5 Ways to Intentionally Point Your Kids to God This Summer

By contributing writer, Liz

With a baby set to arrive any day over here, we are planning for a simple Summer.

However, for a lot of families Summer is a time that is packed full of vacations, trips to the pool, and lots of other activities.

With such a big break from your normal routine, how are you going to make sure you remain intentional in pointing your kids to God this summer?

In Deuteronomy 6:6-9 it says:

These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart.You shall teach them diligently to your sons 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 up.You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” (NASB)

Even during times when life gets busy and unpredictable (like Summer!) we are supposed to be diligently teaching our children God’s truth. Thankfully, this scripture gives us some insight on how we are to go about doing this!

We are to talk about God “when you sit and when you walk, when you lie down and rise up.” We are to incorporate learning about God into everyday life.

Today, I’d like to share with you five ways that you can incorporate discussion about God into day-to-day life and intentionally point your kids to God this Summer.

Stick around to the end of the post and I have a bonus free gift for you to use that lays out eight weeks of devotionals to help your kids discover God this Summer!

1. Spending Time In Nature

I don’t know about you, but as soon as the weather turns nice it can become nearly impossible to drag my son back indoors.

He wants to be outside as much as possible! Whether your family likes to camp, hike, or just get out in the backyard, Summer is a great time for being outdoors.

The best part is that there couldn’t be a better place for finding ways to talk about God! In Romans 1:20 it says:

“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.” (NASB)

Everywhere you look in nature points to God!

Use those times outdoors to marvel with your children at the power of the One who created it all.

2. Simple Mealtime Routine

One thing is for sure, no matter how busy your Summer gets you still need to eat!

Meals are a great time to set into place a simple devotional routine. You could read an actual devotional book together or just keep it really simple with prayer and a memory verse.

Related Content: How We Do Family Devotions

We have recently begun the Charlotte Mason method for memorizing scripture and it has been going great. I try to remember to read our verse every morning at breakfast. You can read more about this method here.

My favorite quote from the article in the previous link is: “Don’t worry about how many days it takes for everyone to memorize the selected Scripture. Hiding God’s Word in your heart is not a race; it’s a lifelong habit.”

Memorizing is not my forte, so I love that it is such a simple, laid back method!

Related Content: A Scripture Memory System that Actually Works (for adults and kids)!

3. Music

Even though we are taking it easy this Summer, I know we will have at least one long car trip to visit family.

Last Summer we spent almost 90 hours in the car during our travels!

A great way to take advantage of all that time spend in the car is to play music about God. (Of course this is also something you can do even if you are just at home!)

Lately, my son constantly asks what the song means that is playing on the radio and I love being able to tell him: “Oh, this song is about God knowing everything” or “This song is about God forgiving our sins.” 

We mostly listen to the local Christian radio station or my “Toby Mac” Pandora station, but we also enjoy kid’s scripture music too, such as Steve Green’s “Hide ‘Em In Your Heart.”

4. Share What You’re Learning

In the Deuteronomy 6 scripture, it begins by talking about how God’s Word should be on our hearts. Before we can pass on God’s Word to our children, we need to be actively taking it in for ourselves!

Make sure that over the Summer you continue to dig into God’s Word for yourself. Odds are, your kids will see you and want to know what you are doing.

When you are excited about what you are learning, it is almost impossible to keep it to yourself!

Resources to Help You Stay in the Word this Summer:

• Summer in the Psalms Bible Reading Plan
• Free Bible Reading Plans
• One Simple Way to Read Your Bible More
• Developing the Habit of a Daily Quiet Time No Matter What Season You’re In

5. Choose a Summer Theme

One last fun idea is to choose a Summer theme.

Have a short family meeting to discuss ideas and take a vote for a theme to center the Summer around.

Some ideas could be: service, giving, kindness, being brave, etc.

This would be a great time to use the last section of Deuteronomy 6:6-9 and put up reminders of your summer theme around the house.

You could hang up related verses or maybe a poster board with your Summer theme and a bucket list of things you could do that are related to that theme.

Just remember, finding ways to bring God into your day-to-day life doesn’t have to be complicated or elaborate. Just finding those small moments where you can point your kids to God will eventually add up and make all the difference in the world! 

How do you like to point your kids to God each day?

Free Summer Planning Guide!

Want to plan a summer your whole family will love, but you just aren’t quite sure where to start?

Then, checkout our Intentional Summer Planning Guide. It’s totally free!

Click here to get your Free Summer Planning Guide!