3 Ways Families Can Promote Fun & Wellness At Home

If you're like us, you may be craving some new inspiration for ways to engage your mind and body while spending time at home. This may be especially true if you’re a parent or caregiver! Luckily, there are countless ways to keep your family active, connected, and engaged at home. Below are 3 of our favorite tips for engaging the whole family in wellness-focused activities, inspired by The Center for Family Engagement’s Family Guide to Fostering Whole Child Development. 

1. Try a New Hobby or Activity 

Now is a great time for kids and adults alike to explore new forms of physical activity. Try dancing, jumping rope, or yoga. Or, get creative and try your hand—er, foot—at a new soccer skill with help from our friends at the U.S. Soccer Foundation.  

Before getting started with any new activity, discuss expectations for behavior—such as following safety precautions and staying within the boundaries of the designated play space. (Tip: sidewalk chalk works great for creating visual boundary reminder—and sharing positive messages! 

As you learn and grow in your new skills, remember to celebrate your progress and successes, together!  

2. Balance Screen Time  

Our screens can be a great source of learning, connection, and entertainment. But as we spend more time together at home, we have an opportunity to embrace some of our favorite offline activities, as well! Try these tips to balance your screen time and support your family's physical and social-emotional well-being: 

• Swap family movie night for family story night. Take turns reading your favorite book or acting out the story! 
• Pair screen time with open-ended discussions. For example, if you’re video chatting with family and friends, discuss what those interactions were like and share something you learned. 
• Share your feelings during mealtimes with intentional conversation starters. 
• Create a device-free nighttime winddown plan to build a routine for healthy sleep. (Tip: find more sleep resources in our Sleep Number Sleep Smarter. Perform Better. resource center.)

3. Connect in the Kitchen 

Everyone—including younger children—can be involved in meal preparation. Invite children to help select healthy recipes and prepare food your whole family can enjoy together. The cooking process can support the development of planning and decision-making skills, as well as reinforce lessons about nutrition and healthy eating.  

Ways younger children can help: 

• Sort and put away groceries 
• Select which vegetables or fruit to include in a meal  
• Set the table before a meal begins 
• Help plant a family herb or vegetable garden 

Ways older children and teens can help: 

• Lead the family in the steps to plan a meal. 
• Chop vegetables for snacking or cooking 
• Help plant a family herb or vegetable garden 

Now that you’ve seen our favorite tips, it’s time for you to share yours! What wellness-focused activities are you trying at home? Snap a photo and tag us on Twitter using @HealthierGen. 

Then, learn more about the role of family engagement in whole child education or discover more family engagement resources in the Kohl’s Healthy at Home resource hub.