5 Ways To Building Family Memories That Last A Lifetime #PlayAdvocate
This weekend when snuggling the kids into bed one of the boys said to me “Mommy that was the best weekend ever! I played soccer with Daddy, helped you clean the house, played with my brothers and sister, and we watched a family movie!”
What he said just made me smile, because it is the little things that mean the most to our children. The one-on-ones, even if they are helping me complete my chores. It was Daddy taking 15 minutes to kick around soccer ball during a busy day of outside chores. It is about letting them have an unscheduled day to just BE A KID!
Building Family Memories
We’ve been trying to mix up our habits and routines. It is so simple to fall into habits that may be stripping your family from building family memories together. The week night routine of, homework, eat, clean, sleep and repeat, maybe stripping your family. Just like a baby’s schedule, we need to add playtime to our own schedules.
Here are a few ways you can build on your family’s memories.
Start Traditions. It’s never too late to create new family traditions. One I hope to add into our routine is, game night! Now that our kids are getting older and no one is clearing the pieces off the game board, I think we can make this one possible.
Fun and interactive games like Card N Go Seek™ and Bounce-Off™ are two games I am confident our family would enjoy. How about giving one child each week an opportunity to pick the game you will play that night. This way, everyone gets to play their favourite game.
Take Photos. If you are a regular reader on inRdream.com you know how important capturing each moment of my family’s day is to me. Our children are growing so quickly and I want to be able to look back one day and remember when they were small. Remember when it was crazy hair day at school and they told me “This is the best day ever!”
Plan Ahead. I am a firm believer that if you plan, success will be on your side. This is true in so many parts of your life. It can be planning your next family vacation or just planning a family game night, planning is important for building your family’s memories. Try planning ahead this fall season to squeeze in all your family’s favourite fall activities, like the pumpkin patch or a road trip north to see the fall leaves.
My sister suggested this year going to the local pumpkin patch as a family with Nana and Grandpa. We had an amazing day building family memories. The adults played like kids, and that is what the kids themselves liked best about our day.
One-on-One. As I mentioned above, the importance of on-on-one can change your child’s day from, okay to incredible.
Whenever we are struggling with child emotions in our house, it typically is someone seeking out some mommy and daddy time alone without siblings around. In a big family one-on-one time is the biggest struggle we have as parents.
Keeping it simple is how we juggle it in. A quick snuggle in mommy’s bed to read a book. Or as I am tucking each child in at night I take a few minutes to look deep into their eyes and ask them a question. Kicking a soccer ball or a secret wink across the room. All these give them a feeling of love and at the same time building precious memories of the quality time spent together.
Keep it Manageable. While it can be tempting to totally overload yourself this fall season from creating the perfect homemade Halloween costumes to making everything for Thanksgiving dinner from scratch, try not to take on too much.
I have learnt over the years, it is not about going over board that the kids will notice, but it is about being present and “just being” is when we have the best days.
Too many items on your to-do list will leave you feeling stressed, rather than focussing on family time. I have learnt to say “no” and this has lighten my load, which ensures I am spending quality time with my family, and building memories for years to come!
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One lucky reader will win a Mattel Games™ prize pack including; Card N Go Seek™ and Bounce-Off™ valued at $39.98.
Canada only (excludes Quebec), ends November 12th, 2015.
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going out as a family to cut down a christmas tree each year
my happiest family memories are of picnics on various village greens. 🙂
we had a large forest down the lane and my brother and I would go down there and build forts
I remember making cookies together.
I remember Saturday afternoon with my Mom and sisters baking telling Jokes and listening to Newfoundland jigs
Those glorious summer picnics on various village greens, my family had a lot of fun.
we build memories by having family nights either watching movies together, or playing board games
I remember when my Mum picked apples in the summer, my friends and their Mums would all go and us kids had a ball running around the apple fields
Stopping at a roadside rest area, my brother thought it would be fun to catch a seagull. He got bitten between the thumb and forefinger. Not so fun. Funny to think back at it.
