Families have changed in the last 40 years or so. In many homes, both parents may work long hours while their children do their best to keep up with both school and extracurricular activities. Because of this, family fun can sometimes be lost in the rush of everyday life while important bonding moments can be shoved to the side in place of tight schedules.

But there are still many ways that families can enjoy time together even with a busy lifestyle. By including fun, lighthearted activities, filled with some humor to keep it interesting, kids and parents can create memorable moments together.

Every family, no matter the tight schedule they share, has a day or two through the week when they can carve out a bit of time to spend together in a fun way. Setting aside a few hours during a convenient day of the week for a "Family Fun Day" can help keep each family member on track.

An outdoor activity that each member can have a hand in is a pillowcase race. Each member can decorate their own pillow case in any way they choose. Use king-sized pillow cases for adults with longer legs and medium to standard sizes for the kids. An educational spin on this activity would be to ask each member to decorate their pillowcase to resemble some of the fastest animals on the planet like a cheetah or gazelle. Players can read the information and challenge each other to answer questions on their particular animal. Whoever answers the most questions will earn a head start at the race.

For a rainy day activity, choose a scientific experiment. A messy but fun-filled experiment that teaches basic chemistry would be to make your own slime. The recipe is easy and includes a simple mixture of half a cup of white glue and half a cup of liquid starch. Mix equally, knead with your hands and allow to rest, covered, for a few minutes. The educational aspect of this activity is to show how two liquids can form a solid when mixed, while allowing for a fun indoor family experience.

A more physical activity, also good for indoor family fun, is a simple game of Charades. Charades can be made into a humorous activity when the subject is centered on funny family moments like when the dog ate Mom's meatloaf or when the washing machine turned all of the laundry pink. Simply write down these moments of humor on little folded notes and place them in a bowl. Each family member picks a note from the bowl and must act out the subject accordingly. This provides the family an opportunity to learn that even stressful moments can be funny.

Family bonding is a crucial aspect of family health. Including fun and humor in as many daily activities as possible will help to ensure that both parents and kids stay in communication with one another while creating an important sense of trust and caring among all family members.