Did you know American Family Day is the First Sunday in August? In my mind it doesn’t matter whether you’re in America or not; any day can be “Family Day” and it doesn’t have to be limited to once a year. You can make a day every week a fun family day where you spend the day together, do fun things, and most definitely enjoy a nice meal around the dinner table.
Family Day doesn’t need to break the bank. There are many activities you can do that don’t cost much or are even free. What activities you choose to do obviously depends upon the age of your children. Really young children are happy wading in a wade pool, or going to a splash park, and they love playing hide and seek or other games where they can burn off their energy. Older children would enjoy a family bike ride, a hike, or playing board games. And remember, all children enjoy cooking, watching a movie, or sharing a really great meal.
If you want to take advantage of Family Day, then make some plans. Set up a family meeting to discuss Family Day, especially if you have older children. If they know when Family Day is in advance and are part of the planning process they are more likely to enjoy the day than if you spring it on them.
If you have several children it can be fun to let them take turns leading the family meeting and planning the Family Day. Give them a budget, and some guidelines, but let the leader do the rest including delegating tasks to other members of the family including the adults. This is a good way to teach children project management skills and people management skills.
The important thing about Family Day is that it should be fun and fit within your family’s budget. And at the end of the day, don’t forget to sit down at the family dinner table and reminisce about your day! My vote goes to homemade pizza that everyone helps make. Enjoy!