There’s something magical about the fourth grade. Okay, maybe magical isn’t the right word. But I simply can’t find another word to sum up the incomprehensible value of this phase. Early in my career, I remember having a conversation with Bobb Biehl that really solidified my belief in the importance of the fourth grade….
Splink 1: Rules are Good Play a familiar game and announce that there are no rules. Each person can do what they want on their turn. (You could also play an outside game such a kickball or baseball.) After a few minutes of confusing play (and before the fights start), sit down and…
Splink 1: Which Way Should We Go? Gather everyone in the car/van/truck and put in a destination for the GPS. (Let’s go to ________.) Instead of following the GPS, turn the opposite way and listen to how the GPS “corrects” you. Continue making wrong turns…often. Finally, admit that you should listen to the…
Splink 1: Valuable Give each family member five post-it notes and ask them to stick them on valuable things. How did you decide what was valuable? Do you think God rates people and values one more than another? Students learned three principles about God and His thoughts about people. God loves all people…
Splink 1: Make playdough to create images. A good recipe is: 1 cup all-purpose flour 2 Tbsp. cream of tartar ½ cup salt 1 to 2 Tbsp. cooking oil 1 cup water Food coloring (optional—appearance only) Mix flour, cream of tartar, and salt in a saucepan. Mix coloring with water and oil, then…
*The following is excerpted from an online article posted on Business Insider. Fidget spinners are everywhere these days. You can buy them on any street corner for a few dollars, and both kids and adults are obsessed with them. The companies that make these hot new gadgets claim they help relieve stress and…
Splink 1: What’s It For? Look in the kitchen drawer (or office) and find some items your kids may not recognize or know their purpose. Some ideas: strawberry huller, melon baller, sifter, hand can opener, etc. Ask them to guess the purpose of each item. Each of these items was created with a specific design…
*The following is excerpted from an online article posted on MediaPost. YouTube viewers world-wide are now watching more than 1 billion hours of videos a day, boosted by algorithms personalizing user lineups, and threatening to eclipse U.S. television viewership. The number represents a ten-fold increase from 2012. YouTube surpassed the figure, which is far…
Splink 1: Garbage In…Garbage Out Invite the kids to make dinner with you. Instead of going to the pantry or refrigerator, ask one of them to grab the trash can and start looking through it to find some food for dinner. When they seemed outraged, keep looking through the trash and continuing to think of…
Splink 1: Pure? Grab a water bottle and while the kids are watching, add a tablespoon of dirt to it. Ask, Would you like a drink of this water? Why or why not? Christians are called to be pure, to be holy. What does it mean to be pure? (Clean; not contaminated; not polluted; etc.)…