Regular
Agree on once a week or every two weeks.
Family Night & Activities
Make time to enjoy being together.
Family activity finder
What shall we try tonight?
Choose an activity that fits your family. Start with something manageable.
Your activity choices stay on this page and are not submitted or stored.
Children in your family
Today we would like to
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Start with a relaxed conversation
Tonight’s Family Night
Five principles for Family Night
Create safety and enjoyment rather than a lecture or a meeting to criticize children.
Simple
Thirty to forty minutes can be enough.
Take turns
Everyone can choose a topic or lead an activity.
Safe
No ridicule, old grievances or forced answers.
Fun
Enjoy playing together.
Real stories from Dr. Tsai’s research
A real Family Night story
Singing their way back to each other
A busy single mother wanted to do something enjoyable with her teenage son, who did not live with her, to restore their growing distance. He loved music and wanted to learn guitar, so she gave him a guitar.
At their weekly visits, he played and they sang together. As their voices blended, their emotional connection gradually grew again.
By beginning with her son’s interests and making time for a shared activity, the mother created opportunities for them to grow closer.
A real Family Night story
Friday evenings, shared snacks and lasting memories
After hearing Dr. Tsai speak, a very busy elementary school principal in Kaohsiung began Family Night with her daughters.
Every Friday at eight in the evening, she brought delicious luwei—Taiwanese braised snacks—home from the night market. She invited her daughters to take a break from studying, sit in the living room, eat and chat.
Years later, after leaving home for university, a daughter called and told her mother that what she missed most was their “luwei night.”
Regular, enjoyable time together can turn ordinary moments into treasured memories. Remembering love and companionship can offer support during challenges and remind children that they are not alone: a loving family cares about them.
Six topics for families with high school students
Choose one topic a week. Let the teenager help choose the order. Parents participate too; anyone may pass.
Gender equality and respect
20 minutes: opening 2 minutes; discussion and activity 16 minutes; closing 2 minutes.
Start
How would you respond to Boys must not cry or Girls cannot do that job?
Discuss
How can chores reflect time and ability rather than gender? How do we respond to hurtful jokes?
Try together
Take turns as speaker, responder and observer. Replace a stereotype with respectful words, then discuss chores.
Practice asking for consent and avoiding gender-based limits this week.
Career choices and goals
20 minutes: opening 2 minutes; discussion and activity 16 minutes; closing 2 minutes.
Start
What recently interested you or gave you a sense of achievement? What did parents dream of in high school?
Discuss
Which interests, abilities, income needs and lifestyles matter to you? What do you still need to explore?
Try together
Choose a course or career to explore. Parents listen first. Write one step to complete within two weeks, such as researching a course or interviewing a worker.
Set a time to share discoveries without rushing a lifelong decision.
Time management
20 minutes: opening 2 minutes; discussion and activity 16 minutes; closing 2 minutes.
Start
Each person names something they have struggled to find time for.
Discuss
How can you balance study, sleep, leisure and family time? Which distractions can change?
Try together
Draw a weekly schedule. Add fixed commitments and rest, split a priority task into steps and leave flexibility. Adults participate too.
Choose one small change to try this week and review it together.
Emotional adjustment
20 minutes: opening 2 minutes; discussion and activity 16 minutes; closing 2 minutes.
Start
Describe your mood as sunshine, clouds or a storm, or pass.
Discuss
What signals appear in your body when emotions rise? Would you like listening, company or problem solving?
Try together
Use exam stress or a misunderstanding to practice naming feelings and needs. Choose a response: pause, walk, breathe slowly or talk to someone trusted.
Name someone you can turn to and practice asking for support.
Friendship boundaries
20 minutes: opening 2 minutes; discussion and activity 16 minutes; closing 2 minutes.
Start
What qualities do you value in friends? Use imaginary examples without naming classmates.
Discuss
How do you refuse lying, sharing private messages or doing something unwanted? Can friends disagree?
Try together
Role-play stating your position, setting a boundary and offering an acceptable alternative. Adults share a difficulty too.
Agree to seek family or trusted adult support for threats, exclusion or unsafe demands.
Managing money
20 minutes: opening 2 minutes; discussion and activity 16 minutes; closing 2 minutes.
Start
What would you like to buy? Is it a need, a want or both?
Discuss
What costs should you consider before buying? Do you need everything your friends have?
Try together
Divide a hypothetical allowance among essentials, savings and flexible spending. Add an unexpected expense and adjust. No one needs to reveal income or account details.
Track spending for a week or create an affordable saving plan.