Individuality Books

This month at VAC Kids we've been exploring the virtue of Individuality.  So, we decided to pick up some books from the local library that celebrate individuality.  Here's a list of some of our favorites:

 

Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes

A great book about a little mouse who LOVES her name, until she starts school and is bullied by peers because its too different and too long!  There's a great little twist in the end, and this book sparked a tonne of discussion about being careful not to make personal remarks about how people look, or talk or what their names are, because it is not kind.  Its also quite funny to see in the illustrations how the parents respond to their daughter being upset and not liking school.  My cousin who teaches grade 3 says this is an excellent book for talking about anti-bullying strategies, specifically WITS: walk away, ignore, talk it out, seek help.

 Chicken Big by Keith Graves
A very silly book about a chick who is so large when he hatches that the other chickens can't quite figure out what he is.  This book is written in a comic-book style and would really appeal to boys and girls as it is quite silly.  In the end Chicken Big saves the day and the chickens realize that he really is a chicken!  Again, this is a great book for discussing the way our words can be hurtful when we comment on a person's appearance, and that each person has unique abilities and talents that they can use to help others.

 The Princess and the Pizza by Mary Jane and Herm Auch
This was such a fun princess book.  I think the reason I like it so much is the princess is always saying "For Pete's sake" which just reminds me of my dad!  She is put through a series of predictable princess tasks which don't truly measure who she is or what she's good at until in the end, quite by accident she discovers her unique talent.  Very cute and not a fruffy princess book! 

 Ten Big Toes and Prince's Nose by Nancy Gow
I loved this book!  Again it looks at the age old problem of judging a person by their outward appearance, even though what makes a person who they are is what's on the inside.

 The Apple-Pip Princess by Jane Ray
Such a sweet tale of a young princess, overshadowed by her two older sisters who are totally focused on themselves.  This young princess sets out to make her father happy and in doing so brings hope and joy and beauty back to the kingdom.  A great story about simply doing one little thing a day with what's in your hands right now.  Could spark conversations about resourcefulness, being kind to the earth, helping others, teamwork and not doubting yourself.

 I Like Myself by Karen Beaumont
This is a book we were given when my daughter was quite young.  Its a silly story where the little girl says she would like herself no matter what she looks like on the outside because the inside is what makes her who she is.  Wild illustrations that are sure to make your imagination soar!

Family Connect April 10-16

This past weekend our storyteller Donna shared the story of Jesus praying in Gethsemane and his arrest and betrayal by his disciple Judas (Luke 22:39-44 and John 18:2-11).  The bottom line was that to put others first, you need to put God first. The thing that always strikes me most about Jesus in this story is how completely human he was, that he could be, in a sense, "conflicted".  Our human nature is to shy away from pain and to lean towards self-preservation.  But here we see Jesus, in light of his human nature making the wise choice.  The most wise and loving choice he could make, in order to redeem his creation and restore the potential for relationship with us.  

Aria and I have been reading the Jesus Storybook Bible before bed each night.  I have been SO impacted by the way this book is written for children, but some of the language and phrasing causes me to stop and reflect on the God I know, and challenges me to stretch my understanding of God's love for me.  Here's an excerpt from Psalm 23:

God is my Shepherd

And I am his little lamb.

He feeds me

He guides me

He looks after me.

I have everything I need.

Inside, my heart is very quiet.

As quiet as lying down in soft green grass

In a meadow

By a little stream.

Even when I walk through

the dark, scary, lonely places

I won't be afraid

Because my Shepherd knows where I am.

He is here with me

He keeps me safe

He rescues me

He makes me strong

And brave.

He is getting wonderful things ready for me

Especially for me

Everything I ever dreamed of!

He fills my heart so full of happiness

I can't hold it all inside.

Wherever I go I know

God's Never Stopping

Never Giving Up

Unbreaking

Always and Forever
Love

Will go, too!

The family activity for this week will help to build anticipation as we continue to head towards Easter.  This idea is adapted from Mustard Seeds Blog.  Check it out for step by step pictures and more info. 

Hill of Calvary

Note: It's best to start your Hill of Calvary at least 2 weeks before Easter.

You Will Need:

• Potting Soil or Jiffy Mix
• Gravel
• A few small rocks
• 10 inch terra cotta dish
• 4 inch terra cotta pot
• 4 inch terra cotta dish
• Grass seed or wheatberries (make sure they are organic and untreated) for the grass.
• A good spray bottle
• Sticks (for crosses)
• Hot glue gun
• Raffia and purple ribbon (optional)

 Step 1: Lay the 4 inch pot on its side in the 10 inch dish. Use smallish rocks to hold the pot in place.

Step 2: Pour in a small layer of gravel for drainage.

