Family Tip: Play Together and Stay Together
Though the term play together/stay together may sound a little cliché the meaning is the heart of a healthy family. Many families have forgotten what it means to create playtime, fun time, and general family time. By simply learning to be fun and playful you can bring your family closer than it has ever been.
Younger families have the greatest advantages when it comes to family togetherness and playtime. When you have children that are younger than five years of age, it is easier to introduce family games, family rituals, and just plain family fun nights without the angst from your teen or tween. To show your children that it is ok to be young at heart even as parents is a gem that they will carry over into their parenthood. It is never too late to begin so do not be hindered even if your children are getting older.
Activities that bring a family together can be done creatively and with excessive amounts of fun even if the idea is thought up at the last minute. Older children can be brought into the family night idea by coming up with more “adult” centered ideas for activities. Mini-golf is great for younger children and adult golf can be good for children as young as seven to eight years. You know your child better than anyone and your intuitive creative abilities can help you to figure out the perfect fun night for everyone. How about devising a family meeting and asking everyone to vote on what their perfect family night out would be. This gets everyone involved right away.
Playtime, or family time, is not the only time to create togetherness. Put down the take out menu’s and plan a hands-on family dinner potluck. This way your older kids can do some online hunting for recipes and given the opportunity to create a fabulous dish for everyone to try. Mom, Dad, and the kids can all pick a dinner dish to make and everyone cram together in the kitchen for a night of dirty dishes, good food, and a variety of foods. If the ingredients for all of the dishes are in the kitchen already this can be a shop-less venture. Everyone helps clean up and everyone enjoys the benefits of the food assortment. Make it a finger-food theme and munch away while playing board games. Be fun and turn the coffee table into the dinner table while you play your favorite game in front of the TV. Make it ok, for one night, to be a kid at heart and eat on the floor. As long as you are together you can make any activity fun!
