Ideas & Inspiration

Browse 100+ posts to find family fun activities for all ages

Digitizing and Preserving Photos

18 March, 2024

Learn the basics of digitizing and preserving your photos so they will outlive you!

Organizing Your Workflow

18 March, 2024

Seven things you can do before you start that will save you time and headaches.

Mapleton Stake Women's Conference

13 March, 2024

Links to addresses from the 2024 Mapleton Stake Women's Conference

Find 50 Great Photos of Yourself

11 March, 2024

Your descendants may never see the best photos of you...unless you change the way you think about photos.

Remembering With Photos

11 March, 2024

Two favorite family photos and what they taught me about photo preservation.

What is Lurking in the Deep Freeze of Your Past?

01 March, 2024

A job to help defrost Grandma's freezer takes me on a trip down memory lane.

Getting Started with Your First Story

06 February, 2024

Join me for a free class on writing your personal history.

Monday Morning Thoughts - The Iron Rod

05 February, 2024

What if the iron rod does not represent what I thought it did?

One Clever Way to Make the Best of Your Vacation With Grandkids

13 November, 2023

When you flip the adult:child ratio on its head, family vacations get a lot easier.

bulldozer on the side of a high mountain

Spectacular Failure

08 May, 2023

A "spectacular failure" may be the first step in very visible growth.

Anatomy of a Digital Legacy: How I Start On a New Project

27 February, 2023

A “Digital Legacy” is an online summation of at least one hobby, skill, or contribution that...

Gourmet Cooking Class Date Night

28 October, 2019

A gourmet cooking class is a great option for your next date night.

Don't Want to Be Somebody's Project? Fine. Send Them My Way.

14 October, 2019

If you hate being assigned to minister because you hate being someone's "project," here's another look...

Ministering Ideas - January

18 January, 2019

January 19th is National Popcorn Day. Here's a fun recipe for Killer Kettle Corn. You'll need a hand-crank...

Ministering Ideas - December

05 December, 2018

It's so easy to add a little creativity and fun to your ministering in December! From cookie parties...

Ministering Ideas - November

12 November, 2018

25 new ministering ideas for November. Download these memes to share with friends and your ministering...

Campling's Cafe: Outdoor Family Reunion Fun for Kids

25 July, 2018

The extended Bailey family spends time together at a family reunion that has been taking place annually...

Helping Aging Neighbors - Some Things You Can Do

19 June, 2018

It can be tricky navigating the landmines associated with helping aging parents. As they age, they still...

Mother's Day Container Garden Planting Party

03 May, 2018

Here's a great Mother's Day gift. Spend the day helping Mom plant several container gardens to give color...

How to Kindle Romance: Try Chocolate-Tasting

05 April, 2018

75 Fun, Romantic Date Ideas from Couples Who Still Love Each Other

16 March, 2018

Infuse your love life with some new energy with this downloadable list of 75 fun and romantic date ideas....

St. Patrick's Day Green Lunch - Holiday Traditions to Try

08 March, 2018

The St. Patrick’s Day green lunch tradition is one of those weird family traditions that somehow...

Make a Paper Towel Butterfly - An Easy Butterfly Craft for Toddlers

23 February, 2018

Here's a quick paper towel butterfly craft that even little hands can master with a little help from...

Conquer Snow Day Boredom with 6 Snowflakes-Themed Activities

18 February, 2018

When the snowflakes start, it's a great time to squeeze in a few moments as a family. Here are 6 ideas...

Ladybug Cupcakes: Sweet Treats for Ladybug Month

14 February, 2018

Month 5 for the Grandpa Goff bug club is all about ladybugs! How convenient that ladybug month rolled...

Scatter Sunshine: A Simple Family Service Project

08 February, 2018

I had another strange encounter in the grocery store parking lot last night. I was pushing an empty cart...

Raise Your Own Butterfly: Bug Club Month #4

01 February, 2018

Raising a butterfly should probably be considered a childhood rite of passage. Here are some favorite...

Brave People Don't Wait for Courage, They Do It Afraid

01 February, 2018

I think jumping into the water might have been the closest I've ever come to a panic attack. Here's something...

How to Save $3,000 Re-Shingling Your Own Roof -- Or Not...

21 January, 2018

Recently, I helped my family re-shingle the roof of our home. The roofing contractor’s bid included...

