Is there anything more joyful than the sound of a child's uninhibited giggles? Anything that makes you prouder than your child doing something for the first time? Is there any time we feel closer to God than when we are looking into the beautiful faces of our children? We so often acknowledge that our children are wonderful gifts from God, but do we realize that their natural playfulness is a gift to us?!

Our children look to us as an example of how to behave, and especially how to live their lives in faith. One of the best ways to strengthen our children's faith is to give them the gift of playtime. Our God is a playful God after all! Here are some ideas on how to encourage and nurture family playtime in your home:

Be in the Moment

Whatever it is your child likes to do, be there with them! Forget about the chores, forget about work, turn off your phone, and just be in the moment with your child. It is in those quiet peaceful moments together that we can better hear God and each other. Listen to your child. Let them tell you all about what they love. Give them the gift of your undivided attention.

Get the Giggles

Laugh together! Do something that makes you laugh. Be silly, tell jokes, sing songs, whatever gets your family giggling will immediately bring joy into your family's day! 

Try Something New

Try a new activity together, but make sure to keep it light-hearted. Trying cross country skiing and end up in a heap in the snow? Laugh about it! Mini-golfing and it takes you 10 strokes to get the ball in the hole? Make it into a joke! The idea is to have fun trying something new and to also find the playfulness in trying, even when you fail.

Let them Lead

So much of our children's lives are structured for them. When you play with your child, let them lead the way. Let them pick the game or activity, or better yet let their imagination take you someplace new!

Find the Beauty

Take time to appreciate the beauty in the world together. Head outside and feel the sunshine on your faces, look for signs of the changing seasons, point out the birds. Remind your children that God created this world for us and to always find the joy in it.

In our busy lives, it is so easy to forget to pause and enjoy those simple moments with our children. But it is in those simple, playful moments when we are closest to them and to our playful, loving God. For more information on how we connect with God through play at camp and more ideas on how to connect with God at home contact us today!