sleepy. Maybe it’s time for a movie marathon? No... it’s rare to be able to spend a quiet day all in the same place. You want it to be a bit more meaningful. So, you head to the kitchen, pull out some flour, and round everyone up to get some cookies made. It’s a lowkey activity that everyone enjoys and gets a lot out of. Wouldn’t it be nice if you had some more of those up your sleeve?
Mix It Up offers an always ready for fun solution with over 100 family activities to do together. Using the things you already own to bring your family together. With choices taking anywhere from 15 to 60 minutes or more—there are plenty of activities to meet your needs. Let’s dive in and see what’s in store:
Mix up your meaningful moments
Modeled after a recipe card box, Mix It Up® Activity Cards are made up of six categories, each adding their own special ingredient to your time spent together. Curious? Let the games begin:
Smile
If your goal for the day is to spend some simple, dimple-worthy time together, this might just be your go-to category. In fact, most of what you really need to bring to these activities is a smile—and maybe some pieces of paper, a box of crayons, and a spark of imagination. Each activity lists its components, length of time, the setting, and the card category. Here’s one to help you get started:
Play
Tired of all the board games from 2003 in the closet? Little did you know that there were new games hiding all around your house. Yep—that’s the reality whenever Mix It Up is around. Turn your belongings into game-pieces, or craft some out of paper. That’s just about all it takes to put a fun twist on an afternoon together. Play this one with your crew, and if you want another, you know where to find it!
Care
Empathy is an important trait that we all want to develop early with our kids. With the help of activities based in thoughtfulness and goodwill, kids get a chance to learn one of life’s most important lessons from the adults they look up to: how to be a caring, generous, kind person. Try this one with your family to inspire kindness in someone else:
Learn
The world around us has so many teaching moments in store, whether it’s academic or interpersonal. Help your kiddos get a head start with activities made f
Create
For kids with lots of energy, there’s nothing better than getting their creative juices flowing. Using crayons, markers, pencils, paper, tape and the like—sprinkled in with just a hint of imagination—there’s no bounds to where these activities can take creative minds. Speaking of minds, see what you think of this activity:
Surprise
As you and your family play your way through the Mix It Up box, you’re bound to have some ideas of your own. The surprise category lets you write down your own ideas for spending time together, meaning no two Mix It Up boxes are ever the same. See if you can come up with an activity using the prompt below:
Animal theme: short, inside, use paper, stuffed animals, and things from your closet
- Maybe… a stuffed animal fashion show?
- Or an indoor Olympics, with stuffed animal judges?
- How about… career day, featuring your stuffed animals in costume?
All the times you can mix up memories:
- In the car (check out Mix It Up On-the-Go)
- Before bed
- When extended family comes to visit
- On lazy days
- At a birthday party
- At a sleepover
- During no-screen time
- At the park
- After school, before homework time
- On vacation
- At the grandparents’ home
Questions and Answers
Q: Do any of these activities cost money?
A: For the most part, you can complete these activities using things you already own. In fact, you might even end up using things you forgot you had—like that little palette of paint by number paint pots in the closet.
Q: How many people do you need for the activities?
A: We recommend at least two people per activity, but the more the merrier!
Q: Do kids need to be able to read to do the activities?
A: No reading necessary! Activities are accessible for ages 4+.
Q: How many cards are in each category?
A: Each category contains 25 cards, except “surprise” which comes with 10 blank cards to fill in with your own activities.
