Ways to Have Fun at the Mall with Your Friends

• You can have fun at the mall for free by doing a scavenger hunt with your friends, playing hide-and-seek, or just sitting back and people watching.
• Stop by the food court for refreshing beverages and a yummy lunch—or grab a coffee or a pretzel and enjoy it while you stroll.
• Shop for new clothes, entertainment, gifts for loved ones—there’s a variety of stores at the mall, so you can find almost everything you need.

Having Fun for Free

Hold a scavenger hunt. You don't have to spend a single penny to get your kicks at the mall. Create your own informal games with your friends while browsing the vast selection of shops, like a scavenger hunt for items that can be found in the mall. Not only is doing a scavenger hunt a good way to get your daily walking in, it will also force you to keep a sharp eye and be more observant of the environment around you. Have everyone in your group help compile a list of particular objects or things to look for, such as a red tea pot or t-shirt bearing a picture of a cat, then send them off to search. Give everyone a blank sheet of paper containing the items they must look for and a space to record where they found it, or have them take a picture of the item on their phone to show the group later.

Play a game of hide-and-seek. If there's enough of you, take turns hunting each other in a mall-wide game of hide-and-seek. Agree on a limited number of stores to stick to that can serve as legal hiding places, or confine the game to one particular wing or location within the mall, like the arcade or shops around the food court. Then, give one person a minute or two to find a hiding place and send the group after them! You can seek individually if there's only 3-5 friends in your group, or divide up into teams if there are more players. When playing games like hide-and-seek in the mall, be sure to abide by mall rules. Don't run around or act like a nuisance somewhere where something might be broken or annoy others.

People watch. There are few better places to people watch than the mall. All sorts of people come and go, and there’s a strange fascination in watching their interactions. Simply post up with your pals and step outside yourselves for a moment to see what’s going on in other people’s lives. Try not to let anyone catch you staring, and don’t be too obvious about laughing or talking about the people you see passing by. There’s observing and then there’s being rude. If you get bored, play people watching games: subtly mimic conversations of people talking in the distance, keep count of the number of people wearing socks with sandals, or try to predict how many of your acquaintances you’ll run into throughout the day.

Get some exercise. If nothing else, shopping malls provide you with lots of things to see and a reason to get out and walk around. Even if you don’t end up buying anything, you and your group of friends will have an interesting place to wander about. There’s a lot of ground to cover, and moving continuously through a crowded mall while dodging slow walkers, baby strollers, and other obstacles is a workout on its own. Walking is one of the best activities you can perform to keep your body healthy; you won’t even feel like you’re exercising if you’re simply navigating the mall. Wear a pedometer to track the number of steps you take during a day of shopping. Add to that the weight of all the shopping bags you’re carrying and you may be burning some serious calories.

Grabbing Refreshments

Visit the food court. When your stomach starts growling, pop into the mall food court. There, you’ll find a huge diversity of restaurants all available to help put your hunger to rest. These are different depending on the mall, but some of the usual highlights are pizza, burritos, and Asian food—enough options to satisfy you and your friends’ individual tastes! Get everyone to visit a different restaurant, then you can all share the food that you bring back. If you’re unsure about where you want to eat, make a lap around the food court and see if any of the restaurants are offering free samples. If something tastes especially good, give that place a shot. Sometimes you can even fill up just trying samples!

Dine at a restaurant in the mall. Assuming you don’t feel like eating at the food court, check the mall’s directory board again and see if there are any full-service restaurants attached to the mall. At one of these restaurants you and your entourage can be treated to a delicious dining experience without the claustrophobic chaos. A sit-down restaurant might be the perfect place to eat and unwind for a while after a busy day of shopping. Some chain restaurants are partnered with shopping malls, putting their eateries at the outside entrances of the mall where they can be accessed easily by people going in and out.

Grab some food on the go. Maybe you’re on a shopping spree and don’t feel like stopping for long enough to eat. In that case, be on the lookout for food vendors around the mall. There are usually snack shops where you can break to get a hot dog, pretzel, or cinnamon roll without dropping a lot of money. You can even eat it while you’re on the move from one store to the next. Be considerate of stores that don't want you eating inside if you've settled for something portable to eat.

