10 ways to bring your family together
Bring your brood back together with these 10 ideas that are fun for the whole family.
We all spend too much time running between work, school, kids’ activities and appointments – sometimes at the expense of doing things together as a family.
Although divide and conquer is the mantra of the modern day parent, it’s also important to make time to spend with your family as a whole.
Whether it’s staying home, going out or making household chores more appealing, we’ve got a list of 10 inspired ideas to help keep kids, teens and adults entertained and engaged without breaking the budget.
Theme your dinners
Although eating together as a family every night is ideal, in today’s world with everyone’s various commitments it isn’t always realistic. Instead, choose one night a week when everyone is home and make it special occasion. Choose a theme and get everyone involved in menu planning, decorating and cooking. Try Italian pizzeria (who doesn’t love homemade pizza?), Mexican fiesta (where tacos and fajitas reign supreme) or Japanese sushi train (with green tea ice cream for dessert).
Make fitness fun
Being active together is a great way to spend time with your family. Not only will you be creating those feel-good endorphins, but you’re helping your kids develop healthy habits that last a lifetime. Choose an activity that suits all ages. If your kids are under ten, you might look for a family yoga class or plan a bike ride. If your kids are older, you could try rock climbing or plan a hike on a National Park trail. Some Lendlease communities even have dedicated exercise tracks and bike paths. Visit the Communities pages to check them out.
Take a class
It’s never too late (or too early) to learn something new and taking a class is a great way to ensure you dedicate time to your new hobby and family. The kind of class you take will depend on the age of your kids, but teens especially enjoy spending time with their parents in a new environment where everyone is learning. Check out your local community centre, library or art galleries and see what’s on offer. You could find classes on pottery, print making, drawing, writing, cooking, gardening, zumba or painting, just to name a few. Trying a one-off class might be more cost-effective and will mean that everyone in the family can choose a class that appeals to them.
Create a family bucket list
Give your kids the opportunity to help plan outings and trips by creating a family bucket list. Make sure you’re clear about any limitations or restrictions that may apply – if you can’t afford to go to Disneyland, it’s a good idea to point that out from the get-go! Then sit down together and work out what you want to do. If funds are needed, every little bit helps so put out a coin jar for spare change to encourage the whole family to contribute. Write your bucket list down and display it in a prominent location, like on the fridge, to help keep your family goals front of mind. Some items on the list might be visiting the zoo, camping under the stars or seeing a movie in Gold class!
Embrace the outdoors
Keep Vitamin D levels up, boredom down and family time front of mind by embracing the great outdoors. It’s not only good for your health and happiness to get some sunshine everyday, it’s a fantastic way to schedule in some sure-fire family fun without breaking the bank. Head to the beach, have a picnic, fly a kite and remember: family really is the greatest gift of all.