5 Ways to Keep God First with your Kids this Summer + Free Kids Summer Bucket List
1. VBS
I spent my childhood summers going to the Vacation Bible School at my church. If you are unfamiliar with VBS, it is a short program offered by many local churches for kids during the summer. It's usually a week long program dedicated to having fun and building faith through worship, games, and lessons. My kids "VBS hop" every summer to different churches in our area. VBS is a great (and usually free!) way to keep your kids engaged in the Word of God, even while their Children's Church is on summer break. If your kids have aged-out of VBS or want something longer than a week, my next idea, Life Groups, can be a great option.
2. Life Group for Kids
Starting a Life Group for kids (aka Bible study group, small group, d-group, etc.) is a great way to keep their relationship with God at the forefront of their minds over the summer. Life Groups provide a place to form friendships and "do life" with other kids their age who share their Christian faith. Life groups can be done year round and the summer is a great time to start them because there are less distractions and the need to connect with others is greater. Life Groups give opportunity for Bible study while still doing fun activities. To learn more about starting a Life Group for kids this summer go HERE.
3. Morning Family Devotions & Biblical Affirmations
Beginning their day with a morning prayer and scripture is a great way for kids to put God first this summer. Doing a family devotional around the breakfast table or privately when they first wake up, followed by praying God's Word over their lives, helps your kids start their day with the right focus. No matter how many fun activities kids are checking off their summer bucket list, starting their days in the Word of God sets them up for a successful summer!
4. Family Fun Night
Choose one day a week to be your Family Fun Night and center it around faith! This could be anything from playing games like Bible Trivia or Bible Bingo, to watching a Faith-Based movie. The point is to get together weekly as a family to have good, clean, God-focused fun. This will strengthen your family bond, while keeping God at the center!
5. Kindness Day
Being kind to others is important for every day, but how cool would it be to dedicate one day a week this summer to serving others and showing intentional kindness? Kids need to know that God uses us to bless others and there's no time as distraction free as summer to start this family tradition. Serve at a local charity, or shelter, send thank-you cards in the mail to loved ones, or perform other Random Acts of Kindness within your community (like making a care package or donating unused toys).