In the past week, I have been sharing some ideas about the importance of quality time with your children including a Happy Child Challenge. Some of you have shared what your plans are for the Happy Child Challenge and others are still planning. I cannot wait to hear what you have planned AND how successful your special outing was for you and your child.
When you create family memories in a happy and mindful home, your child will grow up looking back on a happy and memorable childhood. The more opportunities that you take to spend quality time with your child, the better the memories your child will have, looking back.
We live in such a busy, go-go-go society and it is often hard to steal special time with our children. That is why Karen from Simply Fun Families has created an extra special and helpful e-book for you!
UPDATE: Unfortunately, Karen’s ebook is no longer available, however, feel free to to sign up for her newsletter to stay tuned for new and exciting upcoming projects and inspiration!
My favorite childhood memory was my family trip to Europe. I was very fortunate to be able to see all the things I did and my memories will last forever.
That is SO special – do you have a special place where you have kept all of your trip momentos?
A favourite memory for me is when our Mother took my older sister and I to Germany (from Britain) to visit our relations – all without driving a car anywhere
Oh wow! How did you get there?
Bus , train and ferry
Have so many favorites but I have to say going fishing with my dad and spending time alone with him
Fishing is a great opportunity for quality time! Lots of time to talk! 🙂 Did you actually catch and then eat the fish? THAT is a whole other quality time experience!
Most of the time we did catch and release but the odd time he would bring some home and clean the fish, which I would watch but I never took part in the eating.
I don’t eat fish, but the one time I had to watch one be cleaned REALLY turned me off for good! Fishing is a fun activity for sure, regardless of whether you catch/release or enjoy it for dinner.
Yes it is really gross, which is why now that may Dad has passed I still love to fish but it’s only catch and release
I’m sorry to hear about your Dad!!
Camping in the summer in a large field close to a river where my uncle use to Salmon fish.
Florence C
Did you ever join your uncle when he went fishing?
my favourite childhood memory is camping and fishing with my family 🙂
Camping is something that many families do as a form of quality time every summer. Some great family memories are always made that will last forever.
We live on a small lake and fishing is always a fine time to spend with kids/grandkids
And the kids will look back on the fishing with you with great fondness, I have no doubt! Thanks for sharing.
My fondest memory growing up was when my mother would keep me home from school and we would go into the city for the day, shopping and go out for lunch, back then the stores through the week were dead because everyone was at work or in school, and I felt so tiny and little in a giant shopping center and it was so quiet and peaceful, not at all like it is today, shopping through the week now is just like going on sale day…lol
My Mom and I used to go into the city growing up too because I had to visit Sick Kids and we would make a special day of it – oh those are fond memories – thank you for helping me go down memory lane by sharing YOUR memory with me!
It was nice that I was able to bring a smile to your face and for you to go down memory lane!!
Yes, it definitely was. Thank you. I love communicating with people here as you never know what things might come up!
I love ‘Family Time’! I am always looking for little things to do with my Daughter that she will remember. We always draw pictures and talk about our adventures afterwards.
Drawing pictures and writing (and talking) about them is an important part of literacy development and helps with memory making too.
I have a Kindle but it’s just gathering dust – I admit I prefer to have a book in my hands, must be old-fashioned eh?
My favourite childhood memory, hmm that’s so long ago, I remember going for picnics in summer with my family and they were always lots of fun.
This ebook can be used on a computer as well! It is not so much a book for “reading” but more of a book for inspiration!
Oh picnics – yes, those are always fun!
My favorite childhood memory? Thats tough. I think I remember Christmas as being so special because we were all together and had uninterrupted attention.
Oh yes, Christmas is often a fond memory for many!
I loved hanging out with dad fixing stuff and cooking with mom were some of my favourite times when i was little!
I remember being my Dad’s “helper” too!
I don’t have kids so nothing to report! But love to build and do crafts with my niece!
And you are building such special memories with your niece! How special 🙂
Looks interesting. Have to look over later. Love making memories
Be sure to bookmark it for later. The books will only be available for a limited time 🙂
My favorite childhood memory? My mother and I would “runaway” sometimes. This meant that we would stop at the corner store and get some pop and candy and “runaway” from everything and go to the park. At the park, it was a “secret” place (secret as in no one could see us, but obviously people could, it was just an imaginary idea) and we just played on the park equipment. It was very fun!.
That sounds like SO much fun!
I have so many amazing memories as a child. We only got to go on one BIG trip as a family (to Maui) but my mom had a big container on the counter where we could put all our change etc. I loved it…it felt like I was helping…we got to cut out pictures and glue them on the container…and the memories, obviously, from that trip were amazing as well.
