How does your family spend most of the day? It’s safe to assume that parents go to work, older kids go to school and younger ones have preschool. Later, everyone grabs their own device and spends the rest of the day in front of the screen or dedicated to their own hobbies. If you want to fix that behavior and actually bond with your loved ones, you need to come up with a few activities for you to try and enjoy. No matter what you and your family are into, there are great, engaging, and simple things you can do to boost the fun, spend quality time together, and deepen your mutual bond. Take a look:
Cooking together
Yes, this is the first activity on the list. You might have expected something more exciting, but when done with people you love, cooking can be actually very fun. As a family, choose a meal you’re going to try to prepare. Then, take a ride to your local store or farmer’s market and get all the ingredients. Finally, it’s time to cook! Each and every family member can have their own little task to handle: parents can handle the copping, older kids can do the pealing and mixing and young ones can wash the veggies and assist with minor tasks like fetching things. And don’t be scared to make it fun and let each member of the gang add their own personal stamp to the meal. When you sit down to enjoy your creation, you will have plenty to talk about—all the fun little mess-ups, healthy living lessons, specific tastes, and new cooking ideas you want to try.
Family game night
If you’re looking for a whole-family activity that’s easy to set up, look no further than a family game night. Whip out your old board games like Monopoly, Risk, and Uno, and organize a little competition. Most of these games are suitable for school kids and everyone will be able to catch up and enjoy the night. Make sure to keep it light-hearted and give plenty of support and praise to all competitors to avoid any negative feelings about losing. And of course, set up a bunch of different snacks and even some prizes for the winners and all contestants. Some families even choose to make a family game night trophy that goes from winner to winner—it’s a great tradition.
Sporting competition
If you have a fairly athletic family, then you know how much fun sporting competitions can be. There are many sports you can organize, but golfing might be a perfect choice for all. It can be enjoyed by kids, adults, and even seniors, so your entire family can join your tournament. If you don’t have any courses nearby, don’t worry, because you can always organize a full-on golfing excursion to golf courses Scottsdale, Arizona, and have a full weekend of learning, practice, and competition. This way, your loved ones will get to enjoy top accommodations and amazing scenery and play at the top courses in the country. Who knows, this golf excursion might become your annual family tradition.
Hiking
Those families who want to get their steps up and enjoy wilderness and nature can consider taking a nice family hike. No matter where you live, you have at least some sort of a trail nearby, so you can enjoy this educational and fun activity basically for free. And every trail, no matter how short, has plenty of fun things to see and experience. This is a great opportunity to connect with nature, and your family, and learn plenty of new things and skills. You can even come up with a fun scavenger hunt idea. For instance, whoever finds all the items from the list (flowers, feathers, snails, bugs, trash, etc.) gets a reward.
Painting
When was the last time you played with paint and created something artistic? If the answer is “In high school”, it’s time to organize a creative night for your family. Buy a bunch of cheap painting materials and a few canvases and play a Bob Ross tutorial or try creating something straight from your imagination. The best thing about this activity is that it’s not competitive—everyone gets to express themselves, help each other and offer support and praise. Plus, painting is very therapeutic and relaxing, and accessible for all family members.
Use these fun ideas to organize an event for your loved ones and spend a fun and adventurous time together away from screens and technology. You will definitely love your bonding time and repeat it again as soon as possible.
Contributing Writer
Eliana Davison is a Writer/Marketing Specialist with a high interest in wellness and a healthy lifestyle. A fashion enthusiast with the aim to inspire people with her writing.