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简体中文 Week 5: Being Thankful
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 being thankful. 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.
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Step 1: Warm-up
Start moving the whole body: 5 minutes
Do the following whole-body warm-ups
Day 1 — Get moving
Follow the movements of the video (walking on the spot, leg stretches, side stretches, shoulder stretches etc).
Watch this video.
Day 2 — Move to music
Do six exercises to up-tempo music:
- 10 jumps left and right
- 10 jumps on the spot
- 10 side stretches
- 10 leg stretches
- 10 side stretch (other form)
- 10 shoulders and neck
Watch this video
Day 3 — Get moving
Repeat Day 1 activity.
Step 2: Talk together
Rest and start a conversation: 5 minutes
Sit down together and start a conversation. Here are some questions to get you started.
Day 1 — Discuss
What are you thankful for today? Have you said thank you to anyone today ... for what?
If not, plan who you could thank and when.
Day 2 — Discuss
As a family, think of something to be thankful for, for each letter of the alphabet.
Can you do it twice?
Day 3 — Discuss
Are there times when you’ve forgotten to say thank you?
Have there been times when someone didn’t thank you when you thought they should?
How did you feel?
Step 3: Move
Move and do planks: 5 minutes
Learn and practice the plank to help your core, shoulder and arm muscles.
Day 1 — Practice the plank
Watch a plank and practice this movement in pairs. Start slowly and carefully.
Watch this video.
Day 2 — Plank tabata
Place an object in front of you and get in the plank position. Reach with your right hand and touch the object and then again with your left. Repeat this as many times as you can in 20 seconds and then rest for 10 seconds. Repeat this for eight rounds. Count the total number of times you touch the object.
Watch this video.
Day 3 — Harder Planks
Plank Jacks - while in the plank position, jump your feet apart and then back together.
Watch this video.
Step 4: Challenge
Move in a family challenge: 10 minutes
Challenging each other helps give you energy.
Day 1 — Family challenge
Form a circle by lying face down on the floor with heads towards the middle. While everyone does a plank, each person takes turns to say the name of an animal. After completing 15 names as a family, rest for 20 seconds.
For the next four rounds, complete other categories: colors, fruit, famous people, and cities.
Watch this video.
Day 2 — One minute challenge
Face a partner in the plank position. On GO, give each other ‘high fives’ with the right hand and then with the left hand until you have given each other 20 ‘high fives’. Rest for 60 seconds. Six rounds.
Watch this video.
Day 3 — Plank and jumping jack relay
One person does a plank while the others do 10 jumping jacks. Tap out to swap. Take a 20 second rest and start again. Six rounds.
Watch this video.
Step 5: Explore
Explore the Bible together: 5 minutes
Explore the Life Question - “Am I thankful?” by reading the true story from Luke 17 of how Jesus healed some men and taught us about being thankful at the same time.
Day 1 — Read and discuss together
The men in the story were sick and forced to live outside their village. What does this story tell us about Jesus?
Describe your feelings if you were one of the men Jesus healed.
Day 2 — Reread and discuss together
Take turns to act out the part of the healed man, throwing yourself at the feet of Jesus (a family member). How would you say ‘thank you’?
Why didn’t the other nine come back?
Day 3 — Reread and discuss together
Are there any people groups where you live who are treated as outcasts?
How might Jesus respond to them? How have you been shown kindness as a family? Could you do anything as a family to show kindness to this group?
Step 6: Pray
Pray and cool down: 5 minutes
Take time to look outwards and pray for others.
Day 1 — Thankful moment
Be still and individually reflect on what you are thankful for.
Share one thing about each person in your family you are thankful for. Thank God together for some of these things.
Day 2 — Pray for others
Think of some people you know who are sick or rejected. Draw and name some body outlines on paper for each, and pray for them.
Display on a wall as a reminder to pray. Thank God that He hears our prayers.
Day 3 — Pray and run
Set a timer for one minute, then everyone run around the house to grab items you are thankful for and bring them back. Briefly explain what (or who) you are thankful for and take time to turn that thanks into prayer.
Step 7: Play together
Play games as a family: 5 minutes
Play together in active challenges. Have fun!
Day 1 — Paper ball circle
Family members each write what they are thankful for on the same sheet of paper. Screw up the paper into a ball and stand in a circle. Throw the paper ball to another person while giving them an exercise to do (lunges, squats, jogging in place, etc). Everyone then copies for 10 reps.
Watch this video.
Day 2 — Don’t get caught
One person is ‘captain’. They turn their back to the rest of the family. The other family members have to do an exercise while the captain is not looking (high knees, skipping in place, jumping jacks, etc.) When the captain turns around everyone must freeze. If someone is caught moving, they become the new captain.
Watch this video.
Day 3 — Board game
Play a quiet board game for fun.
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Please send your feedback
We hope you have enjoyed this session of family.fit.
We would love to know what works in your household and culture. If you are willing to send us your feedback then please use the form below. Alternatively you can email us directly at [email protected].
The family.fit sessions are being developed quickly and constantly. Please bookmark this website, or return again soon, to find the latest information and download future weeks.
Thank you.
The family.fit team