Want to hear a scary statistic? Children ages two to seventeen will spend TEN TIMES more time in the company of some form of media than they do with their own mothers.

Let’s face it. Family schedules just are not what they used to be. Kids participate in all types of activities, parents work late, and computers and texting have taken over any real forms of communication. Everyone eats at different times, and by the end of the night everyone is off doing their own thing. If this sounds familiar, you are not alone.

While it can be difficult to find time to get everyone together, family activities are an important part of the family dynamic, and should not be something that is overlooked. If you are scraping for some original family activity ideas, or are on a limited budget try a few of these inexpensive, yet fun family activities.

Try a movie marathon. Pick a theme, “Sell” concession stand treats, or play along by dressing up as the characters. Even your teens will participate, since they can not possibly be “too cool” in their own homes! What about board games? Board games are the original form of entertainment and are great for family activities. Nothing is better than a little friendly competition. Grab fun prizes at the dollar store, or let the winner pick tomorrow nights’ dinner. Why not try a trivia night? Nothing is more satisfying than knowing more than somebody else does, so pick a fun game that everyone can participate in, and again, foster a little friendly competition.

While these are hundreds of other ideas for family activities, these will hopefully get your creative juices flowing. Family time is one of the most important activities that a child can participate in, so no matter how busy your schedules are, try to fit it in at least once a week, if not once every few weeks. You will be glad you did.