Why activities for communication building is important for you and family

Over the past year, we’ve googled at least a thousand times “home activities to do with kids”! You may think it’s to fill up the gaps between time, but it could also mean you simply want to get closer to your loved ones. Great news – you’re on the right track! Doing activities for communication skills as a family is one of the best ways to bond. The more we bond with one another, the higher our levels of self-esteem, sense of belonging and communication skills. Its no wonder that the more activities families do for communication building, the more confident the next generation become. There is a reason for this, but be prepared, it goes deep.

Why activities for communication building is important for you and family

Cornell Sun released an article that quoted Prof. Vivian Zayas, a professor in psychology, who said, “We’re social animals because we need other people to survive”. The article further mentioned “Part of self-esteem is not just how you view yourself in the abstract, but how you think other people value you… If you do not feel valued by your peers, that undermines feelings of self-worth.” To many this is an interesting statement that resonates strongly. Have you ever been to a team building activity, and were left feeling great? OR have felt worse, feeling the activity was a huge failure in some way. Now imagine the effects activities have on your children and loved ones. The best thing is, there are so many great activities for communication skills you can do at home, in the car, and even via Zoom!

Here are 3 activities for communication building we’re sure you’ve heard of, and 3 activities that might be new to you

The best thing about family bonding activities like playing board games, sports or going out camping, is that the social pressure is fairly distributed. Each one has a turn, and there are steps and procedures to follow, therefore everyone’s on the same page. Try 3 of the below activities for communication skills building and see what works for you:

1. Simon Says

Simon Says is a great game to play anywhere! We play this game a lot during our sessions with the kids as it diverts everyone’s attention to you. All you have to say is “SIMON Says” , and watch the room wait for further instructions. To change up the game, you might want to take turns on who the leader is, and ask them to use their own name. Eg. “HANA Says”. This will empower each participant to be leaders. If you’re in the car, the commands can be: “Say Ahh”, “Hold your breath”, “Hold hands”. This activity for communication is extremely effective as it develops both listening skills and the ability to give instructions. It also helps to develop your reaction speed!

2. Once Upon A Time…

This game is necessary to explore the imagination! It’s also a great time killer as it can go on and on! If you haven’t played it yet, all you have to do is sit in a circle and select the first person to go. The first participant will have to say two sentences, starting with ‘Once Upon A Time…’. Go clockwise, and the next person will need to continue the next two sentences, starting with the last word used. This game is one of the highly recommended games for activities for communication-building as it helps improve vocabulary, critical thinking and public speaking skills. Do be careful to study the mood though, as this game can also be a mood killer as it requires a lot more thinking than the usual impulsive games. We suggest playing this game late at night, over a cup of hot chocolate and snacks and dim light!

3. Lead Me Blindfolded!

We’re sure you’ve played this before. If you haven’t, here are the rules:

Create your city in the living room. Play with your furniture and create pathways and obstacles (safelty!). Create a starting point and an end point.
Get into pairs, and place one person on one side (blindfolded), and the other ready to give instructions we call the ‘Director’
There should be one referee to mediate the game and communicate what’s happening. This is a fun role!
Referee should count back 3, 2, 1 and the personwith no blindfold should direct their partnerfrom the starting point to the end point.
The first pair to reach the end point wins!

This game is a loud and high adrenaline game that also aspires to develop the ability to perform under pressure! To win a game like this, the Director must be precise, orderly, vocally strong and calm. The reason why remaining calm is important, is to empathise with the blindfolded, who is probably anxious with the fear of falling, or bumping into a surprise. Empathy development is the bonus skill here. The blindfolded partner will learn to communicate with their body language to reassure the Director if she heard correctly. It’s the same concept soldiers use to communicate with one another to confirm whether they received the instruction with “Roger That”, or “Repeat” if they are not clear with the instructions.

As you see, activities for communication are extremely powerful! In fact, activities for Non-Verbal Communication skills can sometimes be more fun!