As kids get older, it’s important to make sure you take part in activities that include the entire family. Immersing yourself in a project, game or activity together will help create stronger bonds and teach your kids valuable social and collaborative skills to help them understand how to communicate with others. These activities can vary depending on your kids interests and your family habits as a whole, but in general anything that gets your kids involved, engaged and excited will be a great way to encourage creativity and positivity in your family. Doing things as a family helps your children learn how to socialize, work with others and how to make decisions for themselves. 

Zoo and Aquarium Live Cams 

Many zoos, aquariums, and nature centers have live cameras that viewers can watch to get up close and unique views of the world’s most exotic animals. This can be a great way to pass the time with the family on a rainy day, and a great way for your kids to learn about new animals and name the ones they already know! This is a fun learning activity for both kids and adults and will have you connecting over a common interest while learning at the same time. Plus this will give you an opportunity to get them excited about going to the zoo or aquarium for real! 

Sing Songs Together

One of the best ways to learn, connect and have fun at the same time is by learning and playing music together! Instruments like a ukulele, drums, and even your voices can be used to have risk-free fun learning funny songs for kids that will get them excited, on their feet, and hopefully dancing! Even for families who don’t have a big musical background, this can be a great activity to learn and work through together! Most nursery rhymes have easy, repeating structures that are extremely easy for you and your child to pick up in an afternoon of fun. 

Outdoor Games 

Outdoor games like frisbee, catch, or even something like capture the flag are fun and engaging activities that your whole family can enjoy together. Activities that get you and your family outside and doing something together encourage an active lifestyle and in some cases can expose them to healthy competition. This will teach them how to be a good sport if they lose, and a humble winner if they win. These are important skills to develop at an early age so your child can comfortably and confidently communicate with others around them. 

Family Scrapbooking 

We post so much online nowadays and sometimes it’s nice to go back to basics when making memories with your family. Scrapbooking with good old-fashioned disposal camera film is a great way to create memories with your family. This is something that the entire family can engage in by selecting their favorite photos and memories to highlight in your album. Film cameras are daily easy to come by, and there are many models that have brought back the polaroid style. This could be a fun activity to do with your family as an ongoing tradition, teaching your children the importance of bonding with those you love. 

Holiday Scavenger Hunts 

What better way to celebrate a holiday than by organizing a scavenger hunt for your family? Kids love the excitement of solving puzzles and winning prizes, plus it’s a great way to get into the holiday spirit no matter what the occasion. Family activities that include things like puzzles or problem solving are great ways to encourage your children to think critically about the information in front of them. They’ll need to think through the clues you give in order to figure out where the next prize or clue is. Plus they will be working with other family members, encouraging cooperation and communication. This is also another great way to encourage good sportsmanship and collaboration. 

These are just a few great ideas for interactive activities you can do with your family. Anything that gets you all working together toward a common goal will create a strong bond and show your kids the importance of teamwork and family. These are some of the most integral moments that a child can have early in their lives, and it’s important to make sure they understand how valuable family connection is. Making a precedent by playing games and working on projects together will help make that a tradition in your family.