Parent-child bonding is essential for healthy child development. Not only does such bonding reassure children of all ages and contribute to their sense of well being and self confidence, but it reinforces your relationship for the future as well. It is important to foster an open and close relationship with your child—they’ll get the support they need to stay happy and mentally balanced, and their sense of trust in you will in turn allow you to learn of potential health and other issues from your child directly.
Fall is a perfect time for some parent-child bonding activities. This bustling season is beautiful, festive, and jam packed with events, things to do, festivals, holidays, and more. Along with fall traditions, this season brings a bounty of bonding opportunities with it. Why not take advantage and set aside some valuable family time for you and your loved ones? Here are some ideas to get you started!
-Go apple picking. Apple picking is a fall favorite, and no wonder. It’s fun, takes place outdoors, and sends you home with a basketful of delicious apples! Apples are a great fruit for building healthy bodies. An apple a day really can keep the doctor away!
-Do some autumn yard work. Put your kids to work doing some good old fashioned chores. Have them pull weeds, rake leaves, re-pot, etc. They’ll get some fresh air and have fun getting their hands dirty. In fact, gardening is a very healthy habit to pick up that yields not only fresh fruits and vegetables, but mental health benefits as well. Studies have shown that gardening increases mental clarity and happiness, and lowers stress levels significantly.
-Whip up something in the kitchen. Fall’s cooler weather makes it a great time for stealing away indoors and cooking up something delicious. It’s never too early to start teaching your children skills in the kitchen. It will serve them very well later in life.This is also a good time to teach kids about ingredients, what is healthy and what isn’t, what marks something as good quality versus low quality, and so on, so forth. This way, you can open up the discussion about healthy foods and diet. The idea is that when they eventually choose food for themselves, that they’ll naturally reach for the healthier alternative.
-Write thank you notes. Fall is the season of giving thanks, after all. For this activity, you can either buy pre-made thank you cards or notecards, or you can make your own. Sit down with your children and encourage them to write thank you notes to whomever they can think of. Have them thank relatives for gifts they received, or notes of appreciation to their teachers from last year. This activity in gratitude is a great exercise to promote perspective and balance.
-Go for a walk in the fall foliage. Fall’s crisp air makes it a great time to explore your neighborhood and go for a walk—at least 30 minutes to an hour. Or, go for a drive and find where the foliage is best. Enjoy this relaxing time with your children and use it to get to know them better. Plus, you’ll all get your daily exercise in!
-Cozy up with Netflix. Sometimes, fall can bring about some unpleasant weather. Other times, you just want a quiet night in. Pick some educational movies, historical or otherwise, to watch with your kids on such nights. Everyone loves a movie night, right? If it’s a historical piece or something complex, just be willing to pause throughout the movie and ask questions—after all, this is a learning experience for your kids!
-Make holiday gifts. Now’s a perfect time to get ready for the busy holiday season! A great activity to do with your kids is to make DIY gifts. Whether you want to make gifts for friends, family, teachers, or classmates, there are hundreds of great ideas online. Your kids will get to exercise their creativity, you’ll be ready to go before the crazy bustle of December begins, and you’ll save money to boot.
Fall is a perfect time for some parent-child bonding activities. This bustling season is beautiful, festive, and jam packed with events, things to do, festivals, holidays, and more. Along with fall traditions, this season brings a bounty of bonding opportunities with it. Why not take advantage and set aside some valuable family time for you and your loved ones? Here are some ideas to get you started!
-Go apple picking. Apple picking is a fall favorite, and no wonder. It’s fun, takes place outdoors, and sends you home with a basketful of delicious apples! Apples are a great fruit for building healthy bodies. An apple a day really can keep the doctor away!
-Do some autumn yard work. Put your kids to work doing some good old fashioned chores. Have them pull weeds, rake leaves, re-pot, etc. They’ll get some fresh air and have fun getting their hands dirty. In fact, gardening is a very healthy habit to pick up that yields not only fresh fruits and vegetables, but mental health benefits as well. Studies have shown that gardening increases mental clarity and happiness, and lowers stress levels significantly.
-Whip up something in the kitchen. Fall’s cooler weather makes it a great time for stealing away indoors and cooking up something delicious. It’s never too early to start teaching your children skills in the kitchen. It will serve them very well later in life.This is also a good time to teach kids about ingredients, what is healthy and what isn’t, what marks something as good quality versus low quality, and so on, so forth. This way, you can open up the discussion about healthy foods and diet. The idea is that when they eventually choose food for themselves, that they’ll naturally reach for the healthier alternative.
-Write thank you notes. Fall is the season of giving thanks, after all. For this activity, you can either buy pre-made thank you cards or notecards, or you can make your own. Sit down with your children and encourage them to write thank you notes to whomever they can think of. Have them thank relatives for gifts they received, or notes of appreciation to their teachers from last year. This activity in gratitude is a great exercise to promote perspective and balance.
-Go for a walk in the fall foliage. Fall’s crisp air makes it a great time to explore your neighborhood and go for a walk—at least 30 minutes to an hour. Or, go for a drive and find where the foliage is best. Enjoy this relaxing time with your children and use it to get to know them better. Plus, you’ll all get your daily exercise in!
-Cozy up with Netflix. Sometimes, fall can bring about some unpleasant weather. Other times, you just want a quiet night in. Pick some educational movies, historical or otherwise, to watch with your kids on such nights. Everyone loves a movie night, right? If it’s a historical piece or something complex, just be willing to pause throughout the movie and ask questions—after all, this is a learning experience for your kids!
-Make holiday gifts. Now’s a perfect time to get ready for the busy holiday season! A great activity to do with your kids is to make DIY gifts. Whether you want to make gifts for friends, family, teachers, or classmates, there are hundreds of great ideas online. Your kids will get to exercise their creativity, you’ll be ready to go before the crazy bustle of December begins, and you’ll save money to boot.
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