It is so interesting that we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ in the middle of winter, when darkness comes early. For thousands of years, God’s people lived in darkness, waiting. John called Jesus “the light of men” (John 1:4) and “the light in the darkness” (John 8:12). I will never forget the year we…
Splinks for the week of December 8-14, 2019 Tumbling Down Items Needed: Blocks Instruct each family member (or do partners) to build a tower or building with blocks. After the towers are built, allow someone to pull out one of the lower blocks from each tower. (The tower should tumble down.) What happened when we…
Splinks for the week of November 24-30, 2019 No Words Allowed Play a game of Charades where you act out ways to serve or help someone else. Suggestions: Medical help Serving food Repairing something Bagging or ringing up groceries Washing a car Loading or unloading a dishwasher Teaching Have fun with the game and talk…
Splinks for the week of November 17-23, 2019 Treasure Hunt Create a Treasure Hunt that leads to a special treat or an announcement about a trip or family outing. Provide clues that must be followed in the correct order for the treasure to be found. Suggested rhyming clues for readers: “When Daddy gets tired, he…
Splinks for the week of November 10-16, 2019 Book Reports Assign a day for each family member to tell about his or her favorite book (other than the Bible) and why it’s a favorite. Spread this out over a few nights or do it all on the same night. It’s fun to learn about new…
Daily Charades Play a game of charades to portray activities and actions that take place daily for members of the family. Encourage each family member to participate in both the acting and guessing. Suggestions for charades: Brushing teeth Eating food Caring for pets Getting dressed Cooking food Making a bed Folding clothes Driving a car…
Kindness Matters! Items Needed: Slips of paper (with each of the following written on a slip – lonely, sick, afraid, new to a situation, disappointed, hurt, tired, hungry) Bag or basket to hold the slips of paper Instruct each family member to pick a slip of paper and read it aloud. Brainstorm ways that…
Turn It Around! Declare one day (or evening) to be Turn Around Day. Wear clothing turned inside out or backward. Switch around some furniture or household décor. Eat dessert before the meal or have breakfast foods for dinner. Use the back door more than the front door (unless that’s the norm) and incorporate any…
Too Busy? Show your cell phone and ask family members to name the many different uses for this small device. Sometimes when I text someone, I get a response right away. It’s great that technology allows for such quick communication, but there are times when I don’t get a response for several hours or…
They Started It! Remind your family of the story of Adam and Eve from Genesis 3:1-6, 22-23. Adam and Eve chose their own way instead of God’s way. God wanted to be close to them, but their sins separated them from God. Even though they sinned, God still loved them and promised to send…