Quality time with friends is a way of building enduring relationships that offer you both fun times and emotional support over many years. Here are 5 activities that can provide valuable bonding time with your friends.
Camping
A holiday is a way to bond and create memories with friends, but jetting off or booking Air BnBs can be expensive. A less expensive and more immersive friendship experience is camping. One of camping’s biggest benefits is the camaraderie it encourages. Setting up camp means helping each other with pitching tents, preparing campfire meals and generally mucking in together. Cooking at a campsite is a communal experience but make sure each member of the group has a go at devising a meal and cooking it. Everyone can pitch in by bringing essential camping equipment or things that enhance the experience – torches, first aid kits, or games like bat and ball. More experienced campers can help the less experienced with pitching tents and getting the campfire going.
Cook-off
Take inspiration from shows like Come Dine With Me and give each friend an evening to impress with their cooking skills. Pick a theme or go for group favourites. Each host can prepare a three-course meal that acknowledges guests’ dietary requirements or preferences. Maybe introduce a not-to-be-taken-too-seriously scoring system to get the competitive juices flowing? You could even lay on après dinner entertainment as an alternative to chatting over coffee and wine.
Games night
Whether it’s board or video games, a night playing together can build camaraderie and even birth new inside jokes. Playing games with friends offers a sense of connection and belonging. Just make the games fun and make sure the stakes don’t become too high so it doesn’t get intense or overly competitive. Playing games such as online bingo together is a way of having fun and incentivising everyone with an achievable prize to aim for.
Nature walk
A walk is a friendship experience. There is always something to chat about and comment on – whether a passersby or local scenery. And you don’t have to walk a coastal or hilly route to benefit. Walk in local parks together and reconnect with nature while boosting exercise levels. Everyone involved will get a mental health boost from fresh air and the social interaction. You could even take a picnic. And just because you’re not breaking sweat, don’t underestimate the physical health benefits of regularly walking even a mile or two with friends.
Pottery painting
When you are unplugged from mobile devices, it is easier to be creative and enjoy each other’s company. So, get your friends’ creative juices flowing by pottery painting. Choose a plate, bowl, or cup and fashion a piece of home décor. When pottery painting, chat about the pottery pieces you have chosen and the colours and designs you are using. Help each other with creative suggestions. Whether you go to organised classes or enjoy the activity at one of your homes, it’s an opportunity to catch up, bond and deepen your connection as a friendship group.