Family Play Everyday

Life can be fast. It can be so fast that we are sometimes guilty of just simply ‘going with the motions’. So much so, that we actually forget to take the time to unplug from technology and let go of stresses and strains of adult-life and ultimately have fun with our loved ones. Family play is important for everyone at home and children will reap the benefits from that special quality time with you. Seeing you laugh, play games and use your imagination can be some of their sweetest joys in life and will be memories that they will carry with them forever.

Family play shouldn’t be forced and it doesn’t have to be a chore. It’s important for everyone at home that you incorporate family play at your own pace and in a way that works for everyone. Asking your children (especially if you have older ones) what their idea of fun with the family looks like and tailoring your family activities in a way to ensure everybody’s needs are being met, would be a great place to start.

Eliminating any pressure attached to family play from the get-go is a must. Here we give you some top tips to show you just how easy it can be to incorporate family play into your everyday routine without making any disruptive changes.

More fun and more laughter = happy kids and a happier home…

Make a schedule

When you know everyone will be at home, you could schedule in some time for family play. Making a schedule will be a great way to get children excited for what’s to come, and will ensure that you all stick to getting some family fun into your everyday life. If there are days where not everyone is going to be home, keep up with the family play (minus the people who won’t be able to join) and be sure to make a schedule at the weekend or whenever everyone will be able to get involved.

Unplug from time to time

We all know that technology plays a huge role in all of our lives but stepping away from screen time, switching off the TV and the kids’ tablets at a certain time to encourage more family play and bonding will ensure everyone can fully connect with each other.

Outdoor play

Family play outdoors is a brilliant way to get the whole family moving and you will be surprised just how much you will enjoy it. Whether it’s a family play date in the garden or you choose to venture out, getting outdoors will boost the whole family’s mood. If you do choose to leave the house, try to explore different places or take routes you’ve never gone on before. Notice things outside that you wouldn’t usually and make it fun by getting the kids to list all the different things they spot on their travels. Bring a ball, splash in puddles, play tag, bring a picnic, this will be great opportunity for family bonding.

Create teams

Creating teams for specific games and bored games will help to open up communication and set up friendly competition between your family members. You could even incorporate this type of team play for everyday ‘chores’ or things that need to be done around the house that your children could help out with. For example, you could assign two family members to helping with packing their bag for school the next day or putting the toys away. This will help to make everyday jobs more fun and will feel like play and quality time with individual family members!

Keep smiling and laughing!

You will be surprised that most day-to-day activities like cooking together have the potential to feel more fun and like play just from a positive mindset and a bit more imagination! Getting involved, bringing play and imagination to every day tasks will effortlessly incorporate more family play and bonding into your everyday routine!

For more ideas for family play and bonding head over to the https://www.annabelkarmel.com/cook-and-play-together

A new – and growing – collection of digital materials are available online to support new ranges read the ‘Play blog’ on the website, listen to the podcast, see the games and videos and make use of the free downloadable resources for home learning in the teachers/parents section. Head over to www.edxeducation.com  even sign up the monthly newsletter.