I remember reading books outloud with my sisters.
We built many memories over the years on stormy winter nights playing games and telling stories
Memories, all those summer picnics we had as a family, we all really enjoyed them 🙂
Playing in my grandparents chicken coop!
I remember going for long walks with my family.
The most memorable for me are the family summer picnics on village greens, we had lots of fun. 🙂
I remember going for hikes with my siblings.
Last year I took my son to Disney on ice for his birthday, he loved it!
I remember going to watch fire crackers with my family. We got to play at the park and run around. We’d eat snow cones and then we’d watch fireworks all huddled on a blanket. Definitely a memory builder.
I remember my mom cutting Christmas ornaments out of wood and my whole family painted them together.
i remember when we all went on a sleigh ride for my birthday! it was cold but still a lot of fun!
We built family memories together by going camping and the fun past was going there by Dory and we took turns rowing,it was so much fun!
My most memorable and pleasant memories are of family picnics on various village greens in the countryside.
i remember having bunnies as pets and they were in the house
Our family always bonded over camping and music. I remember many nights sitting around a fire and my dad playing guitar with anyone he met.
I remember going to the beach for picnics.
Remember camping with my family!
lots of card games growing up
Those stormy winter nights we played board games last in the night with lots of giggles and fun
For me it was the family summer picknicks that were most memorable. A drive around the countryside ending with a picnic on a village green, marvellous 🙂
My family and I have game nights where we all play together as a family.
I remember making molasses cookies with my sisters.
We build memories by raising at daybreak , going fishing and having a boil-up on the rocks
A great memory of my childhood was learning to ride a bike! Every weekend we would ride our bikes to the ice cream shop!
i remember growing up on a farm and having so much fun
The most memorable were going for family picnics after a drive in our first car. Perfect weather, sat in the sunshine on a village green. In those days drivers of the same car or car club would greet each other by raising their hand, from the car club you often also got a salute. Now-a-days, you’d have to hold your hand up all the time!
I remember going camping, all the time.
I remember playing cards with my family!! laughing and snacking!
Rainy days while camping, playing board games in the pop up trailer 🙂
Building family memories, I think the most memorable was going for a drive and having a picnic on a village green of a picturesque village.
we always had big family bbqs
I remember going to my grandmothers house every summer for holidays.
I remember going sledding with my sisters.
The most memorable for me were the family picnics we went on after we’d got our first car. I was about 10 yrs old at the time and we’d drive through the countryside until we found a nice picturesque village and picnic on the village green. 🙂
My grandmother lived with us while we were growing up. She was a huge board game fan and would play with my brother and I regularly. We always had a great time bonding.
After work we would go to the beach. It would already be dark out and it was freezing, yet we loved it.
Going fishing in the Dory with my dad
we love spending time together as a family watching movies
As a family going on picnics in the summer to various picturesque villages in the surrounding area, there was always a village green where lots of people gathered to picnic, read or play.
I remember having campfires with my siblings.
We would take family camping trips..so much fun and good memories.
Growing up, we built memories on weekend at the cabin…no electronics in those days just the fun we made ourselves
Another good memory is once we had a car, going for family picnics in the surrounding area, there were some really unique villages not far away.
family vacations
Family reunions every year
That was definitely Bonfire Night on Nov 5th, when Guy Fawkes tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament. We had a great time with dad letting off the fireworks and then we’d go down to join in with the rest of our neighbours for the big bonfire.
my mom and i went on a train trip to Edmonton
family reunions
We often played music together as a family band.
We had lots of friends and family BBQ’s each summer.
we love spending time together as a family, sometimes we play nintendo games together
We used to jump on the trampoline together for hours.
