Dr Lachlan Soper of Sydney, Australia Shares Ideas for One-on-One Time With Your Kids

One-on-one time with your kids is a great way to strengthen your relationship and create lasting memories. Spending time together doing activities that you both enjoy can be a fun and rewarding experience. In this blog, we will explore a range of activities you can do with your kids to create special one-on-one time:

1. 20 questions
2. Air Hockey
3. Backgammon
4. Bake cookies
5. Balloon volleyball (indoors, make sure balloon doesn’t hit floor)
6. Bike riding
7. Blindfold game (cover eyes and guess what’s in your hand)
8. Cards – eg: 500, 21
9. Cricket
10. Cathedral (board game)
11. chess
12. Coloring / drawing
13. Connect 4
14. Creating a marble run
15. Dance party • Disc golf
16. Dobble
17. Frisbee
18. Geocaching
19. Go to their room and hang out
20. Gymnastics in the back yard
21. Have them teach you something they know how to do, but you don’t
22. Hide and seek
23. Kayak
24. Lego
25. Marbles
26. Nature walks
27. Netball
28. Painting nails
29. Photo books (go through family photos)
30. Photo scavenger hunt
31. Play board games
32. Play instruments (or have them teach you theirs)
33. Puzzles
34. Reading together
35. Research something you don’t know
36. Ring toss
37. Rock Climbing
38. Rock. Paper. Scissors.
39. Rubik’s cube
40. Run
41. Selfies—using apps to make faces funny
42. Scavenger hunt (great party idea)
43. Soccer
44. Shoot hoops
45. Stand Up Paddleboarding
46. Swim – Go to the beach/park/pool
47. Table soccer
48. Table tennis
49. Tennis
50. Throw balls / discusses / shot puts
51. Touch football
52. Trace each other with chalk on the driveway
53. Trampoline
54. Tracing letters (on your back, then you guess which one they wrote)
55. Uno
56. Volunteer somewhere it’s needed
57. Walks / Go to a dog park if you have a dog
58. Watch movies, classics or cult
59. Word searches
60. Would you rather? (Questions like WYR eat a bug or eat a raw egg)
61. Write a story: you write a line, they write a line
62. Yoga poses in the back yard
63. 5 second rule
64. Play 15 (variant on tip and hide and seek)
65. Earliest memory. Scariest moment. Funniest moment.

Make Sure Your Child Enjoys Themselves

Choosing an activity that your child will enjoy can be a challenge, especially if you have different interests. However, there are several things you can do to increase the chances that your child will enjoy the activity you choose. Here are some tips:

Involve Your Child in the Decision-Making Process

Ask your child what activities they are interested in and what they would like to try. This can help to ensure that the activity is something they are excited about and looking forward to.

Consider Your Child’s Personality and Interests

If your child is outgoing and loves to be active, they may enjoy activities like sports or dance. If your child is more introverted and enjoys quiet activities, they may prefer reading, painting, or other creative pursuits.

Start Small

For example, if your child is interested in playing a sport, sign them up for a beginner’s class. This can help to build their confidence and skills before moving on to more advanced levels.

Make it Fun

No matter what activity you choose, it’s important to make it fun for your child. This can mean incorporating games, challenges, or other activities that make the activity more engaging and enjoyable. By making the activity fun, your child will be more likely to enjoy it and want to continue.

Be Positive and Supportive

Finally, it’s important to be positive and supportive throughout the activity. Encourage your child, provide positive feedback, and celebrate their successes. This can help to build their confidence and make the activity a positive experience.

Conclusion

One-on-one time with your child is an impactful and engaging way to strengthen your relationship and create lasting memories. Whether you are playing air hockey, baking, playing cricket, having a dance party, geocaching, watching a movie, painting, or reading together, there are many fun and rewarding activities that you can do together. By planning special activities with your child, you can create a strong bond and build lasting memories that will stay with both of you for years to come.