17 Easy Ways To Be An Intentional Mom At Home
Home is where the magic happens. What do I mean by magic? Every child needs to feel like they belong somewhere. That place is, first and foremost, home. This post is Part 2 of my post Intentional Motherhood: How Every Mom Can Impact Her Family
Home is where the majority of children find their core memories. At the heart of every intentional mom is their desire that their child feels loved, safe, and at peace.
Your home can be one of the greatest tools you have to attain the dream of who you want your child to be. What kind of memories do you want your children to have? Every mama wants their child to remember their childhood (and remember their mama) with fondness and love.
One of the best ways to do that is to etch memories into their brain. And I mean all the warm, fuzzy memories you can manage. I have other posts digging deeper on this topic, but for this one, for example, How to Awaken Your Child’s Senses At Home.
Engaging or awakening your child’s senses in your home will amplify every single memory they have.
Intentional Motherhood & Things To Do At Home
Engage The Senses At Home
Engaging the senses at home includes things like:
- Lighting a candle
- Putting signs and verses around your home
- Baking homemade cookies
- Listening to music
- A warm embrace
- Arm-in-arm connection
- Holding hands as you walk (of course, this is when they are younger, not many teenagers want to hold their mom’s hand…lol)
- Snuggling while reading a book or watching TV.
These are the things your child will hold dear and remember in the depths of their heart.
Perhaps you aren’t much of a physical touch person. This is where you might work hard to be intentional about those touches. Set goals for yourself if you need to. “I will hug my child 5 times a day…even if they don’t want it.” And as a side note, just because you aren’t a physical touch person doesn’t mean you don’t love your child to the depths of your soul!
Not only is touch important, but smell, sound, sight, and taste are all intentional touches you can make on your child’s senses. Again, being intentional at home can be life-changing for your children. You can instill beautiful memories of home and of you, mama.
Celebrate Holidays & Seasons
Make each holiday or change of season feel special and memorable. It doesn’t have to be complicated—browse Pinterest for simple, budget-friendly ideas to bring a festive touch to your home. A little creativity goes a long way, and you can create a warm, seasonal atmosphere without spending much at all!
Your family may not always notice, but they WILL remember it when they become adults. Deep inside, it is special to them and is appreciated. They just might not understand how to verbalize it when they are young.
Blow Up Birthdays
Blow up birthdays. And I don’t mean with huge birthday parties every year of their life. That is too much pressure on you, and no kid needs that, honestly.
I mean, blow it up with simple gestures like a Happy Birthday banner you hang for every single birthday. Have this hanging for them when they wake up in the morning.
Buy a specific plate used only for special occasions in their life. Only bring it out on those special days, which, of course, their birthday is an incredibly special day.
Bring them breakfast in bed or run to Dunkin’ Donuts or Starbucks, or their favorite coffee spot, and grab them a treat. Make their favorite meal for dinner or take them out to dinner at their favorite eatery. And last but not least, have a cake with candles where everyone sings Happy Birthday very LOUDLY.
Embed those memories. Make them feel special and loved and adored.
Let’s Bring Back Family Dinners
Make family meals a priority. Years ago, gathering around the table together was the norm in American homes—sadly, now it’s more the exception than the rule. There are many reasons for this shift, one being the increasing demands on kids from a young age. Sports and activities often fill the calendar, and I understand that completely—we raised athletes ourselves who played at very competitive levels.
I also believe television and social media have played a big role in this shift. Many families eat dinner in front of the TV, and even when they do gather around the table, cell phones are often present—interrupting and distracting from real conversation.
Can I encourage you to turn off the TVs and put all phones away for meals?
Given the amount of distractions in our world today, it is even more important that we make family dinners a priority. This is a great opportunity to engage in conversation and hear what is going on in your kids’ lives. So I say, bring back family dinners!!
Every now and then, treat your family to a beautifully set table. Fresh flowers, china, cloth napkins, candles, and a tablecloth can instantly elevate an ordinary meal into something memorable. It’s a simple way to add a touch of charm and make mealtime feel truly special.
Establish Family Traditions
Establish family traditions. Every family needs traditions. For our family, one of our biggest traditions is chocolate chip cookies. You can read more about this in my post Chocolate Chip Cookies: A Family Tradition.
Church, family movie nights, Chinese food, beach trips, and soccer are some basic ones we had, but mostly our traditions revolve around the holidays. 25 Christmas Tradition Ideas For Your Family will help you get started if you need some ideas.
Bring Your Child Alongside You In the Kitchen
Carve out time to work in the kitchen together. This accomplishes a multitude of purposes.
- It provides time together side by side.
- You are training your child for the future while having fun.
- You are teaching them to feel good about themselves when they learn something new.
- You are helping them contribute to the family.
Family and food go together. This past year and a half, I have perfected the art of sourdough bread. It is now a family favorite. My daughter and I started it back in 2020, and two years later, it was finally perfected, and I bake it weekly.
Our chocolate chip cookies are at almost every event we host. Pancakes, waffles, bacon, egg, and bagel sandwiches for Saturday breakfast are so much fun.
Camp At Home
Plan a backyard camping adventure! Pitch a tent, roll out the sleeping bags, light a fire, roast s’mores, and make a whole night of it. It’s the perfect dad-and-kids activity—and it just so happens to give Mama a rare, quiet night at home. Woohoo! What mom doesn’t love that every now and then?
Forts Are Funtastic
Let your kids build forts. I’ll be honest—this one stretched me a bit outside my comfort zone. Fort-building usually comes with a healthy dose of chaos and mess, and that made me twitch just a little 😘. But really… what child doesn’t love a fort? Help them create it, then let them enjoy it for a few days.
