December 31

Prompt: December 31

Today is our last day together, my friend,

I can hardly believe we’ve come to the end!

It’s been such an honor to stay with you here

And when I think of you, I will grin ear-to-ear.

 Have a grand year, and don’t you lose sight

Of all we have worked on together, alright?

Think often of others and how they might feel,

Give compliments often, and always with zeal.

Stand up for people less lucky than you

And try hard to see life from their point-of-view.

You’re such a kind person and I’ll miss you so much,

Although I am leaving, let’s keep in touch.

You can download the prompts from December 29-31 here as a PDF or here as a Microsoft Word Document.

Materials

None

Activity

Goodbyes are important, and it’s also important to show gratitude. Your frog (as a proxy for you) has worked hard to create something magical this month. Your child has worked hard, too, learning and growing, over the last 30 days. It’s a good idea to honor that work with a goodbye and a thank you. Since we are moving into a new year, and your child has selected a new cause through which to continue their empathetic development, this goodbye should feel like gratifying closure.

December 30

Prompt: December 30

Let’s read a favorite book together. Then, let’s put on a play. Can we become the characters from the book?

Does this book remind you of anything else you’ve read or seen?

Would this book make a good movie? If you were directing it, what would you change?

You can download the prompts from December 29-31 here as a PDF or here as a Microsoft Word Document.

Materials

•  A favorite book

• Costumes & props, if desired

Activity

This is our final recurring Book Nook, so it should feel familiar. Just like the others, read and act out a favorite book. Make this as elaborate or as basic as you like: the goal is to take the perspective of the characters and to have fun.

December 29

Prompt: December 29

When it comes to empathy, kindness, good deeds

You have all the knowledge that anyone needs.

The list that you made yesterday of kind stuff

Will help so many people when life feels too tough.

Today you should pick out one action you wrote

And put it to action. Take a vote

With your folks on the best one for today

And then go ahead and get on your way.

You can download the prompts from December 29-31 here as a PDF or here as a Microsoft Word Document.

Materials

Your list of brainstormed kindnesses from yesterday.

Activity

With your child, decide which one of the empathetic ideas you brainstormed yesterday to do first! If possible, do it today, and if not, make a concrete plan for how and when you will do it.

December 28

Prompt: December 28

We have done so much good this season.

What is your favorite activity we’ve done together?

As we head into the new year, what are some kind things you can do to continue spreading cheer?

Materials

Whatever you might want to make a list—the notes app on your phone, a laptop, or a piece of paper and pen.

Activity

Make a list of some kind things your child has done recently. This is a victory lap. Then, encourage your child to add to the list. What are some empathetic actions your child has witnessed lately? Would they like to replicate any of those? Is there anything else really kind your child would like to do? What does kindness look like to them? Come up with at least three specific actions that your child would like to do.

December 27

Prompt: December 27

Imagine the world as you want it to be.

Go on, close your eyes—what do you see?

Let’s make a collage of the world we desire;

Once we visualize it we can aim even higher.

Dream big. What does a perfect world look like to you? What could you do to achieve it?

Download the prompts for December 25-28 here as a PDF or here as a Microsoft Word Document.

Materials

Images cut out from magazines, newspapers, or the internet, glue or tape, paper, and scissors.

Activity

With your child, cut out images from the materials you have at hand. Then collage those images to create a representation of the empathetic future your child wants to help build. This is essentially a vision board, except instead of envisioning just what they want for themselves, you should encourage your children to visualize what they want for the world as a whole.

December 26

Prompt: December 26

Let’s play a game where we collaborate.

If we form a team we can draw something great.

Break into teams of three. You each have a role.

Drawer: Attempts to recreate a pre-drawn design they cannot see. They take directions from the talker. They stand with their back to the talker and viewer and may not talk.

Talker: Describes the design to the drawer, without seeing the design. They may question the viewer, but they may not use hand gestures.

Viewer: Sees the design but is not allowed to talk. They must communicate nonverbally to the talker. However, they cannot draw the design in the air or show the design with their gestures.  

Download the prompts for December 25-28 here as a PDF or here as a Microsoft Word Document.

Materials

Paper, drawing implements (pencils are probably best, so you can erase as you go!), and some pre-made designs. You could draw these yourselves, but I’ll probably find and print designs from the web, like these:

A line drawing of a standing polar bear with a baby on its back.

You can download a printable PDF with a few images here.

Activity

The prompt really says it all. By working in teams, you’ll practice listening to each other, conveying information in a relatable way, and solving problems together, all of which build empathy. I’m sure our drawings will be a disaster, but I can’t wait to see how they turn out! This activity is inspired by The Mosaic Project, and their focus on building communities where “It’s not you and me against each other, but the two of us against the problem.” You can read more in their Action Guide for Families here.

