Domino Game

For this activity, you can use dominos or any toy that can be set up like a domino chain. You can even use boxes of pudding or other food products. Set up the chain of items. The family can help. Once all of the items have been arranged, just sit and look at it. Do nothing. If no one starts the first item to fall, nothing will happen to the rest of the chain. Ask if anyone knows what the word Initiative means. The first person to get the answer correct is the one to start the chain. Discuss how all it took was one push to knock down all of the items. Explain that we all have the responsibility to take the Initiative to complete our jobs. It could be a job outside the home, it could be caring for the home or just your own room. Your job could be paying attention in school and doing homework. Ask each person to think about their areas of responsibility and to think of three things that they could do right now. It could be cleaning, homework or finishing a project. Suggest that these things be small tasks or perhaps it is the first task of a larger project. Set a timer for 15 minutes and send everyone off to do one of the items they thought about.

When the timer rings, gather everyone together.

• Did anyone finish a task completely?
• Did anyone do more than one or think of another task as they worked?
• Was getting started easier than you thought?
• Is anyone going to go finish another task now that they are thinking of it?
• How do use Initiative in our Faith?

In the same way that we tacked our chores, we can tackle the work of the Church. By volunteering in our church and helping our neighbors in our community before we are asked we can show initiative. Staying alert to the needs of those around us and jumping in to help is another way to show initiative. What about taking the initiative to invite a friend to church?