How to create a Godly home for your family

Building a Christian home is important for our families and their wellbeing. The world can be a harsh place, so we want to create an atmosphere that provides a safe place for our family to rest and rejuvenate.

As Christian parents, my husband and I work together to keep our household running calmly and smoothly. It not only decreases our stress levels but it also encourages a stronger family life with our children, which is so important.

And, if you’re like I am and no good at interior design, having a Christian home doesn’t have to do with decor. Instead it’s about creating a peaceful atmosphere where your family can relax, regroup and reconnect with each other and in their spiritual journey.

These 8 ways for how to build a Christian home are a great starting point for your family. They’re also part of the “Grace-Filled Stress Relief” free Bible study for moms. Find all the details here: 

1. Take care of your own relationship with God. 

“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.”

Isaiah 26:3 (NIV)

The first thing you need to do in order to build a Christian home is to take care of your own heart. Make sure you are reading God’s Word, spending time in prayer and are seeking spiritual wisdom from other Christians.

When we are connect to Christ Jesus, then we are more at-peace and less stressed. We’re also able to better fulfill God’s plan for our lives.

We cannot teach our children about God without having knowledge of God ourselves. Keeping your own relationship with God strong will help you be a better Christian mom and create a Godly home.

Be sure to check out these resources on how busy moms can find time for God:

• How to connect with God in the midst of raising a family
• How Christian moms can teach their children about God
• 5 Ways moms can find downtime
• Connect with other Christian moms just like you

2. Stay connected to your husband. 

“However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.”

Ephesians 5:33 (NIV)

Keeping your marriage strong is an important part of Christian family life. Sometimes church members get caught up in the verses about marriage that focus on the husband as the head of the home. However, God’s purpose for marriage is to be a loving, joint relationship. 

You must love and respect one another to keep  your relationship strong. No home is going to be peaceful with parents who are at odds with one another all the time.

In order to live on Godly parents, you must spend time together and talk about parenting in order to best minister to your kids’ hearts and physical needs.

Be sure to check out these resources on how to have a stronger Christian marriage:

• How to connect with your spouse while raising children
• Couple goals every Christian marriage needs
• How to have a happy married life in the midst of hard times

3. Pray for God’s wisdom and peace in your home. 

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.”

Colossians 3:15 (NIV)

If we want a home full of peace and calm, then we need to live as one body. Each member of the family needs to feel included and be part of family life. 

As Christian families, we can help accomplish this through prayer. We pray for our family’s needs, but we must also pray for God’s wisdom and peace to be part of our family lives and part of our homes.

You can pray this together as a family or make a commitment in your own prayer life to ask for guidance and help from the Holy Spirit in your family life and home.

4. Monitor the content your family consumes. 

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

Philippians 4:8 (NIV)

You don’t have to be constantly reading family devotions or watching Christian content. But, you do need to use the Word of God as a guiding principle in deciding what content to let into your home.

This will change through the years as your children grow. Things they are permitted to watch now aren’t the same as when they were toddlers. 

We want to raise young people in the world but not of the world. Both of my children have groused about not being allowed to watch certain shows or movies their friends can watch.

However, we don’t use foul language in our family, and content rampant with it is not permitted in our home. Part of living a Christian life means that we are to be aware of what goes into our heads — and that certainly extends into Christian parenting and what we are putting into the heads of all our family members.

5. Make quality time with one another a priority. 

“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!”

Psalm 133:1 (NIV)

Having a strong and calm Christian home also means spending time together just your family and letting the outside world fall away for a bit. You can do this however works best for your family.

For us, time around the dinner table is important. We talk about our days and what’s going on. We also spend time together watching movies and playing games. 

And having two children is an ideal situation for us to divide equally time with them. Each of them has two nights throughout the school week they get to hang out with their dad and me solo. 

Most of the time, we do fun things together during this time. Once a month, we have a check-in night with each child to talk about any concerns they have in any area of their lives.

Find more resources on having quality time with your family:

•  15 Ideas for spending time with your family at home
• 5 Ways to have one-on-one time with your kids
• 16 Volunteer ideas for families to do together
• Family fun night activities at home

6. Cheer for and encourage each other. 

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”

Ephesians 4:29 (NIV)

The Apostle Paul tells us that we are to use our words to build one another up. Jesus Christ tells us to treat others how we want to be treated in Matthew 7:12. In fact, Jesus’ words here are often referred to as the golden rule, because they best sum up God’s purposes for us to live in love.

Using kind and encouraging words within your home is important. Our children are always listening and learning from the things we say and do. We cannot tell them to speak nicely to one another, when we are not modeling that behavior in how we speak.

Our family has a principle that what’s good for one of us is good for all of us. Competition is left for games only and in no other way. 

Our children support and cheer for one another just as their dad and I do. 

