· By S. S. Coulter
Simple Family Activity with Serious Returns
I wanted to share one of my favorite activities from our site that is really simple but takes in a huge harvest for your family - working through issues, talking about emotions, learning to deliver truth with grace, and reconciliation. Oh, and there's hugs too!
It's call Bug Box. Check out its Summary, What You Need, Directions, Extra Challenge, and Things to Talk About below. Have fun!
Summary
It can be hard to talk about things that bug you. In this activity, family members put the things that bug them into a Bug Box and meet once a week to talk through the issues. It’s a great way to learn constructive criticism, how to resolve problems together, and forgiveness. This activity also includes a Hug Box so that family members can celebrate the things that make them happy too.
What You Need
- Art supplies (for example: crayons, construction paper, glue, markers, tape)
- Cardboard box
- Paper
- Scissors
- Writing utensil
Directions
- Create a “Bug Box.” The goal is to give your family a chance to express when something is “bugging” them.
- Find a cardboard box and cut a slit somewhere on the box that you can put small pieces of paper through. At least one side of the box should remain capable of opening so you can take the pieces of paper out.
- Write “Bug Box” on the box and decorate it if you’d like.
- Now prepare “Bug Cards” by cutting up regular or scrap paper. Write the following on each card: “I feel _______ when ____________.” Leave plenty of room for your family members to fill in the blanks.
- Explain the purpose of the Bug Box and Bug Cards. Discuss how it can help to talk about the things that bug us instead of keeping them inside.
- When the Bug Box and Bug Cards are ready, write an example on a Bug Card. For example, “I feel sad when my older siblings don’t say goodnight to me before I go to sleep.” Talk with each other about this issue until you come to a resolution.
- Have everyone try writing a card. Explain that the Bug Card is not intended to be mean – it is to express how you feel; not blame or criticize others. Once all participants write their cards, discuss what they wrote about.
- Now it’s time to put the Bug Box into action. Agree as a family that when something is bugging you, you will fill out a Bug Card and put it in the Bug Box. Once a week (or whatever is best for your family), everyone can sit together and talk about the cards in the Bug Box. This will give everyone a chance to talk openly with one another. It will also give everyone a chance to solve problems, help each other, and forgive each other.
- Here’s the best part! After each Bug Card is discussed, have the person who created it tear the card in half as a celebration that the issue may have been resolved, you are working on it, someone has been forgiven, etc.
Extra Challenge
In addition to your Bug Box, make a Hug Box. Encourage your family to write down things that bug them and things that others do that make them happy. At family meetings, you can share the Bug Cards and the Hug Cards. Prepare the Hug Cards with the following sentence starter: “I felt happy when ______. Thank you!” For example, “I felt happy when my older sibling asked me to play catch. Thank you!” After reading the Hug Card to the family member it is addressed to, give him or her a hug!
Things to Talk About
Here is a list of things to talk about once you've started the activity, providing you with more ways to bond as a family:
- Do you feel better after writing down and then talking about the things that bug you with your family? Did it feel good to rip up your Bug Cards?
- What is the hardest part about forgiving people? How has using the Bug Box helped you learn to forgive people?
- Why is it important to forgive people? Adults: talk about an experience when you had to forgive someone, especially when you were around the age of your kids.
- Adults: after a few weeks of using the Bug Box, ask your kids how they think it’s working. Do they feel happier using the box? What could be changed for the Bug Box to work better?
- If you’re also doing the Hug Box: does it feel nice to recognize others and be recognized for helping people feel happy?
HAVE FUN!
I truly hope this activity is fun for your family and results in some wonderful discussion, learning, bonding, and hugs! If you'd like more free activities like this, please check out this site's More Activities page.
Here are some additional sites with fun activities for kids:
Play Ideas & Games by The Genius of Play
Free Resources and Activities by Slumberkins