Any time is a wonderful time to plan activities with extended family. It’s also a wonderful opportunity to create memories, foster a new tradition, and get out of the house together and away from life’s daily responsibilities.
Here are seven ways to create new family traditions:
1. Go Back in Time
Take a road trip to a favorite place from your past. It could be the house you or your grandparents grew up in, your high school, your first job, or where your parents got engaged. Visit these nostalgic places with family to share your unique stories. Invite other family members to do the same and begin a road trip back in time tradition.
2. Garden Together
Get outside and get planting. No matter your age, young or old, gardening is a fun way to connect with loved ones through the wonder of making something grow. Grow fruits and vegetable, such as tomatoes, carrots, green beans or even a watermelon. When the harvest is ripe then it’s fun to plan a ‘garden party’ together and enjoy a meal from all of your hard labor.
3. Tour a Museum
Find out what museums are in your local area. Let family members each take turns choosing. It could be one on history, art, science, architecture, or a living history museum where you participate in activities of days gone by. There are also garden museums to stroll through that often provide music and theater entertainment as well.
4. Head to a Farm
Spring,
summertime, and fall are perfect times to pick seasonal fruit at local farms. In many instances, the farms also offer other family activities, festivals, hayrides, and eateries. Look for one with multiple things to do to make an afternoon or day of it.
5. Nature Walk
Bring the family to a nearby beach or park and check out the sounds of nature! Each season will offer new sounds, wildlife, and landscapes. Find a preserve with woodland paths and go on a nature walk. Inspire family members to be nature photographers to share what they encounter. This is a wonderful way to share in nature together while creating new memories.
6. Try an Outdoor Adventure Together
Rotate trying new outdoor activities together. This could be bicycling, surfing, kayaking, jogging, and hiking. Want to get more adventurous? Think bigger like visiting an amusement park, RV camping, mountain biking, parasailing, jet skiing, or white water rafting. Use these activities to go places you’ve never been. Pack snacks or lunch and make a picnic out of it, or plan to get ice cream afterward.
7. Monthly Lunch Date
This may be a simple tradition, but a regular lunch date can foster family connections. Try a new restaurant each month at unique locations. Be sure to make reservations in advance with any special requests, like outdoor seating if a view. This is a great chance around a table with a captured audience to spend one-on-one time catching up on your family’s life. Partaking in an after-lunch walk can provide even more time to connect.
Fostering new traditions with family members not only fortifies connections but provides fun times that we’ll remember forever. So, what are you waiting for? Start planning family time together today.