Summer Family Discipleship Ideas for Churches and Parents

By Landry Holmes

Summertime. The days grow long, and life’s pace seems slow. Popsicles and water sprinklers cool us down. Families go on vacation and watch baseball games.

For many church families, however, summer is filled with Vacation Bible School, church camp, and a full calendar of ministry activities. Even during busy months, summer family discipleship remains essential. The summer season offers unique opportunities for parents and caregivers to intentionally disciple their children at home and on the go.

VBS and Church Camp: Extending Discipleship Beyond the Event

Vacation Bible School and church camp provide focused discipleship experiences for kids. To strengthen kids ministry summer discipleship, encourage families to continue engaging with the Bible content after these events end. Sending home devotionals, follow-up materials, and simple faith activities helps parents disciple their children consistently throughout the summer.

Family Trips and Sports: Discipleship on the Go

Family vacations and evenings at the ballpark often define summer memories. Travel bags filled with games, crafts, and family devotionals help children stay connected to God’s Word while away from regular church attendance. These tools support discipleship at home and on the road.

Staycations and Lazy Days at Home

Family discipleship does not require travel. Stay-at-home activity bags provide families with flexible resources for faith formation during unstructured summer days. These simple tools help parents incorporate discipleship into everyday family rhythms.

Supporting Families with Lifeway Kids At Home

Lifeway Kids At Home is a year-round discipleship resource included with Lifeway curriculum. Accessible on both computers and mobile devices, it offers streaming video, Bible stories, family devotional ideas, and weekly prayer prompts. Providing direct links to weekly content helps families reinforce what their kids are learning at church.

Making Summer Family Discipleship Sustainable

Family discipleship during the summer does not need to feel overwhelming. By equipping parents with practical, engaging tools, ministry leaders can help families grow spiritually all summer long and build habits that last beyond the season.

Landry Holmes is the Manager of Lifeway Kids Ongoing Bible Studies. He has his Bachelor’s in both English and Business from Howard Payne University and his Master’s in Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Landry is the author of It’s Worth It: Uncovering How One Week Can Transform Your Church, co-author of Every Age, Every Stage: Teaching God’s Truth at Home and Church, and co-editor of the Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary for Kids. Landry loves partnering with parents to help them build spiritual foundations in their children’s lives. In his free time, he loves spending time with his grandchildren (and their parents too, but, you know, the kids are cuter), volunteering at his local church, traveling, and sitting and reading with a good cup of coffee. Currently, Landry and his wife live in Middle Tennessee.