52 Ways to Show Your Love to Kids

52 Simple Ways to Show Love to Your Kids 

As parents finding ways to show love to your kids is something that is probably always on your mind!  And for good reason.  Being connected to a warm and loving adult can curb a whole host of negative choices our kids may make.  But how do we make sure our kids know how much we love them?  Last week I shared with you three ways we intentionally connect with our kids.  (If you missed that post, check it out here.) 

This week, I want to share 52 simple ways we can show our kids we love them.  That is one thing for each week in a year.  One of my goals this year is to intentionally work through this list with my own kids.  There is no magic formula for producing kids that will make good choices, but no matter what choices they make, I want my kids to know and feel my love.

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Things you already do

 For this section these are probably things you have done before many times, but the idea is to be intentional with these things.  My plan is to use some of these simple ideas on weeks I know are busy because they are so easy and natural!

1. Play a game – We love playing games together!  And it is such a simple way to show love!  For an extra bonus, let your child pick what game they want to play!  If you need some recommendations some of our current favorites are Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza, Uno Flip, and Jenga. 

2. Tickle Time- We play surprise tickle.  Basically we cuddle up but at any moment I could start tickling them. 

4.  Wrestle- This is gold in the winter when there is too much pent up energy! 

5. Snuggle- Take a slow morning and just snuggle in bed or on the couch. 

6.  Read a book together. – Let them pick their favorite.  Or start a chapter book read aloud with your older kids.  We have been reading Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume and it has been a hit with all ages!

7. Say I love you!- I bet you already do this each day, but just take some extra time one day to look in your child’s eyes and let them know you love them no matter what! 

8.  Give them praise!- We can be guilty as parents of thinking so many great things about our kids and forgetting to actually tell them!! 

9.  Apologize- We all get it wrong sometimes.  Be quick to own up to your mistakes and apologizes without a but or an excuse. 

10. Pray for them- I have specific things I pray for each of my children.  Each night when I put them to sleep they get to hear me pray my hopes and dreams for them. 

11.  Smile at them!- This is especially true when you first see them after being apart.  It is so easy to be distracted, but take a day to intentionally smile with delight when you pick up your child from school or when they come home from an activity. 

12.  Talk about their strengths.-  Have you ever noticed it is so much easier to identify someone else’s strengths than your own?  The same is true for our kids!  That is why you confirming their strengths to them is so meaningful.  One tradition we have is that on each person’s birthday everyone goes around and shares what they appreciate about that person.  It is a simple way for them to hear what they are naturally good at! 

13.  Make birthdays special- I bet you already do this in some way, but make a point to make this day extra special for your child.  We do a special breakfast and open presents in the morning.  Then the birthday child gets to pick what we eat for dinner that night and we all share something we love about them.  Don’t let this day go by without celebrating them! 

14.  Show up for their activities- If your child has a basketball game or piano recital do everything you can to be there!  You get to see them grow and improve their skills as the seasons and years go by.  It also lets your child know what interests them also interests you!

Small Extra Gestures

 These ideas are probably not things you do regularly, but they are simple and don’t take much extra time!

1. Write a note- Tuck it in their lunch box, back pack or put it on a sticky note and post it on their door.  Any way will let your child know you were thinking about them! 

2. Play their favorite video game with them- I don’t often join with my kids during their video game time, so when I do it is an extra treat.  Maybe they like it so much because they can beat me?  

4.  Play outside together – Usually, I send my kids outside to play while I watch and work from inside.  But even taking 15 minutes to come outside and play with them shows them love.  My kids love to play our own version of hide and seek when I play with them!  

5. Share your favorite songs – Go back and forth singing and dancing while sharing your favorite songs.  Let your kids hear your favorite (kid-appropriate) songs from your childhood and let them share their current favorites.  

6.  Tell stories about when they were little. – Kids are fascinated by who they were as babies or toddlers.  They can’t remember all the little details about them in those stages, so they love to hear you tell about them.  Tell them about the day they were born or the giant mess they made as a toddler!  They will love it!

7. Invite them to join your workout- I always work out at home and my kids are around when I do it usually.  When I ask them if they want to do it with me, they will often jump at the chance!  For older kids you could even do a couch to 5k training program together.  

8.  Set a no phone time.-  It is easy to get distracted by our phones.  My toddler may have told me to put my phone down a time or two!  Tell your child that you are going to put your phone away and focus on them!  It can be for 10 minutes or an hour!  Even a little bit of time will be meaningful to them!

9.  Have a slow bedtime- It is easy to rush through bedtime because sometimes we just want a break.  But choose a night one week to intentionally linger at bedtime.  Let your child ask questions.  Lie down next to them and rub their back.  Some of the sweetest conversations can come in those later hours.  

10. Make up a story together.- We have a special way of coming up with silly stories.  The first person gets to say one sentence to start the story.  Then the other person continues the story with only one sentence.  Go back and forth creating the story one sentence at a time until you have reached a conclusion.

11.  Bathroom Mirror Note- Grab a dry erase marker and write a special note on their mirror to surprise them the next time they look.  Tell them what you see when you look at them!

12.  Highs and Lows- We have a routine that includes everyone sharing a high and a low from their day at the dinner table.  This let me hear their own unique perspective of their day.  And it is often surprising to me what they choose as their high and low! 

13.  Get to know their friends- Know the names of their best friends and the things that they like.  Invite them over so you can get to know them.  Knowing the people that they love reminds them they are important to you!

