"Who's my neighbor?"
Children's Activity
Object:
Teachers or Parents: Our world is getting smaller and
smaller. Journeys that used to take months now take only a few
hours in a fast airplane. We are having more and more contact
with people around the world who speak different languages, have
different customs, and look different than the people we are used
to seeing on a daily basis. By the time our children are grown,
this contact with other peoples and cultures will be even more
pronounced. Now is the time to instill in our children the
understanding that all the world's peoples are our neighbors.
* Ask the children to separate themselves into groups that
all have the same first name. There may not be even two who have
the same name so they may all be separate. Next, have them form
groups based on month of birth. This will give no more than
twelve groups. Now, form groups born in the same year. If this is
a class based on age, there will be only two or three groups.
Finally, ask them to form groups of human beings, all human
beings in one group and those not human in another. Now you have
one group. Have a discussion about how we may all have some
differences, but we are all human beings and neighbors no matter
what those differences may be.
* Bring books that show pictures of many different people
with a variety of native dress. Show the pictures to the children
and ask if they have any neighbors who look like the people in
the pictures. If they say they don't, explain the Biblical
concept of neighbors being all the people of the world regardless
of race, language, or customs.
Sunday school assembly opening:
* Ask everyone what state, province, or country they were
born in and list the answers on the board or easel. Then discuss
how we would still be neighbors even if we had never come
together in our present location because the Bible tells us that
all the people of the world are our neighbors.
smaller. Journeys that used to take months now take only a few
hours in a fast airplane. We are having more and more contact
with people around the world who speak different languages, have
different customs, and look different than the people we are used
to seeing on a daily basis. By the time our children are grown,
this contact with other peoples and cultures will be even more
pronounced. Now is the time to instill in our children the
understanding that all the world's peoples are our neighbors.
* Ask the children to separate themselves into groups that
all have the same first name. There may not be even two who have
the same name so they may all be separate. Next, have them form
groups based on month of birth. This will give no more than
twelve groups. Now, form groups born in the same year. If this is
a class based on age, there will be only two or three groups.
Finally, ask them to form groups of human beings, all human
beings in one group and those not human in another. Now you have
one group. Have a discussion about how we may all have some
differences, but we are all human beings and neighbors no matter
what those differences may be.
* Bring books that show pictures of many different people
with a variety of native dress. Show the pictures to the children
and ask if they have any neighbors who look like the people in
the pictures. If they say they don't, explain the Biblical
concept of neighbors being all the people of the world regardless
of race, language, or customs.
Sunday school assembly opening:
* Ask everyone what state, province, or country they were
born in and list the answers on the board or easel. Then discuss
how we would still be neighbors even if we had never come
together in our present location because the Bible tells us that
all the people of the world are our neighbors.