December 25

Prompt: December 25

Today is a day when it’s good to give thanks. 

What has been the best part of today?

What are you grateful for?

Whom are you grateful for?

Download the prompts for December 25-28 here as a PDF or here as a Microsoft Word Document.

Materials

Just yourself and your kid(s).

Activity

This is a nice opportunity to pause from the rampant consumerism of Christmas and invite your kid to express gratitude. We know that when we consciously consider and articulate the things that make us thankful and joyful, we experience them more fully. Casually chat through the joys of the holiday season and life in general. It can be a great balm for anxiety or exhaustion.

December 24

Prompt: December 24

When my grandmother wanted to show me she cared

She fixed me a plate of my favorite food.

For me, those treats that she kindly prepared

Always put me in a wonderful mood.

Tonight, let’s fix a plate for somebody kind.

Let’s go to the kitchen and see what we find!

Download the prompts for December 21-24 here as a PDF or here as a Microsoft Word Document. If you want to get a jump on the next set of prompts, you can download the prompts for December 25-28 here as a PDF or here as a Microsoft Word Document.

A cream colored card with the December 23 prompt with a green border and a red wax seal. It’s nestled in a lit Christmas tree.

Materials

Snacks or ingredients of your choice and a willing participant.

Activity

The goal of this activity is to have your kid (or kids) create a plate for someone other than themselves. In our house, this will be baking cookies and setting them out for Santa, but it could just as easily be fixing a nice snack for a sibling, parent, or other person.

December 23

Prompt: December 23

Let’s read a favorite book together. Then, let’s put on a play. Can we become the characters from the book?

Which part of this story made you smile the most? Why?

Was there a problem in this story that the characters needed to solve? How did they do so? Would you have done the same?

Download the prompts for December 21-24 here as a PDF or here as a Microsoft Word Document. If you want to get a jump on the next set of prompts, you can download the prompts for December 25-28 here as a PDF or here as a Microsoft Word Document.

A cream colored card with the December 23 prompt with a green border and a red wax seal. It’s nestled in a lit Christmas tree.

Materials

•  A favorite book

• Costumes & props, if desired

Activity

This is our third recurring Book Nook, so it should feel familiar. Just like on 12/9 and 12/16, read and act out a favorite book. Make this as elaborate or as basic as you like: the goal is to take the perspective of the characters and to have fun.

December 22

Prompt: December 22

How are you doing today, my friend?

Let’s talk about feelings; we might start a trend.

What is something you find funny or interesting?

What are you most looking forward to today?

Is there anything you’re dreading?

What is your favorite thing about the holidays?

Download the prompts for December 21-24 here as a PDF or here as a Microsoft Word Document.

An image of the Dec. 22 prompt card, printed on cream card stock with a green border and a gold-colored frog wax seal. The card is nestled in a lit Christmas tree.

Materials

Just yourself and your kiddo, and possibly the perfect hot drink to set a cozy scene.

Activity

Have a conversation with your kiddo about their feelings surrounding the season, the holiday, and everything else. At what is often the busiest point of the season, it’s a great idea to pause and check in.

December 21

Prompt: December 21

It’s the solstice; it’s here!

The darkest night of the year.

Let’s light up the night to spread some good cheer.

Work together to create a light display to cheer your neighbors.

Download the prompts for December 21-24 here as a PDF or here as a Microsoft Word Document.

An image of the Dec. 21 prompt card, printed on cream card stock with a green border and a gold-colored frog wax seal. The card is nestled in a lit Christmas tree.

Materials

Something to create a light display. You might want to use candles, fairy lights, farolitos, or something else entirely.

Activity

With your kiddo, do something to bring light to the darkness. At our house, we’ll light candles in the windows for the evening. I like the simplicity of this ritual, and the way it makes the house cozier on the darkest night of the year. We used to light candles just inside the house, but by spreading light to the neighborhood, it builds a sense of community.

December 20

Prompt: December 20

My darling, you look marvelous!

Have you done something new with your hair?

My goodness, you’re glowing!

Compliments always make me feel fabulous. Let’s make a paper chain and write a compliment for someone we care about on every link. It’ll look quite festive, don’t you think?

Download the prompts for December 17-20 here as a PDF or here as a Microsoft Word Document. If you want to print the next round of prompts, you can download the sheet for December 21-24 here as a PDF or here as a Microsoft Word Document.

An image of the Dec. 20 prompt card, printed on cream card stock with a green border and a gold-colored frog wax seal. The card is nestled in a lit Christmas tree.

