I don’t know about you all but I am super excited for the new Fall TV line up that will be starting this week! TV shows that start in the Fall just seem to be so much more exciting and dramatic. Now that summer is coming to an end and people will be staying in a lot more, it is nice to have a variety of entertainment on the television. My favorites that I’m really excited about are definitely The Voice, Chicago Fire and Chicago PD! Oh and Scandal! Shoot I have a lot of favorites haha I better just say I like most all Fall TV shows! I decided to give you a quick list of the new shows starting this month, and share a few ways we like to have family night and bring everyone together for a night of fun.
Now that the teens are … well teens, it gets harder and harder to get them involved in hanging out with mom and dad. They still do it, they know how much it means to me. But I need to keep them interested and coming back for more! That usually works with food, but sometimes it takes a little bit more than just good eats to keep them off the cell phone and bonding with “the parents”.
We always try to make it a NO cell phone night. There is 2 main times I don’t allow them on their phones. 1. at the dinner table and 2. when it is family night. They are usually pretty good about that rule, but they still try to sneak it when moms not looking. Teens will be teens.
We let them pick the dinner menu for family night. If they pick it, they enjoy it that much more. Ordering pizza is an option some times, but since they love to help me cook, we try very hard to make our dinner at home with their help. Here are a few of their favorites….
You can find more great Daily DIY Life Recipes on our RECIPES PAGE HERE !!
Something new we are trying this year is TV night Bingo! While you’re watching your favorite shows mark off the things you see as you see them. Th first, to get 5 in a row wins a prize (an extra hour on curfew, extra 30 minutes of computer time, stay up later on a selected night) You can make up so many “prizes” to suit your family. Here are adorable printables for Family Movie Night from Complicated Mama. They can totally be used for TV night!
Get Comfortable! Lots of pillows and blankets on the floor is a great option. Everyone is relaxed and comfortable and ready to watch.
During Commercials (if your not looking for bingo spots) Talk! Talk about the show, talk about what you would do if you were the main character. Did you like the way something was handled or dealt with? Depending on your show, you can come up with some pretty creative topics. Getting the teens involved is much easier when they are interested in something.
Pick a Theme! Theme your Family TV night around the show you’re watching. Wear costumes, Create “invitations” to your party, and decorate the family room based on the show. The ideas are endless. If your show is pretty general and you can’t think of theme ideas, make it something general …
Pick a color – base your food, decor, clothing requirements, snacks, and decorations on one specific color.
Backwards Night – Everyone must walk and interact backward from however you would normally do something. Eat dinner backwards Have dessert first then your meal.
Pajama Party – Get your PJs on and curl up to watch. If they fall asleep, it’s ok they are already ready for bed!
Go Formal – Set your dinner table with a nice table cloth, your best dinnerware, candles, and a centerpiece. Have everyone dress up in their best clothing. Prepare your fanciest meal and speak and act as elegant as possible. If you are not very “formal” in your everyday life, this might make for some good laughs but that is ok! The night is supposed to be FUN.
Competition Fun – Are you getting ready to watch the season premiere of Hell’s Kitchen? Or maybe another food-oriented show. Why not have your dinner competition-style? If the kids are old enough to cook, let them compete for head to head. If they are not old enough to cook let mom and dad compete and the kids can be the judge. Pick your ingredients and let the competition begin! Judge for appearance, taste, and creativity. Give a prize to the winner.
Do you have some great family TV night ideas? Share them with us, we will be sure to get them added!
The Fall TV lineup is looking pretty great this year! Here is a list of the September Premiers. Listed on TV guide.com
September 7th
- Football Night in America (NBC)
- Sunday Night Football (NBC)
- Utopia (FOX) Utopia: Series One [Blu-ray]
- Boardwalk Empire (HBO) Boardwalk Empire Past Seasons
September 9th
- Sons of Anarchy (FX) Sons of Anarchy – Past Seasons
September 10th
- Hells Kitchen (FOX)
September 11th
- The Biggest Loser (NBC)
- Thursday Night Football (CBS)
September 12th
- Z Nation (Sy Fy)
September 15th
- Dancing with the Stars (ABC)
September 16th
- New Girl (FOX)
- The Mindy Project (FOX)
September 17th
- Red Band Society (FOX)
- The Mysteries of Laura (NBC)
September 21st
- 60 Minutes (CBS)
- Madam Secretary (CBS)
- The Good Wife (CBS) The Good Wife – Past Seasons
September 22nd
- The Big Bang Theory (CBS) Big Bang Theory – Past Seasons
- Gotham (FOX) Gotham Season 1
- The Voice (NBC)
- Scorpion (CBS)
- Sleepy Hollow (FOX) Sleepy Hollow Season 1
- The Blacklist (NBC) The Blacklist Season 1
- Forever (ABC)
September 23rd
- NCIS (CBS) NCIS – Past Seasons!
- The Voice (Results) (NBC)
- Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (ABC)
- NCIS: New Orleans (CBS) NCIS – Past Seasons!
- Awkward. (MTV)
- Chicago Fire (NBC) Chicago Fire: Season 1
- Person of Interest (CBS)
- Faking It (MTV)
September 24th
- The Goldbergs (ABC)
- Law & Order: SVU (NBC)
- Modern Family (ABC)
- Black-ish (ABC)
- Chicago P.D. (NBC) Chicago P.D. Season One
- Nashville (ABC) Nashville – Past Seasons!
September 25th
- Bones (Fox) Bones – Past Seasons!
- Grey’s Anatomy (ABC) Greys Anatomy – Past Seasons!
- Scandal (ABC) Scandal – Past Seasons!
- How to Get Away With Murder (ABC)
- Parenthood (NBC) Parenthood-Past Seasons!
September 26th
- The Amazing Race (CBS)
- Dateline NBC (NBC)
- Shark Tank (ABC)
- Hawaii Five-0 (CBS)
- 20/20 (ABC)
- Blue Bloods (CBS) Blue Bloods – Past Seasons!
September 27th
- 48 Hours (CBS)
September 28th
- Once Upon a Time (ABC) Once Upon a Time – Past Seasons!
- The Simpsons (Fox)
- Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Fox)
- Family Guy (Fox)
- Resurrection (ABC)
- CSI (CBS)
- Revenge (ABC) Revenge – Past Seasons!
September 29th
- Mom (CBS)
- Castle (ABC)
- NCIS: Los Angeles (CBS) NCIS – Past Seasons!
September 30th
- Selfie (ABC)
- Manhattan Love Story (ABC)
- Happy Land (MTV)
There is your new lineup for September! I hope you find something great for you and the family to get involved in this season. Don’t forget to make it special and give it a theme or an event to work around for your next Family TV night! Making Memories is loads of fun!
We want to hear from YOU! Share your family night ideas and fun activities with us. You just might get featured on our page!
Want more party ideas? Check out our PARTY IDEAS PAGE!!
I love all of the theme ideas AND the bingo idea! Thank you for sharing at the Merry Monday Link Party!
Thanks for stopping by Amanda. Bingo is fun especially with the smaller kids. They love it!
I’m so glad you shared with us at Home Matters Linky party. I love that Bingo game printable.
We will be watching the NFL Sunday, Monday and Thursday. We are empty nesters so those sweet memories you are making now are just memories for us now. When we have the Grands over to spend the night, we generally plan some fun food and they always like to watch WWE Wrestling with their Papa. We are mostly Reality TV folks so whatever is in season that we can fit in between Football.
I love reality TV too (except the bachelor – i dunno why!) and of course football! 🙂 Bingo still might work for football or WWE … LOL commercials happen! Have a great day!