Children, even more than adults, need to relax, un-wind and play.  What I wish to emphasize here is that although most children already play, there are different forms of play.  Left to themselves, children will engage in creative self play.  This type of play is wonderful for the imagination and to develop character, but children need structured and interactive play, as well.  Most children get structured play in day care or preschool environments, but the interaction may be limited due to teachers or staff working with several children at one time.  This is where families and hobbies can really make a difference.  Hobbies are great as interactive play and they allow you fun time with your children.

Besides being a way for you to interact with your children in a fun activity, hobbies offer other benefits.  Hobbies can increase hand eye coordination and improve manual dexterity.  It is also believed that children who engage in hobbies have greater self-confidence, achieve better grades in school, are more socially connected and have more positive family relationships.

Teens need to relax and un-wind, too.  Teens today have more hectic lifestyles and social pressure than most of us realize.  One article I read recently suggested that teens today need the time management skills of a Fortune 500 CEO.  The question is, if teens are so busy, how are they to add something else to the mix?  I think the better question is, how long will your teen last without having some form of relaxation or escape?  Yes, it may be difficult to devote time to their hobby, but once the benefits start kicking in, they will make sure to find time for their chosen leisure activity.

Besides the benefits listed above for children, teens benefit from hobbies by being less likely to get involved in drugs, alcohol or premarital sex.  They also are better able to deal with stress, peer pressure and they could be learning transferrable skills in a fun new way.

1. Talk to your family.

Schedule a family meeting (optional, but will save time).  Tell your family what you are thinking and why.  Explain your goal of reconnecting through fun family hobby activities.  Let each member of the family have a chance to express their feelings.  Make sure each person has time to really explore how they feel about this.  (TIP: Take your time with this.  Let each person come to the decision in their own time that this will be beneficial and fun for the family.)   

2. Discuss some hobby options you wish to consider.

Next, brainstorm some hobbies that sound interesting and your family wishes to consider.  Again let each member of the family have their say.  Make a list of all the options and put the family member that suggested it beside the hobby on your list   (TIP: A good rule of thumb is to list everything and whittle the list down at a later time.)

3. Research your list. 

Now that you have your list, it is time for the fun part.  Some people may not consider research fun, but when you are researching fun stuff…well, you get the idea.  Depending on how large your list is, this could take some time.  When the research is complete, have someone give a short summary of that hobby.  This will help with the next step.  (TIP: To further build family ties, you could have teams do the research.) 

4. Decide on your hobby project.

This is where you get to decide on your hobby project.  It may be decided that not all the family wishes to work on the same project or even on the same hobby.  You may decide to all work on different hobbies but just do it at the same time, so as you can be together.  Or you may decide to work on one project, but it is necessary to divide it into smaller sections.  (TIP: There are no rules here, except you do whatever your family decides.)   

5. Schedule your time.

This may sound a little strange, but with our hectic lifestyles, it is difficult to start something new without having distractions take us away.  This is why it is important to schedule your hobby time when first starting out.  It is even more important when you are using your hobby to reconnect with your family.  When setting this schedule, make it a time your family can adhere to on a weekly basis.  Once this schedule is set, make sure to keep the appointment.  (TIP: Make sure to mark this appointment on your family calendar so as not to forget it.) 

6. Gather your supplies.

During your research, you should have learned what types of supplies were needed for the particular hobby or project your family chose.  It is now time to gather those supplies.  Shopping for hobby supplies can be some of the most fun part of this whole experience.  (TIP: The whole family can participate whether you go to your local hobby shop or shop online.)

7. Start the reconnection.

This should be a fun and exciting time for your family.  You are starting on a new hobby adventure.  This may sound like an exaggeration, but you may soon discover this becomes your favorite time of the week…a time when your family can relax and enjoy each other’s company.  (TIP:  This type of family interaction often opens doors that otherwise might have been missed.)