How to Cope With Your Spouse's Most Irritating Habits: A Helpful Guide

18 January, 2018

I hate it when my husband eats the heart out of the watermelon after I slice it open. It’s a habit...

Harold Johnson Whiting and Marie Jensen 1931

Mail Order Romance - Family Stories

27 November, 2017

Why I would ever think that I would be the recipient of a diamond in the mail, I don't know, but I said...

Pumpkin Carving Party - Extended Family Traditions

16 November, 2017

There is something satisfying about creating family traditions that you can count on year after year.

Counting Caterpillar - A Fun Way to Practice Counting Skills

11 November, 2017

The colored pom poms you use to make your own Counting Caterpillar will help you introduce or reinforce...

Caterpillar Painting Activity

09 November, 2017

Use a muffin tin, cotton balls, and clothes pins to create paintbrushes and a paint palette that are...

Caterpillar Crafts - Bug Club Month #3

02 November, 2017

I had great plans for an engaging, fun craft project for my granddaughters that would keep them entertained...

Read Aloud Tips For Parents: Think-Aloud When You Read-Aloud

21 October, 2017

If you are an inexperienced parent, or grew up in a home where positive parenting skills weren’t...

Snail Salad: Introducing New Foods in Fun Ways

17 October, 2017

Escargot is a read-aloud book that introduces the idea of trying new foods, and this fun snail salad...

Detour Boston: How the New Detour App Is Changing the Way We Vacation

12 October, 2017

The insider information you get from a good tour guide is worth every penny. Here's how to supercharge...

Escargot: A Read-Aloud Favorite with a French Accent

30 September, 2017

This fun Read-Aloud book will give you a chance to try the art of using different voices for characters...

Snail Safari: Grandpa Goff's Bug Club Month #2

28 September, 2017

Make a snail salad with shaped croutons, concoct a batch of snail slime, and more.

BugDance Party - Music and Movement For Bug Lovers

26 September, 2017

Enjoy a BugDance with your toddler! It’s a bug-inspired way to burn a few calories and build a...

Off-Season Adventures

19 September, 2017

The Labor Day weekend has traditionally been a great time for us to go camping as a family. Temperatures...

Two-on-One Adventures: An Unusual Aid for Bonding with Children

12 September, 2017

With five children in our family, we learned early that family vacations were the number one method we...

Bugs, Bugs, Bugs!!

06 September, 2017

Welcome to Grandpa Goff’s Bug Club! If you have found this page, you are now an honorary member...

Imagining Grandpa Goff's Bug Club

30 August, 2017

It has been said, and I agree, that gift giving is not my love language. I think it has less to do with...

The ROAD Road Trip to Gather Family Stories

13 July, 2017

For my 80-year-old Dad, a trip down memory lane is not a meandering path along tree-lined streets with...

8 Great Reasons to Rent a Trailer This Summer

08 June, 2017

My parents gave my husband and me a tent for our first anniversary. It was intended to be the gift that...

Mother's Day Surprise Strawberry Shortcake Cups

Mother's Day Surprise: Mini Strawberry Shortcakes

11 May, 2017

Dad, here’s a fun and simple treat that will make the perfect Mother’s Day surprise: Mini...

DIY Waterfall: Make a Kid-Friendly Water Fountain

06 May, 2017

Toddlers are fascinated with a waterfall, a fountain, or water in general, and all you need to entertain...

Living History - Creating Connections with Family Stories

20 April, 2017

Even grownups play, and one of the ways I have always “played” as an adult is via my hobby...

Teach a Two-Year-Old To Text. Really.

06 April, 2017

Two-year-olds can text. Here’s why you should teach them how: I may be one of the few children’s...

Special Advantages: Why The Wright Brothers Were Encouraged to Play

30 March, 2017

Bishop Milton Wright loved to bring toys home from his long church business trips. Typically, he’d...

Blackout! Family Fun When the Power Goes Out

24 March, 2017

A blackout or power outage is an almost inevitable inconvenience, and from the perspective of a young...

Connecting With Your Teenager

16 March, 2017

I have learned that connecting with your teenager can be a lot easier than you may expect. As one teen...

5 Fun Bath Time Activities For Younger Kids

28 February, 2017

Bath Time Activities that Won’t Make Mom Cranky Bath time activities are a seamless way to include...

