One of the most consistent prayers I pray at the start of a new day goes like this: “God, help me to serve my family with joy today.”

As much as I wish I were the fun parent, I’m just not. I’m gifted at logistics and anticipating the needs of our crew, which often prevents me from letting loose to enjoy the moment. Parenting young kids can be exhausting and overwhelming at times. And, honestly, endless laundry or cooking a meal for the 5th time that week that my kids complain about, is not super fun.

But, I’m trying to make a more intentional effort to find joy in little tasks of motherhood and let myself have fun with my kids.

When my kids reflect on their childhood, I want them to remember our home was filled with joy. I want them to know that I delighted in them and loved being around them. I want them to remember that we had fun together. We belly-laughed and had dance parties in the kitchen and played.

Mostly, I want them to see first-hand the true joy that comes from a life lived walking with God. I want my kids to know that joy and fun are God’s ideas.

John Ortberg Jr. says, “God is the happiest being in the universe.” I tend to agree.

How could a God who created a world with music and Andy’s ice cream and screaming goats and hot pink peonies not be joyful? Jesus hosted too many dinner parties to be a buzzkill. He had to have been fun! He turned water into wine and played with little children. I picture him laughing around the fire with His disciples as they poked fun at each other.

Genesis 1:17 tells us that God created us in His image. This means our sense of humor and desire to play reflect His joyful nature. He invites us to delight in the good things of this world (Ecc. 3:12) and calls us to rejoice (1 Thes. 5:16-17).

What a gift it is to be invited into a relationship with a joyful God and to share that joy with our kids! Christians can get a bad rap for being too serious or rigid, but the reality is, that our homes should be the most fun, joyful houses on the block!

Since I have room to grow here, I asked my audience for ideas. Here are some themes and fun ideas for cultivating joy and playfulness in your home:

Slow down.

One of the best ways to infuse play in your home is to make space to delight and allow our kids the freedom to experience wonder. Let them linger on walks, encourage them to notice the birds or dig in the dirt. Don’t rush through meals, but savor time together. Joy is everywhere if we slow down enough to look for it.

Don’t take yourself too seriously.

A few years ago, my husband, David created an alter-ego for bedtime stories. “Uncle Eseke” wears a very dated old Peter Millar sport coat and speaks with a British accent. He only shows up every 6 weeks or so, but when he does, he is a hit! I’m convinced that Uncle Eseke nights will be some of my kid’s favorite, silly memories. Personally, some of my favorite childhood memories involve my dad doing something super goofy or daring us to jump in an icy river or play a prank on our good-natured neighbors.

Prioritize play.

Set up epic trick shots and get the whole family involved, go all-in when you play charades, go on picnics, explore the woods, or make a giant fort in the living room. Honestly, I think this one is easier said than done. True play, requires unstructured time, which means we need to allow space for it in our busy schedules and practice being present.

Crank the music!

When I asked my Instagram followers how they like to have fun as a family the number one answer was dance parties! I love knowing that on a random Tuesday night, y’all are rocking out in the car or getting groovy in the kitchen to 2010 EDM music or Baby Shark. What’s your go-to family jam?

Celebrate often.

Holidays, even the small ones, are great excuses to bring the joy! I love Celebration Settings for holiday-themed paper place settings to make a meal extra special and fun. I have a good friend who always bakes a half-birthday cake for her kids – what a fun memory!

Practice joy on the bad days too.

The truth is life is not always fun. And we’d do our kids a big disservice if we pretended like it is. What we can do, is show them what it looks like to rejoice in the Lord always” (Philippians 4:4–7). We can acknowledge the hard but remind them that our hope lies with a God who promises to “make all sad things untrue.” Bad days happen but they don’t have to steal our joy.

What other ideas do you have? How do you cultivate joy and fun in your home? Comment below so we can learn from each other!

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