Today we offer some Family Activity ideas for you to consider to help you Nurture Hope:

• Plant some seeds in peat pots and put them near a window. Document their growth on a chart.
• Have a family garden planning party. Draw out the plot of the garden and order seeds or buy them at the grocery store. Research when seeds need to be planted in preparation for spring.
• Take part in a bird count or animal count. Go to Observation Nation (inaturalist.ca)
• Learn about saints who taught us about the environment. St. Kateri Tekakwitha, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Benedict of Nursia and St. Hildegard of Bingen are examples.
• Make a birdfeeder out of a milk carton or a plastic pop bottle, hang it outside on a tree and see which bird species come to the feeder.
• Go for a Nature Walk as a family and pray together to thank God for all the beauty you see.
• Look at the calendar and note the first day of spring. How many days is it until spring comes?
• Do some research as a family on the night sky. Choose a moment when it is clear to see if you can identify some constellations.
• Write letters to family members that you haven’t been able to see for a while.
• Create a fancy message of hope in chalk on your driveway or sidewalk for passersby to read or create a poster to put in a window.
• Write a postcard or note of thanks for frontline healthcare workers and drop this in the mailbox for a local hospital.
• Bake cookies and deliver them to your neighbourhood grocery store for workers to share.
• Make cards or draw pictures for seniors in your community.
• Music makes us happy. Create a playlist of happy music, play this in your backyard or if you are able, send it to a family member whom you miss.
• Make a video or a recording, singing a favourite hymn. Send this to your parish priest. He needs support at this time.
• Look in your bible or go online to make a list of psalms that give hope.
• Write an acrostic poem about Hope…H is for happiness, O is for ongoing, P is for…etc.
• Write words of hope on index cards or paper and hang them from a tree in your yard for others to read.
• Go for a walk past your local parish. Stop in front of your church and say a prayer for your faith community.
• Look through a newspaper for stories of hope and talk about the stories.
• Put messages of hope on social media.