Eight Ways to Help Children Develop Good Character (developed for 5-12 year olds) by Lynn E. Marcks Educating and raising children of good character is a necessity. Everything adults do influence the character of a child. This includes the way we talk; the behavior we model; the conduct we tolerate; and the expectations and goals we portray. Good character traits like trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, and caring are learned behaviors. The most powerful thing we as adults can do is to love our children and spend time together with them. Here are eight ways to spend time with your child/children in helping them to develop good character traits. ! Spend a few hours, a morning or afternoon, or even a day at an area park. Swinging, sliding, running, jumping, bending, crawling, and hopping help children develop large motor coordination. Adults imitating all these actions receive a great work-out in addition to spending quality time with their child/children. The park environment sends the message “come and play!” Packing a picnic lunch of peanut butter sandwiches, vegetables and dip, milk, and a few chocolate chip cookies adds to the adventure. ! Find a hammock or a cozy chair to read together a picture book or a chapter book. Recommended reading selections include Where Washington Walked by Raymond Bial; The Bully Blockers Club by Teresa Bateman; Hachiko: The True Story of a Loyal Dog by Pamela S. Turner (Books recommended by the National Council of Social Studies, 2005 Notable Trade Book Selections) and Clouds for Dinner by Lynne Rae Perkins; If the World Were a Village: A Book about the World’s People by David Smith; This Place I Know:Poems of Comfort by Georgia Heard (Books recommended by the Cooperative Children’s Book Center, School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison) and William’s Doll by Charlotte Zolotow; A Teddy Bear for President Roosevelt by Peter and Connie Roop; Sarah, Plain, and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan (Books recommended by the nIc Foundation). ! Build something together. Any available materials encourage children to develop, plan, design, and create interesting structures. Suggested materials include: marshmallows, gum drops, wood pieces, pine cones, play dough, old toy parts, paper plates, all sizes of cardboard boxes, buttons, cereal pieces, straws, pipe cleaners, tooth picks, sticks, cardboard tubes, egg cartons, thread spools, old lamp shades, felt, colored paper, crepe paper, fishing line, yarn, and balloons. Remember the interesting structure doesn’t actually have to be something. The process of building something together is what is important. Investing in an adequate supply of glue is highly recommended. Be sure to display the interesting structure! (Later, you may want to give the creation to grandma or grandpa as a gift) ! Play in the dirt! Legitimize getting dirty by planting and maintaining an indoor or outdoor garden. Gardens may include flowers, vegetables, small bushes and shrubs. In-ground, raised beds, or container gardening are all inviting to children. Children excel at digging, mixing, stirring, pouring, planting, and watering. Some children may choose to keep a notebook and write about how their garden is growing. Some children draw or take photos of their plants. Others like to measure plant growth with a ruler, yard stick, rope, or wooden dowel. But, all children are fascinated by a magnifying glass! They can observe first hand stems, leaves, seeds, flowers, vegetables, insects, and worms. ! Brew magical bubbles! Bubble mixture can be purchased just about anywhere, but brewing up a batch at home is like following your favorite recipe. Here is a simple recipe for making magical bubbles: Materials Needed: 2/3 cup (160 ml) dish detergent (Dawn and Joy work best)
1 tablespoon (15 ml) glycerin (available at food/drug stores)
1 gallon (3.8L) of water
Instructions: Mix all the ingredients in a large pail or container. To increase the life of the bubbles, allow the bubble brew to age for 24 hours before using. Your family is now ready to create some magical bubbles.
Commercial bubble wands may be used; but to create really magical bubbles, create your own bubble tools using everyday items from around the house. Metal coat hangers, plastic hoops, and sturdy rope may be tied and shaped to form large circular bubbles. The end of a funnel may be dipped in the brew and then blown out. A piece of chicken wire or course screen creates lots of bubbles because of the many holes. (fly swatters work too) The little green berry baskets may be dipped in the brew to make lots and lots of little bubbles. Create geometric shapes by attaching plastic straws together with paper clips. Cubes and pyramids provide interesting 3-dimensional shapes. Any object with holes may be used to make magical bubbles. And with practice, bubbles may be created using just your hands! ! Camp out together in a home away from home. Planning, organizing, packing, and setting up “camp” in a home away from home is an adventure for both children and parents. The home away from home concept can be any inside or outside location such as the family room; outdoor porch; the backyard; or a campground facility. Just set up the family tent, lean to, or a blanket over the kitchen table, and you have created a new home. Include sleeping bags, pillows, favorite cuddly toys, and flashlights and your campers will add their own giggles and fun. Great family conversations take place while having an outdoor meal together and while sitting around the campfire. A simple meal of hotdogs, burgers, baked beans, and chips will do. Toasting marshmallows with graham crackers and chocolate makes the s’mores a perfect bedtime treat. ! Go on a fossil hunt! Creek beds, river banks, and rock quarries provide interesting and mysterious places to discover a picture of the past. Dressing for the fossil hunt means wearing clothes that can get both muddy and wet. Longer pants and a longer sleeved shirt and a hat are recommended. Put a bandana and a couple of plastic bags in your pocket for storing little treasures that are found. A toothbrush and a small magnifying glass are two small useful tools for fossil hunting. Take along a couple of large plastic pails, a plastic strainer, some small nylon netting (or a child’s butterfly net), and a note pad and pencil. Children will want to draw or sketch pictures and record observations about their fossils. The mystery of the discovery is what makes fossil hunting fun and interesting. Fossil hunters may keep common bones, teeth, shells, and stones. Significant finds should be shared with professional paleontologists. ! Plan a game night (or afternoon). Schedule a specific block of time when the family will come together to play a few indoor games. Inside board games may include Scrabble, Chutes and Ladders, Sorry, Yahtzee, and Clue for Kids. Puzzles and card games may be planned too. In addition to the family having fun together, the purpose of game night is to help children develop thinking and problem solving strategies. Adults can help children develop these skills by “thinking out loud” and modeling their own thought processes in moving a game piece; planning for the next move in the game; playing a particular card; and matching puzzle pieces. Just talk aloud through your thought process so that your child/children hear and see how you worked through your strategy. For a healthy snack, serve popcorn mixed with dry roasted peanuts and seasoning salt. This article may be reproduced and distributed by educational and / or nonprofit organizations as long as credit is given to Lynn E. Marcks, nIc Foundation, Inc., |