7 Bonding Activities To Do With Your Foster Family

One of the best ways to help your foster family bond is to spend quality time together. Quality time does not have to be expensive outings to an amusement park or extravagant events. But instead could be small activities that can be done consistently and together as a family. More importantly, these activities should be engaging and encourage communication with your foster child. 

Whether it’s cooking together at home or going on family outings to the park. Finding fun activities to do with your foster family can help build trust and togetherness. In this post, we share 7 fun activities to help your foster family build a stronger bond. Thanks for reading!

1. Read Together

Reading together can be a great way to connect with your foster child! This activity can be a cherished moment for children because it offers comfort, reassurance, and closeness. Not only are there learning and development benefits but reading together also offers help with developing emotional connections between parent and child. There are many books available to help foster and adopted children navigate and understand their emotions. Or visit the local library together and ask your foster child to pick out a book!

2. Cook Together

Cooking together is a fun activity to help form stronger bonds with your foster family and have a tasty treat! It encourages communication, following directions, and teamwork. Not only that but it can help teach your foster child some useful life skills! Many foster youth do not know how to shop for groceries or how to make a healthy nutritious meal.

Cooking together can help open up conversations and create connections. Don’t be afraid to ask your foster child questions! Encourage them to share stories about their favorite meals. Have they ever cooked before? What’s their favorite vegetable? (or least favorite!) You’ll be surprised at what you learn!

3. Play At The Park

The park is a great place to play and connect with your foster family! Help your foster family get some exercise and let out some of that pent-up energy! Kick a ball around or climb the monkey bars! Pack a picnic to enjoy after you’re done playing. Create fond memories at the park together filled with jungle gyms, swings, and laughter.

4. Play A Board Game

Plan a weekly game night with your family! Family game night is a classic bonding activity! Board games can help teach good sportsmanship, teamwork, and healthy competition. So play a game with your foster family and get the laughter going! Ask your foster child which games they would like to play. This small act can help them find their voice and build their confidence in making choices. 

5. Get Creative

Let’s get creative! Creative activities are a great way to help children learn to express themselves. Ask your foster children questions about their art to help create an emotional connection with them.

Here are some ideas to get creative with your foster family:

• Get your foster family together and paint. Then hang your family artwork up like a gallery!
• Decorate a picture frame together and include your foster child in a family photo. Put it on display!
• Do some collaborative artwork with the family. Get a big piece of cardboard and make a mural together!

6. Get Outside

Get outside and enjoy the fresh air with your foster family! Take a day trip to a nearby state park and go on a nature walk with your foster family. Or all out and plan a camping trip! Imagine looking up at the stars with your foster family after a fun filled day of exploring the wilderness together! Don’t forget to take pictures of all the fun and amazing adventures!

7. Discover New Interests Together

Discovering new interests and hobbies together is a great way to connect and build communication with your foster child! Sit down with your foster child and ask them about their interests! Are there any hobbies they would like to explore? Do they have any interests they would like to learn more about? Do they want to visit a science museum or learn yoga?

Then write everything down in a journal and brainstorm activities together that revolve around their interest. Remember to focus on finding activities that can be experienced together to help strengthen your bond! This activity shows your foster child that you care about them and that their voice matters!

In Conclusion

Thank you for reading! We hope this gives you some ideas for fun activities to do with your foster family. It’s important to help your foster family connect with each other and build stronger bonds. 

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