Find more resources on speaking kindly:

• Become a happy family with one small attitude shift
• 10 Ways to be kind to your family today

7. Pray for one another. 

“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”

Ephesians 6:18 (NIV)

Prayer is important for spiritual growth to happen in the lives of your family members. We should pray for our families but also encourage them to pray for each other as well.

These can be prayers as simple as “God, be with my child today at school” or “Jesus, help my brother.”

Our children’s prayers will grow and evolve with them, but we want to start them off early with taking others to God in prayer — including their own family members.

Find more resources on family prayers:

• 14 Powerful prayers to pray for your school children
• Prayer envelope project for kids
• 8 Prayers for your husband
• 7 Short prayers for mothers

8. Make time for rest. 

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

Matthew 11:28-29 (NIV)

These words of Jesus remind us of the importance of downtime. To build a Godly home full of peace and calm, you have to be there. 

We can get caught up in the busy culture that surrounds us where we think we must be on the go all the time and do all the things. Intentionally set aside downtime for your family.

When our children were in elementary school, our general rule was they could only have one ongoing extracurricular activity at a time. That has grown and evolved with them, but we still guard our family’s downtime.

Downtime is important for physical and spiritual rest. It also allows you more opportunities to connect with one another.

Remember you aren’t alone!

No matter what, remember that you aren’t alone on this journey. God is with you every step of the way. Allow Him and His Holy Spirit to be at work in your life and in your home.

Connecting with other Christian moms can also help. Check out both the private Facebook group, Christian Moms with Grace, and the free “Grace-Filled Stress Relief” Bible study this post is a part of.

Biblical principles to help your children grow in faith

Of all the jobs I’ve held in my life, parenting is by far the most challenging, rewarding and important. More than anything, I want my children to have a personal relationship with their Heavenly Father. That’s the goal for Christian parents.

Figuring out the best ways to live out faith in our modern world takes some intentionality. The best parenting advice we can seek found in God’s Word.

While nobody is a perfect parent on earth, there are some Christian parenting tips that can helps us stay more in line with Biblical parenting as we raise our children and instill in them a Christian faith.

Affiliate links are used in this post. If you make a qualifying purchase via my link, I receive a small percentage of the sale at no additional cost to you. Read my full disclosure here.

Why Christian parenting is important

In order to raise Godly children, we have to be purposeful. Ideally this starts before you have children as you talk about your parenting style. However, no matter what phase of parenthood you’re in, you can move forward with making parenting decisions based around your faith.

And, if we’re being completely honest here, Christian parenting is hard work. Not only are you trying to teach your children how to be good people, you’re also trying to combat the influence of the world. That’s all while figuring out how to teach our kids to be in the world but not of the world.

It’s exhausting! Yet, it’s also worth it. Building a Christ-centered home founded on Biblical principles shows our children what being a Christian is from their time they are a very young age.

My experiences with Christian parenting

In our years of raising kids, so far, we have been through a variety of stages. We are now mostly in the teenage years with a child in middle school and one in high school. 

We are still in the thick of parenting. These days, we are working more and more with our children to allow them to make their own decisions and want to be sure we have equipped them to do that God’s way rather than the world’s way.

In building a Christ-centered home, my husband and I have been intentional about raising our kiddos to know God personally.

1. Teach your children who God is.

“And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”

Deuteronomy 6:6-7 (ESV)

From young children to old children, they need to know about God. This means teaching them about Him in age-appropriate ways.

For example, we started nightly prayers with our children from before they were old enough to say them themselves. We read to them from children’s Bibles. (Our favorite is “The Jesus Storybook Bible!”) 

We took them to Sunday School. (Now our oldest is a Sunday School teacher herself!)

We talked about God in everyday life. Of course we didn’t only talk about God — that’s not practical. But when we had a natural chance, we talked about Him. 

Now that we have older children, we are teaching them more complex things about God. They know the basics, so now we focus more on what it looks like to really live for God in the modern world. 

We strive to give them a Biblical worldview on current events and challenges they face in school. Simply talking to your children about God and who He is gives them a foundation for their own faith and relationship with Him.

2. Talk with your children about how God is working and has worked in your own life.

“One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts.”

Psalm 145:4 (NIV)

This second point is also important. For our children to see the relevance of God in their everyday lives, hearing and seeing Him at work in their own parents’ lives is important.

We do this in different ways. When we had little kids, my husband and I would talk about answered prayers for even the little things. Sometimes it would just be saying “Thank you, Jesus” out loud when we found a close parking spot on a frigid winter day.

This continued to evolve as our kids grew. We talk with them about making good decisions and ways we have relied on God for His guidance.

One of the best ways to share about God’s love with others is telling them our own stories. This applies to our children as well. They can see the testimony of God at work in our lives, but they also need to hear about it.

3. Make family worship a priority.

“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”

Proverbs 22:6 (ESV)

This Bible verse is certainly a familiar one for most Christian families. We love this promise God proclaims over our children’s lives. 

