Tips for Planning a Sabbath Family Rest Day

Last Updated on August 30, 2025 by Andrea

The Plan

I love Sundays. I allow myself to sleep in just a bit. We attend church in the middle service (so not too early, and not too late, kind of like Goldilocks!). Once we are done around 1030, the entire day stretches out ahead of us. I generally start with a great plan for rest. “I’ll play ball with the kids, then we can watch a movie and I’ll make myself a latte,” I think. Maybe I can do my nails (a treat I rarely make time for, as it requires me to sit still for quite a while).

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The reality

We get home from church, visions of lattes still dance through my head. I change into comfy clothes…and the dream starts to unravel. The boys have also changed clothes and moved on to their own activities. My husband is sleeping so he can work later. I realize that I need to make dinner AND do meal prep for my sons’ lunches for the next week. I look around and think that I should clean off the kitchen table and run the mop. The dogs need to be bathed, and who gets to THAT during the workweek? The list begins to grow as ball throwing, movies, nails, and lattes become a forgotten dream. My great plan to rest has been overthrown by THE LIST.

Do you have one, too? You know, the list of items that aren’t urgent enough to make it to the daily rotation, nor “fun” enough to be a treat when you have time. It’s the list that never ends. Mine always seems to find me on Sundays (our Sabbath day) when I’m planning to practice Sabbath Rest. While a day of rest sounds ideal, it rarely seemed to make it into reality.

The dream

I really want my kids to know what Sabbath rest means. I want them to learn to build Sabbath rest into their lives – not simply as a list of rules or a to-do list, but as a special day to honor God’s love and the rhythms He designed for us.  And as their mom, I need to realize that “rest” for me will likely look different than “rest” for them. While mine includes books, lattes, and nails, theirs includes no chores and video games. But that’s okay; there’s also some overlap—ball throwing, movie watching, or a long walk together on a Sunday afternoon? The laughter and connection make it so much fun for every member of the family.

The challenge, in our busy schedule and among the many family events and activities that fill the days of the week, is to intentionally aside time for a true day of worship and rest—a holy day set apart from the rest of the week. For us, this means shaping Sunday as our family’s Sabbath—the Lord’s Day. Yet, I believe the heart of Sabbath rest is less about which day—be it the seventh day, Saturday evening, or Sunday—and more about the gift of the Sabbath itself: a whole day to simply be, together. A day when we stop the feverish race to accomplish and instead take time to just BE. Time to enjoy a slower pace, to appreciate the blessings he’s given us, and to rest our bodies and minds. My son and I like talking about what it looks like for God to rest.

The solution

Focus on the Family has a great article with five excellent suggestions for beginning to shape a Sabbath rest with your family. Please give it a read and pick one idea to implement this week.

Over time, we’ve found that Sabbath can be woven from little things that create quality time. A leisurely family dinner turns into engaging conversation, laughter, and maybe even a spontaneous board game or game night. Sometimes, we substitute the regular rush for simple joys—a family meal with everyone present, a bike ride through the neighborhood, or scripture reading that opens up space for God’s love to fill our home.

This day is as much about leaving things out as it is about what we add in. For the first time, try putting away the to-do list—ignore the mental list of things that usually crowds your mind. Turn off social media for the whole day and see how much extra time you discover for family time and for connecting with each member of the family. You might even find your young children inventing their own favorite things to do, or the rest of the family lingering around the table on Sunday evenings, grateful for the quiet.

Some weeks, Sabbath begins for us on Saturday evening, as we prepare our hearts and our home for the next day—the Lord’s Day. We set aside time for Bible study or New Testament readings, lighting a candle, and talking about what it means that Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath. Other times, we gather for a long walk after family dinner, enjoying the world God made, or share a family event, making memories and reinforcing what’s most important.

The most important things

Sabbath is not just a day to recover from the week before or prepare for the next day. It’s a good thing, a gift, and an invitation: to rest our bodies, nurture our souls, and deepen our bonds as members of the family. Young families might find that the structure changes as children grow, but the essence remains—a day set apart for family and for God.

So what’s your first step in shaping a family rest day?

Mine will be clearly communicating my plans so that my whole family can be on board from the beginning. My next step? Ignoring the list of rules and instead focusing on the intention—rest, togetherness, and gratitude. The gift of the Sabbath is, after all, for every member of the family, and it’s a tradition that, with time management and creativity, can become a blessing for the rest of the family and generations to come.

I’ll be praying for you as you shape a family rest day—a day of joy, worship, and much fun, where the busy schedule of the week gives way to the peace and presence of God’s love.

Blessings,

🌸 Andrea

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