Catching Up With Friends: 16 Fun & Easy Ways to Reconnect

Looking for ways to reconnect with old friends even when life is busy? These 16 fun and easy ideas make catching up with friends simple, meaningful, and doable, whether you’re near or far.

Feeling a little disconnected in the middle of working, parenting, and keeping up with the house?

Life takes over, and before you know it, it’s been six months since you’ve had a chance to catch up with old friends. Instead of always texting that you’ll get together someday, make a plan and go with it!

Why Catching Up With Friends Matters

Let’s be honest — life gets busy. Between work, kids, chores, and everything in between, it can feel like your friendships fall to the bottom of the list. But here’s the thing, catching up with friends is one of the easiest (and most meaningful) ways to refill your emotional tank.

It feels like hitting pause — When you actually take time to talk, laugh, and share, everything else fades for a bit.
You stay connected to who you are. Your friends know you before all the “mom stuff,” before the hustle. Chatting with them reminds you of your roots.
It supports your mental health. Feeling seen, heard, and understood is powerful (especially in seasons where you feel stretched thin).
It strengthens your support system. Not only do you get to catch up, but you also maintain that lifeline — the people who know you, love you, cheer for you, and have your back.

So yes, making time to catch up isn’t frivolous or selfish. It matters. And the good news? You don’t always have to plan something huge. Even small, consistent touchpoints help you stay close.

women catching up with friends in sunshine

Simple & Meaningful Ways of Catching Up With Friends

These ideas are perfect for mixing groups of long time high school friends, your funniest co-workers, neighbors, and the mutual friends in between. Don’t be afraid to mix in new friend groups to encourage your friends’ relationships to grow. It works out well for everyone!

At-Home Catch-Up Ideas

(These staying at home ideas are perfect if you can’t leave the house or only have a few precious minutes to get together! Bring your favorite drink and enjoy some time with your besties.)

Host a Virtual Happy Hour

Need to stay at home but want to catch up with your best girlfriends? Host a virtual happy hour. The idea is that everyone jumps online for a video call after the kids’ bedtimes with their favorite drinks. This saves you a TON of time & money having to get ready, and potentially pay for a babysitter and drinks.

Sign up for a free Zoom account and send out the link via Facebook Messenger! (Prefer to skip Teams/Zoom? Use Facebook Messenger to video call a group.)

Keep the group to fewer than eight women to ensure you can keep up with the conversations. More than eight makes things a little too chaotic. The ideal number of people in your happy hour is between 4 and 6.

The best part about virtual happy hours? They are so easy to do that it makes it so easy to look forward to each month. Try to coordinate a virtual happy hour on the last [BLANK] day of the month. It’ll be easy to remember which day it is!

Grocery Shopping Online while holding phone

Be Strategic About Your Phone Time

Do you find yourself always intending to catch up with old friends and then bum yourself out because it never happens?

Try this…

If you have a 20-minute commute home each day, plan to call your friends. Make that your time to call. It could be on the way home or even on the way into the office in the mornings. You likely have days that may line up with friends’ times and you’ll be able to catch them.

Not only will your drive home be much more pleasant, but you’ll also be able to give your friend way more focus without the kids running around (hands-free of course!)…

Plan a Virtual “Book Club”

Love books? So do I!

However, finding time to read books is not very consistent and my love for trashy romance novels does NOT warrant book club material.

But’s it not a complete fail!

Host a virtual book club via Facebook Messenger to talk about your latest favorite TV show or series. Find 4 other friends and binge-watch the “The Real Housewives” or a Netflix documentary series.

Whatever it is, jump into the series together and DISH.

Use the Netflix Party App to watch bad reality TV together.

Need to connect and want to chat in ‘live’ time? Inside your Chrome browser, download the Netflix Party App. It’s free to use and you can watch new shows TOGETHER.

If you need to be social without leaving the house, plan a little watch party of your favorite new binge-worthy show!

JOIN THE FREE WORKING MOM LIFE HACKS CHALLENGE HERE!

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Outside-the-House Catch-Up Ideas

Need an excuse to get out of the house? These ideas will get you excited AND practically guarantee a good adventure with some great friends!

Host a Decor Swap Party

Need to get together, have fun, and save lots of money? I think you’ll love the idea of a Decor Swap party! It’s an easy way for holiday decorating on a budget. Host a seasonal decor swap with your best girlfriends. Bring food, shop for holiday decor, and arrive home with some new to you items!

Has it been a while since you had a great time with your friends? Use these ideas on ways to catch up with old friends to make it a new habit that you enjoy!

Happy Hours at a Favorite Place or New Place

Do you find yourself always wanting to try a new restaurant/bar in town but never having a reason to do so?

Plan a girl’s night where you make the meeting spot always a new place in town! Not only will you get to enjoy some new food and drinks, but you can catch up while having a good time, too.

…or…

Do you have a favorite nostalgic spot that brings back all the old memories?

Make that your get-together spot!

Plan for Every Other Month Group Dinners

Need an excuse to get out of the house during the week?

Prep dinner, give kisses goodbye, and join your girlfriends for a group dinner every other month! If you love great food and great company, this choice is for you.

