Last Updated on September 23, 2024
One of the key ways we can invest in our homes is by spending quality time with family.
I know with our busy lives, a hustle and bustle culture, and jam-packed, on-the-go schedules, it can feel impossible to have quality family time. But family time can be centered around just about any activity. The possibilities are endless!
The key ingredient to family time is being intentional.
Intentional is defined as being deliberate and purposeful. Intentional family time can be planned or spontaneous. Being intentional with our family time is taking opportunities to engage in activities to build lifelong memories that in turn can make our family stronger and healthier.
I am a wife and mom to three lively sons ages 9, 6, and 2 (thank you in advance for your prayers Lol). Living in a house full of boys, the chaos is never ending and there is never a dull moment in our home. Even with all the liveliness in our home and full schedules, we still strive to be intentional with our family time.
Tips for spending quality time with family
There are two key ways that our family is intentional about family time. They are…
- Family time within the normal rhythms and routines of our daily life.
- Family time where we break away from the normal rhythms and routines of daily life.
I’ve found that both of these are deliberate, purposeful, and necessary. Here is a list of things that our family does for intentional family time. Hopefully, you can glean from our list and try something new with your family, too!
Ideas for Family Time Within the Rhythms of Life
● Family walks & bike rides
● Physical fitness (ie. gym, sports, outdoor activities)
● Parks & playtime
● Movie night
● Game night (board games, card games, charades, uno, scrabble, etc.)
● Church (attending and participating in weekly church services together)
● Family Conversation Starter cards (we keep a set on our kitchen table)
● Any activity that interests your children
For us, one thing that interests our kids is doing family plays! Our boys enjoy acting out stories from the Bible or creating plays of their own. The stage production (or lack thereof) brings endless giggles and stomach-hurting laughs.
Ideas for Family Time Outside the Rhythms of Life
● Overnight trips (Sometimes instead of planning and throwing a birthday party for our kids, we’ll decide to take an overnight family trip out of town.)
● Family vacations
● A day at a local museum, zoo, aquarium, festival, farmer’s market or fair
● Attend family events hosted in our local area
● Weekend trips (especially on 3-day long weekends)
● Go to an arcade, bowling, or family fun place
Intentional time with your spouse
If you’re married, it’s also important to have time with your husband! I know the challenges that this presents and all that’s required for this time with your hubby (ie. trusted childcare, getting the kids to bed, making the time, the list can go on…).
However, avoid getting lost in life or being overly consumed with the kids that you neglect spending intentional time alone with your husband. You both need it, and trust me, it’s worth it!
Here is a list of ways my husband and I spend intentional time together within and outside the rhythms of life. Hopefully, it’ll spark a date night idea for you to try soon!
Marriage time within the rhythms of life
- Get creative with date nights at home!
- Enjoy dinner alone (Yes, this is possible! Put the kids to bed early.)
- Movie nights (nothing like a fresh, hot batch of stove-top popcorn and a cold ginger ale to go along with it. I love adding chocolate M&M’s to my bowl of popcorn.)
- Eat snacks and watch a favorite TV show
- Couples card games and conversation starter cards (we keep a set on a shelf in our bedroom)
- Walks together
Marriage time outside the rhythms of life
● Dinner date nights (We love a good meal!)
● Movie night at a theater
● Date day
● A day at a local museum, festival, or fair
● Dessert date night (This is our favorite! We go to a restaurant just to order a dessert, no entree)
● Picnic or dinner on the patio/deck
● Recreate our first date
● Anything that will set a friendly competition in motion (ie. bowling, mini golf, etc.)
● Staycations, vacations, and trips
No matter how you choose to spend time with your family, what matters most is the intentionality behind it. When having family time, be focused on your loved ones in front of you.
Put your phone down, leave it on “do-not-disturb” for a moment. That text and email can wait (don’t worry I am talking to myself too because I am guilty of this as well). And if your children have devices, have them put theirs away too.
This is a great way to teach and model balance in an overly technologically driven society. Also, remember you don’t have to spend a lot of money to be intentional.
Your family is unique so family time that coincides with the heartbeat of your family is perfectly fine. So cheers to making more memories, fighting for time with the ones who matter most, and investing in our families with intentional family time!
I’d love to hear how you focus on spending quality time with family and your husband. Share your intentional family time activities below!
