Family bonding activities are so important to the health of our families. In today’s world, families tend to be on the go all the time. As the kids get older, it becomes harder and harder to get in that precious together time. With preteens, elementary, and teen kids, the level of interest in family bonding activities goes from 100% down to a disheartening 10%. However, that doesn’t mean that we can’t tempt them into some family bonding activities.
Family Bonding Activities that Get Kids Interested
While our teenagers, and perhaps our preteens, may express a lack of interest in family bonding activities, they can still participate in and enjoy family time. If you’re looking for ways to bond as a family without stress or flak from your older kids, then these activities are for you.
Local Events
It’s easy to track down local events during the holiday break or other school vacation time during the year. These events are usually easy on the wallet, as well. Many of them only cost a small amount, and still, more of them are totally free. Check your city’s website to find events that you can use to get your kids excited about spending time together as a family.
Board Games
Board games are the great equalizer of family time. Younger kids love them, and no matter how much the older kids complain, they eventually end up having a reasonably good time, as well. Even if you don’t have a vast collection of board games to choose from, don’t worry. You can easily find tons of board games at your local thrift store.
Create a Treasure Hunt
This is a great family bonding activity when you have both younger and older kids. Enlist the older kids to help create a treasure hunt in which the entire family can participate. The older kids can come up with clever ideas of what the family will search for, and the younger kids will love trying to find it.
Family Dinner
One of the easiest ways to have quality family time is to eat together whenever possible. While some days, that might not be an option, aim to eat as a family whenever you can. It’s an old-time favorite that many families have stopped doing, but it’s one that’s so important. When you have dinner together as often as possible, you’ll soon find that the family bond strengthens more and faster than you’d think.
Family Travel
Family trips are a great way to make family bonding fun and exciting. There’s nothing better than exploring a new place as a family. It’s impossible for everyone not to feel like they’re on a grand adventure. Whether it’s a staycation or a big trip, try to plan something every year. You can increase the excitement by letting the kids help plan it. The older kids can also help by pitching in part of their job money to go on that big trip, leading to a sense of accomplishment.
Family Bonding is so Important
Family bonding is an incredibly important part of raising kids. Keeping a roof over their heads and getting them to all of their activities is good, but making sure they have a strong bond with the family unit is even better. Whether you’re looking for activities to do during the holiday or summer break or you’re just trying to find something to take up a weekend, these ideas will work year-round and easily encourage a deeper bond between you and your kids.