Faith Curriculum Library: Tapestry of Faith: Chalice Children: A Program about Our Unitarian Universalist Community for Preschoolers

Activity 5: Making Cards

Activity time: 15 minutes

Materials for Activity

  • 8 1/2 x 11-inch paper or card stock
  • Markers and crayons
  • Doilies, glitter, and other decorative add-ons
  • Glue sticks
  • Scissors (child-friendly), including left-handed scissors
  • Envelopes big enough to hold 4 1/4 x 5 1/2-inch cards
  • Paper towels, moistened
  • Optional: Equipment to play “What Wondrous Love” (the instrumental version is recommended, as the traditional words are very different from our UU words) or other meditative music
  • Optional: Digital camera or smartphone

Preparation for Activity

  • Contact the leaders in your congregation who will know of people who might appreciate a card at this time from the children (e.g., shut-ins, those who are sick or troubled), such as a Caring Committee, Pastoral Associates, or your minister. Compile a list of recipients, and find their addresses in your church [congregation] directory.
  • Purchase postage stamps. Cut the paper in half, then fold it into halves to make a standard card size (4 1/4 x 5 1/2-inch).
  • Set blank cards, markers and crayons, decorative supplies, glue sticks, and scissors at a work table.

Description of Activity

Children create cards to send to congregants who might appreciate a message of caring from children.

Invite the children to the activity table. Tell them about the people for whom you will make cards. Invite the children to make a variety of cards for these people. You could also have the children make generic cards (without specific recipients).

Play “What Wondrous Love” or other meditative music in the background to provide a lovely environment for this caring project.

Optional: While the children are making their cards, address the envelopes. Ask the children to help put the stamps on.

Variation: Walk the stamped envelopes to the mailbox together, if appropriate.

When it is time, invite the children to help clean up. Wipe up sticky glue from the table with moistened paper towels and put away the supplies. Throw away or recycle paper scraps.

Including All Participants

Provide stickers if the group includes children for whom drawing will be a challenge.