Welcome to a new edition of Family Fridays. In this edition and many of the other upcoming editions, we’re going to be discussing the importance of reconnecting with your family. In the hustle and bustle of the digital age, finding a moment of peace and quiet is so hard to come by. It can be easy to simply hand our kids technology rather than engaging in real-world activities that challenge their minds and engage their spirits. Each month, we’re going to be discussing new and exciting activities that you can do with your family to re-engage and reconnect!

It’s November, and that means that the holiday spirit is in full swing here in Central Florida – even if the weather doesn’t exactly match! Even though we may not be experiencing some of the cooler temperatures in the north, we can, however, take part in some of the best activities that get us and our families into the swing of the season.

I think often about what the holidays were like pre-technology. I was born in 1999, and even my earliest holiday memories include television, our old dial-up computer, and my younger brother and I receiving some kind of gift that required batteries, plugins, or some other form of updated technology of the time. My life has always been influenced by a technology of some kind, and these days I feel like kids have even more access to all sorts of online content and devices that eight-year-old me could never have imagined.

The amount of bolstering technology available to us these days can have quite the impact on the holiday season, especially as far as getting all that we can out of those family interactions. While the celebrations of the season are different for individual families, the feeling of closeness that comes with being together and present in the moment is something all families can relate to. There’s a variety of different ways families can come back together to take advantage of the warm and welcoming Florida holiday season, including the following suggestions.

Take a couple of hours over the holiday breaks from school to do activities as a family. This could be anything from helping cook a family dinner together without phones or computers, watching one of the many holiday movies as a family (Without phones! That includes parents and teens!), or going on an after-dinner walk. As the Florida temperatures plummet in the evenings, this makes for the perfect time to not only get your family active but also spending engaging and important time together.

If you’re not the cooking type, there are plenty of Pinterest ideas related to family fall and winter crafts that you could do as a family, from the classic Hand Turkey to making your own fall leaves out of construction paper. Though you might not want to use the internet through the whole activity, getting inspiration from others is a great way to get started with ideas and instructions for activities.

Outside of the home, there are also plenty of other ways to be together as a family. All around Central Florida, local places are ringing in the holidays with plenty of outdoor activities. Here are a few to consider:

• The Orlando Repertory Theatre is performing Junie B. Jones Is Not a Crook from Sept. 29-Nov. 4.
• Through Nov. 11: Volusia County Fair & Youth Show, DeLand.
• Nov. 3-4: 42nd Annual Fall Country Jamboree, Barberville.
• Nov. 3-4: The Fall Fiesta in the Park, Orlando.
• Nov. 9-18: 32nd Annual Festival of Trees at the Orlando Museum of Art.
• Nov. 18-Dec. 30: Epcot International Festival of the Holidays.

All in all, any activity that gets your family together and spending the kind of wonderful quality time that so many families have missed out on recently is a win in my book!

If you take any of our suggestions, be sure to tag us on Instagram and Facebook @nonahoodnews!