75 WAYS OF EXPRESSING LOVE FOR CHILDREN by age group

Preschool children:

1. Color a page in a coloring book with your child;
2. Make greeting cards from thick paper and stickers;
3. Hide a surprise gift for the child to find;
4. Take the baby to bed on a bouncy bed;
5. Tickle the baby’s heel or massage the back;
6. Visit the preschool literature section of the local library with your baby;
7. Go to the playground together;
8. Hug him/her tightly and hold him/her longer;
9. Peel an orange (or other fruit) and eat it together;
10. Make shaped cookies and cakes together;
11. Let your baby put frosting on cakes;
12. Read stories aloud;
13. Have picnics in a beautiful area;
14. Chase falling leaves and catch them together;
15. Build a snowman together;
16. Give your child a special watering can and ask him or her to water the flowers in the yard or at home;
17. Hold your child’s hand when you take him/her for a walk;
18. Talk to him/her about different things that catch your eye;
19. Tell them about your childhood;
20. Ask them to help make lunch;
21. Give them your old clothes to play dress up;
22. Throw stones in the pond together;
23. Ask them to pick flowers;
24. Make an audio or video recording together for grandma or grandpa;

Children of primary school age:

25. Let your child comb and style your hair;
26. Check out books from the library together;
27. Make rag dolls together;
28. Put on a puppet show together,
29. Have a pillow fight;
30. Bake cookies together;
31. Let your child give you a back massage;
32. Cook your child’s favorite meal together;
33. Decorate your child’s bedroom together;
34. Ask your child about his or her day;
35. Organize a cleanup campaign around the neighborhood;
36. Organize a bike ride and a picnic in nature;
37. Develop family traditions of celebrating favorite holidays;
38. Help with homework;
39. Talk to your child about his or her problems;
40. Buy your child an inexpensive camera so that he or she can take pictures of the holidays as a souvenir;
41. Play hide-and-seek and find each other in the house at dusk;
42. Plan a special dinner on Friday;
43. Allow someone to help you with all the chores;
44. Go to a museum together;
45. Invite your child to choose a new game or construction set and play together;
46. Teach your child how to choose the right paint palette to paint nature;
47. Play charades and crosswords with your child;
48. Organize an educational hike in nature;
49. Play different games;
50. Put a large sheet of paper on the floor and draw something with crayons or markers;
51. Ask your child to help you plant flowers;
52. Wrestle with her on the floor;
53. Run around the field with a net and talk about what you catch or collect;
54. Make an album of family photos;
55. Rake leaves in the yard and jump on the pile.

Teens:

56. Go shopping with them;
57. Praise your teen for no reason;
58. Go to sports games;
59. Play board games with them;
60. Do riddles and crosswords together;
61. Write words of appreciation in a card for your child’s birthday;
62. Plan a mother-daughter day and/or a mother-son day;
63. Plan a father-son day and/or a father-daughter day;
64. Take your teenager to lunch at a cafe;
65. Make a video of the special events in your child’s life;
66. Sometimes just listen to your teenager without giving him or her valuable guidance;
67. Unexpectedly bring him or her breakfast in bed;
68. Invite their friends to your home;
69. Help your teen plan and host a “Back to School” party;
70. Show interest in their homework and schoolwork;
71. Help them with school projects;
72. Take an active part in their hobbies;
73. Give them a hug or a pat on the back from time to time;
74. Organize a hike in the woods;
75. Help out at a homeless shelter or nursing home together.