With all that’s going on with the Coronavirus, many of us are looking for new ways to entertain ourselves and our loved ones. By now, you’re probably using one, if not many, of the ways we mentioned in our previous blog to stay connected to those who don’t live with you. While they are all great ways to stay connected, you may be looking for some ways to add some fun to your connectedness to your loved ones who live near and far. Here are some great ideas:
Family History Interviews
During one of your calls, whether done via video or a regular phone, ask your parent(s) questions about what it was like growing up. Questions you might ask are:
- How did you and mom meet?
- What was it like for you in high school?
- What was your senior prom like?
This is a great activity to get the kids involved with, too, whether they are young or old. If you use applications like Zoom, you may want to consider recording it. This way, you have a keepsake to listen to when that person passes. One of my most precious treasures is a cassette tape recording of my dad telling how he met my mom. My daughter had recorded their conversation for a class project. I ended up digitizing it so I could keep it longer, and it’s wonderful being able to hear my dad’s voice years after he has passed.
Family Game Night
There are several games that you can play that don’t require you to be in the same place as your loved ones. Some great games that work well with Zoom are:
- Charades – This is sure to bring some smiles to people’s faces. A classic game of charades is easy with any application that has video.
- Trivial Pursuit – You can easily Google questions and answers to ask your family.
- The Logo Game – Find a picture of a logo and screen share so your family can guess what it is.
- Pictionary – Zoom has a whiteboard feature that you can use to draw pictures and have the rest of the family guess what it is.
- Bingo – Have each of your family members print out the same kind of bingo cards and then have a designated caller. The caller can write the numbers on paper and draw them from a bowl or hat.
- Name That Song – Have each person play a portion of a popular song on their phone or computer and have the family guess it.
- Family Trivia – Have each family member ask questions that only members would know. Things like “what was our phone number in the first house we lived in?” or “what is Aunt Mary’s maiden name?”
Share Favorite Memories
Every family has inside jokes or memories that they love about one another. Consider getting together on a group call and reliving those stories. Everyone is sure to get a good laugh!
No matter what you decide to do for family fun, take the opportunity to do and ask things that you normally don’t do. Take the time to connect with your loved ones of all ages!