Question:
family activity
PREPARE DINNER
Let your child help plan dinner one night a week or month. Let them decide what to make and what they need to shop for. Then let them prepare their special meal (you will want to stay nearby and supervise and guide). At first you may get microwave hot dogs but as your child builds knowledge and confidence their menu will grow, and so will their skills and pride! The sight of the finished meal on the table will reward their planning and efforts. Serve extra helpings of praise!
PRIVATE TIME
Children truly need to know their place in this world, and feel secure with their parent's unconditional love. Something you can do for all of your children is to give them some private one on one time on a regular basis. This could be as simple as spending 5 minutes with each one privately as you tuck them into bed every night. Asking them about their favorite time of the day or just whispering "I love you" and giving them an extra special cuddle. You can get a bit more elaborate once a month by spending a special afternoon with each one individually. Have to go shopping? Get a babysitter for the other two children and take one with you. Make sure you rotate which child goes with you each week so they all get a chance for your company. For a very special occasion (like a birthday, a very good report card or just staying dry all week for your two year old) you could plan two hours of a favorite activity, either one on one or with the siblings, the one celebrating the occasion choosing the agenda.
SUMMER ACTIVITIES
Summer is a good reason to celebrate. There are many ways we can make the most of this wonderful season. Here is a list of activities that you can do as a family that will allow your kids to enjoy, explore and learn about summer:
Sing around the "campfire"
Plan a summer vacation (go to local points of interest if on a tighter budget)
Go fishing (you can pretend too)
Go on a picnic (perhaps make one night a week special by planing a weekly picnic at your local park)
Make a nature collage
Read about how flowers and plants grow
Make lemonade from scratch
Go bird watching
Look for shapes in fluffy clouds
Look for rainbows after it rains.
RIDDLES AROUND THE CAMPFIRE
A dark, spooky, dry (and hopefully bug-free) night at camp is great for a campfire. During the day, you can collect small twigs and sticks to use as kindling, then at night, have your family gather around the fire pit with a pop and tell them some riddles. Make sure you allow them to ask yes or no questions if the riddle is tough, and I'm sure that your family and friends will have a great time. If you don't have any riddle books, and you don't feel like making up any of your own, there are plenty of sites online that have a list of great riddles to tell. Have fun!
Kid Frequently Asked Questions
How can I make an easy costume?
