Making special family time each day is a recipe for happier, healthier families, according to U.S. President Barack Obama who in 2009 declared September 28 Family Day to encourage families to do just that by making time to eat dinner together. If you're looking for Family Day ideas, embrace the spirit of family connection and plan your Family Day activities around a shared meal.
Cook Together
Preparing a meal together can be fun for the whole family, especially if everyone has a say in what the menu will be. Older kids can oversee a dish from start to finish, while little ones can help with measuring, pouring and mixing.
Set the Table
Make place cards for the table with baby pictures or childhood nicknames, or write family trivia facts, such as "This seat belongs to the person who put his diaper on the dog when he was 2" or "This seat belongs to someone who can play the flute."
Spark the Conversation
Prepare a stack of cards to stack in the middle of the table with questions. In addition to silly questions, such as "If you were a food, what food would you be?" and "What's your theme song?" include questions to stimulate conversation about topics such as alcohol and drugs. Depending on your child's age, you might ask questions such as "What do you think about smoking?" "Do you know anyone who uses drugs?" or "Do you know what happens to people when they drink alcohol?" According to Rhode Island's Office of the Governor, children who have frequent family dinners are more than twice as likely not to use marijuana and tobacco than children who do not eat with the family, so take advantage of your shared meal to share your perspectives on these issues.
Play a Game
Help your kids unplug for the night with an after-dinner board game such as Monopoly, Balderdash or Operation--choose one that's age- and kid-appropriate. Playing together is an ideal way to enjoy Family Day.
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