In today's fast-paced world, finding time to connect with your children can be difficult. By making a deliberate effort to turn off time suckers, such as the television and computer, family members can optimize the amount of time that they actual spend together. However, making the most of that time without grumbles and groans is yet another challenge. Here are 5 free, simple ways to reconnect with your family that will leave all family members smiling and feeling refreshed.
1. Take a walk. A simple stroll around the neighborhood or a relaxing jaunt around the local park can leave everyone feeling reinvigorated after a filling dinner. To engage small children and eliminate nagging, set a task for the walk. For example, tell children to count all the houses in the neighborhood that have red doors or to pick up 10 interesting leaves that they see along the way. This will keep toddlers and young school-aged children engaged while the entire family gets some exercise.
2. Play charades. My kids love charades and will play this easy, no-cost game for hours in the evening, especially if my husband and I get in on the action. First, choose categories that all levels of players can appreciate. Younger children love acting out animals, while older children and adults prefer more challenging topics, such as book and movie titles. The kids will love watching Mom and Dad being silly and having fun.
3. Play 20 questions. Armed with only a pad of sticky notes and a pencil, you can keep the entire family engaged in this game, which encourages interaction and builds thinking stills. On the back of one family member, place a sticky note and write the name of a famous person, historical figure, an animal, or an object. The tagged player may ask other family members 20 questions with yes or no answers to guess what is written on the sticky note. Questions can include: Am I a person ?. Am I currently living ?, and Am I an animal?
4. Prepare dinner together. Research has proven that healthy families take the time to eat together. Why not step it up a notch and actually prepare the meal together as well? Dinners such as taco salad or homemade pizza are perfect for this activity because they require simple preparations, so all levels of chefs can get in on the action. Even a toddler can sprinkle cheese, place pepperoni, or tear lettuce. For safety, leave the more complicated tasks, such as dicing tomatoes or using the oven, to the adults.
5. Read together. Many parents read nightly to their very young children, but slack off as their family ages. Reading together is a powerful way to provide fodder for discussions to help prepare children to cope with and connect to real world situations. For example, my eight-year- old daughter read Shiloh aloud with her father. It sparked her interest in animal abuse and she began volunteering at the local Humane Society. Books can be the catalyst to other activities that your family will enjoy.
In conclusion, make the most of the time you have with your family and have fun. The memories that you create playing together will last a lifetime.
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