PLAY

We know it's important to work together as a family. Do you think it's important for your family to play together, too? Why? How do you feel when you look at these pictures? Do you remember doing some of these things?

Mikah bike riding with his family.

Sam playing with his dad with a toy his dad made for him.

                                               

Lily helped her mom catch a fish.

Lily goes on lots of hikes with her family.

Sam loves to go to the library with his mom.

Sam and his dad like to make rockets.

Clara likes to dance with her daddy.

Mikah and Andrew made cars with their mom.

This is Aunt Caroline and Jane when the whole
family went to Mexico together. That was fun!

Sometimes Lily's mom or dad would
carry her on their hikes. Now she
can hike all on her own.

               

Andrew and Mikah go swimming with their family a lot
because it's really hot in San Antonio.

Mikah's dad is teaching him how to swim.
Andrew is having fun watching.

Mikah, do you remember this? You were
pretty little. You had a fun day with
your family.

Mikah and Andrew had fun at their family Mario Kart party.

Lily makes art wherever she is. She told
her dad that this creation is a pterodactyl.

After their family read the first Harry Potter book together,
they had a Harry Potter party and watched the first movie
together and had fun treats.

Clara goes on picnics with her family and friends.

Clara's family has a tradition to go look at Christmas lights
in their pj's and drink hot chocolate.

Lily likes to do outdoor things with her family.

Sam likes to play outside with his family.

This is Lily and her mom when they lived in California.

The San Antonio Potter families go to the zoo often. This picture
was taken when they took Granddaddy, Nana, and Uncle Joseph.
Mikah guessed correctly what animal Nana would like the best.

Sam and Jane live almost next door, so they get to
play together often.

This is Jane and Sam at Sam's birthday party.

Playing with your family helps you to have good feelings for your the members of your family. Working together and playing together makes good memories and builds love in your family. You need both work and play. Leaders of the Church say we need to be involved in wholesome recreational activities with our families. You are doing some of those things in the pictures. Other things you could do together (I know you already do some of these things) are:

1. Make cookies and take some to a neighbor or someone that needs cheering up.
2. Write letters to a family member, missionary, or friend. 
3. Play board games.
4. Put a puzzle together.
5. Pick your favorite scripture story and act it out.
6. Write a skit and make a video (Your mom, dad, aunts, and uncles were really good at this.)
7. Practice skills in a sport; play catch, bat, shoot baskets, hit tennis balls, etc.
8. Make art for Nana's craft room. She will frame and hang at least one piece for each grandchild. (Something that will fit in an 8x10 frame preferably) :)
9. Play "night games" during the late day-light hours of summer. Ask your parents what night games are. (kick the can, hide and go seek, sardines, etc.)
10. Play yard games and run through the sprinklers when you’re done.

Can you think of other things to do as a family? I think you can think of 100 more things. Maybe you can all think of things together as a family. Someone can write down your ideas, and you can take turns picking them. The most important thing is that you are enjoying time together. Remember to be a good sport when you're playing games, because someone is going to win and someone is going to lose, but as long as you're having fun together EVERYONE WINS!