Examples of Creating Family Traditions: 3 Engaging Examples That Actually Stick

When people ask for examples of creating family traditions: 3 engaging examples, they usually jump straight to holidays. But the quiet, everyday rituals are often the ones kids remember most.

Researchers have found that family routines and rituals are linked to better child adjustment and stronger family relationships over time (American Academy of Pediatrics). That’s science backing up what most of us feel in our gut: predictable, shared moments make kids feel safe and connected.

So let’s start with everyday traditions—simple, repeatable things that anchor your family.

Example of a daily tradition: “High, Low, and Thankful” at dinner

Picture this: everyone has finally sat down at the table, the day has been long, and the temptation is to scroll or rush through the meal. Instead, you start a tiny ritual.

Each night at dinner, every person shares:

• A High: the best part of their day
• A Low: the hardest or most frustrating moment
• Something they’re Thankful for

This is one of the best examples of creating family traditions that works for toddlers, teens, and even visiting grandparents. It:

• Gives quieter kids a turn to talk
• Normalizes talking about hard things
• Builds gratitude without a lecture

You can tweak it for your family: some families use “Rose, Thorn, and Bud” (good thing, hard thing, something you’re looking forward to). The format doesn’t matter; the consistency does.

Example of a weekly tradition: Friday Night “Whatever You Want” Dinner

Another real example of a simple but engaging tradition: pick one night a week—Friday is popular—and make it “Whatever You Want” Dinner Night.

Here’s how one family does it:

• Every Friday, each family member gets to request one food item
• It might be as random as pancakes, frozen pizza, sliced apples, and popcorn
• They eat in the living room with a movie or board game

Is it nutritionally perfect? No. Is it bonding? Absolutely.

If you want to balance fun with health, you can follow general healthy eating guidance from sources like the U.S. Department of Agriculture during the week, then relax the rules a bit for your tradition night.

Other everyday examples of creating family traditions in this category include:

• Morning send-off ritual: A special handshake at the door, or a short phrase you say every school day: “Be kind, be brave, be you.”
• After-school tea or snack time: Ten minutes of snack and chat before anyone touches homework or screens.
• Weekly “family walk”: Same day, same time each week—maybe Sunday evenings—phones away, everyone walks the same loop around the neighborhood.

These might sound almost too small to matter, but that’s the point. Tiny, repeatable, and predictable is what turns a nice moment into a true family tradition.

2. Seasonal and Holiday Traditions: The Classic Examples That Kids Talk About for Years

When families look for the best examples of creating family traditions: 3 engaging examples, seasonal rituals usually land in the top three. These are the traditions that mark time: fall, winter, summer break, and every holiday in between.

Seasonal traditions don’t have to be tied to a specific religion or culture (though they certainly can be). They just need to be something your family does every year in roughly the same way.

Example of a fall tradition: “First Day of Fall” Outdoor Adventure

Instead of only focusing on big holidays, choose a simple seasonal marker and make it special. For example, the first weekend of fall becomes your family’s Outdoor Adventure Day:

• You visit the same park or hiking trail each year
• Take a “family selfie” in the same spot
• Collect leaves or pinecones and display them in a jar at home

Over time, this becomes one of those real examples of a tradition that quietly tells your kids, “No matter how busy we get, we still do this together.”

You can even connect it to learning about nature or physical activity recommendations from sources like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which encourage regular movement for kids.

Example of a winter tradition: Cozy Night Countdown

Instead of an elaborate advent calendar or expensive activities, some families pick one night a week in December as Cozy Night:

• Everyone changes into pajamas early
• You make hot chocolate
• You read the same favorite winter book or watch the same movie each year
• Lights are dim, phones go away

Over the years, that one weekly winter tradition can become more meaningful than any big-ticket gift.

Other seasonal examples of creating family traditions include:

• Summer “First Day of Break” Breakfast: Every first day of summer vacation, you go out for pancakes or make a big breakfast at home. Same menu, every year.
• Spring Planting Day: One day each spring, you plant something together—flowers, herbs, or a tiny vegetable garden. Kids help choose what to plant and are in charge of watering.
• Holiday Service Tradition: Each December, you pick a service activity together—donating toys, making cards for a nursing home, or participating in a local food drive. Sites like VolunteerMatch.org can help you find age-appropriate options.

The key is not how Instagram-worthy the activity is, but how repeatable it is. Your kids will remember that “in our family, we always…” more than they’ll remember the specific details.

3. Milestone Traditions: Marking Big Moments in a Personal Way

The third category in our examples of creating family traditions: 3 engaging examples is milestone traditions—rituals that show up at birthdays, back-to-school, graduations, or other big life moments.

These traditions send a powerful message: “Your life matters to us, and we’re going to pause and celebrate it together.”

Example of a birthday tradition: The “Story of You” Night

The night before a child’s birthday, you gather as a family and tell the Story of You:

• How the child’s name was chosen
• Funny or sweet memories from when they were younger
• Things you love about who they are right now

Some families light a candle or look at photos while they talk. Others write a short birthday letter and read it aloud, then save the letters in a folder or binder.

