Week 10: Compassion

How this works

As a family, do some physical exercise three days a week (though even once is helpful!). If you can do it more often, then do other types of exercise too – walking, jogging, riding, skating, or swimming.

Each week of family.fit has a theme. The focus this week is compassion. Each step below helps you explore the theme together.

Each session is an adventure made up of seven steps.

There are three options for each step, giving three days of exercise programming.

Remember anyone in the household can take the phone and lead a different step in the adventure.

Have fun together!

Translations

If you translate this into your language, please email it to [email protected] so it can be shared with others.

Watch the family.fit 7 steps

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1 warmup

Step 1: Warm-up

Start moving the whole body: 5 minutes

Do the following whole-body warm-ups

Day 1 — Tail competition

Everyone wears a scarf or small towel as a ‘tail’ tucked in at the back. The goal is to collect as many tails as you can, while protecting your own. If you lose your tail, do five push-ups and continue the game. Have fun.

Watch this video.

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Day 2 — Wheelbarrow and inchworm

Wheelbarrow: Work with a partner. Walk 10 meters then swap places.

Inch worm: Bend at the waist and place your hands on the floor. Walk your hands out until you're in a plank position with a flat back. Then walk your feet as close to your hands as you can. Repeat for 10 meters. Do three rounds.

Watch this video.

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Day 3 — Tail competition

Repeat Day 1.

1 warmup

Step 2: Talk together

Rest and start a conversation: 5 minutes

Sit or stand together and start a short conversation. Here are some questions to get you started.

Day 1 — Discuss

Think about a time when you did something selfish. Share this with your family if you can. What are we saying with our actions when we act selfishly?

Day 2 — Discuss

How would you define ‘compassion’? Share an example you have seen of someone being compassionate. Is there a difference between compassion and kindness?

Day 3 — Discuss

Is there someone you know who needs some compassion right now? How could you show this individually? As a family?

1 warmup

Step 3: Move

Move and do push-ups: 5 minutes

Practice push-ups to develop arm, shoulder and core strength.

Day 1 — Scaled push-ups

Practice this movement in pairs. Start slowly and carefully.

Easier: Knees on the ground or hands on a wall.

Harder: Feet on the ground.

Scale up if you can. Do three rounds of 10.

Watch this video.

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Day 2 — Reverse push-ups

Stand in a line (smallest at front) with a chair behind the last person. Lean backwards with hands on the knees of the person behind you and legs in front at 90 degrees. The last person leans on a chair. Descend at the same time and return to the starting point.

Repeat 10 times. Do three rounds.

Watch this video.

Play Video

Day 3 — Push-ups and sit-ups

Work in pairs. One person does five push-ups and five sit-ups then taps to the other person.

Do five rounds.

1 warmup

Step 4: Challenge

Move in a family challenge: 10 minutes

Challenging each other helps give you energy.

Day 1 — Back to back squat

Stand back to back with a partner. Lean on each other and descend to a 90-degree squat position. Maintain that position and pass a ball overhead to each other. See how many times you can pass it in 30 seconds. Rest and repeat.

Do three rounds. Try to increase each round.

Watch this video.

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Day 2 — Hip shuffle race

Sit on the floor with legs straight in front. Move legs alternately forward for five meters. At the five meter mark, turn and crawl like a bear back to the start. Repeat two times. Make it a race!

Watch this video.

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Day 3 — Back to back squat

Repeat Day 1

1 warmup

Step 5: Explore

Explore the Bible together: 5 minutes

Explore the Life Question - “How can I show compassion?” Read Luke 15:11-24.

Day 1 — Read and talk

After reading the story, take two sheets of paper – one titled ‘Father’, the other ‘Son’. On each page write words describing their actions and attitudes. Replace the word ‘Father’ with ‘God’ and ‘Son’ with ‘Me’. What do you notice?

Day 2 — Reread with expression

Reread the story with different readers for Jesus, father and son. (Don’t forget expression!). Instead of showing compassion, how could the father have responded? When is it easy and when is it hard to show compassion?

Day 3 — Reread and talk

Choose a family member to ‘dress up’ in feasting clothes as you read. At the end, ‘father’ can say “My son was lost but now is found”. Remind one another that these are God’s compassionate words towards each of us.

1 warmup

Step 6: Pray

Pray and cool down: 5 minutes

Take time to look outwards and pray for others.

Day 1 — Pray and run

“He ran …” Think about how God has shown you compassion. As you run on the spot together, take turns to say a thank you prayer.

Day 2 — Embrace prayer

“He embraced …” Each person stands next to a family member and prays either, “Thank you God for being a compassionate Father to ___.” or “May ___ feel your compassionate embrace today.”

Day 3 — Blow a kiss

“He kissed …” Form a circle. Take turns to blow a kiss to another family member and pray, “May you show compassion to someone today”. As you pray, think of a person you know who may need compassion and consider how you can express that to them.

1 warmup

Step 7: Play together

Play games as a family: 5 minutes

Play together in active challenges. Have fun!

Day 1 — Ants on a log

Everyone stands on a ‘log’ (a line or a bench). The goal is to reverse your order on the log without anyone falling off. Work together so everyone is successful. Set timer.

Watch this video.

Play Video

Day 2 — Mime emotions

Make a list of emotions. Divide into two teams. First team chooses an emotion and demonstrates with actions, not words. The other team has to guess the emotion.

Day 3 — Tag

One player is IN. This person runs around an area to try and tag another person. Once tagged, the new person is IN and tags another. If a player is doing squats they cannot be tagged (three squats maximum). Change taggers regularly. Have fun!

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