Materials

Construction paper, markers or crayons, tape or staples, and scissors.

Activity

This is a fun way to focus on personal kindness and decorate at the same time! If you need a tutorial, I like this one.

1. Use a ruler to cut even strips of colorful paper.

2. With your kiddo, write a compliment for a member of your household on each strip.

3. Twist a strip into a circle, then glue, staple, or tape the ends together. Then put a second strip of paper through the first, form into a loop, and secure. Continue until you have a paper chain of the desired length.

4. Hang your compliment chain in a visible location, so everyone can enjoy some kind words.

December 19

Prompt: December 19

We have learned of how scarce clean water can be

And walked by the river, the lake, or the sea,

And now I feel ready to make the next move

To protect or improve

Access to water both far and near.

Let’s donate to groups keeping waterways clear.

Download the prompts for December 17-20 here as a PDF or here as a Microsoft Word Document. If you want to print the next round of prompts, you can download the sheet for December 21-24 here as a PDF or here as a Microsoft Word Document.

An image of the Dec. 19 prompt card, printed on cream card stock with a green border and a gold-colored frog wax seal. The card is nestled in a lit Christmas tree.

Materials

Funds to donate, if you are able.

Activity

Choose an organization working on water preservation (directly or indirectly) that means something to you. I love being able to show my children the water source that we’re protecting, so we love to give to the McKenzie River Trust and Columbia Riverkeeper. If you can’t give anything right now, consider taking a walk with your kiddo along the river again, but this time with a pair of gloves and trash bag, to clean up some garbage. While volunteer opportunities are still somewhat limited because of COVID-19, there are still some, and it could be fun to work together with a group to do some local cleanup.

December 18

Prompt: December 18

Now that we have learned more about water,

I feel like we oughter

Get out in nature and go for a walk,

This time by the river, where we can take stock

Of the water around us, and what we could do,

To keep our source clean, ample, and blue.

Download the prompts for December 17-20 here as a PDF or here as a Microsoft Word Document.

An image of the Dec. 18 prompt card, printed on cream card stock with a green border and a gold-colored frog wax seal. The card is nestled in a lit Christmas tree.

Materials

Transportation to a local body of water and whatever you need to have a safe, fun time there.

Activity

Go visit your local watershed, or a river, lake, or ocean nearby. The experience will help your kiddo see what needs protecting. Have fun and get muddy!

December 17

Prompt: December 17

The wetlands are home to frogs just like me,

But they’re vanishing quickly, so I have a plea.

Take time today to learn about water,

How it is scarce, and as Earth gets hotter,

Fewer and fewer will have water that’s clean.

Let’s learn how to help; you know I am keen.

Download the prompts for December 17-20 here as a PDF or here as a Microsoft Word Document.

An image of the Dec. 17 prompt card, printed on cream card stock with a green border and a gold-colored frog wax seal. The card is nestled in a lit Christmas tree.

Materials

Some information on water scarcity. The World Wildlife Federation has an accessible page on the subject.

Activity

For the next few days, we’re doing activities surrounding water scarcity and preservation. Water scarcity is one of the most visible symptoms of climate change. A lack of access to adequate clean, fresh water is already a major driver of human migration, and will only become more devastating in the years to come. Therefore, doing what we can to conserve water and preserve watersheds is an act of empathy for billions of people worldwide.

Today, we’re just chatting about the subject with our kids in a way that’s accessible to them. You might just read that WWF page together. You might read a book like We Are Water Protectors or The Water Princess. The important part is discussing the issue in a way that resonates with your kiddo.

December 16

Prompt: December 16

Let’s read a favorite book together. Then, let’s put on a play. Can we become the characters from the book?

Which character from the story is most like you? Why?

Do any of the characters remind you of family or friends? How so?

Download the prompts for December 13-16 here as a PDF or here as a Microsoft Word Document. If you want to get planning with the next set, you can download the prompts for December 17-20 here as a PDF or here as a Microsoft Word Document.

An image of the Dec. 16 prompt card, printed on cream card stock with a green border and a pink-and-gold-colored frog wax seal. The card is nestled in a lit Christmas tree.

Materials

•  A favorite book

• Costumes & props, if desired

Activity

This is our second recurring Book Nook, so it should feel familiar. Just like on 12/9, read and act out a favorite book. Make this as elaborate or as basic as you like: the goal is to take the perspective of the characters and to have fun.

December 15

Prompt: December 15

This winter and last, many folks have been sick

And staying cheerful has been quite the trick.

