Fun with Character: Float Your Boat

For this activity, you will need a small amount of clay and a container of water. Roll 4 small balls, like regular marbles. While you drop the 4 smaller balls into the water, talk about how sometimes when times are tough, people get all rolled up within themselves and get discouraged about what is going on. When this happens, they sink to the bottom. Talk about what it feels like to be at the bottom.

Now take the remaining clay and shaped it into a boat. (Practice this ahead of time so you know how much clay you need and how to shape it.) If we open ourselves up to other people either by asking for help or offering to help others, we can stay floating on top. Put the boat in the water and watch it float. Pick out 1 or 2 of the smaller clay balls and place them in the boat. Explain that sometimes when we are down, being around happy people will rub off on us and we can reverse our mood.

Bully Connection: One of the reasons that some people turn into bullies is because they are experiencing some type of emotional or physical pain. They mistakenly think that bullying others will make others miserable and themselves feel better. This usually backfires. If everyone around you is miserable, you will be miserable, also. The next time you feel miserable, try to do things to make other people happy and you might just be surprised how much better you feel.

To process the activity, ask these or similar questions:

• When you saw the balls of clay sink, did you think of making a boat?

• Did you see the difference between the closed up balls and the opened up boat?

• Do you prefer to be around happy people or sad people?

• If you want to be around happy people, what do you have to be?

• Will you remember the boat the next time you are sad?