But we also have to do our part. And that means showing them time with God is priority.

While it may not seem like a big deal, taking your children to church regularly is important for their spiritual growth. There may be phases where that’s harder to do than others. 

The newborn phase is challenging and was with both of my children. When you have small children, getting everyone up, ready and out the door is definitely difficult. Keeping everyone healthy is another challenge.

We had so many viruses and germs go through our household when my oldest started preschool!

Yet we persisted. And now both of our children know that Sunday morning means church. In fact, sometimes we have had to miss church in person for one of us being sick, and my daughter usually pleads to go in person if at all possible. Even just watching the livestream of the service isn’t enough for her.

4. Pray for your children.

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”

Romans 12:12 (NIV)

One of the hard things about parenting is we can struggle to see our progress. During those early years when we are trying to keep our heads above water and find ways to somehow build Christ-centered homes in the chaos, we can get discouraged.

However, the Bible tell us to have hope in God, be patient during hard times and never stop praying. Praying for our children is so important.

We need to pray for our children’s hearts to be open and receptive to God. We should pray for protection over them in every way: mentally, spiritually, emotionally and physically.

The Holy Spirit is ever at work in our lives and the lives of our children. Through prayer, we can tap into that power and strength — both of which are desperately needed.

While most of my prayers for my children are on my own, I do also pray in front of them for them. For example, one of the practical ways we have combatted bedtime fears is with prayer asking God to help.

I share with my children that’s exactly what I do when I’m struggling with being afraid and need to sleep. Especially when they were younger, I’d ask if they wanted me to pray out loud for them, and usually they would say yes.

I also pray over each of my children on their birthdays. It’s become one of our birthday traditions, in fact.

Check out these 14 powerful prayers to pray for your school children.

5. Encourage your children to find the plan God has for their lives.

“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'”

Jeremiah 29:11

Part of good parenting is recognizing our children are unique from us. They each have their own purposes and God has a plan for each child’s life. 

From the time I found out I was pregnant, I wondered about the children God was blessing me with. What would they like? What would they want to do?

Now as the mom of an 11-year-old and 15-year-old, I can tell you that I was right about some things and wrong about others. One very obvious way I was wrong was I expected my daughter to have my dark eyes and hair since they are dominant traits. Instead, she has light eyes and red hair.

Yet, the differences in how we look aren’t the only things different about us. She has her own unique gifts and calling from God on her life, just as my son does.

My husband and I have worked to be supportive of their dreams and hopes from the time they were younger children. We don’t know exactly what occupation they’ll each have, but we have encouraged them each step of the way to seek God first and follow His leading.

I know following Christ Jesus will bring them joy and contentment more than anything else in this world. I also know their purpose and His plan for them may surprise me. 

The biggest influence I can have in the matter is encouraging them to seek God, have a good relationship with Him and hold strong to their faith as they make major life decisions.

6. Pray for yourself as a parent.

“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”

James 1:5 (NIV)

I am a smart person. Way back in the day, in fact, I earned a full academic scholarship to college. But being smart and being wise are two different things.

Wisdom comes with experience. And, boy, parenting takes a lot of wisdom! I don’t have nearly enough of it on my own. Daily I pray God gives me the wisdom and strength to be the mom my children need.

I cannot do it on my own. If I think about the Fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control), I know those are all characteristics I want to display and live out. But I also know, as the Apostle Paul tells us in those Bible verses from Galatians 5:22-23, that I cannot do so on my own.

To do the good work of raising a Godly child, we must seek God’s wisdom, strength and general help in parenting. 

Don’t forget in-the-moment prayers as well. Many times we’ve been in the middle of a discussion or challenge with our kids and I simply pray silently, “God, help us” or “God, give us wisdom.” I pray for both my husband and myself that way.

Find inspiration with these prayers:

• 7 Prayers for overwhelmed moms needing peace and strength
• 8 Prayers for joy for moms based on the Bible
• 7 Short prayers for mothers

7. Let your children see you make mistakes.

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”

Romans 3:23 (NIV)

Past generations of parents held to the opinion they were never wrong and admitting mistakes to their children made them seem weak. I just don’t think that’s a good parenting philosophy.

Just as we need to teach our children how to live, we need to teach them how to make mistakes and fail. One of the best ways we can do that is by letting them see our own mistakes. 

The last thing I want is for my kids to think they need to live perfect lives and not mess up. That’s not reasonable and goes completely against human nature and who God says we are.

Instead, I want them to know they will make mistakes, but not only will they have the unconditional love of their dad and me, they’ll also have the unconditional love of their Heavenly Father.

We’ve also talked about how if we were all perfect, Jesus wouldn’t have needed to come and die for our sins. Apologizing to your kids when you mess up is a good thing. It shows them nobody is perfect and how to behave when they do mess up.

