Tapestry of Faith: Faithful Journeys: A Program about Pilgrimages of Faith in Action for Grades 2-3

Activity 3: Move It! Part II -A Circle That Took Me In

Activity time: 5 minutes

Preparation for Activity

  • Prepare a large space in which participants can run around safely.

Description of Activity

Gather the group in a circle and reread the poem by Edwin Markham:

He drew a circle that shut me out

Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout

But love and I had the wit to win;

We drew a circle that took him in.

Point out that you have just heard about a circle that shut someone out and now you are going to play a game where you take people in: amoeba tag. In this game one person starts as the "amoeba" and tries to catch other people. Once they are tagged, they become part of the amoeba. Holding hands, they continue to chase the other participants until everyone has been caught and is a part of the amoeba.

When you have finished playing, ask the children which game they think is more like Unitarian Universalism: a circle that shuts people out, or a circle that takes people in. Ask them to explain their answer(s). Say, in your own words:

As Unitarian Universalists, we want to include people and make them welcome. We include everyone.

Including All Participants

Participants with limited mobility can still be tagged and become part of the amoeba. However, encourage the entire group to be sensitive to the other people in the amoeba and avoid moving too quickly or roughly for others. You may want to give the group the challenge of figuring out how to be an amoeba that is safe for everyone, including someone who is differently mobile.

If you observe uncontrolled mob movement that may result in children getting yanked around, pause the game. Invite children to resume it, taking more care to play safely.