Practical Ideas for Spending Time with Your Children

I’ve often said that “your children regard your presence as a sign of caring and connectedness.” Sometimes we get distracted and so preoccupied with the urgent that we miss the most important. And right up there at the top of the list is spending quality time with our kids and grandkids. Take a moment with your child and together create your own list of activities for you would like to do for the next month. Whenever possible, allow your child to offer up the ideas, because children and even teens often support what they help create. If you need some ideas here is a list of 63 ideas created by kids age 6 to 18. Go for it! 

1. Make daily phone calls
2. Plan weekly dates
3. Establish special traditions
4. Attend their games and plays
5. Drive them to school
6. Put together puzzles
7. Watch a special TV program and eat popcorn
8. Write them notes
9. Take them on a business trip
10. Take photography lessons together
11. Play tennis
12. Skip rocks and have a contest
13. Write a letter to God
14. Walk the dog
15. Read a good book together
16. Go out for breakfast or doughnuts
17. Take pictures
18. Go to the park
19. Visit the library and ask the librarian a bizarre question
20. Develop a new laugh together
21. Visit the zoo
22. Visit a museum
23. Ride bikes
24. Learn a hobby
25. Wash a car
26. Rollerblade
27. Climb a tree
28. Climb a mountain
29. Eat creatively one whole day for $1.29
30. Picnic
31. Shop for cars
32. Go to the airport and watch people
33. Visit the beach or lake
34. Ice-skate
35. Shop
36. Play backgammon
37. Go horseback riding
38. Play pinball
39. Hit golf balls or play miniature golf
40. Bowl
41. Play water sports
42. Fly a kite
43. Go on a hike
44. Plant a garden together
45. Play board games or card games
46. Fish
47. Sail
48. Play tennis
49. Play croquet
50. Go river rafting or tubing
51. Play badminton
52. Build a tree house
53. Go to a casual dinner but dress up
54. Make homemade ice cream
55. Bake cookies
56. Attend a play
57. Go to the movies
58. Go to a sports event
59. Visit a swap meet or a garage sale
60. Feed ducks
61. Go to the circus
62. Go to the county fair
63. Volunteer at a soup kitchen