One of the principles in our family is the kids will be in bigger trouble for lying to us than for owning up to what they did. Allowing them to see us owning up to mistakes helps them realize it isn’t the end of the world to do so.

8. Encourage open conversations about faith in your family.

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”

Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)

Young people of all ages have questions. Little children want to know a lot of things that are kind of random, like how Noah fit all the animals on the ark or what kind of fish was used when Jesus fed the 5,000.

Older children have deeper questions of faith, like how do we know God is real or why does God let bad things happen.

These are all valid questions and something you can explore together. Because here’s the thing I know for sure about God after my decades of serving Him: He can stand up to any and all questions. If He couldn’t, then He wouldn’t be a God worth serving!

Let your children ask questions, and don’t be afraid to admit you don’t know the answer. Look it up together. Talk to your pastor or other spiritual leader.

Or, in the case of answers nobody knows, talk about your different theories and how some information we won’t know until we get to heaven. Bring the focus always back to what matters most in faith of knowing God loves us, wants a personal relationship with us, sent His Son to die for our sins before raising Him from the dead.

9. Connect them with other Christians to pour into them as well.

“In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.”

Titus 2:7-8 (NIV)

We don’t want to only keep our children people who are a bad influence, we also want to connect them with people who are a good influence. Often, our kids will listen to someone else more than us as their parents. 

Help your kiddos get connected to other Christian adults who can teach them about God and love on them as well. This includes extended family members, friends and church family. 

Taking them to Sunday School or other such offerings as young children is a great place to start. Then finding a good youth group and ministry to connect them with as they are older is important.

10. Pray and study with your children.

“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

Matthew 18:20 (NIV)

Some of the best Christian parenting advice is to pray and study with your children. When we read this Bible verse from Matthew that where two or three are gathered, God is there also, we don’t always think about it applying in our families, but it does!

Make prayer time and devotional or Bible study time a priority. One of the ways we helped our children learn how to pray for others when they were young was by using prayer envelopes they would draw from each night.

We’d talk about different ways we could pray for people from thanking God for them, asking God to bless them, asking God to protect them and so one when we didn’t know a specific request.

Now they are older and we still have family prayer time. Getting into the Bible together is also important. Even just having a Bible verse each week, doing a devotional together once (or more!) a week or whatever works best for your family.

(Grab the free “Finding Grace at Home: 7 Days of 5-Minute Devotions!”)

Another practical way to make this happen is discussing church sermons or lessons afterward. We have had some amazing time of connection and growth just by doing that.

Bonus tip: Grow in your own spiritual walk with God

In order to be the mama God created you to be and your children need you to be, you also have to take care of your own spiritual walk. Make prayer and Bible study part of your regular routine.

Another component of spiritual growth is connecting with other believers. Consider joining my free, private Facebook group, Christian Moms with Grace, for daily discussions about life and faith.

And take advantage of this free Bible study just for moms, “Grace-filled Stress Relief.”

God never intended for you to be on this journey alone!

40 Fun things to do for your family’s Fourth of July celebration (with FREE coloring pages!)

Each year when America’s birthday rolls around, I want to figure out the best family things to do on July 4th. My goal is to come up with funs ideas my whole family can enjoy.

The fun activities I plan for July 4th have varied depending on how old my children are. For example, when they were babies and toddlers, we watched a fireworks show on television rather than in person. It was a better way for our family to see fireworks during that season.

Nowadays, though, my children are older and finding fun ideas our whole family will enjoy is important to me. Our best memories are made with family fun!

I’ve pulled together a list of all kinds of Fourth of July activities for families. Some of these my family does ourselves, and others are new ideas I can’t wait to try!

Affiliate links are used in this post. If you make a qualifying purchase via my link, I receive a small percentage of the sale at no additional cost to you. Read my full disclosure here.

Traditional celebrations

Whether you live in a small town or large city, most areas have a variety of events throughout the day in honor of the Fourth of July. And the majority are family friendly!

Attend a local parade.​

Check social media and other online resources to find out if there is a local parade happening near you. Parades are especially fun for younger kids.

But even with older kids, parades are a fun way to celebrate any holiday. 

Have a Fourth of July cookout.

Whether you call it a cookout or a backyard barbecue, July 4th is notorious for grilling up hot dogs and hamburgers.

Plan some easy sides like potato chips, baked beans, macaroni salad and deviled eggs, then host a cookout in your own backyard. You get bonus points for making food in red, white and blue!

You can also turn this into a potluck and invite friends or family over to spend time all together.

Put up patriotic decor.

Everyone is more inclined to get into the holiday spirit if you have some star-spangled banner decor around. You don’t have to spend a fortune to make it happen.

One creative way to decorate is with coloring pages that your family colors. You not only get to spend quality time coloring together, you also get to display artwork you’re proud of!

Download this set of 6 free July 4th coloring pages!

Go see a fireworks display.

