Forgiveness

To have the children name a hurt that they have experienced and let it go

The children will forgive a person who hurt them.

• 1/4 of sheet of paper per child
• Pencils

• As a group pray the following prayer: Jesus, my helper, help me forgive those who hurt me. I want to love as you did.
• Pass out the paper and pencils to each child.
• Ask the children to write about something or someone who has hurt them or made them sad.
• Give them a few minutes to write in silence.
• After everyone has written on their papers, direct the children to crumple their sheets into the smallest balls possible.
• Direct the children to throw the crumpled balls into a trash can.
• Gather the children in a prayer circle and encourage them to think of the hurt they just threw in the garbage as you pray the prayer above again.

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Body Smart, Word Smart

Play soft music in the background while the children write, crumple, and throw away their hurts.

Make sure that waste paper is disposed of quickly so no one can access and read the crumpled papers. Assure the children of their privacy

The activity should be done quietly, with no sharing of hurts.