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4 Ways to Make Dinner Time Fun

My kids are picky eaters, so I try to think of fun dinner ideas. One of our family traditions is to make heavy hors d’oeuvres for dinner every Saturday night. Mini crescent dogs are a staple on the menu. As I was rolling crescents around the dogs one Saturday night, my six-year-old daughter walked into the kitchen. She looked disappointed. “What’s wrong?” I asked. She started to cry. “I wanted to help make the dogs, Mommy.” I had no idea it was so important to her. I wiped her tears and put her to work. Now we have added to the tradition—she wraps the dogs every Saturday with a big smile.

Spending time together around the table is a great way for families to bond, share about their day, and learn what’s going on in each other’s lives. Try to commit to eating together as a family as often as possible—without the distractions of the television or phone. Make dinner time memorable for your family with these 4 simple tips and fun dinner ideas.

1. Choose a dinner helper.

Fun dinner ideas can start way before dinner. Each night, designate a different child to help with dinner preparation. Depending on their age, they can help chop vegetables or simply hold a measuring spoon for you. Helping with dinner will give them a sense of responsibility and will hopefully teach them a few useful skills in the kitchen. Plus it’s a great way for each child to gain some one-on-one time with you. Or let them bring their homework to the kitchen table and quiz them for an upcoming test.

2. Play a dinner game.

Are you trying to teach your children manners? A fun game is Pass the Piggy. Cut out a picture of a pig, then pass the piggy to whoever has displayed poor table manners (e.g., elbows on the table or not saying “please”). Keep passing the piggy until the meal is completed. Whoever ends up with the piggy last has to wash the dishes (or do another chore).

3. Share about your day.

Take turns talking about how each person’s day went. What was the best part of the day? What was the most interesting thing each person learned? What was the funniest thing everybody saw or heard? And what is everyone looking forward to tomorrow? Make sure everyone gets a chance to share. Or choose a topic for each meal, such as favorite book, favorite movie, or favorite ride at an amusement park, and have each person explain why he or she likes that favorite thing. If you’re stumped for ideas, iMOM has a ton of great conversation starters for all ages and topics.

4. Make food fun.

Give your kids a chance to do something creative with their food, such as painting pictures with food coloring markers on their sandwich bread, or making fun shapes (like bugs or flowers) out of their fruits and vegetables.

However you spend your meals together, make sure you and your family are spending time sharing quality conversations.

This article is based on the book 1001 More Things to Do with Your Kids by Caryl Waller Krueger.

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