Nothing is more traditional on July 4th than fireworks. Find the best places to go in your area and attend a big display with your family.

If you are able to do your own fireworks, give those a go if you’d rather. Our family usually does a mix of both. We get some small things, like sparklers, to do at home. Then we go see the big fireworks in a nearby park. 

And another option, especially if you have younger children or a family member who is noise sensitive, is to watch fireworks on television. We’ve done this a few times, and it’s one of the best ways to see fireworks without the heat and hassle!

Outdoor adventures

You can find all sorts of kid-friendly activities in the great outdoors that are perfect for July 4th weekend. Even inside folks like me can find a fun game to play!

Play outdoor games at home.

Without even leaving home, there are lots of fun yard games your family can play. From corn hole to croquet, options abound. 

But don’t forget other great options for the warm weather we have in July, such as having a water balloon fight. This remains one of my children’s favorite things to do in hot weather!

Simple games like hide and seek or tag are fabulous options as well.

Have a picnic at the park.

Another great way to celebrate July 4th is by having a picnic in the park. Often parks where fireworks displays are set to happen are filled with all sorts of options ahead of time from free live music to food vendors. 

Pack up your family and head to the park early to enjoy free concerts and tasty treats in addition to what you pack yourself. And don’t forget, it’s a good idea to bring along both sunscreen and bug spray!

Go for a bike ride.

If your family loves riding bikes, then biking can be a fun Fourth of July activity to do together. Ride to a local park or a local ice cream store for a refreshing summer treat. 

Or just go for a ride together around your neighborhood. With most folks off work for July 4th, it’s a perfect time to use your free time for family-friendly activities.

Game time

From video to board games, a little friendly competition on July 4th can be the perfect way to spend at least part of the day. And my family loves games!

Play patriotic games.

The best options for patriotic themed games are going be printable ones. And that’s actually good news, because they are less expensive than store-bought options!

Print out a pack of 4th of July themed games and have fun as a family! This July 4th game and activity pack includes a wide array of options for the whole family:

• July 4th What’s on your phone?
• July 4th Crossword with answers
• Three July 4th mazes
• July 4th Selfie scavenger hunt
• July 4th Never have I ever
• July 4th Word scramble with answers
• July 4th Charades or draw the word
• July 4th Photo scavenger hunt
• July 4th How many words can you make?
• Tic Tac Toe
• Connect the dots game
• 2 July 4th Coloring pages

Play card or board games.

Independence Day weekend is a great time to play a new game or a family favorite when you have time off to do so. Some of our favorites include the following:

• Uno (including Uno Attack!)
• Harry Potter Clue
• What do You Meme? Family Edition
• Blank Slate
• Hero Quest (This one takes a while and is more of an RPG, but I love that it’s co-op so we make great memories working together!) 
• Never Have I Ever Family Edition (perfect for playing from the comfort of your living room)
• Story Cubes
• Charades (perfect for playing from the comfort of your living room)
• Fluxx (in all sorts of fun varieties like Wizard of Oz, Marvel and pirate)

Play video or electronic games.

Video and electronic games don’t especially sound like great family things to do on the 4th of July, but they really can be!

Find a game you can play cooperatively and try it out together. Recently I’ve had fun playing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles with my husband and son.

Or go for more traditional electronic game options like Jackbox Party Games. We’ve played these with our family and with my parents as well. All of us enjoy them!

You just need a console, computer or Apple TV. Each player will need a device on which to play, such as a phone or iPad. Easy to set up and lots of fun to play!

Even more ideas for July 4th

And if none of these options are what you’re looking for in a family-friendly event or you want some more ideas, check out this additional list of 30 family things to do on the 4th of July:

• Beach Day – Spend the day swimming, building sandcastles and relaxing.
• Patriotic Crafting – Make flags, wreaths or other themed crafts with the kids.
• Historical Reenactment – Visit a historical site or watch a reenactment of a Revolutionary War battle.
• Ice Cream Social – Set up an ice cream bar with various toppings.
• Outdoor Movie Night – Set up a projector and screen a family-friendly film.
• Fireworks Sparklers – Light sparklers and enjoy the sparkly fun.
• Attend a Baseball Game – Many local teams have special July 4th games and events.
• Family Talent Show – Let everyone show off their unique talents.
• Scavenger Hunt – Create a patriotic-themed scavenger hunt around your home or neighborhood.
• Visit a National Park – Take in the beauty of nature and enjoy outdoor activities.
• Host a Pie Eating Contest – See who can eat the most pie in a fun, messy competition.
• Patriotic Face Painting – Paint each other’s faces with flags and other patriotic symbols.
• Make Homemade Lemonade – Set up a stand or simply enjoy a refreshing drink together.
• Fourth of July Parade Float – Create a mini float for a neighborhood parade.
• Camp Out in the Backyard – Set up tents and tell stories under the stars.
• Patriotic Storytime – Read books about the history of Independence Day.
• Host a Flag Ceremony – Teach kids how to properly handle and display the flag.
• Nature Hike – Explore a local trail and enjoy the great outdoors.
• Create a Time Capsule – Include items that represent this year’s celebrations and open it in the future.
• Patriotic Baking – Make cupcakes, cookies or a cake decorated in red, white and blue.
• Kite Flying – Spend the afternoon flying kites in an open field.
• Visit a Farmer’s Market – Enjoy fresh produce and local goods.
• Red, White, and Blue Tie-Dye – Make tie-dye shirts in patriotic colors.
• Listen to Patriotic Music – Create a playlist of American classics and sing along.
• Visit a Museum – Learn about American history and culture.
• Parade Float Contest – Organize a neighborhood competition for the best-decorated bikes or wagons.
• Charity Run/Walk – Participate in or organize a 5K for a good cause.
• Boat Parade – If you live near water, join or watch a parade of decorated boats.
• Balloon Release – Release red, white and blue balloons (using eco-friendly materials).
• Photo Booth – Set up a booth with patriotic props and take fun family photos.

