4 Underrated Family Hobbies

Spending quality time as a family is something that is very important to us. Fostering close relationships within our family unit definitely reduces conflict and gives my kids a sense of kinship. This sense of family unity has been shown to help with mental health, self-esteem, as well as setting a foundation for later in their own lives to help create healthy happy families of their own. According to All About My Child, "Children with happy family memories are more likely to create a loving environment for their own children when they grow up. Learning to work and play as a family unit is one of the best lessons children can be taught so they can develop into competent adults and parents."

 With the busy world around us, it seems everything is drawing our attention to other places. Smartphones, tablets, game consoles are the things "having fun" with our children instead of us. Even so, spending time as a family doesn't have to feel boring or be forced.  Family hobbies can be fun, adventurous, and engaging. Using hobbies as a family tradition, as Psychologists suggest, give your family something to look forward to and create a deeper bond with your children by creating fun memories to reminiscence when they're older. 

We have a pretty wide range of ages within our family. My oldest and youngest are 11 years apart. Here are some interesting, all-inclusive ideas for family-based hobbies you could possibly bring to your family time

• Gardening for the whole family 
  

One extremely underrated hobby is gardening. People tend to think of this as a woman's hobby, but that just isn't true at all. With all the awareness of environmental changes, growing your own vegetables and greenery is becoming more and more popular. Not only is this a great family pastime, but it is also educational. 

You will teach your children responsibility towards their surroundings and environment as they learn to care for plants.  They will also learn the importance of nurturing nature and where their food comes from. 

Communications manager Alyson Chorley explains: “Our research shows that gardening can help you feel happier, healthier, and more confident. It reduces stress and anxiety"

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/gardening-blog/2016/jun/29/gardening-makes-you-feel-good

• Family Book Club

As an avid reader myself, I have passed that interest into a few of my children. If you and your family are lovers of books as well, forming a family book club might be perfect for you. 

At school, my kids engage in a program called Accelerated Reader. They read books on or above their AR level and then have to do a test on it. Reading and then discussing books with my kids during our book club "meetings" has been a big help with their AR scores.  

Allowing each member to take turns choosing the next read is a great way to keep each member of the family engaged.  This also allows parents to familiarize themselves with what their children are reading as well as their pop-cultural interests. 

• Cook together
  

I'm sure you've noticed your kids "cooking" in the yard with things like pebbles, grass, and flowers. Kids LIKE to cook, so use that interest to help create some great family bonding time. 

Younger children can help wash lettuce, season meat, and do other similar safe activities. Older children can help cut ingredients or even make the whole meal by themselves. The main idea is to spend time together while teaching them to prepare food for themselves. 

Learning to cook is an important skill.  Cooking together helps your kids to learn nutritional habits while introducing new recipes and having fun at the same time.

• Volunteering

One of the most satisfying, fun, and productive ways to unite the family unit is to volunteer. Volunteering doesn't only set a great example for your kids, it also helps the community you live in. 

There are plenty of sites with information across the internet for volunteer opportunities. You can also call a favorite charity, hospital, or church directly to see if they have any needs.  You don't even have to be part of a big effort to do good. Grab some garbage bags and head to your local park, playground, or beach and collect garbage. Even the smallest of family members can do this. 

The possibilities for volunteering are honestly endless. As a family, you can make a difference in your community. 

Making family time a priority doesn't have to be something difficult to do. Finding engaging and unique things can be as easy as coming up with a list together based on everyone's interests. Listening to your children and paying attention to what really grabs their attention, then taking that and applying it to fun activities will make sure to keep interests high with your new family hobby. 

Somewhere there is the perfect hobby for your whole family and a wonderful way to create new, fun memories with your children.