Families For Life | 5 Activities for Extended Families to Build Closer Ties

Some of us may have fond memories of growing up in the care of grandparents, aunts and uncles. Or spent afternoons after school chasing our cousins around old neighbourhoods. Just a few decades ago, living in large households or being cared for by relatives were more common.

While we may be living in smaller homes in nuclear family units now, there are still ways to maintain close ties with extended family members—and create meaningful memories for the younger generation. Here are some fun family activities you can consider.

#1 Start a family ritual

Gather your siblings and cousins in a group chat and start planning something. Someone needs to get the ball rolling and it may as well be you. Suggest the idea of a recurring event such as dinner at someone’s home every first Saturday of the month—give it a different theme each time to jazz things up. While at it, think up games and activities that everyone, young and old, can enjoy such as Bingo, karaoke or charades.

#2 Get sporty

Book out a couple of badminton courts at the most conveniently located community club and start forming teams. Sports is one of the easiest ways to build camaraderie, and you get to burn some calories at the same time. The winners of the tournament will buy the family a meal at the end of the day!

#3 Family trivia

This is great for large multi-generational gatherings. Designate your game masters who will go around collecting fun facts about everyone. You can take turns asking different teams (or families) questions about the others.

#4 Plan a family trip

A road trip to Malaysia on a mini bus or coach (if your clan is large enough) is the surest way to make some wacky and heart-warming memories. Plus, you can possibly negotiate with the tour agency for a discounted rate for bulk booking and customise different pit stops on the way up north.

#5 Have a monthly excursion

An outing doesn’t have to be fancy; even a jaunt around grandma’s neighbourhood could turn out to be fun—check out our Explore the Heartlands series for some ideas. When the weather cools down, you could even organise a picnic. (Your grandma and relatives will all be happy to contribute their awesome homecooked dishes!)