Adventist Adventurer Awards and Answers/Special Helper

Listen to a book about being helpful.
Online search engines often lead to online videos that “read” or “tell” helping other stories.

One video is found at: Holy Tales:  Good Samaritan

It shows the story of The Good Samaritan as told by a grandmother centipede to her grandchildren. Storyjumper.com is a per-sharing book service, and they have a story about how people can help sea turtles survive by helping to protect the new turtle hatchlings. Turtles Get a Helping Hand

Other videos or books can be found using the words “online free books video helping others preschool” in your favorite search engine

Sing a song about being helpful.
Youtube or Christian songs available on itunes or other media have songs that your children may enjoy learning. Memorization is not the ideal, but rather exposure to another kid’s song about a character trait we hope they will learn.

Teaching Idea: This Is the Way We Help at Home Song

Materials: A box of props for each child (suggested props: brooms, toys, dust rags, sponges— the children can also make the motions of the cleaning activity rather than using

props)

Procedure:

Ahead of time: Place one prop for each verse of the song in a box. You’ll need a box of props for each child.

Begin by modeling (singing a verse and doing the actions) the song “This Is the Way We Help at Home.” You may be more familiar with this song’s original title, “Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush.” But if not, go to kididdles.com/lyrics/m014.html. For each verse, you’ll use a motion that represents the activity for that verse. You can also create your own verses to match the story you read or activities that are relevant to your kids and community. Sing each verse more than once.

Suggested Verses

This is the way we sweep the floor,

Sweep the floor, sweep the floor.

This is the way we sweep the floor

So early in the morning.

This is the way we pick up toys,

Pick up toys, pick up toys.

This is the way we pick up toys

So early in the morning.

This is the way we dust the house,

Dust the house, dust the house.

This is the way we dust the house

So early in the morning.

This is the way we wash the car,

Wash the car, wash the car.

This is the way we wash the car,

So early in the morning

Here is a rap with a great message that may have your children "moving" to the tune Rap song Being Helpful

Here is a cute little song about being helpful.

Teaching Idea: Helping Hands Song

Have different family groups listen the song, then figure out ways to “act out” the actions in one of the verses.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNqpmyoF3-E

"HELPING HANDS"

Music: Chris G. Lyrics: Chris G., Cathy Gehr

When I see someone fall down

I will lift them up.

If they're lying on the ground

I'll use my helping hands.

Chorus:

Helping hands helping one another.

I'll do all I can with my helping hands.

If my Mommy is the cook

And the baby's crying,

I will read to him a book

And use my helping hands.

Chorus:

Helping hands helping one another.

I'll do all I can with my helping hands.

If my Daddy is alone

Working in the garden,

I will help him weed and hoe

With my helping hands.

[Repeat second chorus]

Hands should never hurt or fight

Or make someone unhappy.

Do some good and make things right

With your helping hands.

Chorus:

Helping hands helping one another.

Let's do all we can with our helping hands.

[Repeat]

Oh, let's do all we can with our helping hands.

Oh, let's do all we can with our helping hands!

Play a game about being helpful.
Cleaning the house is a great way to model being helpful at home!

Teaching Idea: Clean up Relay Ahead of time: Adults can bring different toys and objects from home. There should be at least 8-10 objects for each family. Procedure: Place the objects in the game center area. Each group or family’s job is to “on go” race out and in a relay fashion bring back one item at a time from “the messy floor” and place it in the family’s “basket.” The team to collect the most items by the time the center of the floor is CLEAN is the winning family. CAUTION to parents—this game’s goal is NOT for parents to be competitive but rather to have parents and children learning to “clean together.” Conversation to follow game should include questions such as “what was the best part of the game? Why did parents help in the game? What are things you like to clean at home? How can mommies and daddies help clean? How can you help them clean? How can you celebrate when you win the clean up game at home?

Make a craft about being helpful.
Any craft where the child is helping or working on a project that reminds them to help would work for this activity.

Teaching Idea: Sewing Fun

Materials: Procedure:
 * Poster board
 * Hole punch
 * Yarn
 * Scissors

Ahead of time: Cut several shapes out of poster board. Then use a hole punch to evenly space holes along the outside of the shape. Cut out pieces of yarn long enough to weave in and out of the holes for each shape. In order to hold the children’s interest, you’ll need to have a variety of shapes and colors of yarn for the children to use. Begin by showing the children how to sew a button onto a piece of fabric. Then show them how they are going to sew by weaving yarn through the holes on the cut-outs provided. You may want to let the children take home one of the cut-outs and some yarn.

Help a family member with a special chore for one week. (i.e., feed a pet)
There are many chores that 4 year olds can do (with help). Feeding a pet, putting their clothes in the hamper, making their bed, or help fix a simple meal. As the adult leader, be sure that parents and children have a chance to plan what they will do to be helpful each day for the next week. Sometimes Adventurers only meets 1 or 2 times in a month. If so, have them help with chores “most days” until the next meeting.