Fun Things to do With Your Kids to Enhance Better Parenting

As a parent, I can assure you that nothing brings more joy than when you’ve raised a well-rounded kid into adulthood. It is also true that raising problem kids can rob you of your enthusiasm of being a parent. That is why it is crucial to do fun things with your kids to create that bonding experience most parents dream about.

Some of the activities listed can be done within the comfort of your home and cost very little. You have to do everything within your power to keep your kids away from those addicting digital devices by substituting family activities kids would enjoy.

I can also testify that some of the activities will be frowned upon initially by your kids, but you have to be the adult and make everyone do it at least once.

Contrary to other blog postings about what things to do with kids today, some of the activities were selected to nurture your kids’ sense of belonging, teach them essential facts about life, and what determines happiness into adulthood.

The fun things to do with toddlers at home is by no means complete, for you’re only limited by your imagination. Your motto as a parent in thinking of what to do with your children on the weekend; simple, easy and fun.

While my kids were teenagers I created a calendar of activities for each month. On that calendar, we had family fun things to do, individual activities they can explore, family movie nights, and days where we all participated in helping the less fortunate.

I am sure you can tell which activities my kids frowned upon, but my husband and I made the rules and enforced them. To this day, I get mentions about some of the activities we did together as a family from my adult children with their own little ones to deal with.

Some Fun Things You Can do With Your Kids

Create a Family Garden

If you own a home and have a backyard, try your best to convert it into a small family garden. It is sad to say that most kids and even adults have no clue as to how basic green vegetables are grown.

As a rule, you do not want to do all the grunt work yourself, you have to involve your kids. It teaches responsibility, and it is a good basis to build a strong work ethic that would come in handy into adulthood.

If you’re not sure what to do and where to begin in cultivation the soil, Google it or pay a visit to any farm close by to get ideas as to the first crucial steps. Kids love certainty and would participate in having fun as long as you exhibit the knowledge that you know the steps to take.

As the garden takes shape and form, the growth of the greens or fruits will create joy that cannot be described with words. My family garden started when my kids were less than seven years old, and it continued until they all went to college.

Get input from your kids as to what they like to plant and let them know which ones will not grow in your area after you’ve done the necessary research.

Play Monopoly Game as a Family

You know that game called monopoly? It is a very good game to play with your kids. It teaches financial management in more ways than one. The buying of houses and the owning of streets teaches them about the concept of real estate and the benefits that can be derived from owning them.

While they were teenagers my kids learned the value of owning your own home instead of paying rent. While playing this game I also taught them what not to do with earned money if one wants to become rich. It also conveyed the message that it is far better to finance things that can appreciate in value as compared to things that can go down in value.

Play the Scrabble Board Game

That game called scrabble is a very good family fun activity to build up your kid’s vocabulary. The words you can learn playing this game with your family will confound you. If you have several people in your household, get a large scrabble game board to increase the family fun.

If you can read and count, you certainly can play this game with your kids. With the prevalence of digital devices, this is one of the fun activities that should be played with all of them turned off.

Do not let your kids play on their digital devices while participating in any of these activities. If you cannot enforce this simple rule, you might be losing your authority without even realizing it.

Go For Family Bike Riding

If you happen to live in one of those metropolitan cities with bike trails take full advantage of them. Bike riding with your kids is a fun activity and it also contributes to staying in shape for both parents and kids.

If you have a little one that cannot ride one, this is a perfect opportunity to start teaching him or her the joy of mastering a bicycle. Most kids will pick up the riding routine with ease when everyone around them is using one.

Whether you know it or not, your kids will mimic your behavior as they grow up into adulthood, so teach them the right way how to do each of this activities. For safe bike riding, everyone must wear helmets and obey the traffic laws.

Go for Walks in the Public Park

If you have a public park within your area take advantage of the amenities by visiting with your kids. Most parks will have numerous activities suitable for families to play. While public parks can be fun with many activities, try to keep everyone together, for many people go missing due to parental negligence.

We all used to participate in each activity before moving on to the next one. Based on your kid’s age, bathroom break required mommy or daddy to go with them. You can create your own safety system, but keep a watchful eye on your children while in the Public Park.

Pay a Visit to Your Local Fire Station

Kids regardless of age are fascinated with the loud siren made by fire trucks. Your local fire house would love to have you visit, but you have to call ahead of time to make the required arrangements. Some will already have tour dates established and if not, encourage them to do so.

When you get close to a fire truck, it contains far more complicated equipment than most people realize. Your kids would have many questions and you should let the fire master guide answer them all. I used to encourage my kids to write down the questions they want to be answered before we get there.

