A new year can offer children and families an opportunity to wonder what new things might happen. It’s traditionally a time of imagining possibilities, of making resolutions to do something or be someone different. It’s a season of hope that – against any and all odds – we can make a difference in ourselves and our communities.
Sandy Eisenberg Sasso and Amy-Jill Levine retell an ancient story of improbable change and unbelievable outcomes in The Marvelous Mustard Seed. Read the story with children 3+ and use one or more of the following activities to explore how something small can transform into something useful beyond our wildest imaginings.
Tiny. Mustard seeds are very small. They don’t look very useful or important because of their size. Invite children to make a list of other things that appear too small to do any good. Then brainstorm ways that you could use those things to make a difference in the world. For example, putting a tiny LED light in a flashlight could help someone find their way home at night or a single button could become a silly nose in a picture that cheers up your sick neighbor.
Seeds. Many plants come from very small seeds that disappear into the ground and then reappear days or weeks later as tiny seedlings. Encourage children to research and draw the life cycle of their favorite plant. Add notes that compare the size of the original seed to the full-grown plant.
Pointillism. Some artists use tiny dots, like mustard seeds, to make pictures. They need to make a lot of dots before others can see the image. Invite children to use cotton swabs dipped in tempera or acrylic paint to create their own pictures. Suggest that they use their dots to reveal something they think will help their family or community flourish.
Trees. The mustard seed in the story grows into a humongous tree with many uses. Encourage children to act out scenarios where the tree plays a role in helping others. You might begin by using ideas from the book and then branch out to new possibilities. Challenge kids to come up with at least 25 different ways that trees are useful.
Wonder. Seeds are not the only things that encourage us to wonder. Many things and experiences may prompt curiosity. Ask children: What do you wonder about? Affirm their interests and invite them to make a plan for exploring their questions. Suggest that they write what they are curious about on a sheet of paper. Then help them create a step-by-step chart of ways to gather more information about their object or experience.
Patience. Mustard seeds don’t become trees overnight. Waiting a long time for something good to happen can be hard! Encourage children to cultivate the skill of patience with a simple breathing exercise. Say: Close your eyes and breathe slowly in (pause) and out (pause). Take another deep breath in (pause) and let it out (pause). Continue breathing slowly and deeply, counting each breath until you reach 10. (pause) Invite them to open their eyes when they are done. Each time you practice this breathing exercise, extend the count by two until you are counting 50 or even 100 breaths at a time.
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