Are you the FUN or UNFUN one in your family?

When we think about our own childhoods many of us remember a family member as being the go-to individual for fun and games… “the fun one”.   

Our early years services talk to parents and carers about the benefits of play a lot, and often these conversations come around to discussing people’s own childhood experiences. And what people tell us is, frankly, hilarious…   

We heard tales of wayward, wild-eyed, untrained uncles attempting tricks on skateboards, youthful grandparents with a distinct lack of respect for the safety guidance at the local swimming pool and bizarre siblings singing self-composed songs of made-up words that can still be recalled 25 years later… the list goes on.  It seems that most of us have fond recollections of the wild, interesting, compelling, bizarre and just plain fun relatives and friends of our childhood.  

However, as discussions carried on it became clear that for every larger-than-life uncle there was also a dutiful partner there to remove shin-pads and call the ambulance, or a quieter sibling who didn’t write the songs, but instead documented them so they could be enjoyed at future family gatherings for posterity  It seems that these “unfun” family members are the unsung heroes of childhood play, and can often provide the balance needed to ensure that, while fun still occurs, we make it through our childhoods unscathed. 

Have you ever thought about whether you are the “fun one” or “unfun one” in your family?  That’s what our fun quiz below hopes to find out… Simply answer a few questions and we’ll help you find out if you’re the Fun or the Functional one in your family!

Take the quiz

Help for both the fun and unfun ones! 

We appreciate that it can be a challenge to play– whether that is due to a lack of time, know-how, motivation or pressure to ‘get it right’. Doing so can feel like an exhausting task and help is sometimes needed to understand how to step back and let children take the lead.  

We are here to help. Over the next few weeks we’ll be sharing practical guidance from our child development experts on how to play – including how to find the time, create the right environment and deal with the inevitable risk and mess.  

We have ideas for easy ways to bring more fun and playfulness to everyday routines and, when you feel ready to take the next step, have created a series of fun, simple, low-cost activities that the whole family can enjoy (including the adults, we promise!)  

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