We all love beautiful photos of happy families. You love looking at them and I love taking them, but family photography doesn’t have to stop there, so why not throw a little more excitement into the mix!? One of my best tips for making sure your next family photography session isn’t something your kids and partner dread is to make it a FUN family event, and what better way to do that, than to plan an actual activity (or two or three) to be doing while I am snapping away!

Some of these ideas can be stand alone ideas, creating a theme for your outdoor family photography session in the park or scenic spot. Many others on the list are great ideas to stack together during an indoor documentary session!

1. Host a tea party where everyone is invited – kids, dolls, stuffed animals, and even pets!

2. Bake your family’s favorite treat – cake, cookies, pie, or bread.

3. Give your little one a bath in the sink. Think beautiful milk bath with citrus slices, lavender stems and smiles galore!

4. Get a little messy while you show off your green thumb : planting seeds in your backyard garden. 

5. Play on the swing set or at the neighborhood park (adults, too!)

6. Doodle on the sidewalk with chalk: create a fun design, family masterpiece, or hopscotch. 

7. Buy a blank canvas and create an original painting together! Let your creativity go wild! This could be a wild splatter painting outside or a more controlled, indoor masterpiece.

8. Get out the wands and blow bubbles in the yard. Who can blow the biggest bubble?!

9. Dad is the DJ! Have a family dance party. Make it even more fun with themed costumes!

10. Play beauty salon and allow the kids to do their parents’ hair and makeup or paint fingers and toenails (but maybe save this one for the end of your session! Ha!). 

11. Snuggle up and read some best-loved books together. Maybe choose a book that is an all time family favorite. 

12. Bust out the giant blocks and magnatiles to create something amazing!

13. Throw the rules out the window and jump on the bed. 

14. Play “airplane” (parents lay on their backs with kids up in the air on parents’ hands and feet). 

15. Give piggyback rides, and maybe run a piggyback race!

16. Gather all the flavors and toppings for an ice cream party in the summer. 

17. Warm up in the winter with hot cocoa (and lots of marshmallows!). 

18. Throw on your matching pj’s and eat donuts together in bed.

19. Blow up lots of balloons, toss them across the floor, and let everyone play amongst them.

20. Bring a basket and blanket for a picnic in the park. Watermelon anyone?

21. Visit your local ice cream shop. 

22. Who can eat the most…? Have a contest to see who can eat the most of your family’s favorite food. 

23. Decorate your bikes with streamers and other elaborate decor, and go for a ride!

24. As you prepare for the holidays, trim the tree or light the menorah. 

25. Time to get wet! Run through sprinklers, go on the slip and slide, have a water balloon fight, or jump in the pool. 

26. Build a blanket or tee-pee fort and pile inside. 

27. Recreate an old family favorite. Remember that fun photo you took when the kids were just toddlers? Give it another try, no matter how silly it might seem! 

28. Rake the leaves and then jump in the piles when you’re done.

29. Go for a hike on your favorite trail. 

30. Go to the pumpkin patch to find the biggest one and then carve jack-o-lanterns back at the house. 

31. Go camping – either in the backyard or at your family’s usual site. Don’t forget the hot dogs and s’mores! 

32. Play a sport! Maybe everyone loves soccer or football. Get out on the field together for a family game! 

33. Play with your shadows, silhouettes, or reflections. 

34. Go to the county or state fair for the rides and tasty treats. 

35. Go apple or berry picking and then make a pie with your collection! 

36. Visit a sunflower or Christmas tree farm. 

37. Go kayaking or canoeing at the lake. 

38. Play in the snow, build a snowman, and have a snowball fight. 

39. Dump out the toy box! Get down on the floor and play with your kids’ favorite things. 

40. Build giant sand castles at the beach and splash around in the waves.

When you and your family are ready to get out and play…

I’ll grab my camera and join you! Check out my schedule and we can pick a time to capture some amazing family photography. And I love to travel, so whether you’re in Colorado or one of my other go-to locations (DC, Delaware, and Florida), don’t hesitate to get in touch and ask when I’ll be near you next!