Planning for Fun

Deanna Bartalini makes the case for planning for fun all year long, no matter our age, so we can grow in the virtue of eutrapelia.

It is June, my friends. And depending on where you live, school is either over or almost over for 2025-26. You made it through another year of school lunches, last-minute project supply runs, overdue book reports, snow or hurricane days, sick days, and exams. And now, it is time to rest!

Except you have to make plans as to what is going to happen in the next few months before school starts again. I have a suggestion or two as to how to bring some fun back into your plans. These ideas work for all families, no matter the age, stage, working situation, or whatnot.

Make a Plan for Fun

What? Wait, fun should be spontaneous, happening as we go about our daily life. It cannot be planned! Hmmm, that may true — or not.

As a seasoned mom, and a grandmother for 8 years, I can tell you that while fun can happen without any planning or effort on our part, there is something to be said for putting your family into situations that allow for fun. Most of us have said, “When things calm down/are less hectic/this project is complete, we will do X.” Life, however, does not heed the request to pause so we can relax. It keeps going and going, much like a toddler running from you at the mall!

My number one suggestion is mundane, but here it is: Put fun time on your calendar. Sit down with your family or with yourself and make a list of things you enjoy doing. It can be as simple as a picnic at the neighborhood park, blowing bubbles, or running through the sprinkler in your yard. How about pajama day, when every meal is breakfast?

One year, I kept a supply of small plastic toys frozen in odd plastic containers. Sometimes the ice blocks were smashed; sometimes the kids watched them melt — it kept them occupied, and it was different than a usual day’s play.

Is there a church you have always wanted to visit for Mass? Go there and then explore the area a bit. One summer, we found quite a few neighborhood parks and each day went to a different one with the grandchildren.

Put the Fun on Repeat

Last December, I walked every day at the beach. I live in Florida, so winter is a lovely time to do that. I walked at different times of day, sometimes with a friend, on different stretches of the beach. But it was every day. And it was amazing.

How about coming up with a few things you would like to do on repeat? Reading for 30 minutes every day, eating breakfast outside, bike-riding, setting a fancy table with candles, picking up a new hobby or practicing a current one, or reading and discussing the day’s Gospel at dinner?

Is Making Time for Fun Necessary?

Yes, it is necessary. I am sure you schedule appointments with the doctor, dentist, orthodontist, hairdresser, barber, and sports/dance/music lessons that are in your life. Why do we not make time for fun and relaxation? This idea is Catholic, from Saint Thomas Aquinas; it is a virtue: eutrapelia. In Greek, the word means witness or liveness. We use it because in English there is no word that quite describes the habit of playing well.

One point of recreation is to rest our soul. We want to re-create our body and spirit. We can also benefit from resting our minds. Do you often feel your mind cannot stop or even slow down? All the tasks and ideas and schedules and people are in there, vying for attention. When we engage in pleasant activities, our minds can rest. Keep in mind, this is not parking yourself in front of a screen and mindlessly consuming entertainment. It is engaging your mind, body, and soul into something, that when it is complete, gives you lasting satisfaction. (from Superhabits: The Universal System For A Successful Life by Andrew V. Abela, Ph.D.)

If it helps you to reframe having fun as a way to grow in virtue, do that.

It’s Not about Deserving Rest

I speak to many women, both individually and in groups. One comment I hear often is, “I can’t rest until ...”

I used to say, “I’ll rest when I die.” How awful was that? We do not need to earn our rest. We need to rest, to re-create or we will break down in some way and then be unable to function properly. We are human beings designed by God who need down time.

Take time to rest, to grow the virtue of eutrapelia, not only in the summer, but all year long.

How will you grow in Eutrapelia?

Drop a thought or two in the comments so we can learn from each other.

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Copyright 2026 Deanna Bartalini
Images: (third from top) copyright 2026 Deanna Bartalini, all rights reserved; all others Canva.

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