This game can be played using paper or wood blocks, as long as children work together to build the main structure. Paper blocks will be glued together; the wood blocks will be stacked separately. Children take turns adding blocks or helping each other with glue. The idea is to pair or group children and assign them to make a structure together. Suggest one child holds a paper square while the other glues or one person holds the base while others stack wooden blocks.
In this activity, children work individually, then come together to help each other build a town. Use play dough or modeling clay and tongue depressors to create buildings commonly found in a town. If a child needs assistance, encourage other children to help out. When each child finishes his building, the class will decide together where each building should be located to build a class town. Add the town to a piece of cardboard to be displayed as a project for a helping out weekly theme.
Read "Do You Want To Be My Friend?" by Eric Carle. Talk with the children about the book and how they can be friends with each other. Discuss ways they may help their friends. Talk about situations where they have needed help, and review what happened in each situation. Ask children to draw a helping situation in their journals after the book and conversation.
Create compassion rolls as an art project for a helping others theme. Use a toilet paper roll wrapped in tissue paper. Discuss with the children what they can do to help out others. Write each idea on slips of paper or find pictures of the ideas. Glue the ideas to the outside of the roll, then tie a ribbon to the end of the roll. The children will take the rolls home and have a decoration reminding them how to help others.