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2001 Volunteer Leader Training Guide
Activities for Teaching Children About Character
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Responsibility
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Have the children plant a small garden, or even
a seed in a styrofoam cup, then talk about what the seeds will
need in order to grow. The children can be responsible for
making sure their plant(s) receive plenty of sunlight and enough
water.
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Have the children be responsible for a household
chore. Examples: helping their parents make their bed, wash
dishes, fold clothes, etc. Young children will have to have some
guidance, but with some help those small hands can be
responsible.
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Have the children team up in groups of two to
put together a puzzle appropriate to their age. Then have the
children put the completed puzzles back on the shelf or wherever
it is stored. This will encourage them to help a friend, keep on
trying and show that they are responsible by doing what they are
asked to do.
Respect
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Talk to the children about manners. Have the
children draw a sneeze picture. Discuss with the children the
importance of covering their mouths when they cough or sneeze.
Have the children draw a simple face on construction paper. Glue
a facial tissue directly over the mouth and nose.
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Participate in a community or school clean-up
day. You may pick up litter, clean up a playground, or help fix
toys. This is a good activity that parents or other adults can
do with the children.
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Take the children to a farm or use pets. Talk
about ways animals take care of us. How can we take care of
animals?
Fairness
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Play games that require everyone taking a turn.
You could turn this into a family game night or a game with two
players.
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Sit down together and make "house rules" with
the children. Then make sure the children understands what the
consequences will be if they disobey a rule.
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Have the children sit in a circle, then starting
with the first child beside you, ask them to share something
that made them happy today. (You may need to suggest something
like: The sun is shining, I’m wearing my new shoes, or I had
McDonald’s for breakfast.) Instruct the children to listen to
the child speaking and to wait until their turn to speak.
Caring
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Have children draw or make cards out of
construction paper. They can use markers, colors, stickers and
other art supplies to decorate their card. The cards can be sent
to family members, friends or others in the community.
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Have the children take care of a pet. Talk to
the children about how to care for them. You could use stuffed
animals to talk about caring for pets if you don’t have live
animals.
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Allow the children to cut pictures from
magazines that show people doing nice things for other people.
Ask the children why those people are caring. Then make a
collage of all the pictures.
Citizenship
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Take the children on a walk or hike and pick up
litter.
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Have pictures or toy traffic signs. Talk about
how obeying traffic signs is one of the ways to be a good
citizen. Set up an obstacle course and allow the child to go
through the course.
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Talk about how recycling helps the environment
and the community. Make recycled paper with the children.
Trustworthiness
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Read a book to the children, such as Molly’s
Lies by K. Chorao or Berenstain Bears and the Truth by S.
Berenstain. Then discuss with the children how telling lies may
hurt others and cause others not to trust us. Ask them to tell
you what they learned from the book.
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Have the children help you make rules for your
home or for the classroom.
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Ask the children to tell you what it means to be
truthful. Then have them draw a picture of a time when they were
truthful.
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