25 Ideas for FUN Family Activities in Charlotte, NC
Does the thought of your next family photo session give you heart palpitations? I get it. It's a lot. Coordinating outfits, getting everyone dressed and ready on time, worrying whether the kids will behave, worrying whether your hubby will behave...
If family photo sessions seem like a huge chore and one that you dread every year, I encourage you to make a mind shift. It's a small, but significant one. Here it is:
Instead of scheduling a photo session, schedule a fun family activity that a photographer just happens to be present for!
Personally for me, as a photographer, my goal in every session is to capture real, candid, and natural interactions among family members. Often times, this can be hard for families. Having a camera pointed at your face and being on the spot is a lot of pressure for most people... Where should you stand? Should you smile or not smile? Where do you put your hands? Why did you suddenly forget how to walk normally?
BUT if you are engaged in an activity that is fun for the whole family, suddenly the pressure is off. Your family is just doing their thing and a photographer happens to be there capturing all those candid, interactive moments that are happening while you are having fun.
For this reason, I've created a list of activity ideas you could include in your next family photo session to help avoid all the pressure and stress! Some of them are generic, some are home-based, and some are specific to Charlotte, NC. Here they go...
go strawberry picking
explore the botanical gardens at UNCC
ride the light rail to NODA and explore the murals
take a walk around Plaza Midwood and eat some pizza
get ice cream at Jeni's Ice Cream
walk the Rail Trail
go to Carowinds
pick flowers at Gold Hill Flower Co
have a picnic on the grounds of the Mint Museum
visit Old Meck Brewery
shop for plants and flowers at a local green house and plant them in pots
walk/ride the Greenway
play a family game of basketball or soccer
play outdoor games (corn hole, bocce ball)
have a board game night
bake cookies
make pancakes
go swimming at you neighborhood pool
weed/pick vegetables from your garden
jump on the bed and have a pillow fight
play on the beachside lake and walk the trails at Jetton Park
play on a slip and slide and/or run through a sprinkler
play piano/guitar and sing together
make ice cream sundaes
make pizzas together
Ok, so obviously not everything on this list is going to work for everyone and some are seasonal dependent or dependent on the ages of your children. But the key is to find an activity that your family enjoys and that brings out the best in everyone. Once you've done that, the pictures are super easy, fun, and turn out amazing!
