Tapestry of Faith: Creating Home: A Program on Developing a Sense of Home Grounded in Faith for Grades K-1

Activity 3: Welcome Home Posters

Part of Creating Home

Activity time: 10 minutes

Materials for Activity

  • Newsprint, markers, and tape
  • Large roll of paper, such as butcher paper or brown mailing wrap
  • Optional: Large pieces of construction paper for all participants
  • Crayons and markers
  • Scissors (including left-handed scissors)

Preparation for Activity

  • Write the words "Welcome Home" on newsprint, and post.
  • If you will give each child a long piece of paper from a paper roll, make sure you have enough table and floor space for everyone to work on their own "Welcome Home" sign. If space is tight, you may prefer to give each child a large piece of construction paper, instead.
  • If the group made a "Welcome!" sign together in Session 12: John Murray, be ready to point out the sign as you introduce this activity.

Description of Activity

Tell the children they will make signs for their family homes, to welcome home family members. Ask them for ideas about how they could use a "Welcome Home!" sign at home. To prompt, suggest that they might like to welcome siblings home from school or play, welcome parents home from work or grocery shopping, or welcome anyone home from an overnight or longer time away.

If the group made a "Welcome!" sign together in Session 12: John Murray, direct their attention to it. Ask them what is the same and what is different about the sign they will make now. Allow some comments. Then, say in your own words:

A welcome sign shows hospitality no matter where it is. It says, "This is my place, and I am glad you are coming into it."

People we don't know might come into our meeting space. They might be visiting us, just for one time. The sign tells them they are welcome here with us.

Continue in your own words - or, if the group has not made a "Welcome!" sign together - begin your introduction here:

The people coming into our home are usually people we know quite well. We might see them every single day. We still like to let them know we welcome them and a "Welcome Home" sign can do that.

If someone in your family has been away overnight, or longer, they may find it especially nice to see a "Welcome Home" sign when they return home.

Give each child a length of paper from the roll or a large piece of construction paper. Invite them to copy the words "Welcome Home" on their posters and decorate it any way they like.

Visit each child as they work. Some may want help making neat, large, letters. If a child wants to welcome home a particular family member, help them write that person's name on the poster.