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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.
Read bedtime stories every night*
Have a family game night
Explore the neighbourhood
Bake cookies together*
Carpool Karaoke*
Plan one-on-one dates with each child
Play tiggy*
Watch a family movie*
Play dress ups
Put on a play or concert*
Lay in the yard and stargaze
Go on a scenic road trip
Do messy crafts*
Science experiments*
Go on a family bike ride*
Plan a family picnic
Plant a garden*
Let your kids help make the shopping list
Break out the colouring books*
Draw pictures for each other*
Learn how to play your child’s favourite game
Involve the kids in holiday planning*
Explore old family photos
Tell stories about your childhood
Volunteer in the kids classrooms*
Go on their school excursions*
Attend their after school activities*
Build LEGO*
Make a blanket fort
Go on a family hike
Play a board game*
Build a world with your kids in Minecraft
Tell jokes
Donate old toys together
Have a small, family only, birthday party*
Go to the park*
Head to the library*
Video chat with the kids when you are away*
Go out for a family dinner*
Stick a note in their school lunch
Find shells at the beach together*
Let your kids help with holiday baking*
Have a water gun/balloon fight*
Have a staring contest
Listen and respond when your kids are talking
Visit a zoo or museum together*
Make ice cream sundaes
Go to a concert
See a drive in movie
Play instruments and sing together (Family Band?)*
Go swimming
Build a sand castle
Give your kids a big hug
Make a secret code
Make dinner together
Plant a tree
Go on a bus ride
Climb a rock climbing wall
Blow bubbles*
Make up stories*
Tell spooky stories
Dance around the house*
Go searching for bugs, birds, wildlife*
Have a nature scavenger hunt
Start a family piggy bank to save for a family trip or activity*
Have a family slumber party*
Ask your kids what they want to do when they grow up
Make a backyard fire pit for marshmallows*
Make chalk art in the driveway*
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!