Tapestry of Faith: Wonderful Welcome: A Program for Children Grades K-1

Activity 3: Forgiving Faces

Activity time: 10 minutes

Materials for Activity

  • Plain construction paper, markers and glue sticks for all participants
  • A red and a green construction paper circle for all participants, plus some extra

Preparation for Activity

  • Cut two circles - one red and one green - for each child plus a few extra.
  • Read the Description of Activity and prepare to present the scenario with the red and green circles as props.

Description of Activity

Settle the children at worktables. Hold up a red and a green circle, and say:

I'd like you to meet my friends, Red and Green. Red and Green are two children. They are in religious education together and they are usually good friends. But something happened today.

Red didn't mean to, but Red did something that made Green feel bad. Green had been sitting next to a new person during circle time. When Green got up to get something, Red went over and took her spot. Green came back and was upset and hurt. She walked away feeling mad and a little bit sad because Red did not ask if someone had been sitting there.

Have you ever had a time when a friend did something that made you feel bad?

Allow some responses, but discourage elaborate stories that affix blame, and guide children away from naming peers who are present. Revisiting incidents that have happened in this group may be addressed in Activity 4: Consequences.

Now say:

Green was angry, and then Green felt sad. What do you think Green did?

What do you think Red did?

Children may talk about what Green and Red might have done, or about how they might have felt. Help the group consider possibilities, such as:

  • Green spoke up, and Red apologized.
  • Green spoke up, and Red did not apologize.
  • Green told a grown-up what happened. The grown-up talked to Green and Red together and they made up.
  • Green didn't speak to Red or the new child for the rest of the day.
  • Green felt upset when she went home.

Point out the responses that imply forgiveness, such as "Green decided she was no longer mad," or "Red apologized and Green said, 'It's okay.'"

Distribute blank paper, a red and green circle, markers and glue sticks to each child at work tables. Invite them to make a picture of the friendship between Red and Green.