I was catching up on my friend, Arabah Joy’s blog the other day when I saw a link that intrigued me. She had written, “Feeling antsy and discontent? Kids bickering? Need a rescue but don’t know what to do? Try this! Draw everyone close and find your quiet space.”
Wow… Who doesn’t need a rescue every now and then??? So I started clicking, and found that she has developed the most wonderful idea for quieting not only bickering children’s hearts in the home, but the mom’s/adult’s heart as well. I asked her if I could post her idea here and she happily said I could. At first, I read through her idea wishing that I had known about this when my children were little… but then I realized that it could be adapted for teens and used both in the home and in groups gathered outside of the home. I’m super excited to pass this on to you, and to see how I can adapt it to use with my own family! Thanks, Arabah!
1. Download and print the blank game board piece (thanks DonnaYoung.org)
{If the links above do not take you to the game board template, click here and then scroll down to mid page. The template that matches the Quiet Hearts Board Game instructions is called “Start to Finish #01.” Just click and print!}
Jennifer here: This DonnaYoung.org is a wealth of resources for all things educational – home-schoolers, tutors, review and extra practice activities, children’s teachers at church… I’m so glad to have found this site through Arabah!
2. Create your gameboard as follows: {Complete this step after printing your game board from donnayoung.org}
a. Color the specific spaces as directed.
- 4th space – red
- 8th- yellow
- 12- green
- 16- blue
- 20- brown
- 24- black
- 28- purple
- 32- orange
- 36- white
b. Using a dark marker or Sharpie, write a number “5″ on squares 3, 14, 22, and 37
c. Draw musical notes on squares 1, 7, 19, 31, and 35.
d. Write “Look it up!” with the following scripture references on these squares:
- Square #5- Psalm 145:17
- #10- Psalm 18:30
- #15- Psalm 16:5-6
- #21- Psalm 100:5
- #25- Psalm 54:4
- #29- Psalm 23:1
- #34- Psalm 145:8-9
e. Write (or draw body parts) on squares 2, 9, 13, 17, and 23:
- 2- smell (nose)
- 9- taste (mouth)
- 33- sight (eye)
- 30- hear (ear)
- 23- touch (finger/hand)
f. Write “Build” on squares 6, 18, 27, 13, and 38
g. Write “C = GG!” on squares 11, 26, and 17
h. Embellish your board by adding color to squares with markings (but don’t cover up your writing!), drawing a “peaceful heart” at the end, and adding other stickers, figures, etc… Game board can be laminated for durability.
3. Find a game piece for each player and one game die.
4. Print these instructions for playing the game:
- You will need one game die and each player will need a game piece to play.
- The goal is for each person to get to the “Peaceful Heart” area at the end of the squares. Each player will take turns rolling the die and moving that number of spaces until everyone is safely inside the heart.
- Game Particulars:
If you land on a plain color square (with no writing), you are to tell 3 things of that color that you’re thankful for. Ex: Yellow; Sunflowers, bananas, corn on the cob
If you land on a square with a “5″ you are to count 5 blessings God has given you today.
If you land on a musical square, you are to sing a praise song or chorus (everyone can join in!)
If you land on a “Look it up!” square, read the corresponding scripture and thank God for the specific benefit named in the verse.
If you land on a body part, tell 3 things you love to experience with that sense (Smell/Nose: brownies baking, fresh roses, rain)
If you land on a “Build” square, each player is to use their words to Build You Up! Each player should tell one thing they love about you.
If you land on a “C=GG” square, you get to Go Again, because “Contentment = Great Gain!”
- Ready, Set, Go!… And play toward quietened hearts.
My mind is racing with possibilities of using this with teens, especially within groups of girls where drama often runs a muck… I’m thinking: “Girls-night-out” youth gatherings, a D-NOW girls’ right-before-bed activity, a girls Sunday School class get together as a devotional time… As well as using this with my own family which includes both a teen boy and a teen girl.
If you decide to use this with your children, youth, or group, please let us know what you did and how it has worked for you.
May God’s peace and quietness of heart be yours and your children’s!
For the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has said:
“You will be delivered by returning and resting;
your strength will lie in quiet confidence.
The result of righteousness will be peace;
the effect of righteousness
will be quiet confidence forever.
Instead, it {Beauty} should consist of what is inside the heart
with the imperishable quality
of a gentle and quiet spirit,
which is very valuable in God’s eyes.
Isaiah 30:15, 32:17, 1 Peter 3:4 HSCB
