1 . How to organize your free time with your family

The following tips can help you schedule for fun family activities.

    1     Most cities and towns have well-maintained websites listing free and cheap activities for families. You can also find coupons (优惠券) for local museums and restaurants. If you can’t think of anything to do with your children, look on that website for inspiration.

Do something outside. Between school and working, the chances are good that you and your child spend a lot of time inside. Improve your health and your mood by spending time outside together.     2    

Take your kids to a competitive event. Competitive events are exciting to attend and might promote a lifelong liking in your child.     3     For example, if you both enjoy Bruce Lee’s movies, attend a martial arts competition.

Take advantage of Saturdays. If you don’t work on Saturdays, set that day aside for family activities.     4     Alternatively, go on a day trip to a nearby tourist location. This will get your kids out of the house and teach them about their community.

Create a comfortable relaxing space for teenagers.     5     However, you probably still want to spend quality time with your child. To do so, create a welcoming, comfortable space that’s perfect for hanging out and talking. In this spot, you and your teenager can have a snack, do homework, or just chat.

3 . Outdoor play is beneficial for children beyond the physical activity it provides. It helps them socialize, understand their bodies better, engage in imaginative play and enjoy the outdoors.     1     However, in today’s busy world, it can be difficult to schedule so much outdoor time with your child. But, it is something you should prioritize because it is really important.

First, physical activity improves the health of your child. It reduces the likelihood of obesity(肥胖)and weight-related health concerns．    2       Outdoor play also improves mental health as a result of physical activity.

    3     Scheduling time to actively play outdoors sets a natural limit on the amount of time your child can spend with a device (such as TV, smartphone or video game). It promotes active engagement with their peers(同龄人)and the natural environment.

Furthermore, outdoor play can improve sleep, mood and social skills. Physical activity during the day helps children sleep better at night.    4     Perhaps the greatest health benefit is in a child’s ability to learn how to engage with others while having fun. It helps them grow socially, build relationships and solve problems.

Knowing why outside play is important to your child’ s development is the first step.     5     To find ideas for places you could go and activities you may want to try with your family, visit your local parks and recreation website or the visitor centers of towns and cities near where you live. Look for things like public parks, zoos, botanical gardens and wildlife centers.

4 . Traveling is a unique experience and it helps us forget about our problems, frustrations, and fears at home. During our journey, we explore new places, cultures, cuisines, traditions, and ways of living.     1     This is why traveling is such an invaluable life experience.

If you remain in your hometown or country for your whole life, it’s hard to fully understand the world.     2     Being exposed to other cultures allows us to become open-minded and understand that even though we appear to be different, we also have many similarities.

    3     By traveling, we get to experience how people around the world live their lives. We learn where their priorities (最重要的事) lie and how they view family, work, education, the environment, etc. This may question and influence our own ideas and beliefs on how to live life.

Traveling makes meeting new people very easy. We are constantly surrounded by other people, whether we find ourselves in a hotel bar or on an excursion (远足).     4     We also often have similar interests and values, making the conversation flow more easily.

Traveling often involves stepping out of our comfort zone and experiencing new things. These new experiences help us grow on a personal level.     5     By dealing with these situations, you will discover your own strengths, weaknesses, likes, dislikes, etc. This self-awareness is important to your personal growth and discovering who you really are.

5 . If you’d like to have a group of family and friends over on the weekend, consider hosting a game-day party. This is an event when people come together to watch a sport, often college or professional football.     1     Here’s what you need to know to plan a great game-day party at your home.

Ask a parent to help you look online for the game schedule of your favorite team.     2     You also may want to choose an afternoon game instead of an evening game, which can end late.

Make a list of who you want to invite, then ask a parent to help you reach out to ask them. You and your family could also invite another family if your parent wants to take part in the party too.     3     This way people can chat and enjoy some food before the game begins. It can also be fun to watch the pregame when the players are announced.

As the host of the party, you can decide what kind of food to serve. You could provide the main course and then ask guests to bring snacks and sweets.     4     Have water and other drinks on hand or ask people to bring reusable water bottles.

    5     A few ideas: Use paper to make paper chains in the colors of the two teams playing and hang them around the room. Cut football shapes out of brown paper or cardboard and write messages on them, such as “Go Team” or “Touchdown”, and hang them around the room.

6 . There is something magical about hiking. Whether you’re a seasoned hiker or new to the trails, hiking offers lots of benefits for mind, body and soul.     1    

Boost physical fitness.    2     Although other forms of exercise are great for your health, hiking has benefits that can’t be replaced by a bike. Hiking builds muscle strength. So, not only will you enjoy the great outdoors, you will also improve your health.

Improve mental well-being. Hiking has a profound impact on your mental well-being, offering a much needed break from the stresses of daily life.    3    

In addition to the fun and enjoyment you can experience, there are other real benefits you can start to observe.

