If you have been quarantining with your family while the coronavirus pandemic rages on, you might be running into a bit of a challenge: how to keep your family engaged and your bond strong during what is a very difficult and stressful time for many. Staying home can be isolating, especially when family members choose to spend time in separate rooms. Yet, there are a few ways to break this habit and bring your family closer – starting with these 3 ideas.
Create Photo Albums or Scrapbooks
If you’re like most people, you probably have a lot of physical photos floating around, but no album or scrapbook to keep them in. Why not ask the family to help you organize your memories, while you’re stuck at home? Children and family members of all ages will surely love to help out, especially if you’re adding an artistic flair to your album with stickers, colored paper, and the like. Best of all, once your family-building activity is complete, you’ll have something tangible to share and enjoy with current and future family members.
Cook Up Something Delicious
Spending time at home pretty much guarantees that you’ll be cooking more often than you normally would. Make this everyday chore a bit more cheerful by turning it into a family bonding activity. You can ask younger family members to help you make a beloved meal, or teach them how to recreate a family recipe, like your grandmother’s apple pie. Use prep time to talk about the significance of what you’re cooking and share any stories related to the recipe at hand. Doing so brings your family history alive while you work to create something delicious.
Read Together
Reading is critical to brain health, no matter your age. Plus, reading is strongly linked to memory, which makes this activity a natural choice if you’d like to strengthen family bonds as you practice social distancing. Read aloud to your kids or younger family members or ask them to read a book to you. Discuss your thoughts afterward, from your opinions on the main characters of the book to your impression of the story overall. You might be surprised at how such a simple activity will impact the well-being of everyone involved.
Inspiration can come from anywhere – just ask the team at Woodhaven at Park Bridge Apartments in Alpharetta, Georgia. By passing along this information, we hope to inspire you with new ideas, projects, and goals, too.