9 Ways To Spend Quality Time With Your Kids

Engaging in low-tech activities together can foster deeper connections and support children's social and emotional development.

Mar. 17, 2026 at 12:04am

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Spending quality time with kids can strengthen the parent-child relationship and encourage children's social and emotional growth. Suggestions include having daily check-ins, using special rituals like bath time and bedtime, celebrating achievements, letting kids choose activities, limiting technology, planning family outings or movie/game nights, cooking together, and offering a "yes day" where parents say yes to their kids' requests for an entire day.

Why it matters

Research has found that quality time impacts the parent-child relationship, which ultimately affects children's social and emotional development. In today's busy world, it's important for parents to intentionally create opportunities for quality time to build stronger bonds with their kids.

The details

The article provides nine different ways for parents to spend quality time with their children, including having daily check-ins to really understand how their day went, using special rituals like bath time and bedtime to create quality moments, celebrating their kids' achievements and efforts, letting kids choose the activity, limiting technology use, planning family outings or movie/game nights, cooking and creating together, slipping lunchbox notes to continue the connection, and offering a "yes day" where parents agree to say yes to their kids' requests for an entire day.

  • The article was published on March 17, 2026.

The players

Kamala London

A developmental psychology professor at the University of Toledo in Ohio.

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What they’re saying

“Research has found—as far as what leads to happiness in people and not just children—that saying 'yes' gives a sense of control in one's environment, and children often don't have a sense of control.”

— Kamala London, Developmental psychology professor

The takeaway

In today's fast-paced world, it's important for parents to intentionally create opportunities for quality time with their kids to build stronger bonds and support their children's social and emotional development. The article provides practical, low-stress suggestions that can help parents strengthen their relationships with their children.