The summer often provides kids and families a necessary break to recharge and reconnect with themselves, their faith, and those around them. It is the perfect time to take things a little slower than the usual hustle and bustle of the school year, be creative, and lean more into faith. The following activities are perfect for families of all ages and can be adapted to your child’s age.
Bible Camp and Church Events
Attending bible camp or other church events, whether being a leader or one of the campers, is a great way to connect with other church members and build a stronger connection to God. Check out your church’s website to see their planned events this summer. You could even check your community sites or plan something fun for you and your neighbors. If you decide to do something with your neighbors or community, a fun summer activity could be a summer Bible bucket list. The perfect thing about a bucket list is that you can create one with others or use a template like the one linked above.
Creativity in Finding God
You can create or craft experiences to further your kids’ faith in many ways. A great activity you could do with younger children is crafts with things you might already have lying around your home. This list has 39 simple crafts you can create with items you might already have in your art drawer, from craft paper to popsicle sticks, that are perfect for sparking a conversation with your kids that supports their growth in faith. If you want activities with scripture and stories that are age-appropriate for your kids, be sure to check out this list of activities as well! For those with kids that are a little older, a great activity you could do with them, or even younger kids, is making faith bracelets. For this, all you will need are different color beads and cording of your choice!
Family Time
During the summer, there is often more time for family nights where you and your kids can try something new or start a new family activity. One idea that could be fun if you and your kids love to jam out is Christian music karaoke. This can be done on the next road trip using our playlist or any of your favorite songs. You could even purchase a karaoke microphone to lean into the karaoke night theme!
Another activity that could be perfect for family time is a movie night. Make some snacks and pop some popcorn for a family movie night with faith-based films that align with your family’s values and beliefs.
You could end your nights with bedtime memory verses or reflections on scripture. This is a great way to connect with your kids and faith. Other methods of learning scripture could include writing words with a dry eraser marker on bathroom mirrors or leaving sticky notes for your kids to find. This is great for kids as they get older and have less time for longer conversations, but it brings continued faith into their daily lives.
Volunteering
Depending on the school year and work obligations, your family might have more free time. With the extra time the summer may bring, it could be the perfect time for your family to volunteer and give back to your community and church. It’s a great way to begin building volunteering into your schedule even as the school year starts back up. To get started, I would recommend reaching out to those at the church to see upcoming volunteer events, coordinating with soup kitchens, or finding programs that align with your family’s interests.