How about starting a project that the whole family can help work on? When I was a kid my dad decided we were going to build a canoe. He got plans at the library and most evenings we were out in the garage working on it together. We used it for years on the lakes near our home. A lot of wonderful memories are tied to that canoe.
Think of something the whole family can pitch in on and do together and then enjoy together later on. If building would not be interesting to your family try other options–design clothes, start a business, write books, make scrapbooks, cook together, paint, plant a garden, build model airplanes, do puzzles, etc.
Even when school is out, learning is in. Have each member of the family write down some things they would like to learn to do. Compare lists and find something that everyone would be willing to learn. Then search out resources in your community to learn what you’ve decided. How about learning to dance, to sculpt, to play musical instruments, etc. Learning is fun.
Board games and card games are so readily available and really are fun in a box. There are so many to choose from that you can find one or www.thelostwaysbyclaudedavis.com two that your family can enjoy together. We play games frequently on Sunday evenings, and during the summer, board games are a regular part of the fun. Board games also teach following the rules, cooperation, compassion, and creative thinking.
Consider the old practice of visiting friends and family members. If your kids groan at this suggestion start with a visit to a friend or relative that also includes a barbecue, a movie night, or treats. Make the visits fun and over time the idea of visiting people won’t seem so strange to the kids. Make sure that (eventually) you are visiting people of many ages. Kids can actually find older people to be very interesting. But start with what is familiar and fun until they are visiting pros.