These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Deuteronomy 6:6-8
When school is out, it’s common for the summer months to take on a very different look in your family life. Schedules relax, sunscreen is applied, and memories are made. You may have slid into summer and let fun take the wheel, “Let’s make memories!”
Building family memories together is an amazing thing and a great goal to have, but as you reflect on past summers, what actually built deep family connection and relationships?
Or maybe you took out the white board to plan all the things: “Little Johnny, you are taking a soccer camp during week one, a church camp during week two, and an engineering camp week three!” Summer is about staying busy and praying the kids don’t kill each other or you. But as you reflect on past summers, did they really learn something of true, life-long, or eternal value or were you really just keeping them out of your hair?
More than likely, you’re a little bit of both or you even swing from the first to the second as the summer weeks march on. Instead, what if we had a little more intentionality toward eternal and life-long experiences?
Whenever rhythms and routines change, it’s a great opportunity to take a look at what we’ve been doing and make some adjustments, to tweak a few things to get back on course as a family.
Now is the time to stop, pray, and listen to what God might want your family to focus on.
World events, like the Summer Olympic Games, starting July 26th, provide a unique opportunity to teach children about different places and people, faiths and religions, cultures and traditions. By giving your children something to contrast what they know and believe and see you 
live out, they can put their biblical worldview skills to use. Try it out by grabbing this free Olympic Torch Devotional and Craft Activity to do with your kids. They’ll enjoy getting to create something together, learn teamwork, and verbally encourage one-another, all while applying scripture to their lives!
Other ideas for discipling your kids over the summer
- Change-up the time you do family devotions each day, especially if bedtime is later. After lunch might be a better time during the summer.
- Grab a read-aloud book about a missionary and read together in the slower afternoons.
- Do a family Bible study after breakfast.
- Go on a walk and pray for your neighbors.
- Incorporate some different activities like crafts, games, or video lessons based on the ages and interests of your kids.
- Whether it’s during meals, car rides, or bedtime routines, you can use these moments to instill biblical principles and point your children to Christ.
Discipling your children using everyday moments and real life events, like during the Summer Olympic Games, provides rich opportunities to talk about faith, instill a biblical worldview, and give kids a practical time to pray for different peoples and places.
Remember, discipleship is a continuous journey for you and for them, and it won’t end when summer does. But summertime is a great time to mix things up and try something new!
What activities have you done with your kids that help them grow spiritually?
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Alicia Bennett grew up living and traveling overseas from a very young age, but it wasn’t until college that God captured her heart for unreached peoples. After majoring in East Asian studies, she went on to work with an international missionary agency until she and her husband started a family. Today, Alicia and her husband live in Colorado and have four growing boys. She continues to write, teach, and speak about God’s heart for the world, serving in both children’s and mission capacities at her local church and writing for various ministries. She also hosts a Moms in Prayer group in her home. You can find her blogging regularly at MobilizerMom.com about all things missions, biblical parenting, and intentional discipleship. She’s active on social media @MobilizerMom, equipping other parents to raise the next generation of Daniels and Esthers.