Parent-Child Activities for Older Children
Family Programs for Elementary School Aged Kids
Oct 25, 2009
To many parents the world of parent-child classes revolves around the toddler or preschool age group. Mommy and me classes or group music programs are a frequent staple in the family activity paradigm. In contrast, school aged children are often enrolled in child only classes or sports activities. This article contains suggestions and ideas for participating in parent-child classes with the older child.
Parental Involvement in the Early Years
Parental involvement is crucial to the development of the child. This means that parents and families should get (and stay) involved with the child’s life from the beginning, and continuing on through the life span.
It is often easy to become involved in a very young child’s life. An infant or a toddler is dependant on the parents for everything from basic needs to setting up a social calendar filled with classes or playdates. Organizations from community centers to major museums cater to this age group by providing a bounty of parent-child classes and programs.
Elementary School Aged Children and Family Involvement
In contrast to the infant/toddler (or even preschooler) age group, grade school aged children are taking budding steps towards independence. This may include (depending on age) a higher frequency of playing at the house of a friend, enrolling in sports activities, sleepovers, summer camps, or other after school (non-parent) activities.
Helping a child to become a mature, independent person is certainly part of the parental responsibility that comes with raising a happy, healthy individual. This does not mean that parents should simply sit back and allow children to participate in child only activities. There are a number of programs and activities that can be beneficial to strengthening the parent-child relationship for families with older children.
Parent-Child Activities for Families of Grade School Aged Children
Family organized activities can be a great way to increase parent-child involvement. These activities can take the form of organized classes or can be less structured family created fun. Examples of kids activities that may be helpful in promoting the parent-child relationship include (but are not limited to):
- Arts and Crafts Activities: Choose a craft project that involves each family member. Select a theme based on common interests (such as sports) or a special event (such as a holiday). Make sure that both the parent and the child are equally participating. This means that the parent should not simply purchase and organize the materials. Instead, both the parent and child should actively work together to create the project.
- Cooking Activities: Parents and children can choose a special meal and work together to prepare, cook, and serve it. Start from the beginning with the menu selection, and then move on to the shopping. A family grocery trip is also a great way to educate children on health, family economics, and nutrition. Cook the meal together. Ensure that the child is only given age appropriate tasks. Avoid allowing younger children to use any sharp implement or use gas, electric, or other heated appliances. Children should not be permitted to use a stove, oven, or other such appliance, and should never be left unsupervised. Kitchen safety should be a major concern, and a parent-child cooking activity is the perfect way to get this lesson across. Family
- Sports: Organize a parent-child football or baseball game. Even if the family is small, this can be a fun and exciting time.
- Outdoor Family Activities: A parent-child activity does not necessarily need to involve a great deal of planning. It can be as simple as taking daily walks together, going bird watching, or having a picnic at a local park.
Organized Parent-Child Classes and Programs
Although many organizations offer parent-child classes that are mostly geared toward the younger set, there are family activity opportunities available for those with older children.
The following list represents a small selection of organized programs for parents and older (elementary school aged) children:
- YMCA Adventure Guides: This program offered to parents and elementary school aged children (ages five through none) focuses on relationship building through meetings, campouts, and other activities. Typically, this program is arranged for father-son or father-daughter groupings. Parent-child groupings (termed Circles) are arranged by gender, age, and community.
- Scout Programs: Both the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of America offer an excellent opportunity for parental involvement. These organizations need parent volunteers to help out in multiple ways. Although scouting may not be thought of a strictly parent-child activity, it is a way for the active parents to spend quality time with his or her elementary school aged child.
- Organized Sports: Parents need not sit on the sidelines or simply drop a child off at practice. Many community organized sports such as football, baseball, basketball, and soccer relies on parent volunteers as coaches or assistant coaches.
- Karate: Karate (and other forms of martial arts) can be a family learning activity. Many karate schools offer family classes for parents and children to enjoy.
Parent-child activities can be an excellent way for families with older children to bond and learn together. Try a self planned activity at home or participate in one of the many programs offered by local communities or national organizations. This special time together can help to build relationships and foster positive development as a child grows.
 |
 |
