Hot weather seems to make us long for the cooler weather that will come in a few months. If you and your kids are in the house trying to stay cool, there is a fun, easy project you can do that will help keep others warm this winter.
Go to your local fabric or craft store and find some fleece fabric. You will want enough that you can cut five or six foot lengths that are six to eight inches wide. In theory, a couple of yards should be plenty. When you get home, you will probably want to be the one to cut the fabric into strips that are six to eight inches wide (if you get really lucky, the fabric store might help!).
Depending upon the age of your kids, you can have them cut fringe on each end of the scarf. Each piece of fringe should be about 1/4 to ½ inch wide and about four inches long. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but should be relatively even. Your children will need to use sharp scissors to cut through the fleece, so if your children are too young for sharp scissors, you may need to also cut the fringe.
Have your children tie a knot at the end of each piece of fringe. They should tie the know loosely and then push it to the end of the fringe as they tighten it. Finishing one scarf doesn’t take an incredible amount of time, so your kids can make several scarves in an hour or so.
As your kids work, talk about the story of Ruth in the Bible. Point out that even though the law required farmers to leave anything they missed harvesting for the poor, many did not obey that command. Boaz in fact, made special efforts to help the poor, including Ruth. Talk about the poor in your community and how your family and your church currently serve them.
Brainstorm other ways your family can help and share your faith at the same time. How can you package and deliver the scarves you made so that they encourage people to learn more about God? Where can you deliver them so they will have the greatest impact? How can serving the poor and pointing them to God help your family’s faith grow as well?
Taking the time to serve the poor while also teaching your kids more about God is a great way to spend a hot summer afternoon!