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Theme: Exploring kindness and connection through storytelling, movement, and reflection.
Ages: 7–9
Duration: 1 hour
Workshop Intentions
• Foster empathy and understanding of others’ needs.
• Encourage self-expression through movement, role-play, and reflection.
• Inspire children to see their own capacity for kindness and its ripple effect.
1. Welcome and Grounding (10 minutes)
Activity: Setting the Scene
• Begin by dimming the lights and playing soft instrumental music.
• Gather children in a circle and invite them to close their eyes.
• Guide them in a short visualization: “Imagine you are in a snowy town. The streets are quiet, and the houses glow with soft lights. You see a little angel glowing gently on a windowsill. What do you feel?”
Purpose:
• Ground children in the world of the story and create a calm, focused atmosphere.
2. Storytelling as Experience (15 minutes)
Activity: Participatory Storytelling
• Tell the story of The Christmas Angel , inviting children to actively participate:
• Use their voices to create sounds (e.g., the wind, crackling fire).
• Use their bodies to act out moments, such as Amelia rummaging through the attic, carrying firewood, or giving the toy.
• Pause at key moments to ask reflective questions:
• How might Amelia feel as she sees Mrs. Jenkins struggle?
• Why might the little boy cherish the small train?
Purpose:
• Engage multiple senses and perspectives, helping children immerse themselves in the story.
3. Exploration Through Movement (15 minutes)
Activity: Kindness in Motion
• Guide children through a movement-based activity where they embody the emotions and actions from the story:
• Start as Amelia: Heavy, slow movements to show her reluctance at first.
• Transform into the angel: Light, flowing movements symbolizing hope and inspiration.
• End as the townspeople receiving kindness: Express joy and gratitude through open, expansive gestures.
• Transition to group improvisation:
• In small groups, create short movement sequences that show acts of kindness inspired by the story (e.g., helping someone, giving a gift).
Purpose:
• Connect emotions to physical expression, fostering creativity and empathy.
4. Role-Play and Reflection (20 minutes)
Activity: Journey of Kindness
1.Scene Creation:
• Assign small groups different parts of the story:
• Amelia helping Mrs. Jenkins.
• Amelia giving the boy the train.
• Amelia baking pies for the orphanage.
• Groups create and perform short role-plays, adding their own dialogue and interpretation.
• Encourage them to explore how characters feel before and after the act of kindness.
2.Reflection Circle:
• After each performance, pause for group discussion:
• How did Amelia’s actions change her? How did they change the people she helped?
• What acts of kindness could we do in our own lives?
Purpose:
• Help children embody characters’ perspectives while connecting the story’s themes to their own lives.
5. Creative Reflection (15 minutes)
Activity: Making the Glow
• Provide materials (paper, crayons, tissue paper, glitter) for children to create their own “glow” to take home:
• A glowing angel, a small lantern, or a card symbolizing kindness.
• While they create, play soft music and invite them to reflect on:
• What is something kind I can do for someone this week?
Purpose:
• Provide a creative outlet for children to internalize and express what they’ve learned.
6. Closing Circle (5 minutes)
Activity: Sharing the Glow
• Return to the circle and place all the glowing creations in the center.
• Invite each child to share one kind action they will do this week.
• End by holding hands and imagining the glow spreading from person to person, filling the room, the town, and beyond.
Purpose:
• Reinforce the workshop’s theme and leave children with a sense of community and purpose.
Holistic Integration:
This workshop incorporates:
• Emotional Development: Reflecting on kindness and empathy.
• Physical Engagement: Using movement to explore feelings and ideas.
• Cognitive Connection: Relating story elements to real-life situations.
• Creative Expression: Crafting and performing to internalize the story’s message.
This approach ensures children are not just learning about kindness but experiencing it through multiple modes of engagement.
