How To Make Lasting Memories With Your Family — Two Guys Who Blog
Memories can last a lifetime. Families that enjoy doing things together, being together and truly love one another will create these types of lasting memories naturally. Like everything else in life though, making lasting memories with your family takes effort and time. Some memories happen by chance and may be small, like the time my oldest was little and read a sign at a drug store that said “Small Appliances” as “Small Apple Slices”. We still say that to her every time we pass the Walgreens sign where the advertisement was and we still laugh. Other memories might be bigger or more intentional like the first time your family went to Disney World.
Creating lasting memories doesn’t have to cost your family a large amount of money. Many lasting memories can be simple things you do together.
Here is a list of some memory making ideas for you to try with your family:
Create a unique holiday tradition
For as long as I can remember growing up my family has gotten together on Christmas Day and had either our traditional Italian meal or one consisting of turkey and ham. It got boring. One year I threw out the idea of doing themed Christmas Day celebrations. The theme would involve decorations of the country or culture, costumes, food, and music. Before we go any further this was not meant to be a cultural appropriation type day. It was meant to be a way to enjoy other peoples cultures and food and just have fun mixing things up.
Our first year of themed Christmas was Mexican Christmas. We chose Mexican because who doesn’t love Mexican food. We enjoyed it so much that we did the theme the second year. Other themes have included Redneck Christmas, Hawaiian Christmas, New Orleans Christmas (complete with my girls and I throwing beads out the second story windows to everyone as they came in) and a true Italian Christmas.
The best part about this concept is that we all decide on the theme after Thanksgiving dinner. We gather in the living room and people present their ideas either vocally, with pictures or via a Power Point. We then do a secret ballot and the winner is chosen. This would give me a month to figure out decorations and everything else that goes into the day. We decorate every inch of the house including the front lawn, bathroom, kitchen, living room, you name it.
This is a memory that my children and my wife and I will always remember. We have friends ask us every year what the theme is going to be. Try it yourself!
Document your days with pictures
We all walk around with very high tech cameras in our pockets every day in the form of our smartphones. Constantly documenting each and every move we make. The problem is most of those pictures stay on our cell phones never to see the light of day. Sure we share them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter but we should all be printing them out. Document all your days and memories with pictures and print them out. Check out for an innovative monthly subscription plan that helps you preserve your images in print and makes it easy to look back on your memories.
Cook with your children
Children love being involved in tasks that adults do. For my kids, they used to always love baking Christmas cookies every year. They are older now but we still have that tradition today. They always fought over who gets to crack the egg. Make one night a week the time that the kids help cook dinner with you. Maybe even let them pick the menu and help you prepare the meal.
Daddy and me (mommy and me) days
Take time to spend a day alone with each of your children where you can give 100% of your energy and attention to that specific child. It is hard at times when you have multiple children running in different directions to feel connected to everyone. A special day for each provides the perfect way to reconnect. See a movie, go to the park, whatever the child wants to do. Schedule it and make it happen.
Play hooky once a year
It’s important that your children attend school but when they’re young it’s OK to take them out once a year for a “hooky day”. Don’t let them know what day it’s going to be but surprise them when they wake up with a plan for the day. My wife ‘s mother used to do this with her every school year. She would come into my wife’s room in the morning and gently wake her and ask “Do you want to play hooky today?” They would go out for lunch. sleigh riding in the winter or in the warmer months maybe to a friend’s house where my wife got to swim in their pool while her mother and her friends drank iced coffee and chatted on the patio. She still remembers her hooky days and how special she felt. Go see a movie, or go to an amusement park or the beach. They will remember those days their whole lives. Just remember to call the attendance office at school to let them know they won’t be in today.
Camp in the yard
My girls and I used to set up the tent in the yard once a summer to have our annual campout. We’d have a nice BBQ dinner beforehand and then get situated in a tent for the night. We’d play games, catch lightning bugs and tell stories until we were all tired enough to fall asleep. We have some very fond memories and funny stories from those nights.
Go for long walks or bike rides
A nightly walk around the neighborhood or bike ride is a great way for the family to get exercise, share time together and talk about the day. We used to do this more when the girls were little. We’d go up to the park with all our bikes and drive around for hours or until their little legs were tired. Then, of course, we’d stop for ice cream. More for me than them really!
Plan a vacation
Planning a vacation doesn’t have to be somewhere exotic. It can be a place that you can drive to or fly to. You can stay in a less expensive hotel or a fancy one. Either way, any time you can get the children away you are creating experiences they will remember their whole lives. My family has always been Disney obsessed and I can’t even begin to count the number of times we’ve been there as a family. It dates back to when my oldest daughter was 9 months old. Of course, she doesn’t remember that trip but we have all the pictures and video to look back on. Even if it’s just a weekend away in the biggest nearby city or a weekend on the beach, it will be fun for everyone.
Talk about what you are grateful for
Every night at dinner discuss your day. What was the best part of the day and the worst part of the day and also what you are grateful for? Sometimes it’s hard to come up with something but what it forces them to do is realize the little things in life are the blessings and there is always something to be grateful for. This is a tradition that I hope my girls will one day carry along to their own families.
Play with your children
It seems simple but just spend time playing with your children. I vividly remember having a catch with my father as a child. Him and I in matching Yankee hats. It’s because of my dad that I have a love for the game of baseball to this day and why I am a die hard Yankee fan. He spent time with me, talked about the game. The players that were popular when he was young and how he used to go to games for $.10. I will never forget those talks and those catches.
Movie night
When my girls were younger Friday night was movie night. It was a nice tradition that they looked forward to each week. They were in charge of selecting either a new movie that we could watch on demand or an old one on DVD or VCR Tape (remember those?) Cook up some popcorn and gather on the couch. Discuss the movie afterward as well. What was your favorite part or funniest part? We STILL ask this question when we leave a movie to this day if we all go together! It’s rare because they are older now but when we are together this question will be asked.
Game Night
Up there with movie night was game night. It’s good every now and then to turn off the electronics, open the closet and pull out one of the old board games you still have left. SORRY was always a favorite in our home followed closely by CONNECT 4. Board games help families bond, keep the attention on each other and create a little fun competition.
Leave notes
When I used to travel more for work I’d always leave a note on the kitchen table when I left in the morning for my girls. It was just a brief note and reminder about how much I loved them and would miss them. Take time to write notes and leave them in their lunch box or book bag for school. Put on the mirror in their bathroom. My wife still writes on their bathroom mirror in erasable marker every now and then. Sometimes it’s just a quick note or a quote other times it’s to tell them how much they are loved. I use it to tell them to clean the bathroom!
Swim in the rain
Go swimming in the rain. Jumping in the pool during a rainstorm for some reason is a load of fun for children. Obviously, make sure it’s not thundering or lightning out before doing so. This is especially fun at night with the pool lights on.
Lemonade stand
We’ve had many a lemonade stand for my girls. They are simple to set up ( a table, sign, chairs, and beverage) and they are in business. Let your children keep the profits and take them shopping afterward, let them donate it or use the opportunity as a teachable moment and show them the value of saving money. Start a savings account with their lemonade money and watch it grow.
Making memories isn’t hard to do. Your children will look back at their younger years and remember the fun times you had together. Whether it was an elaborate vacation or just a time you all cracked up in the car over the stupidest joke, they are all cherished memories. Etch some memories in your children’s minds today!
What are some memories you have from your childhood? Let us know below.
Best
Scott
Originally published at https://twoguyswhoblog.com on July 2, 2019.
