Faith Play Day

The following activities have been developed by the Ontario Catholic Schools Trustees Association and can take place as a Faith Play Day at a school or as individual activities, when you have time at home. The stations are based on the five different sub-themes for Catholic Education Week this year.

As this is a Play Day, it is expected that teams of students will rotate to different stations to participate in the activities. It is meant to be a cooperative activity so that everyone has fun and feels good. The stations are based on the five different sub-themes for Catholic Education Week this year. There are stations for each theme. If the school is a large one, the organizer may have to use these ideas and create their own to supplement. If the school is smaller, you may select only the number you require for the time allotted. Please feel free to adapt and modify the Play Day as you need to. This outline is intended to assist you, not limit you. Senior students may be invited to serve as group leaders and activity assistants.

Theme One - As people of hope

Prayer Door Hanger

Purpose:

Students will appreciate that as people of faith, prayer gives us hope for the protection and love of Jesus.

Materials Needed:

Door hanger templates, markers, crayons, pencil crayons or pastels

Preparation:

Use Google images to find a door hanger template. Trace these on cardstock for students to decorate.

Instructions:

Students choose a bible quote to print on their door hanger. If they have a Chromebook, they can search bible verses on hope or you may provide bibles at the station. Here are some examples:

- “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13
- “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; and they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:31
- “Our hope is in the Lord; God is our protector and our help.” Psalm 33

Jesus Hope of the World: Mobile of Hope

Purpose:

In hymns and bible verses, Jesus is often described as the hope of the world. Students will identify moments in the gospels when Jesus brought hope to others. Create a mobile illustrating how Jesus brought hope to others.

Materials Needed:

Provide coat hangers or cardboard rolls, assorted construction paper, index cards, crayons, markers, yarn, string, glue, scissors

Preparation:

Collect hangers or cardboard tubes for the activity. Students could be asked to bring in a hanger for Play Day.

Instructions:

Students create a title card at the top of the hanger that says, “Jesus Brings Hope.” Hanging from each string, is a picture or words to identify a moment where Jesus brought hope (ex. could be bringing sight to the blind man).

Faith and Hope Acrostic Poem

Purpose:

Students identify how God’s love brings hope to their lives.

Materials Needed

Markers, crayons, paper/cardstock, pencils, erasers, stickers or construction paper can be used to decorate

Preparation:

Prepare an acrostic poem on a poster to model how to write one.

Instructions:

Students create their own acrostic poem about how their faith brings them hope. Here is an example:

H – God is my Hope when I am worried or afraid

O – The hope that my faith brings is Oxygen for my heart

P – Praying gives me hope

E – Everyone can find hope in Jesus

Students may be invited to serve as group leaders and activity assistants.

Theme Two - As people of faith

Mosaic Cross

Purpose:

Students will appreciate that the cross is a symbol of God’s love and a reminder of our faith in God and the Resurrection.

Materials Needed

Many different colors of construction paper, glue, scissors

Preparation:

Cut up several colors of construction paper into little squares. You may choose to create a traceable template of the cross.

Instructions:

Student cut out the shape of a cross or trace onto background paper. They create a mosaic of design and colors using the little squares of different colored paper. These crosses can be displayed at a liturgy or in the halls of the school.

Rocks of Faith

Purpose:

Students will illustrate how their faith leads them to love.

Materials Needed:

Rocks that are smooth, markers, paint, paint brushes

Preparation:

Read the bible verse about St. Peter (Matthew 16:12-18).

Instructions:

Students decorate and paint their rocks with words and symbols of their faith.

Theme Three - As people of mercy

Works of Mercy

Purpose:

To learn about the “Works of Mercy” and how we are called as Christians to care for the wellbeing of others.

