Finding activities for you and the kids to do together is getting harder and harder. Not only do we spend more and more time indoors these days (with the kids loving their screen time), but it’s hard to keep them interested as they get older too. The garden can get neglected, you never see the park anymore, and day trips are a thing of the past!
But you still want to spend time with your kids, you’re just not sure how to come to a compromise. You want to find something you can all do together where everyone can enjoy themselves. And we think we’ve got just the answer you’re looking for! Here are a bunch of different hobbies you and the kids can try out together that has something for all ages.
Go on Photography Trips
Picking up a camera and learning how to use it properly is a skill for all ages. Plus, it’s a great new way to be creative! Think about it; we’ve been able to draw and paint for thousands of years, but we’ve only had the camera since the 19th century. And it’s a lot easier to be hands-on with photography than it is to learn how to properly use a pencil or paintbrush.
Get a camera, get in your car, and then find an interesting spot to capture on film. Photography trips can take you all over the country, and even over the world, and you’ll have a great little portfolio by the end of it. If your child decides that this is something they love doing, they can even use this experience to further their career one day!
Get in the Kitchen and Start Baking
Baking is a very fun activity, and kids love it because they get to eat something delicious by the end. And even the act of baking is enjoyable; you can get your hands all sticky when kneading dough or rubbing butter into a shortbread mix, and you can use crazy cookie cutters to make fun shapes.
Even as adults we keep cutters like that in the back of the drawer for those days when we want to spend a cozy time in the kitchen! And you can find plenty of beginner baking recipes online for the kids to follow. Once they start picking up the skills, you can move into more advanced things than just pizza toppings or rolling fondant for cakes.
Learn an Instrument Together
Playing a musical instrument is something we enjoy at any age, simply because we’re fine tuned to enjoy rhythm as human beings! So if you want to get the kids interested in something a little more sophisticated, look into buying some instruments.
Smaller, more beginner friendly instruments like recorders and tambourines are good for the little ones, but if you’ve got a tween in the house let them try out a guitar or drum kit. As the parent you can choose whatever instrument you fancy learning, but make sure it fits in with the ones the kids chose.
After all, you don’t want to pick up a violin and spend months trying to learn it if your kids are already fluent in plucking ukulele strings! As for learning the instrument itself, you can use an app or watch a tutorial and pick up the basics from the comfort of your own home. But above all else, have some fun as you go and don’t be afraid to make some noisy mistakes.
Buy an Easel
Even though photography might be more approachable than painting, there’s a reason we still draw and colour in the 21st century! It’s fun to create, and it’s amazing to be able to set up a canvas and use it to make a scene come alive. So buy a matching easel set for you and your children and paint some things together.
Head out into the back yard and capture nature in bloom, or head down the park and paint the ducks in the pond. Have a laugh whilst painting each other and make some wild and wacky portraits to go on the wall. A personal touch is always a nice thing to add to your decor, and the kids will always feel proud that their art is hung up in the living room.
Go Cycling
Cycling is one of those outdoor activities that isn’t hard to master but is a lot more fun than just going jogging! When you can use a bicycle, you can go on long rides through the forest and stop whenever you want to sniff the flowers or pick up some interesting rocks. And for both adults and kids, that’s a fun activity to take part in.
If your kids don’t know how to ride a bike yet, you can use your bike to show them the ropes. However this might be quite the process so strap in! But once they’ve got the hang of it and are interested in continuing, you can buy them child friendly models and go on trips together.
Whatever You Choose, Go at Their Speed
No matter what hobbies you get the kids to take part in with you, make sure they’re happy to try it out and are given plenty of time to get to grips. A lot of the things we consider interesting and easy to do can be boring and hard for them, so always go at their speed.
If you and the kids need more things to do in your lives, make sure you pick up a hobby you can all do together. Activities like these are a good way to keep bonding as the kids get older, and they’re sure not boring either! Plus, a bit of time once a week just doing something that involves all of you really helps to break up the daily grind. Show the kids they can still have fun with mum and dad, even as they grow up and start finding you embarrassing!