Best March Madness Activities To Do With Your Family
March Madness is an exciting annual collegiate basketball tournament that draws millions of fans and inspires them to make their picks. It’s a time of intense competition, passionate team spirit, and thrilling upsets.
While March Madness is typically a time for gathering with friends and watching the games, it can also be an excellent opportunity for families to bond and have some fun, so plan some fun games and bonding activities for halftime and between games.
Read on as we explore a range of family-friendly activities you can enjoy together during the March Madness season.
Host a March Madness Viewing Party
One of the most traditional ways to celebrate March Madness is by hosting a viewing party and inviting your family and friends to watch the games together. Here’s how to set it up:
- Choose a comfortable location to watch the games, such as a family room or basement.
- Set up a TV or projector and ensure you have a good sound system or access to a live stream of the games.
- Create a comfortable viewing area by setting up chairs, blankets, and pillows.
- Plan some snacks and decorations to add to the atmosphere. Ideas could include team-themed snacks (e.g., chips and dip in team colors), decorations like streamers and balloons, or a March Madness banner.
- Consider creating a bracket or holding a friendly competition among family members to make the viewing experience more interactive and exciting. You could offer prizes for the winner or just have fun with it.
March Madness Scavenger Hunt
Turn March Madness into a fun scavenger hunt by creating a list of items or tasks related to the theme. Here’s how to set it up:
- Create a list of items or tasks related to March Madness (e.g., find a basketball, watch a highlight reel, etc.). Depending on how long you want the scavenger hunt to last, make the list as long or as short as you’d like.
- Divide into teams and assign each group a set of items or tasks to complete.
- Set a time limit for the scavenger hunt and see which team can complete their list first.
- Optionally, you can add challenges or obstacles to make the scavenger hunt more challenging. For example, you could require teams to complete a physical challenge (e.g., make a basket or do ten jumping jacks) to earn an item on their list.
- At the end of the scavenger hunt, the team with the most completed items wins.
March Madness Trivia Night
Test your family’s knowledge of March Madness history and trivia with this fun activity. Here’s how to set it up:
- Prepare a list of trivia questions related to March Madness, such as about teams, players, history, etc. You can find inspiration online or create your own questions.
- Divide into teams and assign each group a set of questions to answer.
- Set a time limit for answering the questions (e.g., 5 minutes per round).
- Have each team take turns presenting their answers to the rest of the group.
- Keep track of the score and have a winner at the game’s or tournament’s end.
March Madness Movie Night
Gather the family for a cozy night with this fun March Madness-themed movie night. Here’s how to set it up:
- Choose a basketball-themed movie that everyone will enjoy, such as “Hoosiers,” “Space Jam,” or “Glory Road.”
- Set up a comfortable viewing area in your living or family room with blankets, pillows, and snacks.
- Consider adding some interactive elements to make the movie night more fun. For example, you could have a halftime show with a basketball-themed activity or trivia or create a bracket-style competition to predict which parts of the movie will happen.
- Sit back, relax, and enjoy the movie with your family. Don’t forget the Popcorn!
March Madness-Themed Backyard Games
Take your March Madness celebration outside with this fun activity that combines sports and backyard games. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- You can play a modified version of basketball using a hoop or a makeshift basket (e.g., a laundry basket).
- Set up a game of cornhole using basketballs and hoops or baskets as the target.
- Play a game of horseshoes but with basketballs instead of horseshoes.
- Set up a ladder ball game using basketballs as the “blood.”
Take advantage of March Madness, and immerse your family in mind-blowing fun games and memorable bonding times. Enjoy!