Have you ever wondered about including your children in remembering someone who has died?
#blog4cause: Playdough Cupcake Decorating Kits for the Children’s Hospital
A while ago I told you about the Blog 4 Cause Campaign, an initiative created by my friends Amy of Teach Mama and Allie of No Time for Flashcards. I wanted to involve my sons in projects they could relate to. There’s an amazing children’s hospital near where we live, where they knew their cousin’s cousin, Matthew, had spent the better part of a year waiting for a second heart transplant (which he miraculously received!) before finally returning home.
A little boy my own boys had never met, but whom they had talked about, asked about, and prayed for. They knew him as a little boy like them. A little boy who likes light sabers and ninjas, and who wanted to be healthy — and home. This experience made Primary Children’s Medical Center an ideal cause for my boys.
Primary Children’s Medical Center is a phenomenal children’s hospital. They are not only one of the best places from a medical standpoint, they also do a tremendous job of meeting the needs of the whole child as well as the child’s family. On the list of desired donation items, which they use to engage the children staying in the hospital, I noticed playdough and craft kits. I wanted to give my kids a chance to really get involved in the project, so I thought I’d have them help create playdough cupcake kits (inspired by this post from NurtureStore). Nothing like the combination of playdough and party-style cupcakes to make a child smile!
Sharing the Gift of Service with Children
December can be a tricky time. While we all want children who understand concepts of unselfishness and service, Christmastime too often ends up with a lot of emphasis on “What do YOU want for Christmas?”
Preschool Christmas Party – The Spirit of Giving
With Thanksgiving just now appearing in our rearview mirrors, it’s time to start planning for Christmas! Most everyone needs a Christmas party idea. Whether you call it a “Christmas Party” or “Winter Celebration” or what have you, most preschools have some kind of celebration at the end of the year. Now whether you teach at a public or private school may have a lot to do with how you celebrate this time of year. Regardless of those classifications, I’ve found that a service party fits the bill. And surprisingly, I don’t think the children have ever been disappointed by the fact that this party is more about others than about them. Quite honestly, I think they take great pride in being able to help others. In addition to fostering pro-social skills, it makes them feel important, bigger, and more powerful. Those are things all preschoolers crave (though I think I know a few adults who crave them too)!
Here’s how it’s worked for me in the past. Read through it and make adjustments for your group based on their ages and ability levels, your center’s policies and procedures, and the needs of people in your local area. It has worked particularly well to have parents attend and help their little kiddos through this series of simple service activities. I start out with a story for everyone, then I explain the tables with projects, and from there, we basically have a “free-choice” time, where the parents and children just choose which project they would like to work on next.