In addition to hanging our virtues flags around the top of the room, there are all sorts of Games & Activities you can do with them. Here are just a few Ideas:
These beautiful letters make captivating conversation pieces. Here are some of the questions you can ask about each letter as you interact with them:
What is this letter?
What sound does it make?
What other words start with this sound?
Is there anything in this room that starts with that sound?
Then, what is this word?
What are the letters in this word?
What does this word mean?
Do you act like this? Do you know anyone who does?
What is an example of someone practicing this virtue?
How does it feel to be around people like this?
How does it feel to act like this?
Activities:
For One Child:
Let your child trace the letters with their finger.
Hold the soft fabric up to their cheek and enjoy the silky softness.
Hook two together and wear them like a bib and cape combination or two shoulder pads.
Make up a super hero name combining the two letters or the two virtues and swoop around the room pretending to do good deeds.
Letter Delivery – put a flag in the back of a toy truck or car and deliver it to a person or “store” on the other side of the room.
For One or More Children:
Letter Hunt – hide the flags around the house or yard like Easter Eggs and let children hunt for them.
Pull flags out of a bag and see how many tries before they can spell a word.
Give a child a letter at the beginning of the day and tell them that it is their letter and virtue for the day.
Group Activities:
Let each child carry a letter or wear it like an armband for these activities:
Have the children arrange themselves in alphabetical order.
If the class is less than 26 children, ask them what letters are missing.
See if the children can arrange themselves into a word – either one of your choosing or theirs.
For older children, try to spell entire sentences or phrases using just one of each letter. For this one, you may need to choose in advance which letters to pass out.
Here are some silly possibilities:
Go Fish
Quiet Days
My friends go zap.
Zebras jump on high.
Question Sam
Clean up This Dog
Quest for my brain.
Love kind ways
“That’s Me!”
Have the children sit in a circle and give each one a letter. Have them pass their letters to their right. Then the teacher (or parent) calls out the name of a letter. The child that is holding that letter should shout “That’s Me!” Then everyone passes their letter to the right, and the child that shouted “that’s me” gets to name a different letter. If no one says “That’s Me!” then that child gets to name another letter, until someone has the letter named and the game continues in like manner.
Here are some child-friendly definitions for the virtues on the flags:
Call them active when they initiate activities other than watching TV or playing video games.
To be brave is to be willing to do what is right or needed even when it is hard or scary. So call them brave when they try something new or challenging.
Creativity is not the same as originality, so call them creative when they put things or ideas together in a way that is new for them.
To be dependable is to be trustworthy and reliable, so call them dependable when they do what they say they will.
Call them eager when they are excited about doing something.
To be friendly is to be pleasant, kind and welcoming and enjoying the company of others, so call them friendly when they make an effort to get along with their peers, or to be welcoming to new people.
Call them generous when they share something of theirs with a friend or family member
Call them helpful whenever they help you do something – even if you have to make up an artificial need so that they can practice.
Call them independent when they try something new on their own, or learn to do something new for themselves.
Call them joyful when they take pleasure in their own growth.
Call them kind when they show concern for other people and animals.
Call them loving when they perform acts of kindness or service for those they love.
To be mature is to be grown-up in the way you think and the way you express your emotions. So call them mature when they behave in a way that is advanced for their age, or do NOT behave in a way that might be considered typical for their age.
Call them noble when they strive to be their very best.
Call them observant when they notice something interesting and point it out to you.
To be patient is to stay calm and happy, even when you have to wait a long time. So call them patient when they wait for you or a fun activity without complaining.
Call them questioning when they want to know more.
To be radiant is to be aglow with great joy and love; spreading delight & happiness to all. So call them radiant when they are so full of life and love and enthusiasm that you can hardly stand it.
Call them strong when they put forth extraordinary effort, either physically or emotionally.
Call them truthful when they tell the truth even if it is difficult.
Call them unselfish when they give up something they want for someone else.
Call them vibrant when they approach a task full of energy and enthusiasm.
To be wise is to know which virtues are needed in each situation, so call them wise when they make good choices in their behavior.
Call them expressive when they use both words and emotions to communicate their experience.
Say “you are being yourself” when they express a personal opinion or do something that makes you want to smile because it is just so “them.”
Say they have zeal when they express commitment and enthusiasm for achieving a goal.