Step 3: Make mud! The best way to apply the soil/dirt is by first making mud in a separate container.

Step 4: Take handfuls of the mud and pack it all around the pot and in the dish. You will want to create a nice rounded hill.

Step 5: Spread a thick layer of seed over the ENTIRE soil area. You may have to kind of push it into the soil a bit on the steep sides. This is very important: Don't be stingy with the seed. If you want nice, dense grass, the seed needs to completely cover the surface of the soil. (Don't just sprinkle it.)

Step 6: Cover seed with a very thin layer of your mud mixture.

Step 7: Bring your dish garden inside and put it in warm sunlight. The terra cotta is porous so it's going to leak some moisture. Put a tray, plate, etc. underneath it.

Step 8: WATER! For the first 3-4 days you will need to spray and water your hill three times per day. Before the seeds take root, the soil will run off pretty easily...(think erosion) so at first you will mainly need to rely on using a spray bottle to irrigate...

Once the grass takes root and matures, you'll be able to slowly drizzle water on it, without losing your hill.

Step 9: Watch it grow! Within 2 days you will probably see small white roots shooting out.

Step 10: Make three crosses out of collected sticks. Use hot glue to connect the sticks and then wrap raffia around to secure it and hide glue. Note that the grass will grow faster and higher than you think. Make your crosses a little bit "jumbo" sized because they will need to be nestled down in the grass and yet, you still want to be able to see them.

Step 11: The grass will be fully mature by day 7...and from then on out, you will be amazed at how fast it shoots up. Get out our scissors and give it a mow.

Additional Ideas

• As you work on creating the project, watering, etc. talk about the Easter story with your child.

• On Good Friday, wrap up a clothespin in white cloth and lay it in the tomb (Jesus).

• On the Eve of Easter, remove the clothespin, leave the cloth and leave the tomb open for your child to discover first thing on Sunday morning.

• The path to the cross was paved by my sins. Put these rocks in the tomb...to once again die...with Christ. "He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification."  Romans 4:25

On Easter Jesus not only rose from the grave, conquering death, but he conquered our sin - FOREVER.

Family Connect April 3-9

This month we're learning about HUMILITY—putting others first by giving up what you think you deserve.  I think this is such a fabulous virtue for April, as we're heading towards the Cross, and reflecting on who Jesus is and what he has done for us!  Our memory verse is, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.” Philippians 2:3, NIV

 

This week we explored the story of Jesus washing his disciples' feet in John 13:1-17, focusing on the bottom line that we should treat others like they’re more important than you.  My K/Gr 1 group LOVED getting their feet dirty, and then taking turns washing one another's feet.  It was a really great lesson that is a perfect launching point for parents to continue the learning at home!

Our idea for a family night this week is to have a family dinner party with a twist!  You can make it as simple or as fancy as you like (think dressing up silly, just for fun), the only rule is that you can’t serve yourself.  Someone else has to help seat you at the table, dish up for you, fill your water glass, and clear your dishes (but not their own), so that everyone is serving someone else within the family.

Take some time to brainstorm ways that you can serve other people in your community as a family (ex. Picking up garbage at the park, helping to clean up an elderly neighbor’s yard, planting flowers at the church, visiting shut-ins, making freezer meals, etc, etc).  Choose the best idea, and then do it!

Family Connect for April

So, my ministry partner, Amy, and I have been working on a new way for parents to take what we're teaching their kids on the weekend and to stretch the learning even further at home with a family night activity.  Speaking from my own experience as a mom, I often have FABULOUS intentions, but not enough creative energy to actually plan out activities, gather the supplies and execute them.  So, what if we took the planning work out of the equation for parents, and did it for them?  Last month was the pilot month for Family Connect, and I haven't really heard any feedback yet.  But, maybe no news is good news?!

I'm super excited about this month's Family Connect though, because it's all about EASTER!  The curriculum we use at VAC Kids is 252 Basics.  It is an incredible curriculum, that I will go ON and ON about if you let me!  This month we are learning about HUMILITY: putting others first by giving up what you think you deserve.  And who better to be an example of that than Jesus, right?  So, this weekend we are looking at the story of Jesus washing his disciples feet.  Followed by Jesus in Gethsemane and his arrest.  Then, his crucifixion and finally his resurrection!  I am just so excited to be talking about Jesus all month, and to be a vessel for the Holy Spirit to call these kids to Himself.

Back to Family Connect!  So, for the next month, I'm going to be posting our Family Connect activities on my blog, and I plan on doing them with my family, so hopefully there will be pictures as well!  Some of the ideas are ones that I found on some other really great blogs by moms I've come across in the last couple of weeks.  Enjoy!