If you need help choosing a restaurant, take turns having one person choose the spot. Keep a budget in mind to avoid going too fancy, unless that is your thing.

If you can, go during the week when the restaurants could be less crowded, but if you are a late-night crowd, you may want to plan a weekend night to avoid having to wake up for work the next day.

Experiment with a few different options to see what the group prefers AND what you can commit too!

(Need another idea of how to make this work? One set of my girlfriends recently joined Cooper’s Hawk wine club. They are splitting the monthly membership which gives them each a bottle of wine a month, plus a free wine tasting. They know that this is the only way they will “make the time.” It compels them to get out of the house together for a wine tasting AND they get to enjoy their wine at home, later!)

Take a Fitness Class & Brunch Afterwards

Is your group full of women who love to sweat it out? Rather than plan for a happy hour, plan for one big group fitness class together! While you won’t get to talk much in class, you’ll be able to bond by trying out a new style of class, or a favorite high interval training class.

Once the class is over, take all those good endorphins and cute workout outfits and head to brunch on a patio to catch up on what’s happening with your friends!

No time for brunch? Grab a recovery smoothie after class for a quick 20 minutes of catching up with one another.

Next time, have another person in the group plan a group class they’ve always wanted to try!

Make a Playground Date

Need a free idea where the kids can run around and can still talk?

Send a group text to meet at a local playground or indoor play-place. The kids can have fun climbing around and entertaining themselves while you catch up with your old friends.

Make the play-date last just a little bit longer when you bring along coffee for yourself and lots of snacks for the kids. They’ll love being able to share their with the other kids and you’ll enjoy that everyone is having a good time.

Take a Baking Class Together

Love stress baking?

Make a date with another friend who loves the idea of making and snacking on sweet treats to schedule a dessert Baking class! You can find these all over most cities with local bakeries.

You’ll find that having something to do will keep you moving but still let you talk and catch up. The best part? You’ll leave the class with treats that you can enjoy all weekend.

More Simple Ways to Catch Up With Friends

If you’ve worked through the list above and still want a few extra ideas, here are some more easy (and fun!) ways to keep catching up with friends, even when your schedule feels packed:

Send a “thinking of you” photo
Snap a quick picture of something that reminds you of your friend — maybe your kids doing something you both used to do, a recipe you love, or even a coffee mug with their favorite saying. It takes seconds and instantly opens the door to a conversation.
Create a shared playlist
Music is such a fun connector. Start a Spotify or Apple Music playlist and invite your friend to add songs they’re loving right now. You’ll both discover new favorites, and it gives you something lighthearted to chat about.
Swap voice memos
Instead of sending long texts, record a quick voice message while you’re folding laundry, doing dishes, or waiting in the school pickup line. Hearing your actual voices makes catching up feel so much warmer and personal.
Set a recurring reminder
Put a simple reminder on your phone calendar — once a month, text or call your friend. It’s a little system that keeps you consistent without feeling overwhelming.
Mail something small
A handwritten note, a funny postcard, or even a little trinket from the dollar store can brighten their day. Old-school snail mail feels thoughtful and unexpected.
Share a book or show
Choose the same book (or audiobook if that’s easier) or start watching a TV series “together.” Swap your reactions by text or call. Built-in conversation starters without having to think too hard.
Use group chats for quick moments
If you have a few mutual friends, create a small group chat where you can drop photos, memes, or little life updates. It’s low pressure but keeps everyone looped in and connected.

Catching Up With Friends — FAQs

What does “catching up with friends” really mean?
It means reconnecting with someone you haven’t talked to in a while — hearing their updates, sharing your own, and spending time together (virtually or in person)—even if it’s just for 20 minutes.

How often should I try to catch up with friends?
There’s no hard rule. But a good goal is once every few weeks (or monthly) for close friends, and once every couple of months for acquaintances. Consistency is more important than frequency.

What if we live far apart?
That’s totally doable! Try video calls, voice messages, or handwritten letters. You can even plan a “virtual coffee date” or watch the same show and chat about it afterward.

I’m busy — any quick ideas for catching up?
Yes! Send a voice message, leave a text with a question (“Hey, how’s your sourdough starter going?”), or do a 10-minute walk-and-talk call. It doesn’t have to be grand to be meaningful.

At the end of the day, friendships don’t need to be complicated or time-consuming. Whether it’s sending a quick voice memo, meeting for coffee, or sharing a laugh over text, those little check-ins add up and remind both of you that the relationship is still strong and worth keeping.

Life moves quickly, work deadlines, sports practices, family dinners, but making time for catching up with friends is one of the best investments you can make in your own happiness. Friendships are the safe spaces where you can drop the to-do list for a bit, laugh at inside jokes, and feel like yourself again.

So here’s your gentle push: don’t overthink it. Scroll through your contacts, pick one friend you’ve been meaning to reach out to, and send them a simple message today. You’ll be amazed at how even the smallest step can open the door to meaningful connection.

Because at the end of the day, we all need those people who remind us who we are — and catching up with friends is how we keep that bond alive.