Make A Meal Together For A Fun Family Night

 

If you have kids, you know how wonderful family night can be. This time together is a way to reconnect after a busy week of running around. It can be all too easy to fall into the same activities for family night, such as watching a movie on the couch while eating dinner. While this is a relaxing option, it is time to try something different to connect as a team. Learn new skills and more about one another as the night progresses. Who knows? You may just start a new family night tradition. 

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Make dinner together. 

Taking the time to make a meal as a family can be laborious. It can also be a labor of love. Consider meal preparation and creation to be a family bonding experience and part of a family activity. You get the value of extended time with one another throughout the entire process from start to the tasty finish. 

 Go shopping for the ingredients for homemade fried wontons and the rest of the on-theme menu before your special family evening to ensure you have everything on hand before beginning. Depending on time constraints and the ages of your children, you can either prepare all of the ingredients in advance or make it part of the plan for others to help in the kitchen. This way, you get assistance and spend more time with one another. 

 Talk your family through the steps involved in washing vegetables, chopping, and measuring ingredients. They will learn some valuable skills, and you get to be their guide through it all. Even if your kids are too young to fry the wontons, they can still watch and learn from you as you prepare the meal. 

 Eat at the table. 

Once the food is ready, sit down together at the table instead of in front of the TV. Family movie night is always fun, but eating together and talking can be just as fun. If the weather is nice, bring your meal outside. Lay a blanket on the grass or set up a table. A folding table works well if you do not have a dedicated patio table. The point is togetherness. Put on a quiet playlist and enjoy one another’s company just as you would with a guest. 

 Meals are the perfect time to get to know one another better. Yes, you are family and already know quite a bit about one another, but people are nuanced, and there is always more to learn. Pull out some dinner questions and listen to how the people you love respond. You may be amazed by their answers, especially as your children advance in age. 

 Have fun together. 

When the meal is over, and everything is cleaned up and put away, it is definitely time for some family fun. The kids may be ready to get up and move their bodies after sitting for a bit. 

 When the weather is conducive, go for a walk and explore your area. Look for things you may have never noticed. Challenge your family to find the letter A in their surroundings and move along through the alphabet as you continue your walk. You can do the same challenge for colors in your environment.

 Staying in for a game night is always a great idea, too. Check out some board and card games from your local library, or stock up at home. Take turns selecting games or draw names out of a hat to determine who gets to pick what you play. Make sure the games are age-appropriate so everyone feels included in the activities. 

 Watch this video for some inspiration on family night fun.

   

 Ask everyone to put their devices away. 

Your phone is your connection to the world. It has absolutely everything on it and access to everything. It is also exceptionally distracting. You can still stay connected in case you need to be available for emergency contact - just silence all unnecessary communications. 

 Place your phones in a central location instead of in everyone’s pockets or on the counter in front of them. Directly ask for all non-essential notifications to be set to silent or away. This way, you will not be bombarded with a cacophony of pings and buzzes while spending quality time as a family. 

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 No matter how your family came together or where everyone is right now, there is always room for growth. Bring your special people together for an evening of teaching and learning, making and eating delicious food and family togetherness. Go ahead and create some special memories.