Unfortunately, real family time often gets neglected in our everyday lives. If we don't actively make time for it, family time often gets lost.
Family time is important: for our well-being, for family cohesion, and also for the social skills of children, who benefit from being together with different age groups or even generations.
- Finding time for the family—how to strike a balance between everyday life and family time!
- Family time is the best time! Looking back, we fondly remember the time spent with our families. All the more reason to actively shape these moments.
- You can spend more time with your family by following simple tips for planning your daily routine!
- With lots of great ideas, family time can also be made exciting and entertaining.
Why is it important to spend time with your family?
Many parents wish they could spend more time with their children. This is not just an individual need, it is also good for the family. Time spent together as a family strengthens cohesion and a sense of togetherness. It also increases children's sense of security – they feel safer.
A report by the children's charity UNICEF examines these and other aspects of family cohesion in relation to children's sense of happiness. The result is clear: children need their parents' time and attention to be happy.
How to make family time work
"How can I spend more time with my family?"
This is a question that often arises in today's world, which is strongly influenced by work and pressure to perform. We primarily need three things in order to make time for our families:
1. Planning
Those who live for the moment and believe that "time will somehow find itself" in everyday life will unfortunately quickly realize that this is usually not the case. Family time rarely happens spontaneously.
The larger the family, the more important it is to have fixed "family times" so that this type of togetherness does not fall by the wayside.
2. Where there's a will...
Often, the problem is that individuals do not feel like spending time with their families. Stress at work, for example, often makes it difficult to concentrate on being together.
But even teenagers are no longer keen on family time once they reach a certain age. In this case, it helps to find the cause of their reluctance and talk about it.
3. Switch off
It is not uncommon for family time to be marred by the inability to switch off after work or everyday life and block out all the things that still need to be done urgently.
What can you do with your family?
In addition to finding the time, you also need ideas for things to do with your family. Children should get away from their cell phones and engage in social interaction!
It's best to collect ideas for family activities and write them down. Then, when it's time for the next family outing, you can choose something from the list. Perhaps one family member can always choose—then the next time it's someone else's turn.
1. A treasure hunt in the garden
A treasure hunt is great fun for everyone involved. The best thing is that you can easily adapt it to the age of the participants.
- For the very little ones, a treasure hunt with chalk arrows or arrows made from sticks can be organized.
- For older children, clues can be hidden that indicate where the next puzzle is hidden. If there is a craft kit in the treasure, family time can continue right after the search!
2. A karaoke night with your favorite songs
Singing is fun. It's not so much about singing as perfectly as Whitney Houston into the microphone. Instead, the focus is on the joy of singing. Singing can have many positive effects on our well-being and it brings people together:
Various essays deal with the topic of singing making people happy. According to another study, singing brings people together.
3. Doing puzzles together
Doing puzzles together can also be fun. Putting a picture together and searching for the right pieces is not only relaxing, it's also a great way to spend time with the family when it's raining outside.
Puzzles for all ages can be found in our shop.
4. Trip to a nearby amusement park or the zoo
When the weather is nice, why not take a trip to a nearby amusement park or zoo? The change of scenery, fresh air, and strolling through the park together or experiencing a little adventure on the roller coaster will bring you closer together!
5. A costume party with a photo shoot
On rainy days, you need tips to keep children from getting bored. A costume party with a photo shoot is a great idea. Children especially enjoy slipping into all kinds of different costumes.
This is also a good exercise for your own self-esteem: How does it feel for me to slip into someone else's role?
6. Create a family cookbook with your favorite recipes
Cooking is fun, but to ensure good results, you need recipes. Almost every family has traditional favorite recipes that are cooked again and again. These recipes are ideal for creating a "family cookbook."
7. Popcorn and chips: A movie night at home
Is going to the movies too expensive, too much effort, or are there no good films showing? You can also organize a movie night at home. Popcorn is the perfect accompaniment to get you in the right mood.
A movie night isn't just great for long winter evenings. It's also a good way to spend time with the family when someone is sick or has had a very stressful day.
8. Adventure hike through the forest
Think forest walks are boring? They don't have to be! With a picnic and a little cross-country running, a trip to the forest can turn into an adventure. In summer, it's nice to stop by a stream, where you can build little boats out of sticks and watch them float downstream.
9. Build a marble run
Building a marble run is the perfect project for the whole family. It usually gets parents back in the mood to play too—and the little ones get to roll the marbles down the track and test their creation!
10 A painting lesson on a specific topic
Painting is fun and encourages children's creativity. To make it a family activity, you can choose a theme.
The pictures on this theme can be hung on a wall and admired as a reminder of the time spent together.
Conclusion
Spending time with your family is important. It promotes children's development and contributes to everyone's happiness. Unfortunately, family time doesn't just fall into your lap. It often takes an active approach to integrate family time into your everyday life.
Learn more by reading our other articles.
