Nowadays it seems almost impossible to get away from the constant buzzing sound of mobile phones and advanced technology alerts and spend some quality family time outdoors. Actually, it is hard to find time to be with your loving family members, let alone head out to the luscious nature, take a long hike altogether and have family bonding time. Even if it does seem rather hard to achieve, it is not utterly impossible. Believe it or not, all it takes is some careful organization, taking a few pre-planned days of work, packing the basic essentials and following some of these riveting activities in order to spend quality family time out in the open.
- Play engaging backyard games
Very often there is no need to travel distances in order to unwind and have a tranquil and engaging time with your family. On the contrary, all it takes is going out to your backyard. Nature is all around us, and if we embrace that notion, so will our children. Therefore, if you have had enough of hustle and bustle of daily chores after work takes a blanket, bring out the cards, chess or any other entertaining family board games and let your imagination roll. You can even play hide and seek or create your very own “backyard trivia” game and teach your kids about the importance of preserving nature and about some common flora and fauna species.
- Get your hands dirty
There isn’t a better way to spiritually bond with the Mother Earth, get a breath of fresh air, and spend lucrative time with the whole family, then by getting messy. Literally. Arts and crafts go hand in hand with nature. Clay, mud, soil, the entire surrounding can be your canvas. Go to a local park, nearby riverside, or to the mountains, and engage the whole family to get creative. Boost your kids’ imagination by letting them build forts, houses, or some other mundane objects by using promos from nature. Sticks, branches, leaves, mud. The more they get immersed into creating something totally genuine, the more thankful will they be towards preserving the planet.
- Take a hike
Hiking undoubtedly represents an excellent form of exercise with the opportunity to explore the numerous natural gems along the way like waterfalls, strenuous mountain tops, scenic rivers and so on. All you need is to select an interesting walk, pack good walking shoes, hop into the car and get exploring. If you have an infant, for the ride you can find joyous car seat toys for the baby to play with, and for the hike bring a stroller or a baby scarf wrap and off you go. Hiking allows you to experience nature in a deeply profound way, to enliven all your senses, and embrace the sounds and smells of the wildlife. Plus, you will have loads of time to chat, sing songs, and do some pivotal family bonding.
- Go for the old-fashioned camping
The fun of putting up the tent together, reading bedtime stories under the flashlight and counting the stars before going to sleep get recorded in the child’s mind for eternity. There is something truly remarkable and mindfully engaging in camping. Maybe the sheer fact that you don’t have a TV in front of you to put you to sleep, or maybe the fact that you as a family need to learn how to survive without contemporary necessities. No computer games, no Internet, just you and nature. Camping can help you forge a stronger relationship with the family and bring you closer to nature spiritually.
- Plant a garden
Taking care and nurturing some other form of life can be very intriguing for the kids. They will learn the values of preserving the environment, how we all depend on the precious plants that give us food on the table, and about the magnificent circle of life. Whether teenagers or toddlers, planting a garden as a family will encourage young gardeners to see nature in a whole new perspective. You can rake the soil, kids can plant the seeds and later water the plants, and in the end, you can together pluck vegetables and taste delightful products that you have created.
Make your own scouting group
Scouting is the activity that basically compresses all the above-mentioned activities with a stronger focus on being environmentally-friendly. Being outdoors and using your survival skills to support your children in their mental, spiritual and physical development is what scouting is all about. Thus, as a family, you can go scouting where you wish and have amazing adventures together. Go birdwatching, make a leaf collection, go kayaking, explore the animal’s tracks and note down various flora species. As a family, you will surely bond much closer and create perfect memories.
Don’t get entangled into the busy lifestyle, and whenever you can strive to take your family to nature and do some mindful bonding. Being on a fresh air boosts your mood and enhances your physical and mental stamina and keeps you closer as a family.
