Spatial Requirements: Regular classroom setup: little or no space required
Activity Type: Movement/group
Grades: 3-12
Group Size: 2 or more
Time: 25 minutes
Introduction: Students can become even more plugged in with their families when they recognize the fun ways families can spend time together. This activity will help students recognize the role they can play in improving the amount of quality time they spend with their families.
Materials:
- 1 piece of paper per student
- 1 pen or pencil per student
Activity:
Ask each student to identify the people in their life that make up their family. Not all families are alike, and it is important for students to recognize the variety of people in their lives that make up their family. After sharing for a few minutes about families, give each student a piece of paper and a pencil and ask them to make a list of ten things they enjoy doing together with their family. Then ask them to put the following symbols next to the activities that apply:
$ – If the activity costs more than $10
m – If you must travel more than 100 miles to do the activity
🙂 – If the activity brings your family closer together
3 – If your family has done this activity in the last three months.
Next to each item, they should also write the number of times in the last year they have done that activity with their family. Then have them circle their three favorite activities, and write what they think these activities say about their family and their lifestyle.
You may want to give students a challenge to share their ideas with their parents. Encourage them to plan a family activity that costs less than $10 and is less than 100 miles, and see if they can carry it out during the next week.
Processing the Experience:
- Do most of the activities you listed require money? Traveling far?
- How often do you do activities with your family?
- Which activities do you feel bring your family closer together? How do they bring you closer?
- What activities do you wish you did with your family that you don’t already do? Why does your family not do those activities? Would it be possible for your family to do these activities?
- How can fun family activities help you to get plugged in to your family?
- What can you do to increase fun family time?