"Don't cheat!"
Children's Activity
Object:
Teachers or Parents: The Gospel this week gives us a
wonderful opportunity to talk to the children about honesty and
integrity. We need to show them that honesty is always the best
policy even if the world seems to reward the people who are
dishonest and untrustworthy.
*Tell the children about the dishonest manager in the
parable and then ask them to relate stories about dishonesty that
they have experienced in their own lives. Discuss the results of
dishonesty, the hurt it causes, and so forth. Emphasize that God
always knows exactly what we do even if others do not.
*Play a game with nickels where the children are each given
a nickel in a small envelope. The idea of the game is to get
their nickel closer to a target than the person they compete
with. Each child competes against another with the loser being
eliminated. The one who is the final winner will receive a prize.
All the nickels are returned to you at the end of the game. In
one envelope, put a quarter in addition to the nickel. When the
child with the quarter tells you about it, he or she receives a
prize for honesty equal to that which the winner of the game
receives. In the unlikely event that the child doesn't tell you
about the quarter, you can tell the group that you did put a
quarter in one envelope and ask that the person who got it return
it. This will most certainly result in its return and you can
still give praise to the person's honesty.
wonderful opportunity to talk to the children about honesty and
integrity. We need to show them that honesty is always the best
policy even if the world seems to reward the people who are
dishonest and untrustworthy.
*Tell the children about the dishonest manager in the
parable and then ask them to relate stories about dishonesty that
they have experienced in their own lives. Discuss the results of
dishonesty, the hurt it causes, and so forth. Emphasize that God
always knows exactly what we do even if others do not.
*Play a game with nickels where the children are each given
a nickel in a small envelope. The idea of the game is to get
their nickel closer to a target than the person they compete
with. Each child competes against another with the loser being
eliminated. The one who is the final winner will receive a prize.
All the nickels are returned to you at the end of the game. In
one envelope, put a quarter in addition to the nickel. When the
child with the quarter tells you about it, he or she receives a
prize for honesty equal to that which the winner of the game
receives. In the unlikely event that the child doesn't tell you
about the quarter, you can tell the group that you did put a
quarter in one envelope and ask that the person who got it return
it. This will most certainly result in its return and you can
still give praise to the person's honesty.