No matter what you decide to do, remember that you are making memories with your family. Not everything will be perfect — and that’s OK. But you can still enjoy the time together!

Fun ideas to celebrate the solar eclipse with printables!

Planning fun activities for our children is one perk of parenthood. And when a rare occurrence like solar eclipse happens, celebrating as a family can be fun. Thanks to solar eclipse printables — both free and cheap — you can celebrate without breaking the bank!

The last time an eclipse came through the United States back In 2017, we only saw a partial eclipse. But this solar eclipse has us in the path of totality on April 8th here in the Midwest, so I’ve been thinking about party ideas for my family.

I’m not thinking of an elaborate, over-the-top celebration, but I do want to come up with a fun way for my family to spend this day together. My children have an e-learning day for the Great American Eclipse, so we’ll all be home together.

As a Christian mom, I also think a solar eclipse is a great way to highlight how the heavens declare the glory of God. So grab your solar eclipse glasses and use these solar eclipse activities and printables to commemorate the day with your family.

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Printable solar eclipse party decorations

I’ve found one of the best ways to get my children excited about something is to decorate. From their birthdays to Valentine’s Day to Christmas, decorations make the event come alive.

And printable party decorations are the perfect way to add some pizzazz and excitement to your celebration without spending much money.

Printable party banners

Since we moved into a house with a fireplace, I love a good banner. But I don’t want to spend a fortune on one for this total solar eclipse. I decided to make some of my own and have them in the Families with Grace Etsy store for you to enjoy as well.

Printing your own banners is easier than you might think. Simply print on cardstock, cut out the shapes and then either hole punch and connect the letters with ribbon or tape them to the wall as is. Easy peasy!

First is this banner with a cartoon sun and moon together. It would definitely be a great addition to your solar eclipse celebrating.

Next, this banner is a bit lighter with a cool sun and moon in sunglasses. Your kiddos will enjoy it, and this is a great way to remind them to keep on their solar eclipse glasses!

Finally, this banner is a bit more elegant with stars. You can easily print it out and hang it up.

Printable posters

Another great way to decorate is with printable posters. And in this printable pack of free solar eclipse activities, you can find two coloring pages that work well as a total eclipse poster. 

One coloring sheet simply says Solar Eclipse 2024. The other highlights Psalm 19:1.

Children love being able to participate in making the decor!

A second option is using these cake toppers that come on 8.5 x 11-inch size pages as printable posters to decorate as well.

Solar eclipse party activities to do

Watching the solar eclipse itself is not the only way to have fun at your solar eclipse party. There are a variety of eclipse worksheets and games that can make your party fun for your kids — and you!

While lots of educational activities are available, for a party, I’m a fan of fun instead!

Free printable solar eclipse worksheet pack

Start with these free printable solar eclipse worksheets. The pack comes with five pages that include two coloring pages (perfect for decor), a maze, a matching the moon activity and a list of charades topics.

From preschool to second grade to middle school to high school, your kids will find something in the printable pack to enjoy. If charades aren’t popular for your family, try drawing the words for others to guess instead.

Not only is this solar eclipse packet a great resource, it’s also completely free!

Make a keepsake

If you have younger children, check out this “About Me” page for the solar eclipse 2024. It’s a printable, easy keepsake that lets you commemorate your kiddos for the 2024 eclipse.

For instance, I remember during the last eclipse I realized my preschooler and 2nd grader would be in the last year of elementary and middle school for the next eclipse. And somehow, we are already here. 

Since the next eclipse won’t happen until Aug. 23, 2044, some commemoration is a good idea! Because, this could very well be your last solar eclipse you have children at home. (I know it will be for us!)

Eclipse story-telling

A fun, no-prep activity you can do with your family is story telling. Have one family member start a short story with one sentence. Go around to each family member and continue the story one sentence at a time.

