Today, spending time with family is slowly losing its touch within society. Perhaps, technology is one of the primary reasons why this is so. Even kids as young as three years are always busy scrolling on phones, tablets, and laptops. Yet, despite this, technology also plays an excellent role in connecting loved ones who are miles apart.

In an average household, kids will spend most of their time playing online games, watching television, or chatting with friends on social media platforms. At the same time, parents are stuck on their laptops or phones dealing with work emails or on zoom meetings.

You might think things will be different during the weekend, but you are mistaken. On weekends, parents may spend time with their friends during brunch, while kids may do the same by going to malls or playing competitive online games.

All these engagements often leave little or no time for families to spend time together. But why must one spend time with their partner and kids? Here are the top reasons:

It Helps Create Memories

Spending quality time with your family can help create memories to reminisce about as you get older. So whether you choose to spend time together by traveling, hiking, or as simple as a picnic, this is an excellent way to create memories.

Fosters Good Mental Health

Spending time with your family is an excellent way to boost your social well-being. In addition, regularly interacting with loved ones can help reduce the occurrence of various mental issues. Such include anxiety, depression, stress, and the feeling of loneliness.

Impacts Parenting Skills On Kids

Spending time with your kids and creating a loving atmosphere may foster excellent parenting skills that children can apply in the future. In addition, your children will learn how to be better parents towards their kids or even younger siblings through your behaviors and actions.

It Can Boost Everyone’s Confidence

Did you know that feeling valued and appreciated by others can help develop and maintain self-confidence? For example, when someone else shows you how much they care about you and how important you are in their life, this can build confidence. And you can achieve this by spending time with your family. Besides, parents are great at instilling confidence in their kids.

It Can Help Nurture Good Behavior

Perhaps most crucially, spending time with family can impact good behavioral traits in your kids. Studies show that kids who spend more time with their parents are unlikely to have any behavioral issues. This may include substance abuse, violence, disrespect, and others.

If you shower your kid with love and attention, this may also reflect their behavior where they will want to continue with the healthy patterns. Besides, spending time with your kids allows them to speak out their concerns, such as peer influence from a specific friend.

These are some of the top reasons why you should always spend time with your family. However, if you are unsure how to get everyone together and spend quality time without getting bored, here are the top activities to engage in during the weekend.

Outdoor Activities

Playing outside with your kids isn’t the only exciting outdoor activity you can engage in. There are plenty of other options to go with. They are as follows:

• Amusement or Theme Parks

An amusement park features various things such as rides and games, while a theme park bases its structures on a central theme. One of the most famous amusement parks is Walt Disney World Resort, which has many exciting things for kids to explore. 

You can also consider the all new Spider-Man attraction, which is under Disney. It has an all-new level of appeal incorporating the latest technology for kids to have the time of their life.

• Hiking

Are you a nature lover? This is another exciting outdoor activity you can engage in during the weekend. During hiking, you will not only enjoy nature, but it is an excellent way of exercising. 

Taking long, vigorous walks can help in fat burning, allowing you to maintain a healthy weight. While at it, you may also want to consider cycling.

• Picnic

Nothing screams louder on spending quality time with family than a Saturday picnic. After a busy week of school and work, you can relax and reflect on the week during a picnic. Picnics are a great way not only to spend time with family but breathe in the fresh air. 

Have your kids been slacking in eating foods rich in Vitamin D, such as salmon and red meat? No need to worry! A picnic on a sunny day is a great way to get the correct exposure to this class of vitamins.

• Camping

Campers have more fun! This is one of the most brilliant and effortless ways to connect and teach your kids excellent life skills such as surviving. In addition, the connection and bond you create with your family during camping can leave your family feeling much more potent as a group. 

All you ought to ensure is that you carry all the requisite camping gear such as tents, sleeping bags, flashlights, camp chairs, and many others, to have the time of your life.

• Visit Museums

Visiting a museum is an exciting and fun activity. And it can also present a great learning opportunity. All you ought to do is identify what your kid is learning in school and visit a museum to add more knowledge on the specific subject.

Indoor Activities

Now that you have an idea of outdoor activities to engage in, it is time to learn about indoor activities. There is a variety of indoor activities you can engage in for cold and rainy weekends. Those on top of the list include:

• Barbeque

A family barbeque is a delightful way to spend time with your family and friends. You can enjoy chatting with your kids, friends, and neighbors as you grill a steak or make a coleslaw! Besides, barbecue food is not only tasty, but also healthy for everyone.

Therefore, it is time to work on your backyard if you have left it unchecked for the longest time! Besides, creating an outdoor barbeque area can add more living space to your home. Chances are it will become a default place where you can relax and lounge for a few drinks. 

If you wish to sell your home, an outdoor grill can come in handy by adding value to your house.

• Exercise Together

Rather than going to the gym with your friends during the weekend, why not work out with your family. Family workouts are fun activities to engage in! You will get to have a lot of fun and remain healthy all in one. This is a win-win situation for all parties!

If you do not have a home gym or gym equipment, you can DIY space in the living room to work out. For example, you can move the couch and coffee table and then gather everyone. This should not take you more than five minutes. 

You can then research on YouTube family workouts to follow. This is a great way to foster a healthy lifestyle for you and your kids.

• Cook and Dine Together

When was the last time you sat at the dining table with your kids to enjoy a family meal? If you cannot remember, it is time to switch up things around the house. Make it a habit to have at least one meal with your kids every week, especially on weekends. It could be breakfast, lunch or dinner. 

Have you taught your kids how to cook or are you looking to sign up for a kids cooking subscription box? Having a family meal allows you to teach your kids how to prep and cook various meals and basic dining etiquette. In addition, you can discuss more with each other over dinner. Also, do not forget to munch on some dessert!

• Movie Night

Movie nights may be difficult to incorporate when everyone has different tastes. For example, your kids may be interested in sci-fi movies, while your partner may prefer action, and you may be more into romantic movies. But this should not stop you from having family movie nights.

To make it work, plan as early as you can. You can research some of the best family movies to watch or gather input from everyone else. If not, you can take turns in choosing movies as long as everyone returns the favor of watching regardless of whether the film is exciting or not.

• Clean Your House Together

Though most families have a challenging time motivating their kids to clean the house, there are ways to achieve this without trying. First, you can start by outlining the importance of living in a clean home. 

Secondly, you can schedule tasks and give rewards to those who do their work perfectly. Other ways to encourage your family to clean the home is creating a cleaning routine and ensure you stick to it.

You can begin with getting rid of clutter, gathering all cleaning equipment, and putting on music. You should then ensure you follow your cleaning checklist, such as make beds, do laundry, sweep and vacuum the dining area, take out the trash, clean the bathroom, and so on.

Spending quality time with your family is not a chore; it is a privilege you should be grateful for each day. Ensure you use the above tips to make the most of your family time.