Creating homemade memories as a family as well as creating new family traditions is a great way to grow closer as a family. Today I’m sharing a few ideas for how you can incorporate fun and faith into your family life, creating homemade memories and family traditions your children will carry with them into adulthood.
There are so many opportunities for families to create lasting memories. In our family we stay very busy like most you I’m sure! But every couple of weeks we make time for a special trip for the day or a “mini-vacation” to a nearby place. These times are fun and create excitement for everyone.
When my kids were little, our favorite was to explore new areas and eat picnic lunches in the park. Sometimes we would stop at a local restaurant instead. We liked to visit local libraries and see what they had going on. The kids loved to go and read new books while they were there.
One week we went to Prescott, AZ. Prescott was about a 3 1/2 hours drive from our house when we lived in Arizona. That day, we had a package to mail, so we all filed into the old post office and admired the beautiful building. As a homeschooling mom, every activity could be used for a learning opportunity!
That day, a boiling thunderstorm prevented our planned picnic in the local park, so we ate at a local Italian restaurant instead. We had a wonderful meal together. The kids loved the bread sticks!
We then drove through the town and looked at the beautiful Victorian homes and found the library.
This provided us with a look at the World History Time Line they had painted along the sidewalk in front of the library. It was very nice! We had a wonderful day together and drove home that evening.
We stopped at a park along the way and the kids played on the playground and we had a picnic for our supper. A local square dancing class was practicing, so we watched them for about an hour.
The day was a lot of fun, didn’t cost a lot of money and we enjoyed our time together as a family.
Family traditions make family time really special. Children look forward to traditions. And children love having the full attention of their parents! Holidays provide special days for us to plan traditions.
Most families have traditional meals for Thanksgiving and Christmas and perhaps Easter. But look at your calendar and see what other special days you can make “annual” family holidays.
Creating Homemade Memories
Here are some ideas to help you get started:
Family Worship
In our family, we consider worship time as a time to be reverent but still a lot of fun. We expect the children to sit up straight and listen to what is being said. They are welcome to talk but they need to be polite and show respect.
They just can’t be jumping around, slumping, ignoring the worship or, basically acting irreverent. This may sound painful, but really, they don’t mind.
related: Family Worship with Little Ones
When we pray we have everyone kneel down and close their eyes. First we have opening prayer lead by one child. Everyone can pray, if they want.
Next we pick two or three songs. We purchased the same song books that they use during Sabbath School. This provides familiar songs for them. We try to sing at least one new song to learn each night.
We read a Biblical story and then close with prayer.
Your family might want to add other activities to family worship. We want our children to know how to worship our Lord, how to pray, and how to be reverent. It is so important!
You could have a fun game to play afterward or even a craft or other activity to along with the lesson. The main thing to remember is that family worship is a time to connect to God as a family as well as connect to each other.
related: How to Get Started with Family Worship
Family Communion
Have Dad read the story of the Last Supper from the Bible. (Luke 21) Have Prayer. Discuss what the meaning behind the story. Pass the unleavened bread and the grape juice around the table.
Be sure that reverence is expressed. You don’t need to fuss at your little ones if they don’t want to be quiet and still. But talk to them in quiet voices and teach them what it means to be still.
Communion Bread Recipe
- 1/2 Cup of Olive Oil
- 1/2 Cup of Water
- Salt
- 2 Cups of Whole Wheat Flour
Preheat the oven to 350 F . Combine the olive oil, water, and salt. Whisk it with a whisk or a fork until its near-frothy white. Alternatively, you can put it in a blender instead.
Loosely mix the flour to the blend. You don’t want to mix it too much or glutton chains will start to form. When making normal bread, this is desirable. But, since we’re making unleavened bread, it will make it too hard.
Make sure the dough is the same consistency of a drier batch of cookie dough. Grease a cookie sheet well.
Roll the dough flat (as thin as pie crust). I find it helpful using a hand roller.
Once the dough is flat, it is necessary to make some incisions so that bubbles will not form in the baking process. I like to cut it into cracker-like squares. If you want to keep larger pieces, simply make a sizable incision every 6-12 inches.
Bake for about 10 minutes. Watch it constantly after 9 minutes to avoid burn. Browned (not just burnt) communion bread tastes bitter. Adjust the time for crispier or flimsier bread.
May Day
Brighten someones day each year by surprising a neighbor with flowers on their door.
Have your children decorate one side of white paper with a spring theme. Then, make a cone shape with the paper and tape in place. Punch a hole on each side of the cone and tie with a string of yarn.
Fill with fresh, dried or silk flowers.
Get up early on May 1 and place the bouquet of flowers on a neighbor’s door knob so that they will find it when they open their door.
First Day of Fall
Have a special meal each year to celebrate the first day of fall. Having the same meal each year is a nice tradition. I suggest: chili, baked potatoes, crackers or corn bread, and baked apples with cream.
Provide toppings for the chili and or baked potatoes such as cheese, sour cream, onions, chives, etc..
Have your children plan in advance and make special place mats for each member of the family. Gather fallen leaves from your yard. Place the leaves in between clear contact paper.
Or have them color construction paper instead.
Cut out leaves from red, yellow, brown, and green construction paper and attach yarn to make a leaf garland to hang in the kitchen and/ or around the house.
Make it a festive and fun time and you’ll create homemade memories and traditions that your children carry with them into adulthood.
Family Breakfast
Make breakfast a special meal for the whole family to enjoy. Get up a little earlier and cook special pancakes, muffins, or your favorite recipe. You could do this every day of the week or make Sunday morning the day you sit around the table for a nice breakfast together.
If you do this once a week you might want to always have the same special meal. For instance, maybe dad makes his famous pancakes or mom makes her special hash brown casserole or cinnamon rolls. Or have the kids help you make breakfast!
Think about how you can make this time something everyone looks forward to.
Read a verse from the Bible and discuss it’s meaning together. Let everyone have a turn to express themselves.
Ask God to be with you throughout the day and to help you each be witnesses for him. This teaches your children a good habit of devotion time before the day begins.
Explain to your children that if they ask God to bring someone into their path that they can witness to, He will! When it happens, remind your children of their answered prayer.
Family Game Night
One night a week have a family game night. Turn off the television and other electronic devices. Begin the evening with a favorite meal. Have the kids help cook and clean up!
related: Favorite Family Games
Afterward, have a short worship with singing and praise. Plan an activity for family night.
- Bible Trivia is wonderful.
- Play Scrabble or Boggle or your favorite board game.
- Pop popcorn and have snacks to eat.
Or create a Family Night Box.
Each member of the family writes down on slips of paper something he or she would like to do on Family Night.
Fold the sheets of paper and place in the box. Each night draw to see what you will be doing. Make sure everyone gets a turn.
If some of the ideas require planning, draw the week before so that you can know ahead of time. Make sure that you spend time talking to your children. This is a great way to get to know them better.
Free Printable Journaling Page
Use this free printable journal to write down ideas you have for ways you can create homemade memories and incorporate new traditions into your family life.
You can also use the second page to record memories you have made together!
How to Download
- Follow me on Instagram if you’d like here: @melissa.ringstaff and/ or @purposenotperfection – not required but I’d love to have you join me there!
- Download the free printable Homemade Memories Journal pages here.
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