Baby Bath Time : Sensory Pleasure for Parents

21 February, 2017

I remember how scared I was to bathe my baby the first time. While she was going over the baby’s...

Empty-Nester Dating: Why Zip Lining is Better Choice than a Conga Line

16 February, 2017

Water slide splashdown! It turns out we don’t have to stop having fun together as couples just...

Family Reunion Games - "Who Am I"

02 February, 2017

Family Reunion games can be a particular challenge because there is such a complicated mix of people...

Treasure Hunt at Grandpa's: Can You Discover an Heirloom?

25 January, 2017

Typically, a bored teenager and a smartphone are a bad combination, but here’s a treasure hunt...

snow painting winter activities for kids

Snow Painting with a Canvas as Big as All Outdoors

20 January, 2017

Snow painting is a quick seasonal craft activity appropriate for all ages. All you will need are some...

Grandma's Storybook - Wit, Wisdom, and Words of Advice

18 January, 2017

My Grandma Tanner loved the color purple. Orchid purple to be exact, but lavender, lilac, plum, mauve,...

Repetitive Games for Toddlers: Easy, Cheap, Homemade Fun

17 January, 2017

Imagine you are stuck at the airport on a foggy New Year’s Eve hoping and praying that your plane...

Ten All-Time Favorite Family Games

29 December, 2016

Research shows that the healthiest families have three common “characteristics:” Cohesion: ...

What Does Your Teen Want From You? A Formula for Fun

29 December, 2016

While they consider themselves nearly adults, teens still need lots of opportunities for unstructured...

Worldwide Day of Service - How One Family Used it To Help Them Remember

28 December, 2016

I opened Facebook a few days ago to see a post from my sister-in-law that broke my heart. Her Grandfather...

Build a Gingerbread House with a Preschooler or Toddler

05 December, 2016

Kate is 2. And that’s an important detail to consider when you set out to build a gingerbread house with...

Unmet Potential - Moe Berg, The Third-String Pitcher Who Changed The Course of History

15 February, 2015

Before you make a judgment call about whether or not your own teen is meeting your expectations for their...

Out of Work? Family Play is a Critical Stress-Reliever

20 April, 2009

In uncertain economic times, there are a lot of great families out there who are out of work and the...

Manna: A teamwork game for tight quarters

19 March, 2009

This is a family teamwork game that will test your problem-solving skills and your creativity. Required...

Balloon Train

19 March, 2009

Balloon Train is a fun "teamwork" game that you can play indoors or outside. All you need is a team and...

Rock, Paper, Scissors Tag

19 March, 2009

Rock, Paper, Scissors Tag This is a “less sedentary” version of the classic game. 1....

Cold Feet: A bare-toes game good for ten minutes of giggles

19 March, 2009

This is a fun outdoor game when the weather gets warmer. Fill a small wading pool with water and place...

Wagon Wheel: A fun family reunion game

19 March, 2009

This game works best with a group of at least ten people. If you are playing with younger players, be...

Remote Control: Play While You Work

20 February, 2009

The only tool you’ll need for this game is a real (or pretend) remote control. It’s a fun one...

Cabin Fever: A Silly Game for Cramped Quarters

20 February, 2009

I call this game Cabin Fever because that’s exactly how it was invented. I will spare you the details. ...

Great Gifts: How to Pick the Perfect Toy

20 February, 2009

Over the years, in my effort to purchase the perfect toy, I’ve inadvertently paid good money for a few...

Monster Bubbles: A Childhood Must

20 February, 2009

Making Monster Bubbles is one of our favorite outdoor activities. The necessary supplies are inexpensive....

Research Reinforces the Critical Nature of Time With a Parent

20 February, 2009

New research published recently by Brigham Young University economist Joseph Price, is giving credence...

Stuck-in-the-mud

20 February, 2009

“Unfreeze” one of your fellow players by crawling under his legs Here’s a quick and...

Mudluscious and Puddle-Wonderful

20 February, 2009

Ooshy, Squooshy. Try a little mud to bring out the kid in you If you’re one of those stuffy old adults...

Play Manifesto - It's Time To Play!

20 February, 2009

Fred Rogers said it best when he said, “Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious...

Ideas & Inspiration

Browse 100+ posts to find family fun activities for all ages

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