Sunday, July 7, 2024
Summer gifts us more sunlight, more margin, and more opportunities to have more FUN as a family! Want to know one of the most effective ways to stay connected to your kid? Have fun together.
God has given you not just a child to raise but another human being to enjoy, get to know, learn from and best of all – love.
We want to help get your creative juices flowing so we’ve come up with a few hangout ideas. Spending time together as a family is fantastic. However, every now and then nothing is better than having mom or dad’s undivided attention. Consider if you need to plan some whole-family, or one-on-one, time with your child.
Well, what are you waiting for? Go have fun!
Toddlers
- Dance in the living room to music together.
- Go outside and explore.
- Draw with sidewalk chalk.
- Blow bubbles.
- Cuddle up and read books and look at pictures together.
Preschool
- Go to a park or playground and play hide-n-seek.
- Go get ice cream or make sundaes at home. (Don’t forget the sprinkles!)
- Have a “fancy” dinner or tea party.
- Go to your local airport and watch airplanes take off and land.
- Make a fort in the living room with cushions and blankets and “camp out.” If it’s a warm night, go in the backyard.
Elementary
- Let your child pick out a couple of new board games and have a game night.
- Ride bikes together. (And if you’re not chicken, try to skateboard.)
- Try doing an art project or craft together.
- Make dinner together.
- Have a good old fashion pillow fight!
Middle School
- Watch YouTube together (Good Mythical Morning, See Ya Reel Soon, and StampyLongNose are highly recommended.)
- Curl up in the bed and read together.
- Let your child teach you how to play his favorite video game.
- Go to a concert and jam out together. (Or scream your head off if you have a girl.)
- Move the furniture and challenge your kid to a wrestling match.
High School
- Walk around the mall and window shop, or set a budget your kid can spend on something “just because.”
- Go out to eat at your kid’s favorite restaurant.
- Get your nails done and go to Starbucks. (Hey dad, you’re missing out if you’ve never had a pedicure.)
- Throw the football, baseball, or try some ultimate Frisbee.
- Put on your team’s colors, and go to a high school, college, or pro game.
By Autumn Ward from Parent Cue; with adaptations.