Activity time: 10 minutes

Preparation for Activity

• Make sure you have enough adult supervision and the permission of parents and congregational leaders to bring the group outdoors, especially if you plan to leave the grounds of your meeting location.

Description of Activity

Learning about bees and their complex beehive life helps children understand that all creatures have and create homes. Unitarian Universalists affirm that we are part of an interdependent web of life. Noticing and honoring the homes of all creatures is a small act of faith.

Tell the group that you are going to take a walk outside the building and look for insect or animal homes. Ask them to put on any outdoor clothing they need.

Once you are outdoors, share this message with children or use your own words:

All homes are important and all creatures deserve to have a home. As Unitarian Universalists we believe that all creatures have a right to a home. We should try not to harm or destroy another animal's home if it does not pose a threat to us. This includes beehives, anthills, birds’ nests and other homes.

If we come across a beehive in the wild, remember that this is the home of a living creature. It deserves to be treated with respect. We should not disturb the hive or the bees around it.

Invite the children to look for signs of animal homes. Suggest they look for anthills on the ground, a hole in a tree that might be a doorway into a home for squirrels or burrowing insects, bird nests, or signs of other animal homes they are likely to find in the area where you are walking.

You may wish to have them walk in pairs or groups of three. Tell children where and how far they may walk, and be sure that all are within sight of an adult at all times.

Before it is time to go inside, gather the group together. Invite volunteers to report what they saw.