What a wonderful childhood memory with the container – your Mom probably never realized just how important you felt by contributing! It’s amazing sometimes the little things that we do have some of the bigger impacts.
One of my favourite childhood memories is my dad taking me shoe shopping. And he bought me red patent leather shoes. I was 5 and thrilled. Money was tight and I know when we got home my mom wasn’t thrilled with “our” purchase. But I got to keep those shoes and I loved them.
Awww….so sweet! Were you ever a fan of the musical Annie?
No, but thinking back it might have been from The Wizard of Oz. I just know that my dad, who was such a softy, took one for me that day 🙂
I think it is so important to take time with your kids, it is so easy to get “too busy” these days but it is those times that you stop and spend time with you kids that will make the memories.
Yes it is very true that it is extremely easy to be very busy all of the time! We must MAKE time for the important things 🙂
My favourite childhood memory was of my parents taking me on vacations. Whether it was a weekend camping trip or a trip to Disneyland my parents always made traveling exciting and fun!
My favorite childhood memory is going rollerskating, I loved it and the music we roller skated to as well
My favourite childhood memory is family picnics.
My dad was away for months at a time in the Navy, so my favourite childhood memory is his coming home telling us about the places he’s been and the gifts made in those countries.
My family went to Florida when I was 10. My mother and sister were not feeling well one night so my Dad took me out for supper just the two of us!
My favourite childhood memory…hmmm.. I would think a year when my family and cousins etc all went camping. There were quite a few of us and I will never forget the HUGE corn roast we had….oh..and stepping on my cousins poop in the middle of the trail as he was too scared to go in the bush….
My favorite memory is when I was in kindergarten and I went in the afternoon and my Dad worked 2nd shift and he would make me a floppy everyday for lunch…floppy=grill cheese, I named it floppy because he would take the pan and throw the grill cheese in the air and it always flopped on the other side. 🙂
My favourite childhood memory is playing hide and seek with my friends and cousins throughout our neighborhood! Life was so simple then!
Thank you for the free mini e book, I enjoyed reading it. My favourite childhood memory is camping.
Love your e-book! What a great idea. My fav childhood memory is baking with my Mom and sister. That’s how we bonded. 🙂
Oh Lisa… I can’t take credit for it, I wish I could. In just the messenger.
My favorite memory is riding bikes to the library and then spending summer afternoons reading on the front porch.
I wish we would have had something like this while I was growing up…I am 63 and can remember very little
My favorite childhood memory is purposely skipping class and play starcraft at home lol, been doing that until end of highschool!
Going Roller Skating and playing double dutch
hopscotch
going to the cottage with my dad
My favorite childhood memory is driving into Lake Huron in the 60’s in an amphibian car my dad owned.People would stare and we would scream and then laugh and giggle.The car was equipped with a boat motor that would kick in and we would just float away .Not many people had one of those cars and for us kids it was really funny to watch their reaction but not so funny now as an adults view of things..
I loved every waking minute of camping with my dad at Lake Huron.He was fun and funny and I loved making memories with him and my brothers.
Going to the park with my family! Cept for that time I got chased by a mother goose for trying to catch her babies…lol
This is so important! My favourite childhood memory is board game night.
Playing huge games of Hide and Seek with all the neighborhood kids out on or street.
Eeek. this is important. My favorite childhood memory is camping with my parents and siblings every summer!
Walking to school with my Dad.
Movie night with my Dad. We went every weekend!
I was a real Daddy’s girl and as my dad worked long hours and was studying as well every little thing like going for a bike ride or taking a walk to the corner store was precious.
My best memories are swimming in our pool with my sister and my parents. We had so much fun. Sometimes in the summer time we’d just jump in in our PJ’s! 🙁
My dad teaching me to skate and ski, miss him!
My favourite childhood memory is playing board games with my Grandma after every Sunday lunch!
Camping!!! 😀
my mom coming to the school and helping out with hotdog days and going on our trips with us
working in the garden with my Grandma
When my family would go on vacation to Tofino and we would just enjoy being outdoors and having fun on the beach together
Riding in the back of grandpa’s pickup truck, going to the beach blvd carnival
My favourite childhood memory is from when I was 3. For years I saw these feet in my head and my mom finally figured out that it was when I would “dance” with my grandfather by stepping on his shoes so we could dance together. Its my only memory of him but I cherish it to this day!
So sweet! I remember doing that with my Grandfather as well!
My favourite memories of childhood are of helping my grandparents cook in their kitchen. I learned a lot about cooking and family first from my grandparents 🙂
Wow sounds like we owe your Grandparents a lot of credit for your creativity in the kitchen now! 🙂
I love this – people forget in their busy lives what it’s really all about. And all my favourite childhood memories are just about times when all the family is together
It really makes you think about how important family time is, doesn’t it?