One of my favorite scenes from one of my favorite movies, The Holiday, captures this perfectly—the little girls proudly show Amanda the elaborate tent they’ve built. It’s whimsical, intricate, and absolutely magical.
Looking back on my years with kids at home, I sometimes wish I’d been more willing to embrace creativity and the mess that often comes with it. So, learn from me, Mama—JUST DO IT! Say yes to the blanket forts, the pillow piles, the make-believe worlds. You’re not just making a mess… you’re making some of the sweetest memories they’ll ever have.
Family Movie Nights
Make family movie nights a tradition. There’s something so special about everyone piling onto the couch, snuggled up with pillows and blankets, and sharing a big bowl of popcorn. Turn down the lights, pick a favorite film, and make it an event the whole family looks forward to.. Family Movie Night: Top 25 will give you some ideas for fun, family-friendly movies.
Turn family movie night into a learning moment. After the credits roll, take a few minutes to talk about the story together and uncover a lesson you can take away. Every movie holds something to be learned, and this is such a fun, engaging way to teach your child while spending time together.
Family Game Nights
Let’s hear it for family game nights! I love a good game night—especially when it doesn’t end in a friendly disagreement (which, let’s be honest, can happen when you have competitive kids). And yes… I may have a couple of those in my crew.
Over the years, we’ve had countless game nights filled with so much laughter that we’ve ended up in tears, struggling to catch our breath. Check out my post, The Two Best Family Nights At Home.
Picnics At Home
Have a picnic right in your family room or out in the backyard. Gather up easy favorites like cheese and crackers, rolled lunch meat, PB&J, pickles, fresh fruit—maybe even bake a batch of chocolate chip cookies or brownies to make it extra special. Arrange everything on a charcuterie board for a fun touch.
Spread a blanket in your family room, on the back patio, or even the front porch. Pile on the food and drinks, and enjoy a spontaneous at-home picnic that feels just as special as going out.
Open Door Policy
Welcome others into your home. Adopt an open-door policy. Make your home a place where your children want to bring their friends. This starts and ends with food because every kid loves food, and the way to their heart is through their stomachs.
Always have a box of brownies in your pantry. Ghirardelli is my absolute fave! Whip up some chocolate chip cookies. You can find my recipe in my blog post, Chocolate Chip Cookies: A Family Tradition.
During these times, it’s so important to be present and available for your children—and for their friends. Create an atmosphere where they feel welcome, valued, and loved. Strive to be an AWE person. And if you’re wondering what that means…, What Every Child Needs From Mom will clue you in.
Keep The Pantry Stocked
Keep that pantry ready! Have cookies on hand—or the ingredients to whip up a batch at a moment’s notice. (Are you picking up on my chocolate chip cookie theme? They were our go-to, but feel free to make your own signature treat!)
Stock your pantry and freezer with favorites—microwave popcorn, boxed brownie mix, watermelon, popsicles, pretzels, ice cream, and any other goodies you know they’ll love. The goal is to create the kind of home that welcomes everyone in and makes them want to linger.
Project Together
Work on projects together. Invite your kids to join you in whatever you’re working on. I recently watched a show on Discovery about renovating an old farmhouse, and the dad told his kids they’d regret not helping with some of the work because those moments would become their most treasured memories. I believe he was right—and I wish I’d done more of this with my own children.
Including your kids in your projects helps them feel part of something bigger than themselves. Yes, it takes patience—we all know it’s easier to do it ourselves, and little hands don’t always make the process faster. But even giving them a small role can make them feel proud, capable, and connected.
Build Together
Build things together. Leggos, blocks, puzzles, dreams, trips, plans for the future. I have a good friend whose daughter is in nursing school, and she single-handedly planned a hike in Maine for her and her mom. She took the time to dream of this hike, did the research, and made the plan. So fun and incredibly well thought out and planned.
Legos were a pretty big deal in our home. They were the toy of choice most days, and we had many little Lego projects around our home. Time spent building with your kiddos will be time well spent.
Creating A Conducive Environment for Intentional Motherhood
Let’s bring it all home, and I literally mean home. You have aspirations for your children and their future, and you want to see them come to fruition. This is where it is vital to be intentional in what you do in your home.
Create a Warm & Cozy Home
Create a warm, welcoming atmosphere in your home. Find a signature scent your family loves—ours is Evening Mocha by Warm Glow—and light candles often to make the space feel inviting. Keep soft, intimate lighting throughout the house to set a relaxed mood.
Scatter blankets and pillows so they’re always within reach for snuggling. Play music to fill the air, and aim for an environment that feels both special and comfortable. Most importantly, let laughter and joy be regular guests in your home. Infuse fun into everything you do together—it’s those moments that make home the place everyone wants to be.
Keep Your Home Simplified & Organized
Keeping your home simplified and organized will allow all of these things to happen more easily. Your mindset is so much better and clearer when you are not bombarded with and surrounded by stuff! I cannot emphasize simplifying and organizing enough!! You can find more help for this in my post Steps to Organize and Simplify Your Home
Well, my sweet mamas, that should be enough to get you started on your intentional motherhood journey. You’ve got this! YES, it requires work and forethought, and planning, but YOU CAN DO IT!
You Can Do It
No matter how old your children are, it’s never too late to begin intentional parenting. Take heart and look ahead with hope. You’ve been entrusted with one of the greatest callings in life—the gift and responsibility of being a mom.
I’d LOVE for you to join me for my Intentional Motherhood & Home Course—a 5-module experience designed to help you bring intention into your daily rhythms, cultivate a Christ-centered home, and build lasting, heart-connected relationships with your children.
Much love and prayers on your journey of intentional motherhood at home~Kim💗
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