Week 1: Doodling & Conversation Activity
Doodling & Conversation Activity
This week our catchphrase comes from remarkable children across the world. This inspiring story will fuel hope and conversation in your home during uncertain times.
This activity is designed to create space for intentional conversation with kids to fuel hope in the midst of uncertainty. Hope is contagious and has a ripple effect. Gather everyone together for coloring and conversation today! Use this inspiring story from children in Italy to fuel hope and conversation in your home!
TELL THE STORY /// As the people of Italy faced a country-wide lockdown in the face of the corona-virus, people young and old began to see the reality of the situation—people are sick, everyone needed to stay home, life felt uncertain. While hope seemed lost, children came forward with an idea to spread encouragement and love.
With a simple sentence: “Everything will be all right,” a movement was born. This simple sentence, together with a rainbow, began to decorate the windows of apartments across the Lombardy region of Italy. Slowly, over a period of three days, these encouraging words spread hope across the country through the simple art of children.
God’s word also reminds us to hold on to hope, and don’t give up! The writer of Hebrews encourages us by saying, “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful” (Heb 10:23). Did you notice it says, “let us.” We get to hold onto hope together, and our hope is in Jesus who loves us very much.
INTRODUCE THE CATCHPHRASE /// “Everything Will Be All Right” Practice saying the catchphrase while coloring. A catchphrase is a simple concept that kids can catch onto. These words are easy to remember, easy to share, and start positive conversation that fuel hope and encouragement. This week we share an “Everything Will Be All Right” catchphrase and doodle with you. It has become a slogan of assurance in Italy and the simple words: “Andrà tutto bene” have been used to increase the morale of many. Use this catchphrase repeatedly throughout each day of the week to help kids practice a positive mindset to help relieve stress and anxiety. Positive thinking does not remove the stressors but increases children’s capacity to process them.
Consider this:
Pausing and listening, maybe even singing and dancing, to the Bob Marley song Everything’s Gonna Be Alright.
Make a plan on how you can share your child’s art. Text picture of art to friends and family, display in your windows, front door, refrigerator, and bathroom mirror, or post on social media.
START A CONVERSATION /// As you are coloring start a meaningful conversation.
What do you think “Everything Will Be All Right” means?
Why would these words help people, like the people in Italy?
Read this Hebrews 10:23 and talk about it. “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful”
Have you ever thought about the word “hope”? What does that word mean to you?
How does “hope” make you feel? Can we be hopeful today?
COLORING & DOODLING LOWERS STRESS LEVELS /// When we doodle and color, our brains actually relax. Psychologist Gloria Martinez Ayala noticed that when we color we activate both sides or our brain hemispheres. This type of dual brain function is a great way to manage stress. Dr. Ayala also clarified that the process of doodling incorporates the areas of the cerebral cortex involved in vision and fine motor skills. The brain “relaxation” that it provides lowers the activity of the amygdala, a basic part of our brain involved in controlling emotion that is affected by stress. Our bodies benefit from coloring and doodling.