Make the story eclipsed themed. Consider these short story prompts:

• As a police officer, Alexa thought she’d seen everything, but the solar eclipse changed her mind because…
• John was a professional astronomer who thought he knew everything about safe eclipse viewing until…
• Mrs. Long’s 3rd grade class was so excited for the solar eclipse they threw a class party that got crazy when…
• When Michael made a model of the earth for his 5th grade general science class, he never expected to receive a call from NASA asking him to…
• The NASA website was set up to answer questions about the solar eclipse, but Patti’s question threw it off because she asked…

Solar eclipse party food

No party is complete without food! From themed snacks to sweet treats, I’ve found a few ideas to complete your solar eclipse 2024 party.

Cake or cupcakes

I’m a huge fan of cake and cupcakes in general. If we have an excuse to make them, then I’m all for it! 

An easy way to jazz up cupcakes or a cake is with toppers. Check out these cupcake toppers. There are seven unique designs you’ll love.

If you’d rather make a cake, each of the toppers come as a full 8.5 x 11-inch page size you can easily use as cake toppers.

Eclipse sliders

Since the solar eclipse is coming across North America in the afternoon, plan to serve a themed lunch or dinner for your family. Make hamburger sliders topped with white American or Swiss cheese to represent the dark and light of the eclipse.

You could take it a step further and buy some yellow paper plates and black paper plates to serve the sliders on.

Solar system fruit

By using a star-shaped cookie cutter with fruit, you can turn this snack or side into an edible solar eclipse craft. Let your kids help you make fruit star shaped and eat it as is or stick it on a skewer for a fun, easy way to eat.

Melons works well for cutting into shapes. Then you can add in other fruits your family enjoys as well.

Moon cheese

With a melon baller and Swiss cheese, you can make a small ball that looks like a little moon. Pair the small moon cheese with shaped crackers for a nice solar eclipse party snack your kids will love.

Moon pies

Perhaps the easiest snack of all for your eclipse party is the classic moon pie. Not only are these treats tasty, they’re also perfectly themed for an eclipse party! 

Grab some chocolate and vanilla ones to best capture the light and dark of the solar eclipse.

Just have fun!

With both free and paid solar eclipse printables, you and your family can have a great time commemorating this rare event together. I’m looking forward to having the time with my family.

The best kind of family party is one in which nothing is complicated and you all just get to have fun together!

Kid-friendly volunteer opportunities for the whole family

As Christians, we are called to serve and help those who are less fortunate. Paul states it rather bluntly, in fact:

“In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

Acts 20:35 (ESV)

A great way to teach children this lesson is by volunteering together as a family. Volunteer work is a change to not only spend quality time together but also make a positive difference in your community.

​From the time our children were preschoolers, my husband and I found ways to help them give back that were age appropriate. Now they are older kids in the tween and teen years, and those lessons have stuck.

Our oldest has organized a variety of food and toiletry drives at her school. Our youngest has helped serve at a local food bank.

The good news is you can find lots of volunteer activities that are a good fit for kids of all ages.

Behind-the-scenes volunteer ideas for families

Some of the best ways for families with little kids to volunteer is in a behind-the-scenes capacity. These ideas are all more hands-off and would all be a great volunteer opportunity for young children.

1. Buy for a local food pantry.

This is the idea our family first started with way back when our children were little. We divided (and still do!) their weekly allowance into three categories: spending, saving and giving.

We talked with our oldest about how she wanted to use her giving money when her brother was still too little to even get an allowance. She didn’t want to use it for church but instead to help people in need.

We found food pantries were a great place to start. We took her to the grocery store with her giving money so she had a very hands-on, visual experience with how she was giving back.

While we shopped and picked items, we talked about how they would help families. Later we prayed for the people who would be receiving them.

2. Collect or buy dog toys and supplies for your local animal shelter

If you have kiddos who love animals, buying toys for a local animal shelter or animal rescue organization is a great idea. These places are always in need of supplies to take care of the furry friends in their care.

Many shelters and rescue organizations have age requirements for volunteering, so donating is a better way to involve all your family members. 

Consider donating toys, blankets, towels, cleaning supplies, pet food, pet beds and more. 

3. Make cards for senior centers.

Many young children love dong arts and crafts. Buy or print out some inexpensive cards for holidays (Christmas, Valentine’s Day, etc.) and donate them to a local senior center or nursing home.

Often senior citizens are lonely and long for connection with young people. This gives your children a chance to make a difference doing something they enjoy anyway.

4. Buy toys for a toy drive.

Toy drives are especially popular at Christmastime. This can be a great activity for families with younger children to get involved.

Share with your children that some kids don’t have as many toys and that you are shopping for a toy to cheer them up. Then let your kiddo help you pick out the toy. 

Depending on the age of your child, be prepared for the struggle of buying for others. Talking about it ahead of time, during and while donating the toy can be helpful.

