70 Ways To Build Better Family Relationships

In today's world, it often seems difficult to find time to nurture your relationship with the kids because there's always so much to do. But life is flexible and there are many opportunities to switch on and be centred on the family (and yourself) embedded throughout our days.

Below is a list I compiled a while ago of ways to nurture my relationship with the kids without costing a fortune or using more time than I had. It's funny how much time you can find when you set a goal.

The activities with an * are those that I now consider to be a part of our normal life. The rest, I'm still working on because hey, no one's perfect.

1. Read bedtime stories every night*

2. Have a family game night

3. Explore the neighbourhood

4. Bake cookies together*

5. Carpool Karaoke*

6. Plan one-on-one dates with each child

7. Play tiggy*

8. Watch a family movie*

9. Play dress ups

10. Put on a play or concert*

11. Lay in the yard and stargaze

12. Go on a scenic road trip

13. Do messy crafts*

14. Science experiments*

15. Go on a family bike ride*

16. Plan a family picnic

17. Plant a garden*

18. Let your kids help make the shopping list

19. Break out the colouring books*

20. Draw pictures for each other*

21. Learn how to play your child’s favourite game

22. Involve the kids in holiday planning*

23. Explore old family photos

24. Tell stories about your childhood

25. Volunteer in the kids classrooms*

26. Go on their school excursions*

27. Attend their after school activities*

28. Build LEGO*

29. Make a blanket fort

30. Go on a family hike

31. Play a board game*

32. Build a world with your kids in Minecraft

33. Tell jokes

34. Donate old toys together

35. Have a small, family only, birthday party*

36. Go to the park*

37. Head to the library*

38. Video chat with the kids when you are away*

39. Go out for a family dinner*

40. Stick a note in their school lunch

41. Find shells at the beach together*

42. Let your kids help with holiday baking*

43. Have a water gun/balloon fight*

44. Have a staring contest

45. Listen and respond when your kids are talking

46. Visit a zoo or museum together*

47. Make ice cream sundaes

48. Go to a concert

49. See a drive in movie

50. Play instruments and sing together (Family Band?)*

51. Go swimming

52. Build a sand castle

53. Give your kids a big hug

54. Make a secret code

55. Make dinner together

56. Plant a tree

57. Go on a bus ride

58. Climb a rock climbing wall

59. Blow bubbles*

60. Make up stories*

61. Tell spooky stories

62. Dance around the house*

63. Go searching for bugs, birds, wildlife*

64. Have a nature scavenger hunt

65. Start a family piggy bank to save for a family trip or activity*

66. Have a family slumber party*

67. Ask your kids what they want to do when they grow up

68. Make a backyard fire pit for marshmallows*

69. Make chalk art in the driveway*

70. Play in the sprinklers

Just carve out time whenever you can and when you can't, involve the kids in what you're doing. Yes, it will definitely take longer but you'll be building a better relationship and their life skills.

Enjoy life!