Yes, 5 seconds and we are only down by one! They are going to do it! Moooooommmmmm! I turn my head to see what the cry for mom is about and I miss the game winning basket!!

Not this year. This year we are a family who gambles together! That’s right, in my family traditions post I introdcued my kids to ding dong ditching and this March it is gambling!

How To Involve Your Kids in March Madness

My husband and I love this time of year! We love watching all the college basketball games and how they all seem to come right down to to the buzzer. It has always been a way for us to connect as a couple and now we want to take advantage of using March Madness to connect with our kids!

We printed off the brackets for the kids and explained how to fill it out. The great thing about March Madness is that it is pretty much all about luck. This means the kids don’t have to be huge fans to win. They could actually win without knowing anything about the teams.

However, filling out the bracket is not just going to get my kids to sit and watch a game with me. No way. We need a prize. We need some sort of trophy! Something to display with pride in a bedroom!

We decided to create our own trophy. The kids are working on painting and decorating a cup to turn it into our own personalized trophy!

Next, we need a bet. My kids are motivated by money right now because they are each saving up for something. We decided to put a $20 prize in for the winner. If your kids are younger you can use prizes more appropriate for their age. I thought the idea of a service or small gift from PeachTreeDrive was a great idea! They had the kids pick something and put it in the trophy. Ideas like “give hugs” and “sing a song” were in their post.

Take Advantage of Teachable Moments

As a principal and educator, I have to add this in. Kids have a ridiculously hard time losing these days. I beg you to take advantage of this time to teach them how to react appropriately if they lose or win. Let them practice. Teach them the skills up front and show them what winning and losing look like and sound like before it even happens. Let them know it is ok to lose.

Plan a Party!

Who doesn’t want to watch basetball while eating a cupcake decorated like a basketball? Pinterest is full of ideas for parties. I will be planning ours with some minute to win it basketball related games and basketball related foods! Another fun family tradition in the books!

Do you have any fun activities you do during March Madness? I would love to hear about them!

This new family tradition is a result of my 52 Weeks of Wonder Challenge for myself to set a goal for myself to try new things I have always wondered about. Are you looking to set some new goals or try something you always wondered about? Subscribe here to my newsletter and get the free download of the Wonder Workbook to help you zero in and take action toward something you wonder about trying!