Faith and Fitness= Family Style

As Summer comes to an end I have tried to think of a couple ways that our Thursday Family Nights could incorporate a little more"Active" time. I know that soon our schedules will be filled with extracurricular activities, school, Pre K and work and that it becomes harder and harder to plan and carry out healthy meals and work outs. Staying active and healthy on both physical and spiritual levels is very important to us but I don't want it to be something that just Ben and I do. I want it to be something that is a part of the kid's lives and hopefully something they implement in their lives as they grow up. Here are a couple ideas that we have been doing that not only lets us stay active but includes both Evie and Hudson. I love that they get to see how important it is to keep both our bodies and hearts and relationships with the Lord healthy, growing and thriving.  Try them out and feel free to share different activities you and your family do on a weekly/monthly basis.

1. Plan a healthy meal and let the kiddos help out. Have them help you pick out the recipe ( with your help of course), go grocery shopping and prepare some of the food. This will give you a choice to talk over the healthy choices and ways to stay "fed" spiritually. This also lets them help out and learn to work for the Lord and serve others.

2. Go on a nature walk. For the younger children you can put tape around their wrists and have them place different parts of God's creation on their wrists. For the bigger kids you can give them a bag and talk about the different shapes, textures and smells that the Lord has placed here on earth. Have them put different things in the bag that they find interesting. We have collected everything from feathers to rocks to bugs.

3. Adding on to the nature walk, you can have a scavenger hunt. By using scripture you can give hints or clues about different parts of nature, the outdoors and have a race ( we pair up kids with mom or dad). We take pictures with our phones and then compare the findings at the end of the hunt and talk about the different things we found that the Lord has made.

4. Have a swim or dance night. Find something fun that the kiddos love to do. Enjoy one another and really soak up the blessings that the Lord has given you. If you dont have a pool use the sprinklers, water balloons or the neighborhood pool. For those of you with subpar dance moves..... its okay, its just family.  :)

5. Dinner time Devotionals. As you sit down around the table at dinner talk about the day and the blessings of the Lord. Read a devotional and bring the Lord into the conversation. Here is a site that has great dinner devotionals.
Dinner Devotionals
Dinner Devotional Book

6. Cut out TV/Movies for a week. Have the kids play games, Hide n' Go Seek, make up dance routines. Choose anything that allows them to be active and not just sit in front of the television all day long.

7. Change out the old boring snacks. Use Ants on a Log and spark up conversation about the Lord's creation, even from the smallest of ants.  Have Apple Slices w/ a Cheese Stick or Peanut Butter and talk about how a "tree is known by its fruit" and living a life that exemplifies Christ. Make Trail Mix and talk about the times the Lord walked by himself with the Lord or the different trails/routes Paul took to spread the Gospel.

In all, being intentional is what will start the process. Get creative and have fun! Feel free to share your family activities below! :)

Lollie B