How to Bond with Your Kids at Any Age

This is a collaborative post.

All great parents want to spend quality time with their kids, yet recent studies show that British parents spend fewer than 30 minutes quality time per day with their children. However, this is easily rectified as long as you are aware that different kids like different things, and this is especially the case for children of varying ages. If you’re unsure of how to bond with your child, then look no further than this article! Here are a few activities that kids of each age group will love.

Infants and Toddlers

Kids at this age are relatively easy to please. Everything is new to them, so everything is interesting. Even so, parents should make an effort to provide their young kids with an enjoyable childhood. A study published on NCBI highlights how crucial the early years are to a child’s brain development. Findings suggest that an established bond between the parent and the child makes them more likely to grow up as happy, independent, and resilient adults.

One wonderful activity to enjoy with them is exploring the great outdoors. Once it’s safer to venture out, parent-child relationships can benefit from taking regular walks outside together, whether the child can actually walk yet or not. In fact, a 2019 study published in Scientific Reports found that spending just two hours outdoors each week can result in positive experiences and interactions — more so than walking around a mall. This is because nature relaxes you and can help relieve mental fatigue.

One way to reap these benefits yourself is to take your little tot out for a quick trip to the park in a pushchair. That way, they can soak up the surrounding environment, getting used to the surrounding sights, sounds, and smells in the process. And to facilitate this experience, the pushchairs on iCandy are built for leisurely walks in the park. They’re well equipped to handle grassy surfaces, making for a smooth and comfortable ride where you’re focusing less on pushing the pram and more on enjoying the walk with your baby. Keeping them comfortable and safe during your outdoor strolls can help them form positive associations with nature and, in turn, with you. It teaches them that nature isn’t something to be feared, but a safe space for them and their loved ones.

Plus, a trip outside means that you’ll be providing your child with a host of new, stimulating activities to enjoy. And as pointed out in our previous post titled ‘How to Avoid a Toddlers Temper Tantrum’, these outdoor activities can help distract them, preventing tantrums from occurring.

Preschoolers and Pre-adolescents

Once your kids start going to school, they’ll start developing greater cognitive functions. One way to bond with children in their early schooling years is to learn a new skill with them. Kids at this stage are experimenting with different interests, so help them explore everything from cooking to new sports and maybe even various art forms. They should be given a choice as to what kind of skills and activities they want to try, especially outside of their academic studies.

Another way to bond with your kids is through music, which can help children play and learn whilst also forming strong bonds with their parents. The musical instruments featured on Fatherly show that it’s possible to get your children to love music at any age. These include a baby drum set for toddlers developing mobility and a 4-piece drum set for older kids interested in taking their music to the next level. Encouraging their growing interests at a young age, such as by attending their recitals, can lead to a stronger, more supportive relationship.

Teenagers

This is arguably the trickiest age to deal with. Teenage years are when your children become more curious about the world and themselves. You might find that they enjoy spending more time with their friends than with you. Don’t be discouraged! Allow your teen to explore the world (safely, of course) and schedule in some parent-teen time. You could take them out to watch a movie they’ve been eyeing or to the concert of their favourite band. They’ll appreciate that you’re trying to get into the things they like.

Another simple way to bond with your teenage children is to eat meals with them, as this promotes healthier eating habits. Additionally, positive conversations at the dinner table can foster closeness among family members. In particular, teens are encouraged to communicate more with their parents, and this is crucial, especially since teens are notorious for bottling up their feelings.

Whatever their age, it’s important to maintain a strong bond with your children. This ensures that they grow up into happy and healthy adults. They might find it embarrassing now, but in the future, they’ll have plenty of things to remember and smile about.

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