Fun with Character: Flexi-ball

Wad a piece of aluminum foil into a ball. Make it the size of a ping pong ball. Give several students some toothpicks and ask them to wrap them around the ball. Obviously, they can’t. Next give them a handful of rubber bands and ask them to wrap those around the ball. This works much better. Give each student a rubber band. Pass the ball around and have each of them add their rubber band to the ball. As they do so, they should give an example of sometime in the past that they were flexible. For younger students, you may want to provide them a list from which to choose. You could also write an affirmation that is appropriate to their age group such as “I am flexible when changes occur.” Have them state it when they are placing their rubber band on the ball.

To process the activity, ask these or similar questions:

• Was it fun to make a ball from rubber bands?

• How does a rubber band react to change?

• How is that like being flexible to changes in your life?

• Will you remember the rubber band ball the next time you are faced with change?