How can families design weekend routines that centre on nature, play, and reflection instead of screens?

Parenting Perspective

Plan Ahead with Intention

When a weekend is left unplanned, screens often become the default activity for the whole family. To avoid this, parents can intentionally plan alternatives that centre on fresh air, play, and connection, such as a walk in the park, a picnic, or visiting relatives. By making these activities a regular part of the family rhythm, they soon become cherished ‘weekend traditions’ rather than just occasional events.

Balance Fun with Reflection

A healthy weekend routine should blend joyful activities with moments of calm. A family might spend the morning outdoors, dedicate the afternoon to creative play, and reserve the evening for more reflective pursuits like reading or listening to the Quran together. This mixture of play and purposeful stillness teaches children that weekends are not just for entertainment but are also a time for renewal and peace.

Use Screens as a Supplement, Not the Centrepiece

Rather than banning screens completely, which can cause resentment, parents can permit limited and purposeful use. For example, the family could watch an Islamic documentary together or make a video call to relatives. When screens are framed as useful tools instead of the main event, children learn the important principle of moderation in a natural way.

Spiritual Insight

Nature as a Source of Reflection

The Quran frequently directs our attention to the natural world, describing it as a place full of signs for those who reflect. Spending time in nature on the weekend is not just recreation; it is an opportunity to witness the majesty of Allah’s creation.

Allah Almighty states in the noble Quran at Surah Al An’aam (6), Verse 99:

‘ And (Allah Almighty) is the One Who has transmitted the water from the skies; then We (Allah Almighty) produced therefrom living growth of everything…’

The Virtue of Instilling Good Manners

The prophetic tradition teaches that one of the greatest gifts a parent can give a child is good character. Weekends offer the perfect opportunity to nurture virtues like gratitude, patience, and kindness through shared family experiences.

It is recorded in Jami Tirmidhi, 1952, that the holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said:

‘There is no gift a father gives his child more virtuous than good manners.’

Weekends for Connection and Barakah

By designing weekends that revolve around nature, play, and reflection, a family can replace passive scrolling with active presence and barakah. Over time, children will come to see the weekend not as a time to binge on screen time, but as a precious opportunity to connect with nature, with each other, and with Allah Almighty.