Family Fun Times

~ From the book “104 Activities That Build:” ~

Some families do many things together while others just seem to live in the same house but don’t do much together. Activities can build relationships among family members if everyone enjoys what the family is doing together. Sometimes people don’t realize that they could be doing more with their families, and their family fun time (or lack of) need to be evaluated.

Objective

To encourage people to build relationships with their family members through leisure activities.

Group Size

  • 1 or more

Who

People who could benefit from doing more activities with their family and who need to take a look at how their family spends their time together.

Materials

  • Paper
  • Pens or pencils

Description

Start the activity by asking each person to identify the people in their life that make up their family. For some people a family is obvious but for others it may be an aunt, uncle, grandparent, neighbor or even the people in their group home or foster family. After the group shares about their families, give each person a piece of paper and ask them to brainstorm and make a list of ten things their family enjoys doing together (anything from eating popcorn to going camping). Then ask them to look at their list and to put different symbols by each activity.

$ – If the activity cost more than $10

ยป – If you must go more than 100 miles away for the activity

o – If the activity brings your family closer together

๐Ÿ™‚ – If your family has done this in the last three months

Now circle you three favorite activities and think about what these activities say about your family values or lifestyle.

Discussion Prompts

  1. What do these activities say about your family’s values or lifestyle?
  2. Do most of the activities require money?
  3. Do you have to travel far for many of the activities?
  4. Do the activities bring your family closer together?
  5. Do you do activities with your family very much?
  6. What things would you like to do with your family but don’t do now? (you may add these to your list)
  7. Why don’t you do these activities? Would it be possible to do these activities?
  8. How can doing things with your family help your relationship with your family members?

Time Switch

~ From the book “The wRECking Yard of games and activities” ~

Playing in the backyard with a bunch of other kids or hanging out in a friend’s bedroom after school are examples of unstructured activities. Going to a church sponsored event, school dance or football practice fall into the category of structured activities.

Some people keep themselves out of trouble by becoming engaged in mainly structured activities while others enjoy the freedom found when engaging in unstructured activities. Helping the members of the group recognize the role that planned and unplanned activities play in their lives will help them make better choices in their leisure lifestyle.

Objective

For people to recognize behavior that is related to the use or misuse of their leisure time and to explore the difference between structured and unstructured time.

Who

People who could benefit from a more or less structured leisure lifestyle.

Group Size

  • 4 or more

Materials

  • Varies

Description

Divide the group time into two parts. Spend half of the group time playing a game that is led by the leader of the group. This organized game may be anything from a board game to a running game, as long as it has rules and includes everyone in the group.

Once the group time is half way over, stop the organized game and allow the group to have unstructured free time. Provide the opportunity for free play, by providing materials and equipment that are available in the facility.

At the end of the group time, gather the group together and make a group list of the good and bad aspects of structured time and the good and bad aspects of unstructured time.

Discussion Prompts

  1. Do you ever find yourself getting into trouble when time is structured? Unstructured? If so, why?
  2. What are the benefits you receive when you are involved in structured activities?
  3. Why is it important to be able to spend unstructured free time in a positive way?
  4. If you feel you should be involved in more structured activities, how can you do that?