New Year, New Adventures

Forget about those old resolutions. This year, be bold and adventurous. Take the opportunity, as a family, to grow your horizons, to explore new experiences, and discover what’s out there.

Here are a few ideas to get you started. Have fun creating your own list at home with your family. Be sure to try everything, at least once. And enjoy yourself!

• New Food: Try a new recipe. Try it a few times…even if you don’t think your kids will like it. You may be surprised!
• New Hobby: Is there something you’ve always talked about doing in your spare time, except you can’t find the spare time? Create some space in your life for a new pastime.
• New Sport: Love of sports can start early, and many local communities have programs for kids as young as three. So have them try out soccer, or gymnastics, or hockey or anything else. Play family games in the yard. A little healthy competition won’t hurt.
• New Outlook: Find some perspective in the new year. Learn about cultures or beliefs different from yours. Read more about an issue that’s important to you. Talk to your kids about the differences you see around you, the different people they encounter each day.
• New Place: Schedule a visit to somewhere you’ve never been before. Check out a new museum, or restaurant, or park. Make a list and visit them all.
• New Music: Music is a wonderful conduit for learning, especially for young children. Find a new favorite song, or encourage them to try an instrument themselves…even if it is just a pot and a wooden spoon!
• New Tradition: It could be daily—a group bear hug every morning, family dinners, bedtime stories. Or perhaps weekly—special Saturday breakfast, family game night. Or maybe once a year—celebrate half birthdays or check out a seasonal event in your town.
• New Friends: Plan a playdate with one of your child’s friends from school. Give them the opportunity to play outside of the classroom environment. Who knows, Mom or Dad might find a new friend, too!
• New Book: We all know kids have an old favorite book to read each night at bedtime. Why not create a new favorite? Check out some options from the library and make a plan to read something new every week. Here are some of our favorite new books:
  • Dinosaur Dance by Sandra Boynton
  • Too Many Carrots by Katy Hudson
  • Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty and David Roberts
  • Secret Tree Fort by Briane Farley
  • School’s First Day of School by Adam Rex
• New Language: Try teaching your little ones—and yourself—a few words in a different language. Need help deciding? Here are the top six languages experts feel will best benefit kids for the future.
  • Spanish
  • French
  • Mandarin Chinese
  • Italian
  • German
  • American Sign Language
• New City: Plan a trip! Do some research or just throw a dart at the map and find a new place that your family hasn’t seen before. Pack up the kids and have a great adventure!