Human Responses
Week 77
We respond to things that make us happy
A precious part of our humanity is that we become aware, we recognize (or are affected) and we respond to the world around us. Through our senses, we touch, smell, taste, hear, and move responding to what’s around us in a variety of ways. God has endowed us with the ability to respond in ways that are well beyond any animal. Animals typically do not exhibit any responses to what they see, hear, touch, and taste outside the realm of their survival. We, of course, have many responses to the world around us.
Point to emphasize
Smiling and laughing show that we are happy.
Sample content and conversation with children
- Today we will talk about how God made us so differently than the animals that we can easily smile and laugh. [Say it with a BIG smile!] Smiling and laughing show that we are happy!
- Let’s look at this picture [Show picture #1.] What do you see here? [Let the children answer.] Yes, a girl is smiling and waving. How would you respond to someone who smiles and waves at you? [Let the children answer.] Yes, I will do the same! I will be happily waving back to him with a smile! Why is the girl smiling? [Let the children answer.] Why would you smile back? [Let the children answer.] [Both of these questions should lead to the fact that we smile when we are happy inside. And when someone smiles at you, it makes you want to smile back. Smiling is contagious!] Even when I’m not so happy inside, if someone gives me a BIG smile, that makes me smile back.
- Let’s look at another picture [Show picture #2.] What makes these girls so happy? [Let the children respond.] Yes, it is so fun to play with others and it makes us happy and smile! How about this video? [Show video #1.] What do you feel when you see a cute little dog playing around with a ball? Yes, this puts a smile on our face! Have you ever played with a baby? [Show picture #3.] That easily makes us happy, we can’t help it and we smile!
- What else makes you happy and puts a smile on your face? [Let the children respond. You can use pictures #4-7 as a background as the children respond. Possible answers can be getting together with family, playing in the playground, making crafts, when you get a hug, eating yummy food…etc.] When we are happy, we smile, laugh and even sing songs! What else do you do when you are happy? [Let the children respond. Possible answers can be jumping, singing, hugging a friend…etc.]
- Have you ever seen yourself smiling? Let’s look at ourselves smiling. [Have all the children smile in a mirror.] WOW! Look at all of your smiles! What do you see in your face? [Let the children answer. Guide them to see that their eyes are brightened up, the corners of their mouth are curved upward, their teeth are all out and some of them have dimples in their cheeks.] It is so awesome that we can all smile! Who taught us to smile? No one! None of us had to learn how to smile. God made us this way! Since we were babies, whenever we are happy, we smile!
- Animals are not like us. Animals can be happy, but they do not smile when they are happy. But, when we are happy, we smile! Let’s watch a video of a bird singing [Show video #2.] When birds sing it sounds like they are happy but it is just the way they make contact with one another. It is also the way they scare the enemy away, or to say, “This is my place, not yours.” Their singing is not because they are happy.
- God made us in this wonderful way, very different from the animals. When we are happy, we smile, we laugh, we sing. I think we smile when we are happy because God smiles when He is happy. It is awesome that we can easily show our happiness in many different ways!
Songs
If you want a great big smile give one
Suggested activities
One child laughs once (HA!)
Second child laughs twice (HAHA!)
Third child laughs 3 times (HAHAHA!)
Fourth child laughs 4 times (HAHAHAHA!)
And so forth… (do it fast!) All will be laughing at the end!
Suggested craft
Have paper plates, crayons, or other materials available and have the children draw how they look when they are happy.
Video
#1: Little dog playing
(https://www.youtube.com/embed/komLNt9zoeQ?rel=0)
#2: Bird singing
(https://www.youtube.com/embed/mNd3VMhx038?rel=0)
Pictures
#1: Girl waving and smiling
#2: Playing with others
#3: Baby laughing
#4: Getting together with family
#5: Playing in the playground
#6: Making a craft
#7: Getting a hug
