Off-page links 

  Excerpts from Living Values Activities Books and
Love Ideas at Home for Parents of 
 
 

I Feel Full of Love When . . .

Discuss: Ask the children to share the things that make them feel loved. Positively affirm their ideas.

Root Sentence: Ask the children to stand in a circle and say one sentence beginning with the words, "I feel full of love when _______."

Activity: Allow the children to paint what they talked about. Try to stay in the feeling of being full of love while you paint.


The Happy Sponges 

Ask the children:
Who needs love?
Who likes to get love?

The responses of the children are likely to be quick, affirmative ones. Acknowledge their responses. Say, "I think we all agree love is important." Tell the children you are going to read them a story.

Read the "The Happy Sponges" story to the children.

click here to link to the written story  - .pdf format  [16 kb - 2 pages] 

Discuss:

Where did the sponge live?
What surprised the sponge when he saw the little girl?
What did the sponge explain to Marion? When do sponges feel sad?
What do the sponges do when someone feels sad or angry?
How were the sponge and Marion the same?

Activity: Draw or paint pictures about "The Happy Sponges" story.

A Flower of Love

Discuss:

What do you love?
Whom do you love?
What do you love about yourself?
How do you take care of something you love?
How do you speak with people you love?

Activity: 
Create flowers and write or draw on the petals things each child loves. Make a flower for other people in the family. 

• Parents may want to share with their children their own version of the visualization exercise, Filling Up With Love, as the children go to sleep at night. Parents may wish to add ideas from their own faith or of the image of the child being wrapped in a cocoon of the caregivers? love.
   
• Love is sharing. Sharing is often difficult for toddlers, but it can be easier to learn if there is plenty of what they are sharing rather than only one. Before the child has a playmate over, express that there are plenty of cookies, chocolates, or sweets to share with his or her friend. Encourage the child to offer it himself or herself to the playmate. Deliver praise with a smile. Say, ?You shared the chocolates; that was loving.?