This idea came from my middle child who got an assignment to write about a fire truck and how it functions. The first time was enlightening and eye-opening. Subsequent visits provided familiar experiences, but we always learned something new. Also, pick different fire houses to visit, for each one is has a unique setup.

Participate in a Charity Event

Spending some time helping the less fortunate will provide your kids with experiences that cannot be taught in school. Activities we took part in included homeless food kitchen, school yard clean-up, homeless kids tutoring, toy giveaways to less fortunate kids, helping the Salvation Army food bank, etc.

Each of this activity gave my kids the knowledge that they are fortunate and should appreciate what they have. It is one of the best ways to build compassion for the less fortunate among us. I also think it taught each of them the need to work harder so they could afford the finer things in life.

Pay a Visit to a Prison or Jail House

When my first born was in the tenth grade he started running around with the wrong crowd and I could sense things were getting worse despite the threat from his dad. When the severe beatings dished out by his dad failed to get the right message across I sought help from the local police precinct commander, since I served on the civilian complaint review board.

He suggested we make time as a family and visit a prison that was about 100 miles from our home. Marriages that last will go through tough times and the argument with my husband about this issue was very heated, to say the least.

I married a guy that was vocal in his opinion and also knew when to hold back and see what happens with a decision that was basically my doing. I soon learned my husband hated jails because he spent a weekend locked up for driving with a suspended license over 25 years ago.

He was the disciplinarian and I was the one that provided the love and care to make the kids feel good. Both mom and dad cannot be soft, for I have seen close friends lose their kids to the street because none of them played the “bad guy” role. Trust me, you need that in a family with several kids, if you want to maintain order and discipline.

When you visit the prison in your area or state expect to go through intense scrutiny due to contraband trafficking. The impact the visit had on my first born was immediate. Also, the warden took the time to explain the routines of the cellmates on a daily basis.

My boy got his act together and ditched most of the troublesome friends and that prison visit played a great role. We made more trips to help out charities that were trying to give some of the prisoners a second chance in life.

Cook a Family Dinner Together

I raised three boys and one girl, and they all know how to cook. I still get many thanks for forcing them to participate in cooking activities. I always let my boys know that you can only appreciate a woman that could cook if you know the process.

Initially, they all participated reluctantly, but soon the argument centered on what dishes to make. The bonding experience that is created when the family participates in creating sumptuous meals cannot be described with words.

I still have pictures I took during this activities and my kids love going through them when they visit to relish the memories. What you teach your kids will be passed on to your grandchildren, which is why cooking with the family is so important.

Paint a Room Together

After my husband and I bought a rental property we could not find a cheap painter to spruce the apartments up for us, so we made the kids join us in this activity. Truth be told, my husband practically forced the kids to participate to my silent objection, but he got his way on this issue.

He taught them how to plaster a small hole in the wall and how to use masking tape the right way. My kids learned how to paint that long weekend and that skill was deployed when it came time to refurbish their rooms.

Conduct Family Reading Sessions

One of the rigid rules that were enforced by my husband revolved around reading books and writing book reports. This started as soon as the kids could read and write. My children excelled in school because while other kids were learning to create book reports they were already masters at the activity.

This fun activity kept my kids at home busy during the summer months, soon the competition was about who can deliver the best book report. With encouragement from the loving mom, we created prizes for who can deliver the best book report with drawings.

Contrary to what you might have been told, smart kids are not born, they’re created by proper tutelage from caring parents. The school teacher can only work with established habits developed from home.

Pay a Visit to a Large Farm with Animals

If you love to eat meat, I urge you to pay a visit to a local farm that raises animals for slaughter. When you meet pigs, cows, chickens and goats up close you get a sense that they have a lot in common with humans.

My kids learned how to milk a cow and they realized that a pig will eat almost anything. Trips to a local farm will teach your children where our food comes from and the processing methods involved. On trips to any farm, do not wear your best clothes for they will get very dirty.

In Conclusion

The above activities are just an opening to the other fun things you can imagine. It is better to start the fun activities at a much younger age and nip all resistance in the mud as soon as it arises. Digital devices will not teach your kids about life.

The many games played online will only stimulate a tiny portion of their brain. You need your kids to do real stuff to understand and appreciate certain things in life. If you do not teach your kids how to cook, who’s to blame?

Whatever fun things you choose to do with toddlers at home requires full attention for them to take it seriously. Teach your kids about the realities of life by making them engage with some of the games listed above.

The fun things to do with your kids might be resisted at first, but you’re the adult and it is right you provide the guidance they need to grow into proper adults.