As virtual learning and quarantines continue, parents need fresh ideas to inject new energy into their family bonding time 

As a society, the pandemic has forced us to focus on macro issues – the number of infections, rising jobless claims, socioeconomic disparities, and so on.  But during these uncertain times, it’s our families, and more specifically, our children, who need our attention.

In a recent survey conducted by the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee, 25% of parents felt they had failed their children during the pandemic.  And among single parents, 25% of this group said the pandemic had increased tension within their households.  In other words, parenting has become even more challenging than it usually is.

So, this moment requires a new approach.  Parents will have to introduce new activities and go above and beyond to keep their family bonds strong.  It’s no easy task, and there are certainly many responsibilities competing for your attention, but the following 10 ideas offer some creative ways to cultivate and sustain connection with your children.

Create a Vision Board

A vision board is a visual representation of your hopes and aspirations.  It’s a collage of images and words that inspire you and dare you to dream.  The purpose behind creating a vision board is intention – if you make it known to the universe what you want from life, you’ll call it into existence.  You and your child can make a board together or make your own individual boards.  What’s important is that you both talk about what your goals are and gain a deeper understanding of one another.  And in the process, you’ll both work towards your ultimate objectives. 

To make your boards, block out some time (an hour or two).  Buy some poster or cork board, and pull together decorative tools like markers and stickers.  Grab magazines so you can cut out images.  You may also want to print out quotes or sayings from the web.   Then glue everything to your board, and talk to one another about what you’ve chosen and why.  This is a great way to both spend time together and elevate your relationship.

Cook together

Making meals for your family can often feel like a chore, especially after long, stressful workdays.  But it doesn’t have to be this way – invite your kids into the kitchen to help.  Cooking with your kids can help them learn important life skills, fine-tune their motor skills, and strengthen their bond with you.  The key is to choose recipes that are easy and fun to tackle, like animal-shaped pancakes or breakfast pizza.  Or give them kid-friendly jobs where they can get their hands dirty, like making a pie crust or punching down dough to make fresh bread.

Write short stories with fun illustrations

Instead of reading to your kids, try writing new stories with them.  The creative process gives them a chance to use their imagination, and along the way, they boost their reading and comprehension skills.  Plus, afterward, they’ll have their very own story to share with friends, teachers, and other family members.  To ensure this is an enriching activity, let your child run the show and just gently guide them along.  For example, let them create the plot, but ask them clarifying questions (e.g., What happens next? How does the story end?).  And once you’re ready, try a creative writing app to pull everything together, complete with eye-catching graphics and illustrations.

Hike together

Hiking with your child gives you a chance to explore new environments together and share novel experiences.  This also helps you both get active and do something beyond the confines of your home.  Additionally, hiking is a fun way to expose your kids to wildlife, unplug from phones and tablets, and learn to value one another’s company.

Attend church

Whether it’s in person or virtual, attending church with your children can be an emotionally significant experience.  You can reinforce your family’s religious and spiritual values, reconnect with friends and family who attend the same house of worship, and find ways to volunteer or give back.  You strengthen your bond with each other and your community.

Express gratitude

Gratitude has many scientifically-proven benefits.  It boosts your psychological health, improves your self-esteem, and helps you show empathy to others.  By teaching your children to express gratitude, and by doing so together, you can each grow your compassion and appreciation for what you have.  There are many ways to do this – you can each keep a daily gratitude journal, you can commit to expressing gratitude for a certain number of things or people (e.g., 5, 10, 20) every week, or you can start small by teaching kids to say “thank you”.  Whatever you choose, you and your child will certainly grow together.

Share Daily Quotes and Photos

Each morning, you and your child can swap an inspirational quote or exciting photo.  This is a simple and fun way to share messages with one another and kick off each day on a positive note.  You can choose anything that feels relevant – a poem, a photo from Instagram, a quote from a Pinterest board.  There’s no shortage of inspiration.

Dance

Music is great for kids.  It helps them develop their language skills, it gives them a way to express themselves and connect with others, and it helps improve their motor and cognitive skills.  So, throw on your favorite song and bust a move with your kids.  You’ll share music that you love with one another, create new memories, and, most importantly, let loose.

Watch a Movie (with your favorite snacks)

The benefits of watching a movie with your kids might seem obvious – for two hours, the pressure is off of you to keep them entertained.  But watching a movie is more than a means of distraction.  Movies can help deepen kids’ understanding of life lessons, create awareness of new social issues, and even inspire them to create their own stories.  Make it fun with tasty, healthy snacks like hummus, kale chips, avocado, and homemade popcorn.

Create funny videos

Your smartphone and tablet come loaded with plenty of camera functions and fun ways to take your videos to the next level.  Just like with your child’s stories, work with them to create a funny concept.  Then, shoot it, edit it (e.g., add humorous text, filters, stickers, etc.), and share it with friends and family.  This gives you a chance to create something together, and you’ve documented a memory that will hold sentimental value for years to come.

During stressful times like these, it’s easy to get caught up in your responsibilities and distance yourself from your children.  But you must remember – now more than ever, you need to reinforce your bond with them, and there’s no shortage of fun ways to do it.