11 Fun Activities to Bond with Your Partner’s Kids

Building a strong relationship with your partner’s children can initially feel overwhelming, especially when navigating new family dynamics. The good news is bonding doesn’t have to be forced or complicated — it can be fun and rewarding for everyone. Here’s how to connect with your partner’s kids with 11 great activities.

1.  Paint Pet Rocks

Although it may seem trivial, painting pet rocks is a great way to bond with children. It’s a quick and easy activity, so you can work your way up to spending more and more time together. Painting rocks is also relatively affordable, as you won’t need much paint.

Make the activity longer by helping them choose and wash the rocks from outside before painting them. As you paint, you can talk to them about their favorite colors and what they plan on doing with their rocks to understand their interests and tell them more about yourself through your rock.

2.  Nature Journals

If your partner’s children love being outside, nature journals are a great way to bond with them. You may not be as outdoorsy as them, but when learning how to connect with your partner’s kids, it’s important to note they’ll appreciate you considering their opinions rather than telling them what to do.

Grab a notebook or journal and head out on a walk. As you do, pick out as many different plants as possible and stick the actual plant in the nature journal or write down what you see. If you don’t choose to add the actual plants to the journals, you could write down what they felt and smelt like so the children never forget the activity. This is a great way to engage their senses and minds.

3.  Go On A Hike

Hiking is another great way to bond with kids, as their minds and bodies will be engaged the entire time. An engaging and not-too-lengthy trail will make for a successful excursion. As you walk, chat with them about their likes and dislikes and share more about yourself.

4.  Play Hide and Seek

Depending on their age, hide-and-seek is an excellent game to bond with children. It shows them you’re trustworthy by counting to the agreed number before finding them and spending time doing something with them an adult usually wouldn’t. However, the nature of this game naturally leans toward younger children, so if your partners’ are older than 12, you might need to consider doing something different with them.

5.  Make Sidewalk Chalk

DIY projects are a great way to bond with kids, as they allow them to be creative and use their hands. Sidewalk chalk is the perfect DIY project because it’s something they can use again. The bonus is each time they use the chalk, they’ll be reminded of you, further cementing your bond.

6.  Visit a Science Museum

While regular museums can feel like an endless tunnel of boredom for children, science museums offer a different experience. They’re often much more interactive, so find one in your area and make a day of it. After visiting, you can grab a bite to eat and chat about everything you learned, allowing you to bond.

7.  Make Personal Care Fun

By engaging in personal hygiene activities with your partner’s kids, you can teach them something as you bond, helping them feel more trusting of you. Make it fun by asking them to sing a song as they brush their teeth and try to guess what it is.

You could also get some movement in while ensuring they brush for two minutes by having a dance party. For younger kids, there find two-minute songs about hygiene online, while you can ask older ones about their current favorites.

To ensure this activity is as beneficial to their health as it is to their minds, ensure their toothpaste contains ingredients like calcium carbonate, silicate and humectants. You can even teach them what to look out for on product labels so they can pick up this healthy habit early.

8.  DIY Bath Bombs

Another DIY project that’s a perfect way to bond with your partner’s children is making bath bombs. You can get to know them through their preferences in scents, colors and combinations.

They’ll also be able to ask you for help achieving their desired results, enabling you to bond with them more easily and quickly. Ask them about what they like as you build the bath bombs for a deeper conversation.

9.  Go to the Library

If your partner’s kids are less outdoorsy and prefer reading and stories more, you can take them to the library to get to know them through their book preferences. Younger children might even enjoy being read to in the library, which will deepen your bond with them. You can also choose some of your favorite childhood stories to read to them so they can get to know you.

10.  Dye Your Hair

No matter their age, many kids take great pleasure in dyeing their hair. A temporary dye can be a fun way to bond. They’ll appreciate the novelty of being allowed to dye their hair and will remember you dyeing it a crazy color. Not only that, but it might promote their self-confidence and agency.

11. DIY Bath Paint

This is definitely an activity for younger children, but bath painting is a great way to bond with them, as you’ll give them a way to make an otherwise dull task fun. You will get to know your partner’s kids’ personalities and interests more through the colors they choose and how they mix the concoction.

Explore How to Connect With Your Partner’s Kids to Create a Bond for the Ages

Bonding with your partner’s children can be daunting no matter how old they are. However, by engaging in age-appropriate activities that stimulate their minds and engage their bodies and senses, you can connect with them meaningfully and lovingly.

Taking the time to understand their interests and desires will help you to bond better and will be an opportunity for you to tell them more about yourself so they feel safe talking with you. Try not not be afraid of the process — embrace it and they’ll embrace you!