Strengthen your Family Ties through Games

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Family

January 7, 2015

Let’s just say it, family life is far from relaxing! Between the rush to get home from work, getting supper ready, doing homework with the kids and performing the other countless everyday tasks, there isn’t much time left to nurture the relationship we have with our children. How does a family manage to foster communication and increase its quality time with such a fast-paced life? Through play, of course!

Turn off the TV and the video game consoles, put aside the work files and the laundry and at last take a few moments to be together, laugh, have fun and get to know one another a little better. Here are a few suggestions to help you create unforgettable family memories.

Establish a family tradition

Introduce a family game night in your weekly routine! Pretend a blackout strikes your home every Friday night, compelling all family members to take part in a series of board or card games. Light a few candles, throw a bag of popcorn in the microwave, and blow the dust off your old-time favourites like “Scrabble,” “Snakes and Ladders” or “Monopoly.” Your children will quickly take to this concept and may even ask to have some friends over for game night, or want to show you new games. There is an incredibly wide variety of games on the market adapted to all age groups and interests.

An opportunity to learn about each other’s personality

Some games also allow the players to learn about each other through personal questions or the sharing of opinions. Games can reveal a lot about the personality traits of your family members and entourage. Discover who is impatient, who is a good loser or if there’s a cheat in your midst. Look at that, dad’s easygoing sense of humor makes a comeback.

Create lasting family memories

Board games don’t appeal to your little rascals? No worries, there are a number of other options available to spend quality family time and bring you all closer. You can create a work of art like a photo montage of your family’s most memorable moments or favourite vacation. You can also set up your own little workshop with wooden toy building sets, make a kite (and go fly it), make a necklace for grandma or use your sandbox as a picturesque setting for an enchanted sand castle.

Any relationship that doesn’t include fun unfortunately tends to wane over time. Fun, laughter and communication are essential ingredients that encourage friendship and family ties. Don’t hesitate to unwind and forget about schooling your children once in a while. Take a breather and rediscover the joy of being a family. Regardless of the games you play, the important thing is to be together and to have fun!