Part of the "Christian Family Guides" series, Christian Family Guide to Family Activities is a how-to for
spending fun and meaningful time with your family. It is written from a Christian perspective, providing relevant
bible verses and Christian inspiration while managing to avoid a "preachy" tone.
The book is divided into three sections: The Family That Plays Together Stays Together!, Holiday Happenings
and Parties and Get-Togethers. The first section provides guidance for rules, family play and establishing a
family game night. This section also includes a treasury of mostly traditional games for various
occasions, including car trips, birthday games, picnics and just plain silliness. I enjoyed reminiscing about my
childhood days while reading about games such as "Red Rover", "Hangman" and "Capture the Flag".
Holiday Happenings, the second section, provides activities for occasions such as Mother's Day and Independence
Day, as well as traditional Christian holidays like Easter and Christmas. Many of the craft and cooking ideas are
even appropriate for year-round fun. Who needs a holiday to have a great time making homemade soap or pulling taffy?
The final section, Parties and Get-Togethers, is full of imaginative ideas for parties that you and your guests
will surely enjoy. There are a variety of party "themes" with suggestions for invitations, decorations, food,
activities and party favors. This section also provides inspiration to spark the party creator in you. To be
sure your party success is recorded, there is a chapter called "Preserving Memories", which instructs you on the
basics of scrapbooking.
In addition to the games, holiday activities and party ideas, Christian Family Guide to Family Activities is
full of tidbits of extra information. There are bible verses, definitions of key terms, trivia and tips for
making the most of your family time. I found the origin of the Easter egg and learning that archaeologists have
discovered board games dating back to 4000 B.C. to be particularly interesting.
The appendices provide useful information, such as resources for further exploration of family activities, a
short glossary and a few quick crafting tips. There is also a comprehensive list of craft supplies recommended
to have on hand for impromptu fun. This list is very helpful, especially since it identifies the basic
supplies for someone starting a craft supply kit, allowing you to start small and add the remaining items as time
and money allow.
The major drawback of Christian Family Guide to Family Activities is that most of the games are not
particularly original. If you played a lot of games as a child, you will probably remember most of the games in
this book. On the upside, the party ideas are creative and the crafts are varied and simple enough for even
young children to enjoy. The games section is an excellent primer for those who didn't learn many games
when they were young and a nice walk down memory lane for those who did.
If your family is already actively engaged in enjoying family playtimes, traditions and togetherness, this is probably not the
book for you. However, if you want to start creating lasting family memories and don't know where to begin, read
Christian Family Guide to Family Activities. You will not only learn what to do, you will find the
motivatation and inspiration you need to start having fun.