14.  Have a joke off- Tell each other jokes and see who laughs the most!  This usually ends up in me telling a lot of jokes in the end because my child runs out of jokes, but it is always a good time.  Google dad jokes and you will get tons of options to share! 

15.  Take a walk- Walks are a great opportunity for one on one time with your kid.  Especially as they get older, it may be easier for them to tell you things as you are walking shoulder to shoulder instead of facing each other.  You get your steps in and you get to hear from your child’s heart too! 

16.  Play Hide and Seek- Little kids love this classic and we started playing a new way with my older kids last summer!  You can see more about that HERE.  

More Options

 The rest of these may take a little more time or planning, but they are definitely worth the effort!  My goal is to do one thing each week to intentionally show my love to my kids, but you could pick one of these bigger things once a month too!!

1. Surprise them with lunch at school- If your school allows parents at lunch, take one day and bring them a special lunch to eat together at school!  This is another great opportunity to get to know their friends too!

2. Bake their favorite treat together- My kids love to bake together.  In fact in the summer, I plan once a week to make something together.  Yes, you have to get over being in control of everything, but it is a great opportunity to bond!

4.  Plan a playdate with their friends- We love having friends over!  As a parent though, you know it takes extra work to arrange this, make sure your house is clean, and supervise the play.  But arranging this special time is one way to tell your kid they are loved!

5. Learn something new together- You can use Youtube to learn almost anything these days!  Use it to learn a new craft, a new way to decorate a cake, how to do simple coding, how to play an instrument.  They sky is the limit!!  

6.  Paper Airplane Competition- Each make a paper airplane and then see whose flies the farthest.  You can even look up different ways to fold them and see which one is the best!

7. Paint your nails together- This one is geared toward your daughters, but a little pampering time is always a win.  You can paint each other’s nails and maybe even do makeup and a special hair do! 

8.  Take a bike ride- When Covid lockdown hit, one of the things we started doing as a family was take bike rides!  We needed a way to get out of house so we would ride our bikes down to our neighborhood park and ride the loop there.  It is one of my fond memories of that time period.

9.  Have Mommy Time- This is a system I created with my young kids while I was staying home with them, but really it can work for any age group.  The idea is you give your child your total attention and play whatever they want for a set amount of time.  We usually did 15 minutes.  After the timer goes off, it is your turn to work on something that you need to get done.  This helps your child know you want to spend time with them, but also gives manageable limits for you.  

10. Share a journal- I got this from my oldest daughter a few years ago.  It was a journal that we could write things back and forth to each other.  Some pages had specific questions and some just had blank pages.  It has been so cool to see what questions and issues she is more willing to write down than to bring up face to face.  If you are interested, this is the kind of journal we have.

11.  Volunteer at their school- I know this isn’t possible for everyone, but our school has special parties or programs that are just one time events.  If you can volunteer for even one day a year, it will show you want to see more about this big part of their life!

12.  Have a yes day! – If you have seen the Netflix movie, you may know that a yes day is when you say yes to everything you possibly can.  (Let’s go to Disney World may have to be a no, but you get the idea). I recommend making no plans for that day so you aren’t trying to rush through to anything and just let your kids lead the day!

13.  Have a family sleepover- We did this for the first time during Covid lockdown also.  My oldest daughter had her birthday in the spring when everything was still shut down.  She couldn’t have a party so we decided to have a family slumber party instead.  One night we all brought our blankets and pillows out to the living room.  We watched movies late into the night and we all slept in the living room together.

14.  Have a picnic – Changing up meal times can be so fun.  If it is nice enough, take the party outside.  One the other hand, if the weather isn’t cooperating have a living room picnic.  Set down a blanket and eat on the floor together.  As an added bonus you won’t have to worry about bugs this way!

15.  Play in the rain- One rainy day, surprise your kids and let them run outside and play in the rain.  Stomp in the puddles.  Sing and dance.  Just let go and have fun! 

16.  Take them to work- I know this is not possible for everyone, but if there is any way, taking your child to work with you is such a memorable experience for them!    

17.  Look at the stars- Plan on staying up late one night and finding a good spot to just stare up at the night sky.  Bonus points if you have a telescope you can bring! 

18.  Mommy or Daddy Dates- This what we can our special one and one dates we have with our kids.  We try to have one parent have one special date with one child each month.  We usually eat someplace together and then do another special activity.  Some ideas we have done are art classes, putt putt golf, movies, or even something as simple as going to the park. 

19.  Send a card in the mail- I have not actually done this one, but am excited to try it this year.  Even as an adult don’t we love to get real mail?  Send a card thanking your child for something or just telling them how much you love them!  And send it in the actual mail!

20.  Make their favorite meal- When you are planning your meals, ask your child what they would pick if they could have you make any meal.  Buy the ingredients and do it!  You can even work together and teach them how to make it! 

21.  Snacks for Dinner- Make dinner extra special one night by having snacks for dinner.  You can have your own spread with things like popcorn, cheese sticks, fruit, crackers, cereal, and of course a chocolate treat! 

22.  Have a Movie/Game Day- We do this to mark the beginning and the end of summer.  I realized a few years ago that I like to have lazy days every once in a while when I just get to relax and not do anything.  Don’t you think our kids have the same kind of feelings?  So we decided to celebrate a school year of hard work with a day that we rotated between watching a movie and playing a game together.  My kids look forward to it every year.

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