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.

Prompt: December 2

Knock Knock
Who’s there?
Icy
Icy Who?
Icy a kid who needs a good belly laugh!
Everybody loves to laugh! Today, let’s find a way to share a laugh with someone. Maybe we can think up some jokes together!

Download the prompts for December 1-4 here as a PDF or here as a Microsoft Word Document.

A picture of the second day's prompt, printed on cream cardstock with an orange border. A green wax seal of a frog is in the upper right hand corner. The card is nestled in a lit Christmas tree.

Materials

The frog and the prompt! You may, of course, supplement with anything that will help get your kids laughing. In our house, the frog will have printed out some age-appropriate jokes.

Activity

I feel like I haven’t been laughing nearly enough lately, and that’s tragic! It can be hard to laugh when everything is stressful, but laughter has lots of health benefits, and trying to laugh with friends and loved ones can be an important element of social bonding. The goal here is not just to get the kiddos laughing (although that’s important), but to get them to try to get others laughing. To do it effectively, they’ll need to think about what that person finds funny and that will simple act of perspective-taking can encourage empathetic development. Have fun, and bust a gut!

If your kiddo is struggling, find some jokes on the internet. Worst case scenario, schedule a Laughter Yoga call, where you and others can awkwardly fake laugh together on the phone!