Materials Needed:

Paper, stapler, markers, crayons, stickers, etc., to decorate booklet (you could have the little booklets made up beforehand and ready at the centre)

Preparation:

If you have a poster on the Works of Mercy, display this at the station. Read from the bible, Matthew 25:34-40. Ask the students: Why is it important that we care for others, not just ourselves? Introduce them to Works of Mercy. Brainstorm different ways that we can fulfill these acts of mercy.

Feed the hungry

Give drink to the thirsty

Clothe the naked

Shelter the homeless

Visit the prisoner

You could show a video on Works of Mercy (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdVnDiXk76I)

Instructions:

Students create their own little booklets with illustrations of their own ideas of how to go about acting on Works of Mercy. Put one Work of Mercy on each page with an illustration of an activity that is an example.

Sing a Song(s)

Purpose:

To celebrate with song.

Materials Needed:

Computer with LCD projector, CEW song from OCSTA website

Instructions:

Play the song with the lyric version using a computer and projector to show the lyrics and allow the students to sing and enjoy the song. Allow students to dance with the desire.

Theme Four – As people of justice

What is Catholic Social Teaching?

Purpose:

To learn about Social Justice Teachings and to hear a story and reflect on a social justice issue.

Materials Needed:

Book, screen/white wall, a projector that can show the illustrations to a group

Instructions:

Describe the Social Justice Teachings in simple language: Dignity of the Human Person, the Common Good, Option for the Poor, Solidarity, Care for Creation, Rights and Responsibilities, Promotion of Peace. If needed, here is a YouTube video on Catholic Social Teaching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLHvosRUfQc.
Invite the students to listen to the story so that the group can have a conversation about the story afterward.
Ask questions to make the connection to the work for justice (ex. Why is it important that we all take care of the environment? Why do you think sharing with others is an act of justice? How do we respect human dignity in our school community?).

Sharing What We Have with Others

Purpose:

To appreciate that people can help community by sharing food with others and to learn about the importance of food banks.

Materials Needed:

Chart paper, markers, boxes for sorting food donations, index cards or notes to write words of gratitude to food bank volunteers

Theme Five - As people of joy

God’s Love is the Heart of Our Faith

Purpose:

To create a heart banner on which each student and staff commit to responding to the call of God’s love.

Materials Needed:

A long strip of poster/butcher paper for students to write and illustrate messages of love and faith (paper like the kind used to cover tables), crayons, markers, pencil crayons or paint

Instructions:

Students decorate and write messages connected to the CEW theme on the community mural. Remind them of the 5 subthemes: As people of hope, As people of faith, As people of mercy, As people of justice, As people of joy. The messages can be framed with a heart shape or the CEW theme can be placed in the middle in large letters – WE ARE CALLED TO LOVE.

Replenish the Body/Learning God’s Amazing Creative Design

Purpose:

To replenish our energy and quench our thirst, to appreciate the contribution of farmers and the environmental impact of choosing a food that does not have packaging.

Materials Needed:

Ensure that there are bushels of apples ready to share with the students; have apples and water for snack/drink – do not use bottled water – have students use their own water bottle or go to the fountain during this break time to get a drink.

Grace for Snack:

Thank you, God, for creating apples to eat and water to drink.

Thank you for the farmers who have grown these apples and for the many workers who have brought them to market.

Help us to be mindful about the foods we eat that are good for our bodies and that can compost back into the earth.

Thank you for providing water which is part of our bodies too.

Amen.

Script/Conversation Starter/Reflection:

Do you ever think about who grew the tree for this apple or how it got to the store for us to buy? Many different kinds of apples are grown here in Ontario. We owe a great deal of gratitude to the farmers who grow the apples for us to eat.

Love Spots

Purpose:

Give the opportunity for the students to write a note of gratitude to someone in their life.

Materials Needed:

Paper, pencils, scissors, circles cut out of construction paper/cardstock or students can cut the circles out at the centre, crayons or pencil crayons

Instructions:

Listen to the story, “Love Spots” by Diane Alber – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwW1bMA3Aq4

Finish the Day with CEW Prayer