5. Deliver treats to first responders.

A fun activity for little ones is to bake (or buy) treats and deliver them to first responders. Calling ahead is a good idea.

When my kids were a toddler and preschooler, we called the local fire station and scheduled a time to drop by. We brought some homemade cookies to give the firefighters.

The firefighters gave my kids plastic hats, a firetruck tour and some safety instructions. It was a win all around.

Hands-on volunteer ideas for families

Though behind-the-scenes volunteer ideas work really well for young families, other ideas work well for families with children who are older. 

These volunteer ideas for families work for preschool aged children through high school kids and beyond.

6. Participate in a park clean-up day.

If your local park is hosting a clean-up day, then get your family involved. Children who are preschool aged and older can help with carrying bags or picking up things.

Not only are you working for a good cause, you’re also having time together outside and making memories.

Even if your park isn’t have a clean-up day, you can still pick a day and collect trash as a family.

7. Work in a community garden.

This is great opportunity for children to learn life skills starting from a young age. Bring them along to enjoy getting their hands in the dirt while helping to grow fruits and vegetables to make a difference in the lives of others.

Check out your local community center or other nonprofit organizations for community garden opportunities.

8. Volunteer in a local soup kitchen.

You don’t have to serve the food to be helpful. Soup kitchens need all sorts of work families can undertake. Check with local organizations that serve food and see what they need.

Besides serving food, you may find volunteering experience for families such as cleaning, food prep, setting up tables, organizing ingredients and more.

9. Participate in a drive for school supplies.

While you can certainly stay behind the scenes by donating school supplies, working at the supply distribution is a volunteer project older children can especially benefit from.

Youth volunteers for these programs are great for running supplies where they need to be. It also allows your older children a chance to feel some gratitude for the blessings in their own lives.

10. Plan a car wash to raise money.

Whether you’re looking to help a nonprofit organization, one of your local churches or even a children’s hospital, hosting a car wash is a pretty easy activity youth can get behind. Find a location in a busy part of town that will let you hook up hoses. 

Bring along hoses, buckets, sponges, soap and signs. Make sure your signs are clear what organization or group is benefitting from the car wash proceeds.

11. Make care packages for your local homeless shelter.

Personal care items are always needed at homeless shelters and other organizations ministering to the underserved. Toiletries such as soap, shampoo, toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant and feminine hygiene products are just a few examples of needs to be filled.

Food stamp programs do not cover these items either. So any organization serving those reliant on food stamps can probably utilize these essentials.

12. Coordinate with your school counselor.

Many parents are aware teachers spend some of their own money on supplies and needs for their classrooms. But school counselors and/or sometimes school nurses do as well.

For example, my daughter learned a counselor at her school was buying various toiletries to help out students in need. So, my daughter hosted a toiletry drive at school and filled the counselor’s supply closet to overflowing.

Our entire family got involved with the project by helping collect, count and sort the items.

13. Organize a canned food drive.

Organizing a canned food drive might sound intimidating, but it’s not as hard as you might think. We’ve done this a few times at the kids’ school.

Once you have permission, you basically just need collection containers and a time to pick up and transport everything to the food bank. Publicize the food drive on social media, in the school newsletter and/or with an information sheet to help get the best results.

We’ve also found some good old-fashioned bribery works, too. Promises of an ice cream party or candy to the class who brings in the most is quite a good motivator for kids.

Our family is happy to buy some cups of ice cream or bags of candy to help keep the motivation going.

14. Volunteer at your local library.

No matter where you live, your local library could use your help. Even with paid staff, there are always tasks that need to be done.

If you have a child with a love of reading, your library may have a program he or she can participate in to read to senior citizens, dogs or young children. Other library volunteer activities could include helping set up for story time or sorting through old circulation material.

15. Help your neighbors.

Sometimes you don’t need to use official volunteer programs to reach out and make a difference in someone’s life. Look around your own neighborhood and see what neighbors have needs.

You may find an elderly neighbor who needs help with lawn care or even taking the trash cans to the curb. Or maybe a family with a new baby could use a hand watching their older kids one afternoon a week.

All sorts of people are in need around us that we can reach out and help as a family.

16. Volunteer at a food distribution center.

Food pantries certainly need help, but don’t forget about the food distribution centers that supply many pantries. The local distribution center for our family has an age requirement of 12 or older for volunteer positions.

For us, this means our oldest child can volunteer right now, but our youngest cannot. So, my daughter and I have gone a few times and done a variety of tasks from sorting onions to stapling papers. There is never a lack of need.

Creating a legacy of service

With so many volunteer ideas for families, you won’t run out of activities any time soon. These are all great ways to encourage our children to love on those around them, which is the most important thing we want to encourage as Christian moms and dads.

Set an example and get your entire family involved so your family tradition of volunteering becomes a legacy of service.