Quality time is important for every member of the family, especially our children. Our family is our first ministry. You may be asking yourself, what does quality family time look like in your everyday life? Below you will find a few ideas for indoor and outdoor quality time.
Ideas for Quality Family Time
Outdoor
Take a walk – Our son Daniel loves to ask to take walks when Robert is home from work. It makes for some of the best family time, because we are outside exercising, spending quality time, and talking. I find that Daniel opens up and shares a lot when we take walks together. I make it a point to walk up to his school some afternoons to walk home with him. He will talk about his day, and feels like a big boy that he is walking home.
Play sports – Sometimes we’ll just go outside and throw the football or baseball. Other times we will scoot over to a field and play flag football, or practice hitting the baseball. Tennis and swimming are some of our other favorite outdoor activities.
Serve Together – You and your family can volunteer at your local church, food pantry, nursing home, or even library (depending on the age of your children). There are so many outreach opportunities. You have to find what works for you and your family. Our son Daniel is 9-years old and he loves to help out at our food pantry with us. Even if you have smaller children, they can help once in a while greet people at the doors with you.
Indoor
Pray & Worship – A family that prays together stays together. When your family’s foundation is built on Jesus, it will not fall. Find time in the week to be intentional about spending time in prayer, or even play some music and worship. In our family, we typically do this on a Friday night followed by a board game or movie. We also pray with Robert as a family daily before he goes to work, and we pray in Daniel’s room with him before bed.
Play board games – Daniel’s favorite is Monopoly because it lasts so long lol! We also play Sorry! and Jenga. For larger families, Telestrations and Heads Up are fun games. What are some of your favorites?
Go out to eat – This is everyone’s favorite! Who doesn’t love to eat? Mom tip -> Google a coupon 🙂
Read together – We read books together as a family about once a week. We are currently reading Good Pictures Bad Pictures (ages with him to teach him to use his thinking versus feeling brain to help him protect his mind from bad things on the internet or temptations around him. It has questions at the end of each chapter that he answers out loud and we discuss them. This creates a safe atmosphere as he grows older to be able to talk to us. There is also Good Pictures Bad Pictures Jr. for ages 3-6.
Workout together – Daniel and I will workout to this YouTube video on the TV together or you can also just create your own routine.
Cook – We don’t watch TV often, but when we do, you may see us watching cooking shows. I allow him to help us in the kitchen whether it is making eggs, rice, stirring the pancake mix, or helping Robert cook the burgers. It has helped build his self-esteem and is teaching him life skills. After your done cooking, eat the meal together at the table and unplug from cellphones to allow for conversation to flow.
Watch a movie – Have your child pick out a movie for the family to watch. It makes them feel extra special when they pick the movie. 🙂 Sit on one couch together and eat some snacks and enjoy!
Quality family time is important to every member of the family. I hope these ideas for quality family time have helped you figure out some things to incorporate into your week. Please share with us your thoughts and questions by commenting below.
Don’t forget to check out our post on independent play ideas for your child.