My favorite childhood memory is talking longs walks deep in the bush with my mom and my brothers. Then we would sit on rocks. She gave us each a drawing pad and drawing pencils and told us just to draw…. whatever we see or whatever we feel. How cool is that?
That is so cool! What a fun idea 🙂
going to visit the farm my aunt and uncle owned
Farms are the best, aren’t they?
My children are 32,28 and 12. We never prevented having children and we realize what blessings they are.We decided to have less financially so I could be a stay at home mom and love every moment with them.We walk and bike all the time. Sleep in the living room as a fun night.all kind of thing’s that cost nothing but time.
What a great idea to have a sleepover in the living room! Thanks for sharing 🙂
My favourite childhood memory is of my Grandpa Bill taking us fishing. He was very patient, because we we very noisy. I am not sure we caught very many fish, but he instilled a love of fishing and being outdoors in all his grandkids.
Amazing that you had a wonderfully patient grandpa!
my best memory is catching my first big fish with my Dad and Franky 🙂
Fishing is such a great bonding moment, isn’t it?
My favorite childhood memory is camping in the living room as a family. We did crafts, movies, built forts and laughed ourselves to sleep.
SO much fun!
My favourite memories of childhood are going to our cabin by boat for long weekend and fishing with Dad
That sounds like a lot of fun!
One of my favourite memories is when my Dad got his first car, it was a Mini and we were all so excited to go for a ride in it!
What fun, Julie! I remember riding in the back seat of my Dad’s pick up truck and listening to Niel Diamond!
My favourite memory was helping my mom clean up after Holiday parties. We would use a Dyson that was passed down from my grandmother. One year we got Mom a new Dyson and it was so special to see how much she appreciated it.
Seriously? And do you own one now?
My favourite childhood memories are our summer holidays every year to our cousins’ farm.
Oh I bet you had many farm adventures!
The house we grew up in backed onto a forest. My best childhood memories was exploring that forest, looking for salamanders, riding our bikes through the narrow paths, and playing hide and seek.
Salamanders! EEK! Loved reading about your memories – thanks for sharing!
I loved running through the sprinkler in our bathing suits on hot summer days.
That WAS fun as a kid, wasn’t it?
my favorite childhood memory is going fishing with my dad
A favourite of mine is going to the race track with my mom and brother. Shhh don’t tell Dad! 😉
My favourite childhood memory is hanging up laundry with my Godmother and playing under the weeping willow tree in her backyard.
my favourite childhood memory will be first time i step on the airplane and flied to another side of earth. Felt excited but fear inside my heart. But after i landed, I saw how big the sky was, the clouds so close felt like i could touch it.
my favorite childhood memory is going hunting and fishing with my dad wish he was still here today
Building sand castles on the beach with my brother.
Spending time with kids is so important.
Playing catch with my dad
my Dad used to take my brother and me to Algonquin Park for many summers – loved seeing the deer up close.
Spending time with your children is so very important. I requested the free copy of this.
Another favourite memory is playing tag with my friends as a child…we could run all day
My favorite childhood memory is camping with my family.
We take yearly vacations but some we almost always enjoy dinner together. My parents always spent time with us and hopefully I am spending enough time creating memories with my son.
My favourite childhood memory was always the Sunday drives we took, though, oddly, I hated them at the time lol
Fishing, hiking, camping were always treasured times. And playing around in the carpentry shop building things and picking up those skills.
My favourite childhood memory would be skating with my siblings on the old outdoor rinks.
Riding my bike everywhere without a worry, playing with my barbies. I was out playing from sun up to sun down.
I loved playing out in the dirt considered our “construction zone” with my brother.
My favourite childhood memory is long lazy summer afternoons at the shore with my friend. Her mother would sometimes make us up a lunch and we would have such fun exploring and swimming and then a delicious lunch.
My favorite child hood memory is going to my grandparents cottage during the summer. Love.
My favorite childhood memories come from trips with my family – we used to do a lot of camping. Such great memories of bonfires, boatrides and such 🙂
My favourite childhood is memory is our trips to Tofino, BC because it was always an adventure! We would play in the waves, jump off the sand dunes, roast marshmellows in the log cabin.
Holidays with the family on the beaches of Australia’s east coast. Dad taking us bowling, iceskating and to the movies. Mum teaching me how to bake and cook. Having lots of pets.
Going camping every summer
taking time out is always important
Going to the park and beach! Love doing this with my boys.
I will be sharing this with my sister in law – thanks!!
Time with the kids is the most important, I need to make more time for them