This is one of the best examples of a tradition that costs nothing but can shape a child’s sense of being loved and seen.

Example of a back-to-school tradition: “First Day Photo + Future Note”

A modern, 2024-friendly example of creating family traditions involves mixing old-school and digital:

• Each first day of school, you take a photo in the same spot (front porch, same wall, same tree)
• You ask the child a few questions: “What do you want to be this year?” “What are you excited or nervous about?”
• You write their answers in a shared digital note or family app and save that year’s photo with it

By the time they graduate, you’ll have a year-by-year record of their changing interests and growing confidence.

Example of a tech-aware tradition: “First Phone Agreement Night”

With more kids getting phones and devices, families are having to invent new kinds of traditions. When a child gets their first phone or social media account, you can mark the moment with a First Phone Agreement Night:

• You order their favorite takeout
• You sit down together and read through a family tech agreement
• Everyone signs it—parents too

You might base your agreement on guidance from organizations like the American Academy of Pediatrics, which offers media use tips and family media plan tools.

This turns a potentially stressful moment into a shared ritual with clear expectations and a sense of maturity for your child.

Other milestone examples of creating family traditions include:

• “Half-Birthday Check-In”: A low-key night where you check in on goals, worries, and wins halfway through the year, maybe with ice cream.
• “New Skill Celebration”: Whenever a child learns something big—riding a bike, passing a swim test, getting a driver’s license—you celebrate the same way every time (same restaurant, same song, same silly dance in the driveway).
• Graduation Walk: Before any graduation (kindergarten, middle school, high school), you take a walk together and talk about favorite memories and what they’re hoping for next.

These milestone rituals show kids that their growth is noticed and valued.

How to Start Your Own: Turning Examples Into Traditions That Fit Your Family

Reading all these examples of creating family traditions: 3 engaging examples might feel inspiring—and maybe a little overwhelming. You don’t need to adopt everything. In fact, you shouldn’t.

Here’s a simple way to move from ideas to action:

Step 1: Pick one daily/weekly, one seasonal, and one milestone tradition

Using the real examples above, choose:

• One everyday ritual (like “High, Low, and Thankful” or Friday night dinner)
• One seasonal ritual (like Outdoor Adventure Day or Cozy Night)
• One milestone ritual (like the “Story of You” or First Phone Agreement Night)

That’s it. Three. You can always add more later, but three gives your family a clear starting point.

Step 2: Make it easy enough that you’ll actually repeat it

If a tradition requires a color-coded spreadsheet and three trips to the store, it probably won’t last. Ask yourself:

• Can we do this even on a tired day?
• Does this depend on a lot of money or special supplies?
• Would I still want to do this in five years?

The best examples of traditions are the ones that can be done in sweatpants, with minimal prep.

Step 3: Tell your kids, “This is our thing now.”

Kids love being in on the plan. You might say:

“Every Friday, we’re going to start a new family thing: Whatever You Want Dinner. That means each of us picks one food, and we eat together and watch a movie. This is going to be our family tradition.”

Naming it as a tradition helps it stick in their minds and gives them something to look forward to.

Step 4: Let the tradition evolve as your kids grow

A tradition that worked beautifully with a 5-year-old might need a tweak for a 15-year-old. That’s not failure—that’s growth.

For example:

• “High, Low, and Thankful” might turn into deeper check-ins about friendships, stress, or future plans with teens.
• Cozy Night might shift from picture books to a shared TV series or podcast everyone listens to together.

You can even invite older kids to help redesign traditions. Ask them for their own examples of what would feel meaningful now.

FAQs About Creating Family Traditions

What are some simple examples of family traditions we can start this week?

Some easy starters include a nightly “High, Low, and Thankful” at dinner, a weekly Friday night movie with the same snack, a Sunday evening family walk, or a Saturday morning pancake breakfast. These are all real examples that don’t require extra money or planning.

Is there an example of a tradition that works for both little kids and teens?

Yes. Many families find that a weekly ritual—like Friday night dinner, Sunday walk, or a seasonal Outdoor Adventure Day—can grow with kids. The activity stays the same, but the conversations and roles shift as kids get older.

How many traditions should a family have?

You don’t need dozens. Starting with just three—one everyday, one seasonal, and one milestone tradition—is a realistic way to build connection without adding stress. Over time, more informal traditions will probably emerge on their own.

What if we didn’t grow up with good examples of family traditions?

You can still start fresh. In fact, many parents use their own childhood as a guide for what they don’t want to repeat. Look at the examples of creating family traditions: 3 engaging examples in this article, pick the ones that feel warm and doable, and begin there. Your kids will grow up seeing those as “just what our family does.”

How do we keep traditions going when life gets busy?

Choose traditions that are simple, short, and flexible. It can help to link them to something that already happens (like dinner or bedtime) and to accept that some weeks will be messy. Consistency over years matters more than perfection every single time.

Family traditions don’t have to be elaborate to be meaningful. When you look back years from now, the moments that stand out will probably be the same ones your kids remember: the Friday nights, the bedtime stories, the first-day photos, the little rituals that quietly said, “This is our family, and this is how we show up for each other.”