Children are a heritage from the Lord.
—Psalm 127:3
In today’s activity-packed society, it’s more important than ever to intentionally connect with your kids. Here are 10 ideas that can help you get to know your children better and pass on a legacy of faith and fun.
1. During dinner ask everyone to share one piece of both good news and bad news from the day.
2. Have regular “Kids’ Nights to Cook.” Set up a restaurant atmosphere in your home and create some lifetime memories. Little ones will enjoy decorating the table and making special menus for the evening.
3. Visit a local bookstore with your children and ask them to help you choose a family devotional. Then work through it together.
4. If you have a sports enthusiast in your home, ask him or her to give you and your spouse regular updates about what’s going on in the world of sports — both locally and nationally.
5. Do a one-on-one activity with each child at least once a week.
6. Take turns choosing Bible verses that the entire family can memorize together. Using a special journal or notebook, ask the children to record each verse after the family has memorized it together.
7. Once a week after mealtime, draw names to see who will be in the “hot seat.” (Discard each name after it is drawn so everybody will eventually be chosen.) Family members will ask the person in the “hot seat” a question that cannot be answered “Yes” or “No.”
8. When bringing the kids to school, take turns being prayer warriors — praying for each person’s day.
9. After dinner, rotate sharing a “joke of the day.”
10. Have regular family nights doing something fun that everyone enjoys. You may want to select one of the 48 activities in Kurt and Olivia Bruner’s Just Add Family — Easy Recipes for Faith-Filled Fun (for ages 10 and under).