Help for Families | Archives
November 2008 |Be Thankful
This November, get your family thinking about all of the things you have to be thankful for. We shouldn’t just focus on our blessings at Thanksgiving; rather, we should be teaching our children a lifestyle rooted in giving thanks.
Consider starting a family journal. Take turns recording something you are grateful for each night. Then, each Thanksgiving your family can flip back through the journal and see the many ways you have been blessed.
Or, purchase a special tablecloth just for Thanksgiving along with a variety of fabric markers. Throughout dinner, people can take time to draw and write the various things they have been thankful for throughout the year.
October 2008 | Fall Family Fun
As days get cooler and shorter, set aside some special nights to make some apple-themed fall treats as a family. Before you begin, decide that it's okay for things to get a bit messy. Letting your children actively participate means that it might not be neat and tidy, but you are empowering them and letting them know you trust them!
If possible, go to a local apple orchard as a family and pick apples together. Then, check out a favorite cookbook or choose one of the fun recipes below!
Homemade Apple Cider
Homemade Applesauce
Apple Pie
Carmel Apples
September 2008 | Back to School
As summer days come to an end, help encourage your children to embrace fall and the "back to school" routine. Talk about school and any concerns your child might have for the upcoming year. Ask what she is most excited about and what she is most looking forward to learning in class. Make this time extra-special and plan a "You and Me" outing for just you and your child before school starts. You can reminisce about the highlights of summer and discuss your expectations for the coming year.
Check out these ideas for more fun activities and ideas to help your kids prepare for the upcoming year!
August 2008 | Movie Night
Summer nights are an amazing opportunity to get your family together for some quality time. Plan a movie night and create a big-screen feel in your driveway. Hang a white sheet on your garage door or the side of your houses and then borrow a projector from someone you know (if you have your own, great!). Wait until it is very dark and then take blankets, chairs, beanbags, or other comfy seats outside. Let your kids help you prepare fun treats like popcorn balls or snack mix.
Plan your movie night several days in advance and get your kids involved in as much of the planning as possible. Let them pick out one or two of their favorite movies. Or, let your kids pick the first movie and then surprise them when it is over by announcing that you have a double-feature planned. Pick out a family-favorite or another movie you think your kids would enjoy. Most importantly - have fun! Use this time to bond with your kids and learn more about the things that they enjoy.
Click here for some delicious snack recipes -
Popcorn balls
Soft Pretzels
Granola
July 2008 | Road Trip Ideas
Planning a fun vacation with your family this summer? Forget sticking a movie in a portable DVD player or having the kids all tune into their individual iPods while you drive. Create a roadside scavenger hunt or a fun bingo-like game to keep your family occupied as your travel. Come up with a long list of things that would be plausible to glimpse out the window of a moving car. You can be as general or specific as you wish. If there are certain landmarks that you know you will be traveling by, be sure to include those!
Then, either create a checklist for each of your kids or set the objects up like a bingo board. Come of up with a few fun prizes for the winner, or the person who can spot the most objects from the list. Another fun variation would be to try and spot a license plate from each of the fifty states. As a family, keep a list and see how many you can find together.
June 2008 | Clothesline Fun
Typical household clothes dryers use 5-kilowatt hours of electricity for the average load. Teach your kids a valuable lesson about conservation while creating the potential for limitless hours of fun. Set up a clothesline and explain to your children the importance of saving energy. Discuss different ways your family can reduce your CO2 emissions by switching off lights, unplugging unused appliances, and not using a clothes dryer. Hype it up so that kids view sorting and hanging clothes on the line as a fun activity and a great way for your family to honor God by protecting His creation.
Then, find other creative ways to use your clothesline. Find a play or encourage your kids to write their own. Then, help your children paint the scenery for their play on an old sheet and hang it over the back line of the clothesline. Attach two more sheets to the front line to serve as the curtains of your very-own backyard stage. Make costumes, rehearse lines, and then invite family and friends over to watch the production!
May 2008 | Nature Walk
Now that the days are longer, are you wondering how to get your kids outside and active? Try going on a nature walk as a family. Pick a favorite spot and, whether you choose to walk around your neighborhood or a nearby park or nature reserve, make sure your entire family will enjoy the space you choose.
Then, come up with a list of things you want to work together to find. You can be very specific listing certain bugs, birds, plants, or animals you hope to discover. Or, you can create more generic categories and together search for things of a certain size, shape, or color. If your kids really like searching for things, add more detailed items to your list such as a hole in a tree trunk, a piece of grass that is taller than you, or a forked stick.
As you walk, take time to appreciate the beauty of God’s creation and all that He has made! Point out interesting aspects of creation, and challenge your children to thank God for the vast diversity of nature.
April 2008 | Plant a Garden
The official start of spring has come and gone, and signs of warmer weather are starting to sprout up all around. If you are looking for a great project to do as a family this spring, consider planting a garden together. Whether you have space to till a plot in your yard or you only have room for a few planter boxes on the balcony of your apartment, planting a garden is a great way to connect with your kids.
You can readily instill a sense of pride and ownership in your children by giving them simple responsibilities like watering and weeding around the plants. Also, kids will gain a sense of accomplishment when the flowers and/or vegetables begin to grow! You can also use this experience as a way to talk to your kids about the environment, sustainability, or healthy eating habits as you use the things that you grow to cook meals together as a family.
The possibilities are endless, so use your imagination and tailor your garden to your family’s personality. Most importantly, make sure to have fun and use the time that you spend starting and maintaining your garden as a time to talk to and connect with your kids!
Here are some helpful websites to consider:
Gardening with Kids
Gardening with Children
10 Ways to Make Gardening More fun
March 2008 | Family Adventure
March can be a month that seems to stretch on forever for children. Christmas break is a fading memory and spring break still seems far away. Kids can get restless. Help break that rhythm and go on a family adventure. Learn about a historic event by visiting a museum. Drink in the wonder of God’s oceanic beauty in an aquarium. Be amazed by the millions of stars in a local planetarium. Not only will this be a great activity for your family to do together, but your kids will learn more about God and His presence throughout history and in His creation.
February 2008 | Family Prayer
Prayers can all too often become all about our own hurts, wishes, desires, and joys. Help your children realize the need for praying for others this month. Every day find a newspaper and go through it and find someone to pray for during family devotions as a. You car pray for someone involved in a car crash or give thanks to God for someone who had a wonderful achievement. Help you children not only see value in praying for others, but also the value in praying with others.
January 2008 | New Resolutions
A new year is here and with it the feeling of a chance to start over, to begin again. As a family, take time to meet together and discuss the idea of each member making a resolution. Encourage each member to make a resolution having to do with the remaining family members. For example, if your son constantly teases his younger sister, perhaps his resolution could be to not tease her. Make resolutions that will strengthen relationships among family members this year.
