Family time ideas/memories

What do you do for family time?

How do you have FUN?

This question was posed to me a number of years ago and I actually stumbled in my answer.  I found that a bit disturbing.  I told my dear friend, who I was asking a lot of parenting questions to at the time, that we enjoyed going out to do things.  As in 'out of the house' to do things and go places.  Even though we still really REALLY enjoy going places, I have also realized how important it is to have fun just being at home.

So, what are those things that I have found to be FUN at HOME?

I figured there might be some other moms that have or are struggling with that question, so I'll give you brief answers:

For our family, most every Saturday night (after bath time) is our "family movie night" usually it is an appropriate age movie but we all sit together squished on the couch.  Add in low/dim lights and popcorn, sleeping bags and pillows and we are having FUN!

Playing a sweet game of kick-ball!

Hide and seek

Family coloring picture-we pass a piece of paper and one crayon around and each person draws a part of the picture.  This is so cool to have each of our uniqueness shine through.  We always LOVE the end product.

As with the family coloring picture-we also do a family story---we each say a part of it and go around the table adding in part of the story-never fails to bring on the laughter! :)

Just recently, we added in NIGHTLY during dinnertime- THE HAPPY GAME-every night while we eat, we pass around a mug with each of our names on a piece of folded paper and we pick out ONE name, then say something nice about them that they did or said that day.  It could be something we are thankful for about them, or that we noticed was super kind or generous.  My 4 yr old son LOVES this game and not a night goes by without him reminding us to do The Happy Game :)  Soooooo glad we added this in, so awesome.

get on the floor with the kids and play blocks

cleaning the playroom-sounds odd to say this is FUN for us, but it is!  When we clean the playroom, we dump all the toys in the middle of the room, put on some loud music and organize.  This turns into playtime along with organizing.  Fun for all :)



Arts and crafts-always a pleaser (not so much for Mom and Dad after all...but well worth it!)

All these things do not cost $, or are very low $ if any. 
But these times are priceless! 

Our kids are growing up so so fast.  My oldest is 10.  Now, to some, that is still so young...but I know that very soon he won't want to do that movie time together or hide and seek.   And then the rest of them won't and it will be a domino effect. 

I love my kids and my family and I want them to know it so I make sure that we spend TIME together-that is how they spell LOVE by spending TIME together.

During the week, school occupies our time mostly and who wants to always see a stern teacher with assignments and chores and discipline?!  Surely not me and I want to have my kids know that there is that FUN side of me to :)  I love to have FUN and I pray my kids will have these memories and be proud of them.  Who knows, maybe in 20 years, they'll be doing the same things w/ their own children!  And what a delight that would be for me to see!!!!!!

There are some ideas.  If you have any, please share-we're always ready to add in some more FUN! :)

God bless, and remember to have some FUN with your kids!!!
God bless,
M