Below you will get a few ideas on bonding activities with your foster children. The activities do not need to be time consuming. They should be non-threatening for the children.

You are working towards your foster child feeling comfortable talking to you and giving her a positive experience of a family togetherness. You may not see a sudden change with her. The changes tend to be gradual.

Do not choose things that your foster child does not enjoy doing. This can be more negative than positive. You want this to be a positive experience allowing you to connect with her.

• Reading books together can bring closeness and allow some bonding. Even elementary children enjoy being read to. You can read one page and then they read the next page. This also helps the child to develop and practice her reading skills with your guidance. The best part is she gets to pick out the book for you to read.

• Gardening can be a great way for the child to experience nature and life. This can be an opportunity for talking, learning about the child and forming a connection. If this is something that you find that she does enjoy,think about letting her have her own gardening (even if it is just a container garden).

• Kitchen activities and baking can be a lot of fun for children and easily brings families together. This does not mean you have to bake from scratch. It could be as easily as making cupcakes and decorating them. Making and drinking hot chocolate is a favorite thing to share as a family in my home. Even the little ones can play with pots and pans and singing songs with them while you are cooking can create bonding.

• Going on a walk can open the lines of communication. This can also be a great stress relief for foster children. If you know that your foster child is getting close to the breaking point or just having a bad day, it may be time for a walk.

• Share something that your foster child is interested in. If she enjoys riding bikes think of taking up a new activity. If painting is something she likes to do head to Wal-mart for some paint supplies. A great way for the child to feel connected to you is allow her to teach a hobby or about things she enjoys doing. This can also help boost her self esteem. Even if you know how to do her activity, it could not hurt for a little refresher. It can be anything that the child enjoys doing, the activity itself is not important.

• Talking about what your family does during the holidays and asking her about her experiences can open the door for connecting. Doing family holiday traditions can allow great family experiences for her. This is an area you will need to tread lightly until you know more about the child. Holidays can also be painful for her, so be careful.

You can easily create your own bonding activities by doing things that your family does on a regular basis.

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