Topic

Arranging hearts

What Stimulates: Compassion, Empathy, Imagination, Love

Preparation and materials:

- Paper

- Crayons, pencils or ink

-Scissors (1 pair for adults and 1 pair for children)

 Recommended ages:

3 to 5 years

5 to 8 years

Why is this activity important?

It is important to create spaces and opportunities for children to understand the impact their words and actions have on others and themselves and learn to forgive and reconcile with others. We can do this by approaching difficult situations with an empathic, compassionate, and loving attitude so that we can resolve conflicts peacefully with others and imagine alternative, non-violent ways of resolving conflicts. You can relate this activity to relevant religious scriptures in your context about the importance of reconciliation and forgiveness.

How to make:

FOR AGES 3-5 AND 5-8 YEARS:

1. In a peaceful setting, sit down with your child and invite them to draw a heart and decorate it. Join your child in the full activity and draw a heart too.

2. After decorating their hearts and cutting them out, think of someone – it could be a person or a pet – they hold in their hearts. Someone you love. Share who this person/pet is and why.

3. Now give a clear instruction to knead the heart that each of you just made. Once you've crumpled it up, ask your child to try putting the paper back as it was before. Give each person some time to try to flatten the paper as it was.

After trying to flatten the paper, you can share the following:

When we hurt someone, like we crush our hearts, it's hard to make amends/fix the situation. Sometimes it's hard to apologize and let it be the same as it was before they got upset, but it's important that we try.

You can also discuss the following questions. Some may need to be adapted according to your child's age:

  • Can we put the heart back the way it was before? Because?
  • What could we do to mend relationships with people we've hurt or who have hurt us?
  • Why should we apologize when we intentionally or unintentionally hurt others? What can we do to make the other feel better? How can we feel better?
  • Have you ever been hurt by someone before? What happened and how did you feel? Did you find a way to resolve this?

Have in mind

It may be that some children or adults feel emotionally overwhelmed when going through this activity. It can be particularly difficult for the child if he or she has attracted the parents and caregivers into their hearts. Reassure them that it's okay, that this is a safe place, that you're not feeling hurt by it. Even unintentionally, this could happen one day to you and your child, but that the love you feel for each other is unconditional and therefore love, forgiveness and reconciliation will always be a part of your relationship.

Tips on how to do this activity in a group

Talk about saying 'sorry' with the group. Ask them when you apologize and if they ever apologized. Now invite each child to draw their own heart and decorate it. Follow the steps above in a group and gather a group discussion for the final questions

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