7 Everyday Family Traditions to Add Meaning & Make the Ordinary Exciting
Ugh, it’s just another day. We go through our slog of responsibilities. Do the same thing over and over. Get lost in the mundane and ordinary. Is it Friday yet?!
But what if we could turn the ordinary into the special? Family traditions are why we love holidays so much, right?! Who doesn’t want a little flair and amazement in their life!
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Watching fireworks, eating delicious food, and celebrating with people we love are some of the best things life has to offer. So, why stop at pre-determined holidays? Make family life special on its own with these everyday family traditions!
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7 Meaningful Daily Family Activities
What’s even better, the seven traditions below all encourage health, happiness, or impact. So, they fit right into the core values of this site! Try one today to infuse a dose of fun and meaning into your everyday life.
1. SAVOR the Moments in Your Family
Unfortunately, we can’t always go on an exotic vacation or have a fancy gathering. But we can ALWAYS be grateful for the simple pleasures in our day.
The best way to enjoy and embrace life is to appreciate it! Even the simplest things turn special in this way.
So, create a tradition that includes telling each other what you’re thankful for at dinner or before bed. Or try a gratitude alphabet where everyone goes around saying what they’re thankful for using each letter. Find more gratitude ideas >>
Get creative, and find the joy even on your hardest days.
Posts to Uplift Your Daily Gratitude:
- 60 Gratitude Quotes + Free Wall Art
- The Transformative 30 Day Gratitude Challenge
- 50 Journal Prompts for More Gratitude
2. Create Exclusive Family Rituals
Kids love knowing they’re part of the secret club that is your family. Handshakes, go-to family phrases, and family hugs all create the special cohesiveness that breaks up the mundane of everyday life.
In our family, my son and I squeeze three times to mean “I love you.” It’s been going on for years, and he still initiates it regularly. My daughter and I make a heart in the air to mean the same thing. These are unspoken and incredibly simple actions that mean a great deal to them.
But sometimes, small actions can yield big results.
3. Get the Family Moving
Kids were meant to move, but sometimes we need help getting them out. So, make one day a week about getting the family active! Go for a family bike ride, hike on the trails, visit the skate park, or jump at the trampoline place.
Plus, you’ll get a happiness boost if you can get out in nature! Either way, find something that gets you all moving your bodies and having fun together! Saturday mornings or Sunday evenings are often a great time for this!
Related Post: 25 Fun Family Night Ideas
4. Make Family Dinner Non-Negotiable (& Fun)
Regular family dinners are KEY to making your ordinary days together magical.
Studies show that joint dinners produce kids that are dramatically better adjusted, with better health, self-esteem and family bonds. The key is to turn an ordinary family dinner into a fun experience!
So, get some conversation cards, share what was good and hard about your day, or do the gratitude alphabet above.
An easy game for all ages after dinner is another great way to keep the family engaged and excited!
*Side note – Family dinners do not have to be hard on mom! A family dinner is special whether you’re making a gourmet meal or ordering pizza down the street. And at our house, we keep a small basket of cards and games by the dinner table. Makes it no-fuss!
Related Post: 15 Easy & Fun Family Dinner Activities
5. Celebrate Personal Milestones
Next, turn your moments of change into a celebration!
What are the small moments within your family worth celebrating? What about the day you moved? The day your son was potty trained? Or the day you paid off a financial debt? Often, we forget to stop and enjoy our accomplishments.
Let’s show our kids there’s more to life than work, and it’s ok to savor the small wins.
Keep a bottle of sparkling apple juice to be ready for these moments! We get one life, might as well live it up!
“The more you celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.”
Oprah Winfrey
6. Expose Yourselves to new Music
Did you know that music makes you happy and gives you energy?! It has tons of surprisingly amazing benefits!
So, here’s an easy AND immediately rewarding tradition! Make it a unique ritual to try new music once a week. Perhaps every Saturday morning you pick a genre you aren’t used to listening to, or a new artist. Then, follow up with a dance party.
Try one of these types of music for your next morning music day:
- Classical
- Rock
- Hip Hop
- Pop
- Country
- Soul
- Christian
- Oldies from the 90s, 80s, etc.
- Kid’s tunes
You will most likely find some new favorites, get the family moving, and boost everyone’s mood!
7. Start a Read-Aloud Tradition
Uh, Harry Potter anyone?!
Encourage reading, and togetherness with a regular read aloud. Make it an incredible book like Harry Potter or Narnia and you’ll all look forward to the special evening event! For younger kids, start with funny but simple books like Piggie and Gerald.
Begin with a few chapters and see where it goes!
For more daily and weekly family tradition ideas, see this post!
Want more holiday traditions? Then, check out my ebook: The BEST Guide to Family Traditions, with over 260+ ideas! Includes holiday and non-holiday activities!
The Importance of Daily Family Rituals
Finally, small traditions incorporated into our daily lives are just as important as those big holiday traditions!
These are the rituals that shape our lives together. They are what your family will remember and cherish ten years down the road. Make them something to talk about. Give your family a unique identity, comfort, and excitement. The bonding and love you’ll feel are worth the effort.
*See this list of 50 family activities for even more ideas!
What are your favorite everyday family traditions? I’d love to know!
Other family posts to enjoy….
- How to be a Happy Mom
- 7 Secrets to a Happy Relationship (Even with Kids)
- How to Make a Child’s Birthday Special Without a Big Party
