Beginner's Guide to Doing Family Activities

Last Update: September 18, 2008

Video By: LIVESTRONG.COM

Doing activities together as a family is the best way to strengthen family relationships. Learn how to get started doing family activities from a licensed professional psychotherapist in this video.

Take Action

  • Plan ahead
  • Allow family input
  • Have meals together
  • Make time together

About this Author

Dr. Coral Arvon is a licensed clinical psychotherapist with Arvon & Associates Counseling in Aventura, Florida.

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Video Transcript

DR. CORAL ARVON: Hi, my name is Dr. Coral Arvon. I'm a licensed clinical psychotherapist with Arvon & Associates in Counseling in Aventura, Florida. In this clip, we're going to talk about how to do family activities. One idea is for everyone in the family to set a time each week and put it on the calendar, and this will be a family ritual and respect it. It's very important. Have everybody in the family write down one activity that they would enjoy, put it in a hat and let everybody pick one out and try it and don't forget don't ignore what the children want. Do what the children would like to do also and then have family dinners. Everybody sits together whenever possible and talk about your day, share your experiences, your stories, take the time. It's very important. Try to encourage family members to do more things together. You might want to do a charitable event. You might want to go to a soup kitchen and give your family time in that way. It doesn't have to be in your home but do things together as a family. A family is love; a family takes care. You have to cultivate and spend time and put all your energy into making this special, special place to be. Families love it; children love to grow up that way, and then they'll do it with their children. Another family activity that's a lot of fun is, well, especially if you have a musician in the family, one person can play the piano and everybody can sit around and sing, or maybe you can even make up instruments. People need to smile and laugh together especially families. We forget with all the homework, the sports and all the things that we need to do, we forget how to have fun. Do more family activities. Five things to remember about family activities: One, pick a day and put it on the calendar and respect that; two, let everybody come up with an idea and put it in a hat; three, have family dinners together; four, go and do a charitable thing as a family, give together; and five, make time to sing, to play, to laugh together, enjoy your family.

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