Before flickering screens and remote controls became the modern hallmarks of family entertainment, there were a lot of interesting ways for parents and kids to have fun together. If you’re looking for a new way to connect, or reconnect, with your family, some of the old ways may be your best bet. Here are 10 tried and true prescriptions for good old-fashioned family fun that are sure to create a few memories for you and your children.

Rediscover Your Backyard

There was a time when “go outside and play” was all the entertainment advice parents had to offer their children—and that was plenty. Maybe it’s time to hide the remote controls and to help your kids rediscover the fun of backyard games like croquet, badminton and volleyball. You can even get a few friends and neighbors involved and host your own Backyard Olympics. Make award certificates for categories you create and have enough awards on hand so that every child gets one (here’s where  “Coolest Shoes” and “Best Attitude” come in handy). If you’re light on game equipment, don’t sweat it. Hide-and-seek, red rover, tag and other classic outdoor games are just as much fun for kids.

Watch Movies Under the Stars

Back in the 1930s, two new-fangled inventions—the automobile and motion pictures—converged to create an entertainment icon: the drive-in theater. The first drive-in theater opened in Camden, New Jersey, in 1933, and by the late 1950s there were more than 4,000 drive-ins operating in the United States and another thousand or so around the world. Today, fewer than 400 drive-ins still dot the American landscape—real-estate developers have bulldozed most of the others—but people haven’t lost their love of watching movies under a soft summer sky. The remaining drive-in theaters still draw crowds of romantic young couples and families with pajama-clad children.

Hit the Lanes

While bowling may seem to be a quintessential American sport, it’s actually enjoyed by some 95 million people in more than 90 countries around the world, according the International Bowling Museum. By some accounts, bowling dates back to 3200 B.C. in ancient Egypt, but many of the innovations we enjoy today (such as automated pinspotting machines) were introduced in the early 1950s. Today, bowling is still a fun and inexpensive way to connect with family and friends. And who can resist those multi-colored shoes?

Tee Up

Looking for a family activity that everyone from young children to grandparents can enjoy together? You can’t beat miniature golf, which has been around since the 1920′s. Miniature golf courses often feature elaborate obstacles and traps with varying levels of difficulty—from castles and streams to rotating “fairways” and multi-level “greens” connected by hidden tunnels.

Give the younger kids a break on the points (called a handicap in golf terminology) and allow plenty of do-overs (mulligans). Then, let the competition begin.

Fly a Kite

Kite flying started in China around 100 A.D. Back then, silk and bamboo were combined to give kites the combination of strength and lightness needed to make them fly. Today, kites come in all shapes and sizes, and can be simple or sophisticated, but for a lot of fun on a windy afternoon all you need to make a kite and send it soaring is a couple of wooden sticks, a little paper, and some twine or fishing line. Kite stores are great places to visit on rainy days, whether to pick out a fabulous new kite or just to spark your creativity.

Visit a Local Fair

Make the most of summer weather and spend a day or evening at a local state or county fair. Check out the farm animals and produce displays, try your luck at the midway games, and take a ride on the Ferris wheel or roller coaster. To save money, eat a hearty meal at home before you go so you can treat the kids to a light snack instead of a full meal. And look for special days or times when admission and parking costs are discounted or free.

Cheer On Your Team

To see baseball as it was originally played—in small stadiums, on real grass, where almost every seat is a winner—catch a minor league game. The average ticket price for 75 percent of teams in the minors is just $7, a pittance compared to almost $27 for major league teams (much higher in both leagues for Yankees fans). Almost every major league player got his start in the minors, including such baseball legends as Jackie Robinson, Joe DiMaggio, Willie Mays and Ted Williams. Here’s your chance to enjoy baseball the way your grandparents did—sitting in the sun, eating a hot dog and cheering on your team.

Get Involved

Looking for a family activity that makes a difference in your community? Make a list of volunteer options you can do together and get involved. Organize a neighborhood car wash and donate the proceeds, band together to help an elderly neighbor who may need home repairs or lawn care, or volunteer to plant trees to help reduce global warming and spruce up the neighborhood. Contact local community organizations for ideas and decide as a family how you’d like to contribute. Helping others feels good, and it’s a great way to show your kids the value of giving something back.

Throw a Block Party

Chances are your kids know a lot more of your neighbors than you do. Get acquainted—and create a sense of community—with a neighborhood block party. If everyone pitches in by sharing food, cold drinks and party supplies, you’ll have maximum fun for minimal cost. Form a committee and plan ahead; check with your local police or city office to see if there are rules to follow or permits to obtain, and invite your fire department to bring a truck for “show and tell.” Add music, dancing, a pet parade, games for all ages, and semi-athletic events such as tricycle races (for kids or adults). You just might want to make this an annual event.

Travel Back in Time

For a free trip down Memory Lane, take the family to a local swap meet or flea market. Every booth is like a time capsule filled with treasures that can spark cherished memories—a china pattern that reminds you of a favorite aunt, a copy of the first record album you bought with your own money, antique toys that will delight your children and recall your own childhood. Make it a multi-generational activity: encourage grandparents to share their childhood memories and compare notes with the kids about how things have changed. You may find a bargain, but you’re guaranteed to make a family connection and some lasting memories.

By Larry West
Larry West is a freelance writer based in the Pacific Northwest.