16 Enjoyable and Unique Family Bonding Activities to Try
I’ve seen families where members do not have personal relationships, and all they have that connects them is the fact that they share the same parents.
As a family of four, I think family bonding activities are highly underrated.
Being part of the same family gives you a natural bond, but there is a need to strengthen that bond and increase it beyond just being natural. Siblings should be close to each other, and parents should be intimate with their children.
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Imagine a situation where your child cannot share personal secrets with you because “we just don’t have that bond” or “we’re just not that close.” I’ve always admired and desired a family where we know much about each other and can freely share secrets. #familygoals
Trust me, even when your children act aloof and indifferent, deep down, they want to connect with you, express their fears, and tell you about their day. It’s up to you as a parent to give them the right atmosphere for this.
If their parents and siblings don’t understand them, who will? Where should they go if they can’t be their most authentic self with their family?
Family bonding activities are essential to child development and help you be the perfect family you’ve always imagined. Haven’t you ever remembered some things you did with your parents and siblings and smiled? Yes, that’s what I’m saying.
If you are at a loss for bonding activities to try with your family, I have curated a nice, sweet list.
But first,
What is family bonding?
Family bonding is spending time with your family using several fun activities and creating lasting memories that will strengthen love and unity among family members.
You can do it daily, weekly, monthly, or for specific periods.
Benefits of family bonding
Social development
Spending time with family helps your kid to develop good social skills. They can learn from their parents and observe how to behave toward each other and others.
Exposure
Some family bonding activities will take you and your family outside of the house and maybe even out of the country. You will experience different foods, cultures, and people, giving your kids the exposure they need to understand another perspective of life.
Improves communication
In addition to your children’s social development, they also improve their communication skills: learning how to talk with each other, to elders and how to respect people.
Develops unity
Family bonding activities help to strengthen and develop the unity among family members. You get to understand each other more.
Helps with self-esteem
Spending time with family can help with your child’s self-esteem. Most children usually feel the need for approval from their parents. Spending time with you and your husband will help your kids understand they are loved.
Family bonding activities to try
Here are some low-cost, intimate family bonding activities you need to try:
1. Food competition
This activity can help to teach your kids how to cook. Have a food competition with them, where you can decide on a theme each time. Have you and your husband as the lead for each team and allow your kids to participate actively.
You can make do with the ingredients you have in your home to avoid any extra cost.
It doesn’t have to be all prim and proper, and there’s no good food competition without a big mess.
Just make sure to include everyone on the clean-up list.
2. Movie night
Movie night can be just as enjoyable as a food competition. Select an excellent movie to watch and have some homemade popcorn bowls ready. You can use a single blanket for everyone to make it more fun.
Here’s another idea to make it more creative:
Draw up lots every time to see who gets to pick the movie.
3. Game night
The thing about game nights is that they can start with all fun and smiles and get a little more competitive.
But, there are various games you can play together as a family. You have board games like monopoly and scrabble; you can also try other fun games like a dart game, snake and ladders, ludo, musical chairs, or even bowling!
Game nights can be so much fun, maybe with some cheating, just for laughs.
4. Reading challenge
You can make a game if you are an avid reader or want your kids to read more books.
Pick a book or draw lots to choose a book and select a time to read and discuss the book, like things you find weird or liked. You might even play a game of reading a part of the book and have someone guess who said it or the context of that part.
You can also create a question card pack and pass it around.
5. Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity and is excellent if you stay near a hiking trail and know where to borrow good quality bikes. You can do this with older kids, which can be so much fun, especially when you make it into a challenge.
6. Dance challenges
Dancing is always fun and more fun when you have someone to tease you. Invent funny dance moves and play around with glee. Maybe you might discover your kid’s hidden talent.
7. Karaoke night
This activity might require buying a karaoke microphone, but you can also connect YouTube or your music player to your TV or Bluetooth speaker and have each member sing their favorite songs.
Add some little twist of creativity and have a family member guess your favorite song and sing it or draw lots to see who sings what.
You can even try some singing games.
8. Lego challenge
Split your family into teams and create a masterpiece of art using Legos. You can make it around a particular theme or just randomly. Initiate the artist in you and laugh about what you were able to build.
9. Play sports
You can play a sports game indoors or outdoors with your kids. Try running, basketball, volleyball, frisbee, tennis, badminton, or even jumping.
It is more fun when it is a challenge, but you can let everyone do their own thing and have fun.
10. Story night
If you are an avid storyteller or a puppeteer, you can try telling well-known stories to your kids. You might even give it your twist.
11. Practice arts
Painting and sculpting are some of the most common ways to practice art as a family. There might be some art studios and events around you that you and your family can participate in together. Besides this, you can also create your mini art event at home.
12. Visit an outdoor place
Zoos, museums, and aquariums might just be the place for you. You can customize yours and have a suggestion box of outdoor places to visit somewhere in your house where anyone can suggest something. Every weekend or vacation, pick one suggestion from the box and fulfill it.
13. Go camping
Indoor camping can be as much fun as outdoor camping. If your kids are younger, you might want to let them experience camping in a more controlled environment, so put off outdoor camping till they are a bit older. You can start with an indoor forte for your small kids and move on to camp outside before camping in outdoor camping sites.
Roast some s’mores and teach them how to light a fire.
14. Go on a picnic
This activity might be one of my favorite family bonding activities. Pack a healthy picnic lunch and drive to a peaceful and lovely location. It might even be an in-house picnic, but have fun and include some discussion time.
15. Have a night out
Going out for dinner, going to a skating rink, attending a concert, and more are some activities you can do together on a night out as a family.
16. Volunteer together
Select a charity organization near you and have your family do this together. It could also be a charity event outside of town. It teaches your children the right things to value and helps them understand life better, appreciate what they have, and be humble.
Tips for family bonding
Here are my best tips for building bonding time with your family:
- Make it fun
- Make it into a ritual
- Fix a time when everyone is available
- Keep it on a budget
- Have varieties
- Don’t forget to snap pictures
- Wear comfy clothes for outdoor events
Let’s Recap
Beyond strengthening family bonds, bonding activities also create loving memories in the children’s minds and hearts, giving them a practical experience of what a family should be.
If you want to teach your children the value of family and give them a pleasant childhood, you should introduce bonding activities.
These family bonding activities can even extend beyond their childhood and into their marriage. Extended family dinners, trips, and outings can become what your family usually does.
Which of these activities will you be trying? Do you have any activity you think should’ve made it to the list? Let me know in the comments below
READ ALSO: How to build a fun bedtime routine for kids
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