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Forget the Phone! 16 Creative Ways to Stay in Touch With Faraway Family

No family nearby? No problem! Your kids can still bond with Nana, Gramps and the whole extended clan thanks to these stay-close strategies. (15 Photos)

Patty Onderko on Oct 25, 2012 at 12:03AM

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Forget the Phone! 16 Creative Ways to Stay in Touch With Faraway Family

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How to Keep Your Kids Close to Faraway Family

You live in Massachusetts. Your parents live in Colorado. Your sister lives in Florida. And your in-laws live in London! Does that mean your kiddo can’t be close to all of them? Pshaw! These fun beyond-the-phone-call bonding ideas will keep your kids close to your family’s hearts -- and vice versa.

Tell Tall Tales
Make up bedtime (or anytime) stories that involve relatives. If your little girl likes princesses, name a princess after Aunt Robin. If she likes knights, tell her a story of how Papa once slayed a dragon. Even subtle reminders of family members can strengthen the connection between them, says Janie McQueen, author of Family Fusion: Bonding, Sharing, and Learning in a Hostile World. “Real stories about the person are great, too. They can be just as entertaining!” So go ahead and tell your kid about that time your dad mistook a raccoon in the backyard for a bear.