Family Time: Teaching Stewardship to Children

Making Candy Stew

Many people are familiar with the story of “Stone Soup.” In the story a man creates a delicious soup for all his neighbors by starting with a stone in a pot. Each person who comes along volunteers to add another ingredient until a wonderful blend of vegetables, spices and meats is simmering for all to share and enjoy.

The lesson, of course, is that when each of us contributes our humble gift we can make something wonderful. You can teach the same lesson by gathering a group of children and asking each one to bring in a small sandwich bag of different kinds of wrapped candy — like caramels, butterscotch drops, Hershey kisses, etc. Talk about whether each person has enough in their bag to share with everyone (probably not). Also discuss whether it would be more fun to eat all of one kind of candy or to try lots of different kinds. Then provide a large bowl where all the bags can be emptied and stirred together. Now you have CANDY STEW!

While they enjoy the great variety that happens when everyone shares his/her gifts — THAT’S STEWARDSHIP! — you may want to read and discuss St. Paul’s thoughts on different gifts in 1 Corinthians 12:1-31 or the story of the Loaves and Fishes in John 6:1-15.

Returning Some of the Candy

God calls each of us to return a portion of our gifts to Him. You can demonstrate this principal by distributing small handfuls of wrapped candy to the children in your group. Do not let them touch the candy until everyone has a share. Purposely give more than enough candy to some children so that you arrange to “run out” before you get to the last ones. Then ask them to reflect on this situation. Is it fair that some get no candy while others have lots? Pass a bowl around and ask the children to return a fair portion to share with those who have none. Compare this to our Offertory. Discuss how sharing can make us feel. Explain that throughout life we will always have more than someone else. Therefore, God asks us to share, or return, some of what He gives us so that we can help others.

"Teaching the Concept of “First Fruits”

Throughout the Old Testament, God calls us to bring Him the “first fruits.” (i.e. Deuteronomy 26:1-4) What exactly does that mean to a child? You can demonstrate the concept with 10 apples. Explain that God asks us to give the first and the best of 10 to Him. That means for every 10 apples, one very nice apple should be given to God. Let the children help pick out the best apple for God. Another way to demonstrate the concept of “first fruits” is to core an apple. Then cut the main fruit of the apple into ten slices. Lay the core and the ten slices out in front of the children. Ask them which piece of the apple they would give to Jesus if He came to share a snack with them. Would they give Him the core? Explain that all God asks for is one of the ten slices. That’s not too much to give Him, is it? Talk about how we give Jesus the core when we don’t give our best or don’t share.

Source – Adapted from Archdiocese of St. Louis Office of Stewardship and Development and the Diocese of Austin, Stewardship and Development Office.