Children learn through play, and one of the best ways to solidify what they learn at school is by continuing that play at home. Teaching very young children to do good deeds is often challenging, as possessiveness and, to some degree, selfishness is natural for little ones under five. This short guide focuses on changing those habits and encouraging children to do good deeds every day by applying the teachings found in Galatians 6:9.
Information for Parents
Very young children often struggle with the concept of doing good deeds for others. It isn't because they aren't nice or loving, it's because preschoolers are at an age where they haven't fully developed the ability to consider others quite yet. Possessiveness and an unwillingness to share are common.
Often, simply teaching little ones that doing good deeds for others can make them feel good about themselves is enough to help them move on from selfishness. The key is to reinforce the lesson repeatedly over time, much as you would when teaching little ones any other important lesson.
The Lesson
In Galatians 6:9, Christians learn that people should always remember to help others. This verse also teaches that good deeds, when done regularly over time, will reap their own rewards.
This verse also directs Christians not to grow weary of helping others, as God smiles upon those who persevere while serving the Lord. Consider the life of Jesus: he did many good deeds over the course of his life. Even when people rejected him, he continued to work at helping others--often the most desperate in society, too.
Of course, Jesus was also responsible for the biggest good deed in human history; he died on the cross to absolve everyone's sins. His reward was everlasting life in heaven with God, and so, too, is any Christian's reward for following the teachings of the Lord.
The Craft
You'll Need:
- Bristol board sheets
- Markers or crayons
- An adult to help (that's you!)
- Scissors
- A large jar with a lid for each child
Start this craft by guiding children through tracing out their hands. Fill each bristol board sheet with as many hands as will fit, and then cut them out.
At this point, your child should decorate one side of the hand. Feel free to get creative--this is the ideal time to break out the glitter, doodads, and just about anything else you can think of. Be sure to leave one side blank. Stash the "hands" in a basket or bag and read through the directions below to make use of them.
The Helping Hands Game
To use the hands on a daily basis, watch for when little ones do good deeds throughout the week. This could be as simple as sharing their toys, or it could be as complex as helping Mommy make dinner. Ideally, you want to look for moments when children do good deeds of their own volition. The youngest preschoolers may need a bit of direction, and that's okay, too.
Each time they do a good deed, have them pick up a pre-cut hand. Together, write down the good deed on the blank side of the hand and then place it into their jar. Discuss Galatians 6:9 at the same time, and remind your child that they have done a good deed.
At the end of the week, sit down and bring out all of the hands as a family. Talk about all of the wonderful good deeds they've done, and praise them for their dedication to helping others. Relate these to the good deeds found in the Bible whenever possible.
Discussion Points:
Work these discussion points in whenever possible, as they will help to reinforce what children have learned.
- Why helping others is important
- How Jesus helped others in the Bible
- Other ways children can do good deeds
- How little ones feel about helping others
- How it feels to be helped
Final Thought
Some families like to give a reward for achieving a certain amount of good deeds each week, but take care not to turn it into a contest. You don't want children to feel as if they should only do good deeds to win a prize.
If you do want to give a reward, consider making the reward itself a good deed, too. For example, walking dogs at your local animal shelter is a fantastic end-of-week prize. Little ones will have plenty of fun, and they'll still be doing a good deed at the same time.
Think about what your child loves to do, and then find ways to create good deeds that relate to those interests. There's even an additional lesson in finding opportunities to help others in it, too.
What starts as sharing or helping Mommy in the kitchen can very easily turn into a life-long desire to serve the Lord through helping others. By surrounding your little one with Christian-friendly teachings and activities, you'll help to reinforce important lessons and encourage kindness every day. Attending a Christian preschool is a fantastic way to do this. You can find a religious preschool if you click here. For more information on how early education helps your little one to learn and grow, schedule a meeting with a teacher today.
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