Family Fun is Worth It
What are some of your best childhood memories? At least a few probably include laughing with your family. Johnny sets us up for creating laughable moments within our families…’tis the season!
“A cheerful heart is good like medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” Proverbs 17:22
This is the season we hear and join in singing Christmas songs. “JOY to the World” should and could become our family’s year round treasure of “joy to our family.” The Hallmark Channel is packed with predictable Christmas story outcomes designed to warm our family’s heart. Let’s not limit our family’s joy and cheer to only the holidays however.
Family time can often use some pressure relievers. Let’s be intentional with initiating some laughable moments. Whether being in the car or at the dinner table – it’s always good to create some family joy such as a little family competition.
Family fun should be healthy, meaning it is kind, genuine, and uplifting with intentions of uniting the family. However, family fun that is destructive and includes putting others down separates and humiliates – so don’t even go there. Joking when it is a wonderful highlight of the moment is a memory maker. A good rule of thumb would be to consider, “Is this joking kind? Is it helpful?” If both answers are yes, then go for it!
- Family pranks, puzzles, and scavenger hunts are the kind of adventures that build family traditions and are sure to become family highlights to be talked about for years.
- A game of Charades, the Blue Gnu (a game of finding a disguised citizen in public who is THE Blue Gnu), Twister, Snort Off (Where you take turns snorting at the person next to you, both of you trying not to laugh. Then continue around the group.), wrestle mania or creating stories from scratch by each family member adding to the story, phrase upon phrase can bring some creativity to the family journey.
- Guessing games, such as spontaneous …“Have You Ever…?”, “Did You Know…?”, “What Would You do If…?”, “Being Stranded on an Island”, will keep your family’s dreams open ended.
- A time ticking, pressure building game, such as “Catch Phrase” can ignite some great family tears of laughter. We recently discovered a free phone app called “Heads Up” that has plenty of interesting categories, and is a lot of fun too.
So, no hum bug this season or upcoming year! Just like Camp’s #1 rule, “Don’t Waste Fun” let’s give the gift of laughter and joy. Now, that’s a wonderful, lasting family legacy that promises to bring plenty of smiles all year long!
Camper Corner:
Campers, what three, non-electronic family fun games will you bring to the family to help “Let the games begin” this holiday season?
