Family Hospitality Plan

Read the article Practice Hospitality by Chris Schoon, take a look at the handout 5 Ways to Practice Hospitality with Kids, and check out our hospitality resources page for some context on biblical hospitality. Then prepare a simple picnic to eat in your backyard, in a park, or on your living room floor while you talk about these questions together and make a “Family Hospitality Plan.”

• What is hospitality? (Adults, listen to your kids’ ideas, and talk about hospitality in terms of providing food, shelter, and protection.)
• How could we show hospitality to people we don’t know well, instead of just to friends and family?
• What are some good ways to welcome someone new to our home? How can we show the love of Jesus to people who visit our home?
• How can we show guests that they matter to us? (sharing, guests go first, etc.)
• Do we want to have any technology rules when guests are visiting? What should they be?
• What are some ways we could show hospitality to people outdoors or online?

Practicing Hospitality through Play

Introducing kids to hospitality is about teaching behaviors, not rules. Check out the ideas in 6 Practical Ways Children Can Help with Hospitality, and then role-play warm hospitality using stuffed animals. Pretend your animal is the host, and your child’s animal is the guest. Invite the guest animal over. When it arrives, model how to welcome it warmly, do fun things together, take turns and share, have a meal together, and say a heartfelt “Come again!” when it’s time to go. Then turn the tables and let your child’s animal be the host.

Creating a Village

Read the article I Miss the Village by Bunmi Laditan. Think about your answers to the following questions. Then consider inviting some of your neighbors to talk about these questions too!

• What would your ideal “village” look like?
• What role does hospitality play in creating community?
• What could you do to start creating that kind of village in your own neighborhood?