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 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 5

Prompt: December 5

Holiday treats are delicious delights

But too many people go hungry some nights.

I wonder if we might spread prosperity

By donating something in solidarity?

Let’s donate some food to some neighbors in need.

Then our own treats will taste sweeter, indeed.

Download the prompts for December 5-8 here as a PDF or here as a Microsoft Word Document.  

An image of the Dec. 5 prompt card, printed on cream card stock with an orange border and an orange frog wax seal. The card is nestled in a lit Christmas tree.

Materials

Food or money to donate to an organization that seeks to end hunger and food scarcity. Some good local options include Food for Lane County, Burrito Brigade, and Willamette Farm and Food Coalition. This is by no means a comprehensive list, and I’d love to hear from you if you have additional suggestions.

Activity

This one is easy. Over breakfast, we’ll chat about food scarcity, and what that means for families. Since we enjoyed such a feast yesterday, it seems like the perfect opportunity to think about what it might be like to worry about our next meal. Then, we’ll talk a bit about our favorite organizations working on food security, and donate to one.

December 12: Share the Love (of Reading)

Rhyming Prompt: December 12

I love to read books whenever I’m able

And I wonder if you might just feel the same.

The gifts I love most are stories and fables

Whenever those pages unfurl I exclaim!

Let’s go to your bookshelf and choose one old tome

That you think you’re ready to give away.

Then let’s visit the library near our home

And give someone the gift of a new book today!

Download the prompts for December 9-12 here as a PDF or here as a Microsoft Word Document (you may have already printed these—I’m just re-posting them here for convenience). You may also want to download and print the prompts for December 13-16, here as a PDF or here as a Microsoft Word Document.

A closeup of the December 12 prompt, printed on cream colored cardstock with a green border. It is nestled in a lit Christmas tree, and has a green wax frog seal highlighted in gold.

Other Materials:

A book to donate.

Suggested Pose:

Where else? Frantz is nestled into our bookshelves where he has been browsing all night.

Activity:

With your child, look through your books and choose one that your child has outgrown, or that just hasn’t been a particular favorite. Then, take a walk or ride to your nearest Little Free Library and leave it for some lucky child to find.

Rationale:

We have done lots of donations already through this project, but this one is something your child is choosing on their own. It gives them the opportunity to have some control over the generosity, to get the rush from sharing their wealth and treasure with another, and to see that this is not something that only adults can direct. Because they may be able to get a new book of their own at the library, too, this gives them a chance to inhabit another child’s perspective quite directly. Both your child and the person who chooses their book will feel the same joy of plucking it from the tiny shelves, tucking it under their arm, and reading it cozily at home.

Book Recommendation:

Read the book your child chooses to donate one last time, and then, if they choose one to replace it at the library, read that one, too.