A family evening at home can contribute toward building strong family bonds. Sharing with one another, relaying family stories, playing, experiencing new activities, laughing and enjoying one another's company all lend themselves to creating memories and enriching your family heritage. Trying out a few activities may lead to developing new ones that seem like a custom fit for your family.
Play Together
Playing games can be both fun and educational. Board games like Monopoly can teach vocabulary and money concepts to children. Card games, such as rummy or Uno, provide opportunities to develop counting and strategy skills. Interactive video games allow the whole family to participate in a sport, like bowling, within the comfort of their own home. Children sometimes develop a competitive edge around eight years old, and, according to Fred Frankel, Ph.D., a medical psychology professor at Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital at UCLA, parents should welcome opportunities to demonstrate good sportsmanship early in a child's life.
Show Off Your Talents
Children often love performing for their family members. Plan an old fashioned talent show with singing, dancing or magic tricks. Create your own version of an idol show, complete with costumes, and make sure everyone gets in on the act. A karaoke machine can bring out the singer in everyone. Act out a skit or favorite movie scenes together. Charades is also an opportunity to demonstrate skills in relaying a message.
Hit the Kitchen
Cooking a meal together can provide opportunities for conversation, as well as teaching children a new skill. One approach is to allow each person to select their favorite meal to prepare. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services states that sitting down with your children for a meal is also a good way to keep the doors of communication open, and it reduces the risk of youth substance abuse. Baking old family recipes together is another way to include family memories while talking about your family heritage. Decorating cookies or cupcakes allows creativity to blossom.
Dinner and a Movie
Prepare a picnic or meal to eat around the living room coffee table for a change. Then watch a favorite movie or old home videos. Have all the creature comforts of pillows, blankets and dimmed lights ready to go. Later you can enjoy sharing a bowl of popcorn.
Getting to Know You
Personality quizzes, often available on-line, can be especially fun for older children and teenagers who enjoy getting to know each other as well as themselves. General knowledge or movie quizzes are also available and can lead to lively discussions. A family newspaper can be fun to create. Family members can serve as photographers, interviewers and family news reporters. This is a great way to focus on family member's events and learn one another's favorites.
Discover Your Own Backyard
Get out the telescope and spend an evening on the back patio stargazing. Share stories about night time activities you have experienced through the years. Pitch a tent and go camping in your own backyard. Heat up the grill and make s'mores before going to bed. Talk about what you most enjoyed about your family night and plan for the next one.
