Looking for more moments of family connection? Sharing meaningful experiences with your kids doesn’t happen by accident – and doesn’t need to be complicated or expensive. Try these six simple ways to build togetherness.
Why Family Connection Matters
Building a bond as a family is massively important to me. I want my kids to see us as a unit, a community, a team. But that doesn’t happen by accident, by luck, or just “because.”
These things take work and intentional parenting decisions – and in busy seasons, I tend to lean into these even more.
In this post, I’m sharing 6 ways I purposefully build connections and relationships in my family, with my kids, and between my kids (I love a good sibling bond moment).
I sincerely hope these ideas can support you and your family.
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Reading at Breakfast
Why is reading with kids always relegated to the evening hours? I’m tired by then. My kids are exhausted. Bedtime is chaotic. Sometimes, we are just getting through those after dinner hours – survival is everything.
That’s why I often read to my kids at breakfast. It’s calmer. They’ve got more energy and more bandwidth to be engaged. They’re contained at the table eating. It works for us and it makes a shockingly big difference.
Enjoying a few quick minutes of reading together before we rush off sets a connected tone that carries throughout our whole day.
RELATED: Wondering why you should read aloud as a family? Check out my post about why my family continues to read together even as my kids grow.
Connecting in the Car
Starting this with a disclaimer – I love a good screen time moment. This isn’t a bash at that tool when it’s needed. Unless it’s a road trip, we skip screens in the car and use it as connection time instead. The kids are literally trapped… so why not use this as dedicated family time when possible?
Connecting in the car might mean listening to a podcast together, enjoying an audio book, or just singing to the radio – these simple shared activities and experiences build togetherness.
I know that kids in the car can be frazzling and hard on us, and I’m not discounting the times we need screens for kids, but if you can, consider the car as an opportunity for connection – it’s not often we have the kids’ captive attention.
After Dinner Walk
Mandating a 15-minute after dinner walk is not only great for digestions, it’s also great for family. Making a quick walk around the block part of your family’s daily plan gives you a set block of time each day that you know you’ll get to be with your kids.
It doesn’t need to be far, it doesn’t need to be fast – it just needs to be something you can all count on to do together. Rainy? Grab umbrellas. Dark? We love our headlamps.
Bring a Game to Restaurants
Restaurants can be tough with kids – this isn’t shocking news. Something that can help is bringing a simple game to play at the table. Again, the kids are locked in with us in this space so we can use this to our advantage.
Playing games with kids builds memories, supports skill development, and brings a sense of community to your family. The next time you head out to eat, consider bringing a simple game.
Here are some that we like to bring to restaurants that are fun for kids and adults, span big age ranges, stay quiet, and can be finished before the food comes:
Eye Found It!
One of the very best card games for younger players that big kids and adults will have fun playing, too. It’s simple to learn, so fun to play, and perfect for tossing in your bag when you’re on the go. A huge hit in my family for 4+ years.
Flip 7
UNDER $8!! I am obsessed with this game. It’s a cross between “Press Your Luck” (no whammy, no whammy) and Black Jack. Rounds take only a minute with a good combination of luck and skill. You need to get as many points possible in a round without pulling a duplicate card from the deck. Will you hit and press your luck or stay and hope your opponents bust?
Sleeping Queens
This is a really fun game for the older kids (the box says 8+, I’d say 5+). The goal is to wake up as many queens as possible… but it takes a little skill and a little luck to win. Side note: I would play this one with adults too. It’s that fun.
RELATED: Looking for more packable activities for kids? Check out my list of travel toys.
Learn an “Old School Activity” Together
One way that I love connecting with my kids is introducing them to games that I loved when I was little- like four-square, hopscotch, kick the can, dominoes, Solitaire, and Rummy.
It’s partially selfish: I want to play these games again and now I have a built-in audience. It gives me a chance to “be the expert” which I feel less and less with my kids. They’re always teaching me new games, new music, and new videos, but with these old-fashioned games, I have a moment to talk about my childhood and pass on some of my memories from being a kid.
Chapter Book + Movie Night Combo
We love reading a family chapter book that’s been made into a movie. It gives us connection time reading together and an end goal to look forward to. It builds family togetherness.
Yes, it can be hard to find books that work for a range of kid ages, but it’s doable and far from impossible. We started this tradition in the preschool/kindergarten years with The Mouse and the Motorcycle, Charlotte’s Web, and Mr. Popper’s Penguins.
Now that my kids are in mid-late elementary school, it’s been James and the Giant Peach, The Chronicles of Narnia, and The Wild Robot.
When you’ve finished the book and are ready to watch the movie, make it an event. Choose a few special snacks, get cozy on the couch, and chat about any similarities & differences between the two versions.
RELATED: Check out my list of favorite family book + movie combinations.
During our hustle-bustle days, it’s all about finding simple ways to share experiences with your kids, create memories together, and build connection. I sincerely hope these ideas can support you and your family.
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