Helping Your Children Bond With Faraway Family Members | Drama Kids International

If you live far away from your relatives, it may feel difficult to give your child a sense of familial ties without having those in-person bonds to rely on.

However, with a little bit of technology and creativity, you can help your children connect with relatives no matter how far away they are! While children may clam up if they are expected to hold a phone conversation with a relative they do not know well, creatively using a blend of online and in-person resources can help foster those connections across the miles.

Make Authentic Use of Video Chat Technology

While video chats are a great tool for staying connected with family members that kiddos can’t see in person, for younger children, chatting can be a difficult way to engage them.

To bridge this gap, consider ways that you can make a video call with relatives more like an in-person visit, complete with playtime and laughter! Sock puppets and virtual book readings are great ways to connect on a more personal level without expecting children to sit and catch up like an adult would do on a video chat.

Consider Care Packages

Creating care packages can go both ways for family members and create special memories for your child with a particular loved one in mind.

Family members can send your child toys, games and other small items for fun, and you and your child can pick out candies, snacks or other small treats to send to the relative. Then you can schedule a video call to do a grand unboxing so everyone can share in on the joy!

Make It a Routine Part of the Week

For any activity with children, creating a routine and sticking to it is a great way to provide structure, and that can be true of video chats with relatives, too.

Make use of a calendar your kids can see and access, and pencil in when they can expect to hear from Nana every week. This gives them something to look forward to just like they would an in-person visit, and helps them feel in control of their childhood social calendar in a fun way.

If you’re looking for another fun way to bond with your kids, consider enrolling them in Drama Kids classes to give them a fun activity! Check out what we’re offering today to find a good fit.