25 Things for Family Connection Offline
Now more than ever, connection offline is key within the fabric of family households everywhere.
In our world, technology in our everyday life keeps us connected to new knowledge, to long distant loved ones, and the ability to take our work and our learning anywhere. But what can be missing is valuing family connection offline.
It is easy to get into a habit that unknowingly makes our technology too personal. Such as becoming attached to our phones, social media, emails, online TV, etc. This attachment can cause families to unconsciously disconnect from one other, potentially resulting in mild aggression and lack of communication between child and parents.
An article by Dr. Steiner-Adair as saying:
"Multi-tasking parents are undermining the deepest, most profoundly defining influence in a child's formation of self, that competing for attention with parental devices undermines that healthy development and a secure sense of self."
Take it back to the value of connection offline, where the family can be present and engaged with each other.
Here are 25 things families can do to connect offline:
Bring out the smores and sleeping bags. Have a family campout in the backyard or the living room.
Indoor Picnic dinner date. Invite your child with a handwritten note inviting them to an indoor picnic in the living room. Dress fancy and add flameless tea candles to the decor.
Make it special and have a picnic in front of the fireplace.
Search for household items (boxes, tape, paper, etc.) and challenge your child's creativity. Toilet paper roll, recycled plastic containers, old shoelaces, last night's pizza box, it all can turn into something useful!
Get hiking! Find your local forest park or hiking trail.
Find a new recipe and have the kids help make it. Crockpots are great for one-pot meals! Here is a fun family breakfast recipe! (Hint: use a big mason jar for a family of four)
Puzzles & board games are especially great for rainy days where the whole family can get involved.
Help kids research what fruits and vegetables will grow in your area and plant a family garden. Use pots or old crates as your garden bed. Visit your local CSA Farm for a resource.
Refrigerator or moving boxes make great boxes to draw art on or cut into a box house! Adults do the cutting while your child gives you direction.
Scavenger Hunt! Hide your child's Army Men or My Little Ponies around the house and set up clues for them to find them.
Whether it's a play sword or animal, an afternoon of crafting is always fun and keeps little ones busy.
Search for household items(boxes, tape, paper, etc.) and challenge kids to come up with an invention, using the materials.
Paper Airplanes-go old school with airplane-making skills and have them take flight off the deck or stairs landing.
Blast music & have a dance party. Bring out the dress up- ties, scarves, & hats and get dancing!
Field trip-trip to the zoo, local rose gardens, child museum, or weekly library trips make for fun excursions
Lego time! Building and creating is a family activity around the coffee table or bedroom floor. Hint: Children are more relaxed when they are allowed to be creative. They tend to talk more and open up.
A homemade Band-In your kitchen cabinet has you covered. Grab a few bowls, pans, and wooden spoons to make a little family band!
Pizza Movie night! Need I say more.
Games on your feet-Space in the garage is great for; Simon Says, Charades, Red Light Green Light.
Look up some simple steps for science experiments, like mixing baking soda with vinegar, and try them at home. Here is a fun one!
Pillow Leap Pad- Have your child find all the pillows in the house and set them up. The goal is to get from one side of the room to the other while only stepping on pillows. If you touch the floor, you have to start over.
Practice family yoga- can be very effective for calm moods.
Build an epic blanket fort. Don't forget to grab all the pillows in the house and stuffies. Flashlights will bring light for your in-fort book reading as well!
Tape Maze-For a fun indoor activity, create enough space on the floor and use the tape to create a maze. Design a simple for toddlers or add dead ends to challenge older kids.
We hope you and your family enjoy these offline connection quality time activities. Make memories with your child that will last a lifetime.
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Thank you for reading this content. We hope that this will help give you a jumpstart on your holiday shopping with the kids.
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