We're Expanding!

I've asked my church-year-activity heroine, Aubri, to contribute to The Church Year in the Home.  She has awesome ideas, and is always doing sweet crafty things with her children, like putting glitter on a coloring-sheet face of Jesus for Transfiguration Sunday.

Welcome, Aubri! 

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In addition to commemorating Saint Valentine this month, I wanted to encourage my kiddos to use the "Valentine's Day season" as an extra opportunity to show love and kindness to others.

I liked this Valentine's Day Count Down Chain I used last year and decided to make one this year too. On each of the links is a Bible verse about Love. Also, I added an activity or loving act for my girls to do. I just wrote those next to the verse.

Some of our activities this month are:

1. Give a friend a hug.
2. Visit our shut-in church members with Valentine cards.
3. Tell someone "Hello".
4. Write Thank You notes to our teachers.
5. Make Valentine cards for our Grandparents.
6. Make Valentine treats.
7. Make a card for Daddy.
8. Obey your teachers and Mama and Daddy.
9. Share your toys today.

I started late on this (did February sneak up on you too?!) so I only made 9 links and activities. The girls love finding out what we'll do each day, though some acts haven't been met with as much enthusiasm as others...I'll let you decide which those are.

Here are some other ideas for little ones (mine are preschool aged):

Cut hearts out of paper.
Eat something red.
Call someone and tell them you love them.
Learn to write the word "Love".
Learn to say "I Love You" in sign language.
Make Valentine bookmarks and leave them at a Senior Center or Library.

Spontaneous acts of love and kindness are also encouraged!

For our shut-in church members we made very simple cards.

I made hearts with Bible verses and let the girls cut them out and glue them on to pretty paper.

You can download the hearts HERE and HERE.

We then attached the requisite chocolate!

We had extra Valentine cards that we were able to take to our doctor's office last week. We gave one to our nurse. She hugged my daughter and told her "You made my day!" That was fun. 

I think I'll also leave some on the kitchen counter in case anyone stops by this week.