Welcome to week 34 of Wonder Weeks: a year of creativity, curiosity and connections. ☀️ This Week’s Theme: UPLIFTING OURSELVES AND OTHERS

Some weeks call for slowing down. Others call for building up. This week, we’re leaning into the idea of uplift — lifting ourselves when our energy dips, lifting our children when they need encouragement, and teaching them the joy of lifting others too. The activities ahead are lighthearted yet powerful, helping kids recognize their own strengths, spread kindness, and celebrate the little sparks of joy that brighten our days.

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Activities

🌈 Uplift Week Activities

This week, we’re focusing on simple ways kids can build themselves up and spread joy to those around them.

1. Joy Jar Creations

🧒 Ages: 3–8 | 🧠 Skills: Emotional awareness, creativity, self-regulation
Materials: Empty jar, paper strips, crayons/markers

How to Play:

1. Invite kids to decorate a jar with stickers, drawings, or ribbon.

2. On slips of paper, write or draw things that make them smile (favorite toy, happy memory, silly word).

3. Add to the jar daily. When someone feels sad or bored, pull out a slip to spark joy.

👶 Level Down: Caregiver writes/draws while toddlers dictate.
👦 Level Up: Encourage adding uplifting notes for siblings/parents too, or make “encouragement jars” for friends.

2. Compliment Chain

🧒 Ages: 4–9 | 🧠 Skills: Social-emotional growth, empathy, observation
Materials: Paper strips, crayons/markers, tape or glue

How to Play:

1. Cut paper into strips.

2. Write one compliment or kind word about someone on each strip (e.g., “You’re helpful,” “You make me laugh”).

3. Link them together to form a growing kindness chain and hang it in the house.

👶 Level Down: Caregiver helps brainstorm simple words like “kind,” “funny,” or draws small pictures.
👦 Level Up: Encourage noticing unique strengths (e.g., “You’re brave when you try new foods”).

3. Silly Movement Boost

🧒 Ages: 2–7 | 🧠 Skills: Gross motor, body regulation, laughter therapy
Materials: None

How to Play:

1. Choose a silly movement (wiggle like spaghetti, flap like a chicken, tiptoe like a sneaky cat).

2. Everyone copies it until giggles come out.

3. Take turns letting each person invent a new silly move.

👶 Level Down: Keep moves short and repetitive — jump, spin, clap.
👦 Level Up: Create a 3–4 move sequence and perform it like a “silly dance show” for the family.

4. Kindness Coupons

🧒 Ages: 4–9 | 🧠 Skills: Responsibility, empathy, generosity
Materials: Paper, scissors, crayons/markers

How to Play:

1. Help kids design “coupons” for acts of kindness (helping clean, sharing a toy, giving a hug, playing together).

2. Place coupons in an envelope or little booklet.

3. Family members can “redeem” coupons throughout the week for small acts of joy.

👶 Level Down: Use simple drawings (heart = hug, broom = help, smiley face = playtime).
👦 Level Up: Kids create coupon books to gift to neighbors, teachers, or grandparents.

5. Gratitude Art Show

🧒 Ages: 3–8 | 🧠 Skills: Reflection, communication, confidence
Materials: Paper, crayons/markers, stickers

How to Play:

1. Invite kids to draw or paint something they feel thankful for.

2. Tape artwork on the wall to make a “gallery.”

3. Walk through together and let each child explain their piece, clapping after each “show.”

👶 Level Down: Caregiver labels artwork with “thank you for…” words (e.g., “Thank you for my teddy bear”).
👦 Level Up: Kids create multiple pieces with written captions, or invite siblings to “tour” the gallery.

🌟 Bonus for Little Explorers (18m–3y)

1. Mirror Smiles
🧒 Ages: 18m–3y | 🧠 Skills: Social-emotional awareness, early empathy
Materials: Just your face and theirs!

How to Play:

1. Sit face-to-face with your toddler.

2. Make a big smile and wait for them to copy it.

3. Switch expressions: silly faces, surprised faces, happy wiggles.

4. Celebrate the shared joy together.

👶 Level Down: Stick with one expression (smile) and gently encourage imitation.
👦 Level Up: Add a mirror so toddlers can see themselves copying too.

2. Bubble Cheer
🧒 Ages: 18m–3y | 🧠 Skills: Joyful play, cause-and-effect, early language
Materials: Bubbles, bubble wand

How to Play:

1. Blow bubbles slowly and let toddlers chase them.

2. Each time a bubble pops, clap or cheer together (“Pop! Yay!”).

3. Add fun phrases like “catch it, kiss it, pop it” to turn it into a playful chant.

👶 Level Down: Hold the wand steady and blow gently so bubbles are easy to catch.
👦 Level Up: Encourage toddlers to try blowing their own bubbles (with help).