WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• 8.5″ x 11″ colorful paper (1 for each heart)
• scissors
• pen or permanent marker
• 4 buckets or bowls
• tape
• music

BEFORE YOU START

You will need to cut out four large hearts per player. For example, if you have five people playing the game, you will need 20 hearts.

Label the buckets with the names of people close to your family, for example, Mimi, Aunt Patti, The Johnson Family, Neighbor, and Grandpa.

On the hearts, write some ways we can love and respect other people. This could be anything from baking cookies to making someone a card. If you are having trouble coming up with ideas for these heart shapes, see the Idea List for some help (it’s okay to duplicate ideas on multiple hearts).

Place the labeled buckets in the center of a large or spacious room. Create a circle around the buckets using all of the heart shapes, written side facing down.

TIME TO PLAY!

This game is for the whole family! Gather your kids around and instruct them to stand on any heart they’d like. Have an adult be in charge of playing the music. This game is similar to musical chairs, except with hearts!

Once the music begins, everyone will walk around in a circle over all of the hearts. When the music stops, everyone must freeze on the heart she was last touching. During this pause, have everyone flip the heart over and read it out loud. If you have younger ones in your family, have an adult or older child help them read. Each player will then pick one bucket/ person from the center to “give their heart to.” You can prompt your children by asking them, “Who would you like to do that for?” Once everyone has given their hearts away, resume the music and begin circling again.

Continue to play until all of the hearts have been placed in buckets. Spend some time going through each person’s bucket, reading the hearts out loud, and remembering who put what where. As a family, make a plan for how to follow through on these loving acts and thoughts for each person.

REMEMBER

As Christians, God’s unending love constantly fills us. This love overflows our hearts, and washes over the people around us. As you walk your children through this game, share with them that through the overflow of God’s love we are able to treat others in a way that we, too, would prefer to be treated: with love and respect. With spring upon us, take your family outside to love those around you!

IDEA LIST:

• Bake cookies
• Write a card
• Open the door
• Take a meal
• Say, “I love you!” or “I care for you!”
• Call to ask about her day
• Draw a picture
• Give a hug
• Help clean something
• Invite for dinner or dessert
• Give a gift
• Spend the day together