From breakfast in bed to backwards dinners and flashlight walks, surprise your kids with magical moments they’ll be talking about for weeks.

Adding something special to your child’s day doesn’t have to be expensive or time-consuming. Surprise your kids with one of these offbeat activities that your little ones will be talking about for months. Who knows? You might create a new family tradition.

1. Backwards dinner

Tonight, serve dessert first! Don’t stress about ruining their appetite; it’s only one meal.

2. Pyjama day

Let your kids wear their comfy PJs all day long, no matter what is planned.

3. Rude dinner

Encourage your kids to break all the mealtime rules. They can eat with their mouths open, forgo cutlery, blow bubbles in their milk, put their elbows on the table—and not worry about muttering a please or thank you.

4. Treat hunt

If they want sweets, they’ll have to work for them! After dinner, send your kids on a scavenger hunt around the house to find dessert.

5. Breakfast in bed

Once a month, serve your kids their favourite morning meal in bed. (Try to be zen about crumbs and spills.)

6. Go camping at home

Have a picnic on the kitchen floor for dinner and then sleep together as a family in a fort or tent in the living room.

7. Ice cream soup!

Give each kid a bowl of ice cream and a bunch of ingredients—caramel sauce, mini marshmallows, sprinkles, chocolate chips—and let them mix it all up into a soupy delight.

8. Play hooky

Pick your kids up from school early and take them to an afternoon movie. Don’t tell them in advance: A surprise is that much more magical. (Sorry, teachers!)

9. Take a trip

Bring them to an extra-special playground or sledding hill—even if it’s on the other side of town.

10. Movie party

Have a family movie night, complete with a blow-up air mattress, tons of pillows and blankets, popcorn and candy.

11. Flashlight walk

Bundle up, give everyone a flashlight and take a post-dinner stroll.

Filed under: family, fun, March Break, memories, today's parent