When there is no hint or news of rain and the sun is out, prepare the meat, fish, veggies, and even fruits for an enjoyable family holiday cookout. And, don’t forget the grill and to tell everyone at home that tomorrow will be family day. It’s not because it’s a great weather, but because you need to have a little time to bond with your family. Isn’t a cookout a good idea to strengthen family bonds and enjoy a holiday?
However, if you would like a merrier holiday cookout experience, you can also invite your friends to join in and make it an even more exciting, fun and unforgettable outdoor activity. A backyard barbecue is best done and shared with family and friends but to make sure that this outdoor junket would work, you have to consider few things.
Planning. This should not be an instant outdoor activity. If you wanted to surprise everyone at home, you can stealthily plot for this event. Remember that family cookout is not only about outdoor barbecue and grilling. Be creative and think of some fun activities that would need everyone’s participation, like outdoor games or something.
Timing. The weather is good. You have all the materials you need for your nice plan. But the problem is, your spouse has an important weekend appointment or one of your children has a weekend activity in school.Do your best to make sure that everyone is present during the cookout to make it more rewarding.
Preparation. In any occasion, a good preparation will always ensure success. It is necessary to avoid missing the most important things. Check your tools, build your menu and other items needed, and make sure that everything is prepared earlier. And if you were not expecting some guests, just prepare food enough for the family. Marinate your meat, prepare your veggies and other ingredients for other dishes.
Children’s Involvement. When you allow your children to get involve in the preparation, they feel they are trusted and that they are responsible enough to handle tasks. Give them lighter assignments, like putting the meat and veggies on the sticks, etc., and let them feel a sense of duty. This is also a good way to interact with them and see if they would listen to you.
The Backyard. Check the area where you are going to hold the cookout. Set up an open tent where you can position the table for your dishes and utensils. Look for the right spot where you can also set your grill. And, don’t forget to bring your entertainment system outside. But make sure you still have enough space to move around or play your family games.
The Cookout. What else to wait for? Start the grilling or barbecue. Prepare the healthy and cold refreshments and other finger foods. Children love munching something while moving around and having fun. Let them help too, but make sure you oversee them to avoid accident. Eat while having a happy conversation with your family. Don’t forget to incorporate the games and make it fun and memorable. And when the day is done, help each other in tidying up the area and cleaning the dishes.
Family cookouts are among the many activities you can do during the holidays that could help improve and strengthen a family relationship. Having a regular family activity, like cookout, duck hunting, field trip, countryside tour, and many others, is a healthy practice to develop a solid bond and create wonderful memories together.
Brandon Peters is an entrepreneur, writer and a travel, gadgets, health, and outdoors enthusiast. He loves sharing his insights, knowledge and experience in different fields. You can follow him through Facebook, Twitter and Google+.
Image courtesy of Cedric Husler via Creative Commons license, some rights reserved.