Meet up at a coffee shop. Have your friends get together at the mall cafe if shopping isn’t your main priority. Catch up on each other’s affairs over a latte, or just sit and regroup somewhere away from the hustle and bustle of aimless shoppers. Coffee shops are an ideal place to grab refreshments, relax, and enjoy some social conversation or just kill time. Coffee shops also make a great rendezvous point for your group should anyone become separated, or if you all need to meet back up at a certain time. Free wi-fi and wall sockets for charging dying phones can be found at most cafes.

Going Shopping

See what stores your local mall has to offer. Shopping malls are home to dozens of stores of all types, from high-end department stores to little shops offering unique handmade trinkets. Have a look around with your friends and see which shops you’d all be interested in checking out. You could fill up an entire day just exploring all the different storefronts in a shopping mall. Having trouble finding a place to start? Most shopping malls have a directory board placed near each entrance to familiarize shoppers with the stores in the vicinity. Take a look and see what interests you. If you’re in a large group or have a limited amount of time to wander around, have each of your friends pick one store they want to visit and hit them all in order.

Update your wardrobe. The mall is synonymous with fashion. There are a multitude of stores where you can find the biggest name brands and hottest modern looks if you’ve got some money to shell out. Think about what clothing items your closet is missing, or what would make you feel especially stylish, and go on the hunt. It’s one-stop-shopping for all things chic! It may be helpful to assess your wardrobe beforehand, see what you are missing, and maybe even write the list down. Take the season into consideration and stock up on clothes that will keep you looking and feeling great, like shorts, halter tops, or sandals in the summer and eye-catching boots and jackets in the colder months. If you need an outfit for a special event, let your shopping be focused on it. Try on outfits and have your friends tell you what they think. Friends make some of the best fashion experts!

Get your entertainment fix. In addition to clothing boutiques, shopping malls are also a treasure trove for all forms of entertainment. Browse the bookstore for an engrossing title to pass around, or hit up a music shop for something new to listen to on the ride home. You can also find all the major home entertainment necessities at the mall, like cutting-edge TVs, media players, gaming systems, and even luxury furniture for your home theater. Buy the latest installment of your favorite video game and have a gaming party with your friends when you get home!

Buy gifts for a friend or loved one. Most malls have specialty kiosks lining their corridors, and you can usually find some pretty interesting things there. Some of these include designer jewelry stands, people selling exotic beauty products, and novelties of all types. Go through with your group and pick out a gift for a mutual friend. Have all of your friends go in together on a pricier gift for a friend. That way, you can get them something nice without any one person having to spend too much.

Enjoying Other Activities

See a movie. Many malls have movie theaters attached, so you and your pals can catch a matinee showing while you’re there for an afternoon shopping session, or come back in the evening after the crowds have died down. Between the stores, the restaurants, and the theater, you don’t even have to leave the mall to enjoy a full day’s worth of fun. Shopping mall theaters always show the most recent blockbusters, and in some cases keep them running longer than standalone theaters to give people more chances to see them.

Play games at an arcade. While arcades don’t enjoy the same appeal as social hubs that they used to, you can still find them around at most malls, and you might be surprised how much fun you and your friends can have playing games, winning prizes, and challenging each other. A good arcade will have all the classic staples, like skee ball, but also boast newer games and attractions. Head down to the arcade on your next trip to the mall and feel like a kid again! The playful competition of multiplayer titles, like racing and dance-off games, will ensure you and your friends have a blast for hours. If your mall’s arcade offers prizes, consider pooling all the tickets you and your pals have won at the end of the day to cash in for one big prize.

Get a massage or pedicure. The mall can be a stressful place; getting a convenient rubdown while you’re there may be just the thing you need. Salons are always an option for those looking for the traditional manicure/pedicure, but take a look around for Chinese acupressure and water massage places as well. Get off those tired feet and receive the spa treatment without ever having to book an appointment. Though they don’t always allow for the same level of privacy and quiet, salons and massage parlors at the mall tend to be much more affordable alternatives to overpriced, overbooked day spas. Some department stores will do makeovers at the cosmetics counter for anyone who is interested. The next time you and the ladies are out at the mall, get your nails painted, your makeup done, and your hair styled as a group.