Timothy Smith - 52 Family Time Ideas: Draw Closer to Your Kids as You Draw Your Kids Closer to God

If you are looking for practical help in having meaningful family activities that foster togetherness and teach children meaningful lessons, this is your book.

Gary D. Chapman, PhD
Author of The Five Love Languages

Tim Smith can help build a legacy of faith for your family. The most effective Christian education takes place in the home, but most families are looking for good material to use at family time. Tims ideas are practical, experiential, fun, and life transforming. I highly recommend you have a regular family time and start with this book.

Jim Burns, PhD
President, HomeWord

Tim Smith has done it again! He has delivered to the harried parent a hands-on guide to strengthen the key relationship between moms and dads and their children. Every parent, or grandparent as in my case, holding this book has the opportunity to intentionally speak a blessing into our kids by giving them our greatest asset: our time. When we invest time in our kids it will pay great dividends. If you are short on ideas, Tim Smith is the man to give them to you.

Dr. Gary and Barb Rosberg
Americas Family Coaches and authors of The 5 Love Needs
of Men and Women

Heres a chance to turn off the TV and do something fun and fruitful together as a family! Fifty-two great ideas that help bring Christ back into the center of your home as a family.

Mark A. Holmen
Sr. Pastor, Ventura Missionary Church and author of Faith
Begins at Home

Other Resources by Timothy Smith

Books

Connecting With Your Kids: How Fast Families Can Move FromChaos to Closeness

The Danger of Raising Nice Kids: Preparing Your Children toChange Their World

Family Traditions: Strengthening Your Family Identity and Unity

Audio Book

The Relaxed Parent: Helping Your Kids Do More As You Do Less

Drow closer to your kids
as you draw your kids
closer to God

Timothy Smith

52 Family Time Ideas
Copyright 2006
Timothy Smith

Cover design by Zandrah Kurland
iStockphoto.com/Bradley Mason/Geralda van der Es
2005 Inmagine. All rights reserved.

Unless otherwise identified, Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations identified NIV are from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION . Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations identified The Message are from The Message. Copyright 1993, 1994, 1995 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwisewithout the prior written permission of the publisher and copyright owners.

Published by Bethany House Publishers
11400 Hampshire Avenue South
Bloomington, Minnesota 55438

Bethany House Publishers is a division of
Baker Publishing Group, Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Printed in the United States of America

ISBN-13: 978-0-7642-0240-7
ISBN-10: 0-7642-0240-5

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Smith, Tim, 1954
52 family time ideas : draw close to your kids as you draw your kids closer to God / Timothy Smith.
p. cm.
Summary: Presents fifty-two activity plans for parents who desire weekly family time. Most lessons are intended to last twenty minutes and include a suggested Bible reading, activity, discussion, and prayer. Written for families with children from ages four to fourteenProvided by publisher.
ISBN-13: 987-0-7642-0240-7 (pbk).
ISBN-10: 0-7642-0240-5 (pbk.)
1. FamilyReligious life. I. Title. II. Title: Fifty-two family time ideas.
BV4526.3.S64 2006
249dc22

2006019412

To Nicole and Brooke

TIMOTHY SMITH is a family coach, speaker, president of Life Skills for American Families, and the author of several books. He is a research fellow with the George H. Gallup International Institute and a radio commentator. Tim and his wife have two young-adult daughters and live in Southern California.

Timothy Smith does keynote speaking and presents at family conferences and parenting seminars throughout North America. He also makes presentations in the workplace on work/home balance and wellness issues related to family life. You can reach Tim by calling toll free at 877-376-3500 or by writing Life Skills for American Families at P.O. Box 7736, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360.

Contents

Ever promise your children youd take them to an amusement park? They may be excited for daysuntil you get there! Then as they gaze up at the roller coaster, or the spinning gizmo, or the animal-shaped car that disappears into a dark tunnel
they become afraid.

I want you to experience the same thing!

Not because Im mean, but because it will be fun.

Really!

Taking the step to have a weekly family time might be a little scary at firstmost adventures arebut dont worry. You wont be alone. I will be your guide. You wont get lost, and Ill make sure you dont eat too much cotton candy before going on the whirling teacups. In other words, youll be okay.

52 Family Time Ideas is a journey of discovery, together. That means it will be fun. But like a thrilling amusement ride, it will require a little risk. It will be a journeygoing to a place you have never been before. The good news is you wont even have to take the minivan! And you get to do it together.

Todays families dont seem to have much time for each other,
and if we finally carve out time, we twiddle our thumbs, look at
each other, and ask, So waddya wanna do?

52 Family Time Ideas provides the structure and ideas for the meaningful and fun family time you want, helping you to discover and experience Gods timeless principles for strong families.

In just twenty minutes each week you will discover treasures right in your own family. You will also be building lasting memories for you and your children.

I pray that these sessions will launch a tradition of love, laughter, and learning together for your family, because familiesreally matter.

1. Set aside time each week. If you can, make it the same time from week to week. Children benefit from routine and will anticipate the time. If you choose a weekend Family Time, you may need to be flexible with other activities.

2. Read the weekly session ahead of time and obtain the materials you will need. (A Master Materials List that summarizes whats needed for all the sessions is also in the back of the book.) You might even practice reading the Scripture text for maximum expression and impact.

3. Protect your Family Time by eliminating any distractions like the phone, TV, radio, video games, or the computer. You will need about twenty minutes for the regular sessions and one and a half to two hours for Movie Nights.

4. To customize each session for younger children or teenagers, read and think through the sections that start with Adaptingfor...

5. Show honor to each other by having every family member present (if possible).