6 fun ideas to strengthen bond with your kids

Enrolling your kids in summer classes and keeping them occupied with storybooks during the vacation will help them spend their time wisely.
But, joining them in their endeavours will get you more `us' time and make your relationship strong. Here are some fun things you can do with your tots...
Get adventurous
Rock climbing, bungee jumping, trekking, biking, rafting these are some of the options you can pursue with your kid if the two of you are adventure junkies.Parthiv Painter, who has been attending freehand climbing sessions with his 14 year-old son and 12-year-old daughter, says, “I have been spending three hours with my kids every weekend, attending these classes. My son is quite gung-ho about adventure sports, and my daughter is also loving it. Now that we've had our training, we are planning to go for a rock climbing and water rafting trip. These trips, in a way, help prepare kids to face challenges. Also, it's fun screaming and shouting together when you are hanging 15ft above the ground, secured only with a rope.“
Get creative with them
If your kid likes to paint or make things at home, then join him/her. You two can spend the evenings painting or making those DIY bracelets. You two can even start making cute birthday or anniversary cards by writing your own verses and decorating them according to your tastes. Nikita Nijam, mother of two, says, “Every day , my two daughters and I sit together and make interesting card games. We come up with our own puzzles as well. The topic depends on their choice -we cut pieces of cardboard into different shapes and paint one side with their favourite toon characters. This keeps our afternoons occupied.“ You can also arrange a small party at home and invite your kid's friends over for a role play , and get them to work on costumes and props as well.
Spring cleaning in summer
Want to bond with your tot inside the comfort of your home? Then, spring cleaning is a good option. This will not only be a fun activity for the two of you, but also declutters your home. Start with one room and pull out all the junk that's occupying precious space in your place. General physician Raghuraman adds, “Of course, make sure you don't expose your kid to too much dust. You can also realign your books or give your kid's room a makeover.“
Make health a family affair
Working out alone can get quite boring. But, getting your kids to join you can make the whole exercise quite fun. Rohit Dhinkar, a marketing professional, says, “Every morning, my wife and my 13-year-old son got to the park near our home and jog for half an hour. We then do some stretching and my wife teaches us basic yoga. This is the only time I get to spend with my son because I'm mostly out at office throughout the day .“
Child counsellor Ramola Vishwas says, “Kids must be taught from a young age how important a healthy lifestyle is. They need not go to the gym when they are that young; playing and running are some of the activities that will help them warm up to the idea of workouts. So, when your kids have time this vacation, play with them. It can be something as simple as hide and seek and a game of catch or some outdoor sports like basketball!“
Explore places
If your kids love history , then exploring nearby museums and heritage structures are an option. You can even plan a weekend trip with the family to places of historic importance. Anusha Sidhwani, a preschool teacher, says, “This vacation, my 6year-old son and I've been checking out all the parks in our city .The idea is to spend as much time together as we can and find out little known facts and places about our city.“
Get pet-friendly
Looking for a novel way to spend the vacation usefully? Try building shelters for stray birds and animals. Animal activist Rithangshu Bhatt says, “My daughter, who is in Class 5, has been wanting to do her bit for animals. So, my wife and I decided to make use of this vacation to help her realise her dream. She's got together her friends as well and we've been working on building shelters for animals and baths for birds. We've also been feeding the strays together. It has been a fun and a humane exercise in kindness.“