Tapestry of Faith: Toolbox of Faith: A Program That Helps Children Discover the Uses of Faith

Alternate Activity 1: ASL "I Love You" Badge

Activity time: 15 minutes

Materials for Activity

  • Sheets of construction paper or craft foam in multi-cultural skin tones or various colors (including red) - enough for each class member to outline a hand
  • Optional: Red heart stickers for all participants
  • Pencils, scissors (including left-handed scissors), and glue sticks
  • Tape or safety pins for attaching paper hands to shirts, name tags, or other display spots

Preparation for Activity

  • Set out paper or craft foam (and stickers, if you are using them) on worktables, with pencils, scissors, and glue sticks.

Description of Activity

Create a badge to wear or display.

The sign for "I love you" is made by extending all five fingers, palm facing out and folding the third and fourth fingers to the palm. The sign language dictionary, "ASL Browser," includes the "I Love You" sign. The sign blends the hand shapes for the letters I, L, and Y into one hand shape.

Once you teach the ASL sign, as shown in the illustration from "A Better Model for Animating ASL," invite participants to outline their own hand on a piece of construction paper (or craft foam), cut out the hand shape, and bend the two fingers to create the sign. Glue the bent fingers to the palm.

Have the children cut out paper heart shapes to decorate the palms and glue a heart onto their paper hand (or place a heart sticker on it).

Pin or tape paper hands to children's name tags or shirts, or invite children to display their hands wherever they wish.