10 Great Sabbath Day Activities

10 Great Sabbath Day Activities (That Will Make Sunday Feel Like the Best Day of the Week)

If your Sabbath afternoons sometimes turn into “Now what do we do for the next six hours?”—don’t worry, you are definitely not alone.

Since we’ve been hearing a lot about keeping the sabbath day holy, I decided to jot down a few things I like to do/wish I did more of on Sunday!

Let’s be honest for a second.

Most of us start the Sabbath with the very best intentions.

We wake up.
We go to church.
We feel inspired, uplifted, spiritually refreshed.

And then…

Suddenly it’s 2:00 in the afternoon.

The kids are bored.

Someone says, “Can we watch TV?”

Someone else is rummaging through the pantry for the seventh snack of the day.

And before you know it, everyone is sitting around wondering what exactly a meaningful Sabbath afternoon is supposed to look like.

Here’s the thing though: the Sabbath was never meant to feel boring.

It was meant to feel peaceful, joyful, and restorative.

In fact, the idea of the Sabbath dates all the way back to the Ten Commandments, when believers were instructed to “remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy,” setting aside time for rest, worship, and connection with God.

And that doesn’t mean sitting quietly all day.

It means stepping away from the normal chaos of life and making space for the things that matter most:

• family
• faith
• connection
• reflection
• joy

Which honestly sounds pretty amazing when you think about it.

The Sabbath is meant to be a day of rest and delight, filled with activities that bring joy and refresh the soul.

And if we’re doing it right?

It becomes the day everyone in the family actually looks forward to.

Yes.

Even teenagers.

(Okay, maybe most teenagers.)

So today we’re sharing 10 Great Sabbath Day Activities that will help your family slow down, reconnect, and make the most of the most peaceful day of the week.

These ideas are:

• meaningful
• family-friendly
• relaxing
• faith-centered
• and surprisingly fun

Plus, we’ll sprinkle in a few Lou Lou Girls reader prompts along the way because we love hearing how your families spend the Sabbath too.

Ready?

Let’s turn Sunday into the best day of the week.

Why Sabbath Activities Matter

Before we dive into the list, let’s talk about something important.

The Sabbath isn’t just about not working.

It’s about intentional rest.

It’s about slowing down enough to notice the things that often get rushed past during the week.

Like:

• meaningful conversations
• laughter with family
• quiet moments with God
• time spent outdoors
• serving others

Many families find that the Sabbath becomes much more meaningful when they fill it with activities that bring people together and strengthen relationships.

Because let’s face it…

The weekdays are busy.

Schedules are packed.

Homework, work meetings, sports practices, errands, laundry, grocery runs—it never ends.

The Sabbath gives us permission to say:

“Pause.”

And sometimes that pause turns into the most beautiful moments of the week.

Lou Lou Girls reader question:

What’s your favorite way to spend a Sabbath afternoon?

Relaxing at home?
Going on a family walk?
Sunday dinner with everyone?

Tell us—we love new ideas!

10 Great Sabbath Day Activities

1. Write in your journal: Check out the app called Promptings, write your latest experience, as a couple write your love story or about your kids, etc.

2. Do family history: it may seem daunting but you can do it!

3. Watch family videos: Enjoy each other’s company by bringing back memories

4. Write a missionary: They will love it!

5. Write to or visit your grandparents: They will really love it!

6. Watch Mormon Messages or Bible videos: an easy way to bring in the spirit

7. Read books from Deseret Bookshelf or read the Ensign

8. Find and design quotes/scripture graphics to share on social media.

9. Practice an instrument

10. Do random acts of kindness for others.

Tips for Creating Meaningful Sabbath Traditions

If you want the Sabbath to become something your family looks forward to, try these simple ideas.

Keep It Simple

It doesn’t have to be elaborate.

The best traditions are often the simplest.

Make It Consistent

Repeating the same activities creates meaningful traditions.

Involve Everyone

Let kids help choose activities.

They’ll be more excited when they feel included.

Why the Sabbath Becomes a Favorite Family Day

Here’s something many families discover.

When the Sabbath becomes intentional…

It becomes special.

Kids remember:

• the picnics
• the laughter
• the stories
• the peaceful moments

And those memories last a lifetime.

Because in a world that moves incredibly fast, the Sabbath gives us permission to slow down and focus on what truly matters.

Faith.

Family.

Connection.

Peace.

Making the Sabbath the Best Day of the Week

The Sabbath isn’t meant to feel restrictive or boring—it’s meant to be a gift.

A day set aside to step away from the rush of everyday life and focus on faith, family, and rest. The tradition of setting apart the seventh day as a time for rest and reflection goes back thousands of years and was intended to allow people to pause from their work and be spiritually refreshed.

When families approach the Sabbath with intention, it can quickly become the most meaningful day of the week.

Whether it’s taking a peaceful walk in nature, having a picnic, serving someone in need, reading together, or simply sharing laughter around the dinner table, these small moments create traditions that children and adults will remember for years to come.

The truth is, Sabbath activities don’t need to be elaborate or perfectly planned.

They just need to bring people together.

They need to create space for conversation, gratitude, and connection with God.

And sometimes the most beautiful Sabbath moments are the simplest ones—the quiet walk, the shared prayer, the family story that turns into laughter.

Those are the moments that make the day special.

So the next time Sunday afternoon rolls around and someone says, “What should we do today?” you’ll have ten wonderful ideas ready to go.