Practicing Enthusiasm With A Game

Going through life with excitement and energy is having enthusiasm.  Some things are easy to be enthusiastic about because we want to do them… others are not so easy.  I find when I can rise above my hesitations or frustrations with certain jobs (cleaning the toilet, anyone?) and do them with a positive attitude, life goes more smoothly and I can enjoy the process more as well.  So teaching and especially modeling to my children what enthusiasm is will create a more joyful household altogether!

I found the easiest way to describe enthusiasm was to ask my kids questions like, “How do you like friends to play?  Do you like it when they add things to the game, are excited to play, and are eager to help out?”

Then I explained those qualities are called being enthusiastic.  Sometimes we may not necessarily want to do something, but we can still do it with enthusiasm.  We can choose to put our spirit into something, rather than just doing it without really caring.

Having enthusiasm makes things a lot more fun!

 

Group Activity

This is marked Group Activity since it is a game that requires little or no materials and would be suitable for more than a couple kids.  At least two children is probably best for the activity.

Everyone stands in a circle.  Each child takes a turn saying “Look at me, I am a…” choosing an object or animal to be and making up an action for it.  For example, “Look at me, I am a bird” while flapping arms like wings.  The rest of the children then copy their words and actions. Then the next person in the circle has their turn.  Remember to be enthusiastic when choosing your motion!

 

Do you go through your day with enthusiasm?  Do your kids?  How can you help each other become more enthusiastic about the things you may struggle with?

 

Want more group activities? I have also compiled a collection of 30 cooperative games/activities which are perfect for groups.

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Feel free to share your experiences with this activity and/or any variations you came up with. Links to related activities or to your post that links here, are most welcome also.

Thanks for your feedback – I appreciate all your comments!