Easy and Fun Ways to Connect With Your Kids During the Holidays

The holiday season is consistently busy and bustling with activities, gatherings, and preparation. As parents, we often get to the new year and breathe a sigh of relief. We may even feel like with the busyness of it all, we forgot to focus on what is most important. Connecting with and building our relationships with our kids. This holiday season, use these easy and fun ways to connect with your kids during the holidays.

Play easy games that are fun. Many families spend at least a little time in the car during the holiday season. This is a great place to play Christmas Would You Rather questions or Christmas Trivia. Both of these games get your family talking, learning new things, and learning more about one another. Plus they are fun and easy- zero prep required. Another idea for connecting on a night at home is Christmas charades. The holiday season doesn’t have to be all hurried and busy. Sometimes we all need to let loose a little, laugh, and relax with our closest loved ones.

Read meaningful books. Books are naturally great conversation starters and reading to your children can help them feel close to you and give them a sense of well-being. Reach for a stack of holiday picture books you have and read one a night. Or maybe you have a chapter book your kids have been wanting you to read aloud. Be purposeful about setting aside time to read. Light a fire and snuggle up together with some great books during the holiday season.

Focus on connecting by helping others. It is easy for our kids to fall into the trap of "me, me, me" during the holiday season. After all, they are busy making lists for Santa and everywhere they look they are seeing advertisements for the best new toys. Flip the focus and explore some ways your family can help others. Donate old toys, volunteer at a local charity, make some soup for an ederly neighbor, shovel snow for another family. Find a couple ways to spend time together while helping others. Everyone will leave this experience feeling happier and more connected to one another.

Start a new family tradition. The key here is to focus on making the holidays more meaningful. Pick a tradition that will encompass the significance of the holiday for your family. Make homemade ornaments for the tree, attend a candlelight Christmas Eve service, make a special snack and drive around looking at Christmas lights. Our favorite family traditions are easy, require very little prep, and we always end up having fun together.

Is there something you want to do differently this year during the holidays to make it more meaningful and connect more with your kids? Instead of adding something new to your already hectic holiday schedule, try to incorporate these fun ideas into what you are already doing.

Or give yourself permission to get rid of a few of the less meaningful activities. After all, ultimately our kids just want to spend time with us and see us having fun too.

Jenn writes at her blog healthyhappyimpactful.com. She’s a mom of three looking to learn and grow. Check it out if you love helpful tips on health, family, and personal growth.