It’s not any fun to feel under the weather

Or to worry ‘bout friends, or just wonder whether

People you care about need help from you.

It turns out, good news, here’s what we can do:

Find a group working to help those who are ill,

Then donate a bit to give them a thrill.

Download the prompts for December 13-16 here as a PDF or here as a Microsoft Word Document.

An image of the Dec. 15 prompt card, printed on cream card stock with a green border and a copper-colored frog wax seal. The card is nestled in a lit Christmas tree.

Materials

Funds or other items for donation

Activity

Today is a special day for our family: our youngest is finally getting a critical surgery we’ve been waiting on for about a year, but which has been somewhat catastrophically delayed because of the pandemic.

Before this experience I knew, intellectually, that the medical system in the U.S. was broken and that navigating it with your kids was nightmarish. Nevertheless, nothing could have prepared me for what the last few years have been like, with the stress of the pandemic and a three-year-old with significant, time-sensitive medical needs.

Today, I’d love to honor that journey by donating to support children’s health and wellbeing. We’ll be donating to Providence Children’s Health Foundation, but I encourage you to find an organization that speaks to you and your family’s interests.

December 14

Prompt: December 14

I loved our painting from yesterday,

And now I’d love to spread the cheer.

Let’s paint these stones in a joyful way

And spread them around not far from here.

Once we paint festive pictures and messages onto these stones, let’s go on a stroll and hide them! If we seal them, they’ll last for a long time, and I know it will make people smile to find our tiny treasures.

Download the prompts for December 13-16 here as a PDF or here as a Microsoft Word Document.

An image of the Dec. 14 prompt card, printed on cream card stock with a green border and a copper-colored frog wax seal. The card is nestled in a lit Christmas tree.

Materials

• Smooth river rocks or other stones. If you’re local, you can get buckets of these at Lane Forest Products or you can collect a few (respectfully—the park’s district would prefer no more than what you can carry) at Clearwater Park.

• Acrylic paints (available at big box stores like Target or Walmart, or any craft supply store) and/or paint pens

• Paint brushes

• If you want your designs to be weather-proof, some kind of sealant. I like clear coat from the hardware store.

Activity

You may have found painted rocks before. They’re a public art project, where people paint rocks and leave them in public places to brighten peoples’ days. You can leave the rock, move and rehide it somewhere new, or even keep it for a while. A lot of local rock painters keep track of their rocks by painting them with #LCR, and you can update when you’ve found one in the Lane County Rocks group.

With your kids, you’ll paint a few rocks with designs, pictures, or even just kind words, and hide them where someone might find them and be delighted. Once they’re dry, seal them with top coat, and they’ll last for a long time.

As you’re hiding, take care to be respectful. The parks department prefers that rocks aren’t hidden in grass where they might interfere with mowing, for example. Park benches, or right along paths in neighborhoods, are great locations for hiding rocks.

December 13

Prompt: December 13

By now you know how much I love art.

Let’s make a painting that’s straight from the heart.

Gather some paper and brushes and paint

And let’s make a painting of winter that’s quaint.

If you need some ideas, consider the time we spent out in nature. Would you like to paint the way that felt to you?

Download the prompts for December 13-16 here as a PDF or here as a Microsoft Word Document.

An image of the Dec. 13 prompt card, printed on cream card stock with a green border and a copper-colored frog wax seal. The card is nestled in a lit Christmas tree.

Materials

Paper, brushes, and paints.

Activity

Invite your kids to paint a winter scene and, if you’d like, do it with them. By making a painting of winter, your kiddos will have to consider how to convey their feelings about the season. It’s a great opportunity for creative introspection and emotional awareness.

December 12

Prompt: December 12

Thank you for taking me on an adventure yesterday!

Now that we’ve had some time to enjoy nature, let’s reminisce. What are the things you enjoyed the most yesterday?

What makes nature wonderful?

What is different right now from the outside world during other seasons?

Download the prompts for December 9-12 here as a PDF or here as a Microsoft Word Document. You may also want to go ahead and download the prompts for December 13-16. They’re available here as a PDF, or here as a Microsoft Word Document.

An image of the Dec. 12 prompt card, printed on cream card stock with a green border and a copper-colored frog wax seal. The card is nestled in a lit Christmas tree.

Materials

Possibly something to write with and on, but this can easily be a conversation.

Activity

Chat with your kiddo about their adventure outdoors yesterday. While you likely talked about it while exploring, it’s important to bring it up again today. Reminiscing together can help secure the memory, but your child may also notice new things about the experience in the peaceful remembrance. This will also help set them up for tomorrow’s artistic endeavor, as they’ll want to have their perception of winter fresh in their mind.