Values-Driven

I remember a young mother with two children under the age of three commenting to me that she was really trying to find things for the whole family to enjoy together (besides incessant games of Candy Land, which of course are of limited fun for the parents, anyway). And in a recent conversation with a friend of mine, she wondered what our family does with all of our “free time,” since we don’t watch TV.

Of course, now that the weather is getting nicer, it’s prime outdoor time. The options for “things to do” as a family are becoming a bit more varied than they were in the cold and snow of Winter. It seems a good time to delve into the topic of “family fun” and talk about some options.

Before enumerating a list of such fun things, it’s important to examine one’s definition of “fun.” I think our definition might be a little different from the average. Frankly, our culture seems consumed with entertainment, and it’s no more than a manifestation of the sinful nature. (What will please “me?” What will make “me” happy?) But Scripture clearly teaches us that we are to put God first, and then to “consider others better than ourselves.”

Another problem we have seen is that work is viewed simply as a necessary evil. We count the hours until the end of the day…plan our next vacation…and often endure as drudgery what should be meaningful and profitable labor. Aren’t we supposed to “work with all our heart, as working for the Lord, not men?”

With those thoughts in mind, let’s consider what we can do for fun as a family! Personally, we have a lot to do around our home. We typically WORK together for FUN! And, honestly, the work is enjoyable, most of the time. Many parents seek to avoid this, saying, “Let kids be kids,” but the truth is that we’re preparing them to be adults, and they will need to know how to work. Not only that, but we do want them to enjoy their work! We’ve found that working together as a family builds camaraderie between all family members and also imparts a wonderful attitude of diligence in the children. As we work, we are training them in valuable skills. But more than that, we sing. We talk. We praise God for His good gifts. What’s not to enjoy?

We have goats and chickens and rabbits, and we enjoy them while we labor to take care of them. We just had some baby rabbits born, and they sure are cute! We brought one in to play with it for a while last night. The kids also have fun collecting and counting the chicken’s eggs, watering the animals (and oftentimes each other!), and running the goats out to their daily pasture.

We are putting in our garden right now, which is cooperative work for the whole family–but a lot of fun!. Very often, we simply enjoy walking around the yard, seeing what’s growing, picking flowers, and just appreciating the blessing of it all.

We are blessed to have a quad that we drive around our property as well–that often adds an element of fun to splitting and stacking wood and general yard clean-up. We also “mow the lawn as a family”–one of my 5 year-old’s frequent requests and a favorite activity, because my husband drives the lawn tractor and the rest of us pile into the trailer. We dodge tree branches, watch forgotten toys get mulched by the mower, pick flowers as they race by, and generally enjoy each other and the beauty of God’s creation. But, yes, our lawn is getting mowed, too!

It’s not always work, though! We have an occasional picnic right in our own back yard, and play outdoor sports like basketball, baseball, swimming, and so on. Dad and the boys do target shooting, often with friends. We have a ravine in our back yard which makes fun hunting for critters like salamanders, snails, and other back yard wildlife. Even though there’s no big fish, the boys love bringing their poles and catching minnows!

Granted, you may not have the “homesteading” atmosphere that we have here. However, you can still explore the great outdoors at a local reserve or state forest. Find a park near your home. Talk walks in your neighborhood. Go to the home of some friends where you are able to “spread out” and enjoy nature, once in a while. Plant a window box garden of herbs or flowers in a sunny window instead of outdoors. Honestly, don’t fall into the trap of thinking that you need to do expensive or high-impact things. Just make it a point to enjoy whatever you do as a family.

When it’s cold or rainy, we often do indoor “work projects” that are learning experiences as well: electrical, plumbing, tiling, building of all kinds (large- and small-scale). Even if the younger children can’t “do” anything, they go-fer tools, get tickled at off-moments, and simply enjoy the togetherness. You can see from Isaiah’s lamp project that he even does these “work projects” in his own free time.

Even if you’re not skilled in some of these areas, there are probably little “home improvement” projects that you can experiment with around the house. It can be fun to try, and learn, as a family! Get a do-it-yourself book out of the library and explore a site like DoItYourself.com.

You might also check out some fun (and relatively inexpensive) gadgets and gizmos at a site like American Science and Surplus. I’m sure there are others, but this is one of my favorites. Our oldest also just likes getting “junk” and taking it apart. How about taking apart a clock to see how it works? Think of the possibilities for family fun!

Music is also great fun for the whole family. We are very much NOT musically inclined, but we have a few hymn books with accompanying CDs as well as CDs with praise songs that we enjoy singing during family devotional times or at other times during the day. If you can play instruments, that is awesome family fun! We also play musical games like Ring Around the Rosie, London Bridge, Hokey Pokey, and Pop Goes the Weasel–especially to entertain the little ones.

And what about ministering as a family? For us, that is more than rewarding and something we try to do frequently. We’ve made cookies and cards with Scriptures in them to bring downtown to workers at the local post office and bank. We regularly open our home for dinners, Bible studies, and other events and we work together to neaten up the house, prepare food, and especially pray for the needs of those who will attend.

Even when indoors, we make an effort to “make the most of every opportunity,” doing fun things that are also profitable. We watch educational movies (even Biology 101 from Westfield Studios was a surprise hit–great videography and advanced teaching–but enjoyed by everyone in the family!). We also play board games, although we have only a few that everyone can play, given the disparate ages and stages of our children. Variations of bingo are fun, I Spy (the board game) is good, and then there’s charades, “The Journeys of Paul” from Cactus Games, and Bible trivia. We also enjoy “20 Questions,” and, yes, the occasional game of Candy Land.

And, Dad is a great story teller. He tells funny, challenging, and always engaging tales that of course include many of the children in the plot. The children also take their turns in creative storytelling.

We also read books aloud. We’ve been blessed by reading my grandfather’s biography–his life story of growing up in Oklahoma during the Great Depression, fighting in World War II and then being a prisoner of war of the Japanese for 3-1/2 years. We also read the free Voice of the Martyrs/Kids of Courage magazines every time they come out, and Foxe’s Book of Martyrs as well. There are eternal lessons there, which are of great value–and we simply enjoy spending the time together as we are blessed by those stories. We also try out some of the classics on occasion–whatever seems most interesting at the moment.

I don’t want you to think that you must do these certain things. Everyone’s circumstances are different, of course, and I suppose my description of our “family fun things to do” would look radically different if we were in another locale. However, I would challenge you to look at where you are and what you do there, and to consider all of those things in light of eternity and in light of God’s plan and purpose for your family. I would urge you to “make the most of every opportunity,” both in work and in play. And try to simplify! Find things to do that cost less money, involve less driving, and allow you–as a family–to focus on each other and enjoy God, His creation, His people, and His blessings to you.

Feel free to leave comments about your “family fun” that might give others some additional ideas!