Bonfire night on Nov 5th was always a big family thing. It was lovely seeing all the fireworks go off in the back garden and then joining the other families from the estate for a huge bonfire. Great fun 🙂
alot of family parties
Our whole family getting together for one giant game of Monopoly that would last the whole day 🙂
i remember a Christmas while i was a little girl still in Portugal. Everyone (parents, aunts, uncles, cousins) was gathered around the Christmas tree and there was music playing. all of a sudden we all started dancing and laughing and really enjoying each other’s company. none was rushing to open the gifts. it was beautiful!
Family dinners once a week @ my grandparents house. They have since passed and I really miss those days.
Sorry for your loss. I wish we had a tradition like that. Those were memories I remember as a child as well.
Road Trip to Disney was one that we made lots of family memories!
We used to build igloos in our backyard in the winter.
Once a month my dad would rent a VCR and we’d be allowed to pick out 3 movies to rent. My parents pretty much let me rent whatever I wanted to and as a result I’m a huge movie buff to this day.
We make our memories every summer when we all get together for a reunion
When we eventually got a car, we’d go for picknicks up on the moors or to a quaint little town with huge lawns where people gathered to play, sunbathe, picknick etc.
Our whole family would go away on vacation together, we would rent several caravans and have a great time!
My Dad and I built memories when I was younger by going for car rides together several nights a week (well, we were sneaking out to get an ice cream…lol). But those rides are some of my very special memories.
I remember stomping in mud puddles with my sister.
Growing up, we built memories on our family fishing trips! We have so many great memories like eating our first catch or watching my cousin run up the hill to go to the washroom, but didn’t make it!
Christmas was always a nice time for making memories. I remember when we used to go to my grandmother’s every year.
Love that memory.
One memory I have of my childhood,is spending weekends at the cottage and going out in the Dory at daybreak fishing with my Dad
Family roadtrips … playing licence plate bingo 🙂
We love going to the movies together once in awhile
Remember going to the beach for picnics with my family, collecting shells/rocks – fun memories.
We liked playing board games as a family
I remember going to the lake and having picnics, camping and swimming, lots of fun days and memories
I remember playing out in the barn loft with my family. We could hear the goats chewing their hay below us.
I remember going camping every summer with my parents and sister – so many great memories of being at the beach, campfires, boating, etc
I remember playing card games and board games with my family
I remember playing scrabble with my parents and sister when there was a snow storm outside when I was a kid. It was the only time I remembered my dad playing a boardgame with us.
I remember sitting around listening to my dad play guitar and sing
i remember going to the beach and picking up sea shells with my family
One of my favorite childhood memories is decorating the Christmas tree. We had such a wide assortment of decorations and we would reminisce about each one as we hung it.
I remember my parents renting a cottage in the summer, we had lots of fun building memories playing out on the lake and games at night – no electronics for the week. It was a great time!
Bonfire night on Nov 5th was always a big family event. Dad would let off the fireworks and then we’d all go to the big communal bonfire where we baked potatoes, ate treacle toffee and generally had a great time with family and friends.
I have many memories of camping with our family and uncles and aunts and cousins during the summer.
Each year we would go camping for a family reunion. A week running around and swimming made for great memories.
It was called Fall Fun Day – we raked the leaves, but it something we all remember and did it every year.
Did you jump in them? All kids love that!
I remember my parents taking me camping and going to a lot of amusement parks, being an only child they tried to do a lot with me!!
We have a family BBQ and the kids have a fun time playing outside
When we went camping when I was a kid, we’d always play board games! I’m the queen of battleship!
we had a family picnic each summer and played all the fun summer games such as the 3 legged race and hopped to the finish line in burlap sacks
I remember going out to pick strawberries and apples with my family when I was growing up.
Today is our anniversary and unlike most people we go our to dinner each year and bring the kids!! Our kids are all born just a before our anniversary so we couldn’t leave a newborn with a sitter and it just became the norm. Lost of great memories each year as they grow we go to the same restaurant 🙂
We build memories by having dinner together, or playing board games together. Any kind of activity with no phones or tablets allowed is a bonding experience.