What Shape Is Your Heart?
Items Needed: Bible, air dry clay or play dough
Give each person in the family some clay or play dough and instruct them to make a heart. When everyone is done creating, allow each person to share his or her heart.
Read Genesis 1:27 together and discuss what it means to be created in the image of God. Ask your children: Do you think being created in the image of God means we look like God? After allowing everyone to share their responses, emphasize to your children that being made in the image of God means our minds and hearts are like God’s.
Explain to your children that we should shape our hearts to be like God’s. This means we follow His Word and His ways. We want to avoid sin— anything we think, say, or do that goes against God’s way.
Say a prayer asking for God’s help shaping our hearts to be like His.
If you used air dry clay, allow the hearts to harden and serve as a reminder of how we are created in the image of God.
We Are Special!
Items Needed: Photographs, paper, ink pad or markers, baby wipes, internet access
During dinner, discuss the hair color, eye color, skin tone, etc. of your family and friends. Point out similarities and differences. You might want to use photographs.
Remind your children that we might share the same hair or eye color, but none of us share the same fingerprints. We look a little different, and we act differently too, but we were all created in the image of God. This doesn’t mean we look like God, but it does mean He created our minds and hearts to be like His.
Spend time making fingerprint art with your children. Google will provide more than enough ideas! Enjoy this time together as a family and spend a few minutes in prayer thanking God for creating each of you in His image.
Whatcha Thinkin’ About?
Items Needed: Bible, Post-It Notes or small pieces of paper, writing utensil, tape
Before everyone gathers for dinner, write negative statements on the Post-It Notes or small pieces of paper, and stick them around the room (one statement per paper). After dinner, read Philippians 4:8, the verse your children are learning at church, and ask your children what the Bible says we should think about. (things that are true, noble, pure, lovely, etc.) Sometimes when we try hard not to think about something, we think about it even more. A good way to change our thinking is to replace the wrong thought with a better one.
Invite each person to find a wrong thought, write a better one on another Post-It note, and leave it in its place. Throw away the wrong thoughts. Leave the good thoughts up and read them together occasionally.
Here are a few wrong thoughts to get you started:
I can’t do anything right.
My sibling is driving me crazy.
I hate doing the dishes.
I wish I had a different family.
My teacher makes us work too hard.
God doesn’t love me.
Say a prayer asking for God’s help to guard our minds against wrong thoughts. You might want to memorize Philippians 4:8 as a family.