4 Easy to Implement Family Bonding Ideas

Lives are busy. Families are busy. But this time together as your children grow is a shorter window of opportunity than it seems sometimes when you’re in the middle of it. It’s important to make the effort to bring your family together and build close bonds between family members.

I have 3 grown children. I did a lot of things right and a lot of things wrong. As parents, that’s how it goes. Don’t be too hard on yourself when you don’t get everything right all the time.

In hindsight, these four habits are some of the strongest bonding and unifying things that we did as a family. We also homeschooled and that was a big deal for us – but these four suggestions will work for any family, with any schedule.

1. Eat dinner together around the table.

I know it’s not easy in busy seasons of life to carry this one through. However, it’s important to make it a priority as often as possible. When it becomes a habit for everyone to sit around the table, it will become a lot easier to do so. Even if it means grabbing the fast food meals en route to your house and waiting until you get home to spread out the cheeseburgers and fries on the table.

You don’t have to be a fancy chef or set a charming table – it’s not about the food or the placemats, it’s about the atmosphere.

Sitting around the table together has a way of bonding families, opening up conversations, building relationships, and fostering closeness.

Studies from The American Academy of Pediatrics suggest sharing at least three meals a week results in healthier children.

Sometimes and maybe most times it will be easier to plop down in front of the TV or for everyone to retreat to their own room, but start implementing family mealtimes together and expect everyone to participate. It may not be easy at first if your children are older or used to a different routine. However, once it becomes expected that everyone will sit together (no exceptions and no excuses), the battle will diminish and eventually cease. If you stick to your guns.

Expect results and have faith that it will bring your family closer. Maybe not overnight – sometimes change is hard and not everyone may be excited about it. Also change is hard when you don’t know what to expect or do something outside of your comfort zone. And it’s not easy to build new habits.

Positive relationship building is not an overnight task. Don’t give up.

Our family meals always brought out the most interesting conversations. Speaking of conversation, keep it light and stress-free. Don’t criticize or use it as a time to berate or correct. If family meal time is enjoyable for everyone, it will be easier to get everyone on board. Also, your family will come to look forward to it instead of dread it.

2. Designate a family game night.

I think it’s really important to do things as a family, and outings and events are great family bonding times. However, game night for families is a great way to engage together without distraction. While it is true that you’re focused on a game, it is still a great way to build relationships and enjoy time together. Watching TV together is not the same thing, although there is nothing wrong with that and my family has certainly spent a lot of time watching TV together, to be honest.

I’m talking about old school board games here. There are games for every age and interest level. If you haven’t looked for a good board game recently, you might be surprised at the variety of games available.

Games take the pressure off of conversation and the individual and put the focus somewhere else while also encouraging individuals to work together, laugh together, interact together.

I have found games to be great tools to bond families, youth groups, and young adult get-togethers.

When my children were teenagers and their friends would come to our house, they could often be found playing one of our board games!

Pick a night of the week when everyone would be able to participate – even if only for a half an hour or an hour. If you can’t commit to weekly, or if you miss some weeks, don’t despair.

This is not supposed to be a burden – it’s supposed to be fun! If a monthly game night is all you can do, then do that. We certainly didn’t have a game night every week at my house, if we’re honest. And we actually didn’t even have a designated game night – we kept it flexible.

Adding a game night when possible is another option, as long as it doesn’t get pushed to ‘last priority’ and never happens.

Replace an evening of TV with a game night. Or have a light, only the essentials evening chore list to allow time for a game night.

Choose games that are age or interest relevant. Let different members of the family choose their favorite so that everyone gets a turn choosing one week. Encourage everyone to have a positive attitude about it and make it a rule that if the youngest chooses Candy Land, even the older kids will participate in support of a younger sibling. If an older child chooses a game that’s too difficult for a younger sibling, pair them with a parent to show them how the game works and help them make decisions. In this way, everyone gets a chance to play a game they will enjoy. If someone is too competitive, choose games that are more focused on fun than goals.

3. Read together.

I love books. You might have guessed this suggestion would be included.

I believe that every family can find a moment to read together. And I firmly believe that it is an activity that bonds families and has other incredible, positive benefits as well.

You can take turns reading or someone that enjoys reading may be the designated reader. You might choose to be the reader to get this tradition started.

There are lots of wonderful, classic books that would be great for all ages.

(For some ideas on books that any age would enjoy, check out this article.)

A chapter each evening is a great way to spend some time together. Trust me that this time together will one day be a memory you and your family cherish.

4. Attend church together every week.

This is an important one. Our children are accountable to us for a time, but we are raising them to go out into the world and make their own way there. They need more hope, love, and accountability than we can humanly offer them. Thankfully, we have a Father in heaven who has plans, a purpose, and a love for them that surpasses our understanding. He also offers them a reason to stay accountable, stay on track, and grace for when they don’t. This is a gift you don’t want them to miss out on.

Like any relationship, your relationship with God will grow according to what you put into it.

Let your children see that church is a priority. So often, we will drag ourselves to work, to school, to the ball field…but sleep in on a rainy Sunday “just because.”

This sends a very strong message to our children about priorities, whether we believe so or not.

And when they become adults, church will be as optional to them as it was when they were children.

If you want your children to value church and pursue a relationship with God, sit beside them in church every week. Without fail. Without excuse. Without hesitation.

I know we aren’t saved by “church.” But I also know it’s the best place to learn more about Jesus, the Bible, how to be saved, and how to grow as a Christian. If this doesn’t describe your church, then find a new church, just don’t tell yourself that it doesn’t matter whether you go or not. Because I’ve seen the results in my family’s life and in lives all around me: it matters.

Most of all…

Choose the ideas that work for your family, and don’t hesitate to use other ideas that work better for your family.

There is no secret formula – each family is unique.

If you want to change the world, go home and love your family.

Mother Teresa

The main thing is to make a conscious effort to put the work in to build relationships in our own home. Often, we spend all our energy outside those four walls and come home drained, with very little left to give the people that mean the very most to us.

As I look back over the years of my children growing up, these four things were instrumental in helping us spend time together, lean on and get to know each other, and solidifying our family bonds. Hopefully they will inspire you to build habits that create deep relationships that last a lifetime.