Focus on the Family Magazine - June/July 2022

HACKS & FACTS / FAMILY FUN
CANDY CONTEST
We asked each of our children this question: “If you could
pick one candy to eat for the rest of your life, which one
would you pick?”
We told them they had to be able to give three reasons
why theirs was the best choice. Then we went to the store,
and everyone picked a candy. We took individual pictures
showcasing our candy selections and posted them with our
rationale on Facebook.
We asked our friends to vote on which member of our
family had the best taste in candy. Our kids got excited each
time a friend voted for their selection. It kept them laughing
and smiling for an entire day. We might repeat this activity
with our favorite beverage, restaurant or movie.
—Anthony Ceder
zoo cam creations
Watching live zoo cameras online has been
entertaining for our kids and provides a great
basis for many different hands-on projects.
Choosing an animal to draw, paint, build a clay
model of or write a story about a “Day in the Life”
of the observed animal are ways to extend the
learning while still having fun.
—Sadie Greever
puppet performances
We created a puppet theater by stretching
a colorful curtain on a tension rod across a
doorframe. My daughter either authored her
own script or chose from favorite books or Bible
stories. Then she selected stuffed animals or
created puppets to serve as characters.
When we heard “Showtime! Please take your
seats,” the rest of the family displayed our best
audience manners and enjoyed the show. Before
performances began, we popped popcorn and
blinked the lights as theater protocol demands.
Our little actor beamed and curtsied even
through moments when yarn hair or a puppet
nose fell off. We recorded the performances and
sent them to grandparents, who also enjoyed the
great entertainment.
—Jeannie Waters
DRAWING
FROM THE PAST
Kids can call an elderly friend or family member and
ask him or her to share the most trying times he or she
experienced, both personally and nationally. If possible,
record the call.
Then, kids draw a picture of the event or write a short
essay or poem based on their conversations. Listening
to firsthand accounts from others who have survived
many crises—from wars and epidemics to economic
hardships—teaches our kids to keep hope alive even in
trying times.
As a special gift, frame the picture and give it to the
elder as a keepsake.
—Tom and Lisa Frye
(TOP TO BOTTOM) ©KRISTEN CURETTE & DAEMAINE HINES, ©OLGA MOREIRA / STOCKSY UNITED
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FOCUS ON THE FAMILY
JUNE / JULY 2022