Fun for Families

Family Connection. 

• Designate one night a week as FAMILY night!  Pull out your bread machine and make dough or for a quick mini pizza idea-use English Muffins.  Top your crust with sauce and let the kids put veggies, meats and cheeses and bake.  While the pizza is baking everyone helps tidy  up the kitchen,  pull out the paper plates, and napkins, and pour your drinks.  Eat around the table and talk about your week.  Ask questions like what was the best thing that happened to you this week?    Even preschoolers can get in on this:0).  We used to have pizza making contests when my girls were little...and we had little prizes for best sauce from scratch- best crust- most visually appealing and best over all taste..make your own categories...Team up if your kids are small.  Let everyone vote-=) 
• Make a kids work area~  a tote or box of art supplies-crayons, colored pencils, paper, watercolor paints, coloring books etc. near your dining room table is a life saver on cold days.  Start an art recycling box.  Put thing like empty paper towel rolls, tissue paper, cool packaging supplies, paper produce bags, ribbon and more in it and let your childrens imagination go.
• Turn off the TV and play music.  Play all different styles.  Play music with scripture and music with lyrics that reinforce the values that you and your family share together. Sing together...Let your children sing to you...Have fun.  Sometimes play instrumental music...Enjoy holiday music, lullabies at bedtime and more upbeat music when it's time to get the chores done. 
• Read together..When the kids are small read short "picture" books as they get older move towards something that you can read together a chapter or a few pages at a time.  Get them Bibles that are age appropriate. A Bible is always a nice gift at Easter or Christmas or even to give ona one on one date with your kids. Just as yo look for books that are interesting and engage them in  learning a Bible should be the same.  There are Toddler Bibles. Bible Stories for Little Girls or Boys. Beginner Reading Bibles with lots of pictures, Discovery Bibles for primary aged kids and so on. 
• Pray together, Speak individual strengths outloud, Celebrate everyday life.

If you get the chance read he 5 love languages and the5 Love languages of Children.   Blessings~J