Spending Time Together

Enjoy after-school time together with a few meaningful activities

Afternoons aren't just about homework, activities and chores. They're also about spending meaningful time together. This can be as easy as sharing a meal or as complicated as redecorating a room.

No matter what, having fun leads to good conversation and stronger relationships. Simple ideas include:

• Make up funny names. What would you name a spotless garbage collector? (Mr. Meticulous?) Come up with silly, good-natured questions and answers.
• Name new places. Take turns calling out a country, state, city or province. The next player must name a place that starts with the location's last letter. (New York might be followed by Kansas and then Sweden, etc.)
• Memorize items. Start by saying, "On my birthday, I got a _______." Fill in the blank with something amusing. Each player adds an item and repeats the other gifts.
• Stump the parents. Hang up a map and let your child quiz you on geography. "What countries border Germany?" "What is the capital of South Carolina?"
• Roll marbles. Place a small container, such as an empty can with safe edges, on the floor. Take turns trying to roll a marble into it. (It's tough!) Start with a handful of marbles so you don't chase one marble the whole time.

Reprinted with permission from the February 2011 issue of Parents make the difference!® (Elementary School Edition) newsletter. Copyright © 2011 The Parent Institute®, a division of NIS, Inc. Source: Cynthia MacGregor, 365 After-School Activities You Can Do With Your Child, ISBN: 1-58062-212-7, Adams Media.