    4     Hiking provides a wonderful opportunity for strengthening social connections and training a sense of community. Whether you go on a hike with friends or join a hiking group, the shared experiences can be highly beneficial and can create wonderful shared memories. Hiking is hard, but it maintains your motivation. So grab a friend or join a local hiking group, and experience the joy of connecting with others while exploring nature.

Improve cognitive (认知的) function. An amazing added benefit to hiking is improved cognitive function. Engaging in physical activity while being surrounded by nature stimulates the brain, leading it to improve focus, creativity and problem-solving skills. Spending time in nature can improve cognitive function and attention span.    5     A drop in spending time in nature and in physical activity can possibly cause a cognitive decline. Who knew that the sensory experiences that you encounter during hiking could help you gain clarity and peace of mind?

7 . Tips for First-Time Campers

Nature provides for us in a variety of ways, whether we recognize these gifts or not. But nature isn’t just there for us to explore.     1    

While the saying “always be prepared” is a noble enough guideline for activities like hiking and camping, sometimes, less is more. But depending on the area where you’re staying, the weather can be unpredictable,     2    . Having a simple repair kit and a first-aid kit may save you from minor headaches and injuries, as will doing your homework when planning where to go and what to take camping.

If you’re hiking, be sure to bring plenty of clean water along, as well as nutritious foods to keep you going. For coffee, cheap instant coffee packets can lessen the mess. You may also be able to use running water or river stones to keep items cooler longer (or simply use a thermos).

Become familiar with different trees and what they offer. Some trees provide wood that’s good for whittling and making walking sticks and canes. Some wood is good for starting fires, while other wood is good for keeping them going.     3    . You can use pine needles in tea or rub them on your skin if you’re trying to be stealthy while hunting deer. If you spot elm trees near a creek or river, you may be able to find the famous morel mushroom nearby — just make sure you can positively identify the mushroom or are with someone who can!

    4    . Some places charge a small fee to park or camp or they require conservation fees to keep the area clean. Depending on where you live, you may want to invest in a metal detector or a boat for a bit of additional fun. You can also purchase a fishing license, which helps keep areas clean and lakes and rivers stocked with fish.

I don’t like to hunt or party; I enjoy simply sitting on a sand bar at dawn, watching the mist rise from the water. I see and hear all kinds of wildlife, such as deer, owls, bats, birds, squirrels, and beavers. I listen for the beavers making splashes at night with their wide, flat tails. I hear coyotes howling at night too. I’ve seen cottonmouth snakes and even panther tracks! I love the serenity and the small thrills, the kinds of experiences I wouldn’t trade for anything in the world.

8 . Over a period of intervention of creative activities, the mean appetite score increased from 49 to 60 in the poorly developed children and was associated with increased food consumption. Specifically, both egg and milk consumption increased.     1    

Creative activities like baking, knitting, paper folding or building blocks contribute to an overall sense of well-being. There’s a stress relief that people get from having some kind of an outlet and a way to express themselves.     2     Children become more involved and stay energetic and focused.

    3     It often relies on very exact measurements. You have to add ingredients in the correct order or your profiteroles(泡芙) won’t rise, or your cookies will be unpleasantly wet and soft. Having complete focus on a recipe and not allowing yourself to be distracted by your thoughts can have a calm and relaxing effect.

In other words, most of the decisions have already been made for you.     4     It keeps your mind away from the stressors and anxieties of your life outside the kitchen.

Basically, baking is a minor achievement that you can use to visualize a happy moment in the future, when the cookies, bread, or cake is finished, delicious, and being shared with family or friends.     5     You feel like you’ve done something good for the world, which perhaps increases your meaning in life and connection with other people.

There are endless fresh and creative activities for kids like baking. They take wisdom to develop and employ.

10 . Spending time with your families outdoors can help develop meaningful bonds, encourage love and affection, reduce stress, and can improve academic performance in children. Since you can enjoy nature and all the benefits,     1    

Go to a park. Do an online search to find local parks. Whether it’s a smaller local park or a larger national park, a day-trip is an excellent way to spend a couple of hours outdoors with your family.     2    

    3     Instead of going to a theme park, consider going fishing, hiking or camping instead. Enjoy the natural beauty with your family instead. Some great nature-oriented vacations in the United States include the Grand Canyon, Kauai, Jackson Hole, and Lake Tahoe.

Play a game or sport outdoors. Discover which games that your children like to play the most, and make it a habit of playing them outside.     4     Outdoor sports and games include basketball, baseball, football, soccer, and lacrosse.

Take walks with the family.     5     Plan a 20-minute walk and have everyone in the family turn off their cell phones. The more you walk together, the more natural it will feel and it will encourage everyone in the family to spend more time outdoors. A great time to schedule a walk is right after dinner or before you take your children to school.