There are few words parents hate more than “I’m bored.” Between cleaning up sticky surfaces and dealing with day-to-day household tasks, a bored child can throw off your whole routine. However, it’s essential to realize your child’s boredom can mean different things. Chronic boredom can lead to a host of issues, like feelings of isolation, an increased risk of anxiety and depression, and stunted development. Quelling frequent stints of boredom may require you to be more hands-on with your child.
Whether your little one’s boredom is a cause for concern or not, you should set aside time for bonding activities to fight off fits of restlessness. After all, the day will come when spending time with mom and dad is embarrassing and rare. Take advantage of their youth by engaging in frequent bonding activities to satiate their boredom and build a healthy relationship.
Make matching t-shirts
T-shirt decorating is a fun, crafty activity that provides your child with a well-loved shirt they can wear again and again. The decorating options are endless—from markers and paints to stamps and stencils, you and your child can make matching apparel that will bring you closer together. If you’re looking for a more intensive, creative project, tie-dyeing is a fun-filled option. Simply buy blank shirts for printing at Shirtspace, and you can begin crafting in no time.
Themed Subscription Boxes
Shopping can be fun, but it can feel like a chore when you have the whole family with you. There will be a lot of bargaining and negotiation, especially with what you need to buy and what your kid wants to get. Signing up for a subscription box that’s themed means that you don’t have to go out because you’ll be receiving various goods, like sweets and snacks, on a monthly basis. Every time a box arrives at your doorstep, opening it and discovering what’s inside can be a fun family bonding activity.
Cook dinner together
Having consistent family dinners can be a struggle for restless children and busy parents. Whether it’s pleading with your teenagers to put their phones away for an hour or encouraging the little ones to eat their vegetables, family dinners are not always an easy affair to endure.
However, you can change nightly meals into a bonding experience by having the whole family take part in cooking dinner. While you might be met with grumbling when you first introduce the idea, turn it into a fun activity by cranking the tunes and embracing the mess about to ensue. Cooking as a family teaches kids responsibility in a fun, family-centered way they’re sure to carry onto their children.
Spice up a hike with geocaching
Often, hiking with kids can turn into a nightmare. They might not revel in nature’s beauty the way you do, and they’re bound to tire quickly, throwing temper tantrums when the hike runs too long. An easy way to introduce your child to the outdoors without the fuss is geocaching.
You can download various geocaching apps that detail the location of “caches” throughout your neighborhood or hiking trails. These caches are filled with knickknacks and usually include a logbook you can add your family’s names to. Geocaching can turn a routine walk or hike into a treasure hunt, making it fun for the whole family as you work together to find the prize.
Schedule a monthly date
Between sports practice and instrument lessons, your family’s lives can be hectic. Despite scheduling conflicts, it’s essential to make time for relaxation and fun to strengthen family connections. Dedicate a day each month for a one-on-one date with each of your kids based on their interests. You can use this time to catch up with your kids’ lives and nurture your parent-child relationships while having fun and evading restless-child-syndrome.
Have board game nights
Engaging in a family board game competition is a classic bonding activity sure to kick-start fun times. Whether it’s a team event or every person for themselves, board games are a great way to stimulate your little ones while providing you with the perfect opportunity to teach them how to be competitive without being sore losers. You can try scrabble, a timeless word game where everyone competes to create the most words with the same letter tiles. If you’re having trouble finding a word or two, scrabble–word–finder.com can provide you with a helping hand. The fun part of scrabble is that you get to improve your vocabulary while playing and spending time with your family. Kids are sure to love it! You could also try Infinite Craft, which has been gaining lots of popularity as an online game where kids and adults alike are trying to create unique combinations!
Make it an event by taking your whole family to a game shop and selecting the perfect activity together. Oftentimes, game stores will allow you to try out a game before purchase, which will enable you to pick a game your kids will be sure to love.
Camp in your backyard
The quintessential experiences of roasting marshmallows on a campfire and sleeping under the stars leave long-lasting, fond memories for campers. If you’re unable to make the trek into the mountains, it’s easy to recreate a camping experience in your backyard. Pitch a tent, light your backyard fire pit, and break out your flashlights for a night of stories and s’mores. There’s no need to drive hours for a bug-filled campsite away from home when you have a perfect campground in your backyard.
Wrap up
You and your children can participate in many activities to alleviate boredom while engaging in family bonding. Instead of sitting your kids down in front of the TV or sending them off to do crafts alone, get your hands dirty and participate to strengthen your connection and provide them with fond memories for years to come.
