We have all been at the point – struggling to find the time to do it all. However, it’s important to keep kids on top of our priority list and spend some time daily to connect through play, specially with young children. Here we share several ideas how to spend quality family time with your kids and keep connection. After all, we don’t want to come to a point where our kids are all grown up and we wonder how and when it happened and where have we been!

There is only as many hours in a day and parents are often feeling spread too thin with too many things to do at work, home or with other obligations. And then there are kids who can hardly wait for mommy and daddy to come home to spend some time playing with them!
Set a Time Aside for Play
I try to find at least 10-15 minutes every hour to take a break from chores, work, etc and just do whatever my boys want to do. If that’s playing trains, great. Reading books? Sure. For that time I set a timer and disconnect myself from everything else.
Shared by Betsy, mother to 2 boys (3 years and 6 months), author at Betsy’s Photography
Involve Kids in Family Affairs
Quality time depends a lot on when you really are in a position to connect with your child. I feel it depends on the parent. I connect with my children through doing things with them like crafting or cooking. My husband on the other hand, likes to take them for long drives or read to them at bedtime. They like to cuddle in bed with him with a silly funny story. With me, they love getting a chance to help with dinner.
Shared by Ayesha, mother to 3 (7 and 2 and 1 years old), author at Words’n’Needles
Spend Meal Time as Family
Our quality time is meal times. We always eat together with no distractions from televisions or phones. It is a great time to chat about the day and talk about play ideas for the next.
Shared by Gemma, Early Years Teacher and mother to 2 (3 and 1 years old),
author at The Adventures of Meemoo and Pook
Turn off electronics
When you’re really busy and you have a million things on your to-do list, there’s a temptation to try to get them done when you’re with the kids. But they just get fed up as you aren’t really paying them attention. So no phones, no iPads or other gadgets. Actually be with them and spend that allocated time with them.
Shared by Dr.Orlena Kerek, mother to 3 boys (6, 4 and 2 year olds) and girl (2 year old), author at Snotty Noses
Make Family Time Daily Routine
Try to ‘schedule’ quality time if you’re really busy. Make it part of their routine, so you have some unhurried time together, whether at bedtime, or before dinner – whatever works for your family. Talk a lot during your time together, and try to do something your child actually enjoys.
Shared by Tarana, mother to 3 year old boy, author at Sand In My Toes
Connection Coupons
Even as a stay at home mom I struggle with finding time and energy to really get that deep connection quality time with my son. I recently created some “connection coupons” that I have been using on a daily basis with my son. They list a bunch of activities my son likes to do with me and my husband, and each day he chooses 1 for us to do together. During that time, I really focus on following his lead in our play, and keeping my mind fully in the present with him!
Shared by Sue, mother to 3 year old boy, author at One Time Though
Nurture Child’s Interest
We always have family quality time, our hard part is one on one quality time. With four girls and a husband I find it hard to fit them all in for one on one time but I do try to give it to each and everyone of them. For our personal quality time I take a class with them in their interest, we spend a day out together doing something of their interest, or it could be as simple as sitting down reading a book or playing a video game together. I try really hard to give them all a special piece of me.
Shared by Natasha, mother to 4 kids (15, 11, 4, 2) author at Tiny Tots Adventures
15 Minutes of Fame
We’ve moved around a lot as a family, and that has caused extra attention needs in my children. Something that I have found that really helps them feel like they are getting their attention needs met, and fits in with a busy schedule is “15 minutes of fame“. I spend 15 min. with each child, doing whatever they want to do, and talk to them about life.
Shared by Deborah, mother to 2 boys (8 and 6 year old) and 3 girls (9, 4 and 1 year old), author at Mommy Crusader and her Knights and Ladies
Daily Giggles
Even when we are totally over our heads with daily chores to complete after day at work, we do one thing daily to connect with our kids: we spend 10-15 minutes daily with giggles, tickling and just playing silly. It makes kids laugh a lot and it helps us too to relieve some daily stresses. After all it is said for a reason: Laughter is the best medicine!
Shared by Mihaela, mother to 2 girls (7 and 2,5 years old), author on Best Toys for Toddlers
BOOK RECOMMENDATION ABOUT PLAYFUL PARENTING

Play is children’s way of exploring the world, communicating deep feelings, getting close to those they care about, working through stressful situations, and simply blowing off steam. That’s why “playful parenting” is so important and so successful in building strong, close bonds between parents and children. Through play we join our kids in their world.
Find the book here: United States | Canada | United Kingdom
Reading Recommendations for Parenting a Toddler
- Establishing Bedtime Routine
- 10 Tips for Fussy Eaters
- How to Bring Up a Kind
- Tiny Bossy Toddler in Charge
- Parenting Hacks to get Toddlers Brush Their Teeth

I am always amazed at the difference 10-15 minutes with my kids right when they first ask for attention makes in their (and, by extension, my) day. Kids really respond to focused attention, even in small bursts!