Activity: Creating Memories as a Family
Tara Soria, MA
Adding a child and/or sibling to a family changes the dynamics for everyone. Family bonding activities are an excellent way to foster connection and have fun together. Here are just a handful of ideas for activities to partake in with your children:
Incorporate traditions your child had before joining your family- Finding out the traditions your child had before adoption is a meaningful way to honor their past and to help them feel connected to their heritage, as well as feel more secure and valued in their new family environment.
Create a family craft together- There is fun to be had in working on a project together, such as painting a family mural on a large canvas or piece of butcher paper, making a clay “sculpture” of the family, working on a quilt together with each family member contributing a square, making a stepping stone for the yard (lots of options for kits online)- the possibilities are endless!
Volunteer Together- Choose a cause you all care about and volunteer together. This can build a sense of shared purpose and strengthen bonds between all members of the family.
Special Holiday Traditions- Develop unique traditions for holidays that reflect your family’s values and interests. This could be making a special holiday dish or a unique gift-giving and/or decorating tradition.
Personalized Family Song or Dance- Create a family song or dance that you perform on special occasions or just for fun. This can be a playful and memorable tradition.
Find a reason to laugh together- Laughter promotes bonding and has many health benefits! Try to find a reason to laugh with your children every day and encourage them to find humor when they can.
Create a photo book- Children love to look at photos of themselves and loved ones. Create photo books that capture highlights of the year and include captions and stories to go along with the photos.
Seasonal Celebrations- Mark the change of seasons with special activities, such as planting a garden in spring, a summer picnic, a fall hike, or winter crafts.
Family Gratitude Circle- Form a tradition of gathering and taking turns sharing things for which each family member is grateful. This can be a daily or weekly practice that fosters positivity and connection.
Time Capsule- Create a family time capsule with items that represent your current lives and plan to open it together in the future.
Family Recipe Swap- Each family member can contribute a favorite recipe, and you all cook these dishes together. This can be a fun way to blend different culinary traditions and introduce children to new foods.
We hope you find one or more of these activities beneficial to your family!
For similar articles, please see our Summer 2024 Newsletter.
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