WEEK 1 & MORE June 28 – August 31: Traveling Chalice  

For the Traveling Chalice this summer, everyone is invited to decorate a chalice picture. Print out Alice the Chalice or create your own chalice picture. Then, take it wherever you go this summer, whether you travel far away or stay nearby. You can share photos in the closed UU Reston Families Facebook group.

WEEK 2 & MORE July 5 - Sept. 5: Summer Family Time Worship

Wherever your family may be this summer, you can worship together, creating a meaningful and comforting routine for your child and for yourself. You can weave this into your life in the way that best suits your family. You might lead your child through the rituals and an activity each Sunday or choose a ritual to do with your entire family throughout the week. You can follow the Summer Family Worship video (it’s less than 6 1/2 minutes long) and access words, resources, and questions in the handout.

JULY 12 - AUGUST 15: Family Adventures

With your family, plan an adventure each week. This might be finding some place new everyone in the family wants to visit, playing a new game, trying out a new activity, or cooking a new dish together. If you are looking for ideas, here are some possibilities:  

Is there a Northern Virginia Regional Park you have never visited? Check out https://www.novaparks.com/. You might check out the Lotus and Water Lily Festival at Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens.

Have you ever tried making your own game? Look for free printable board game templates on the internet or create your own. 

You might go to the grocery store together or look online and let your child choose a fruit or vegetable they have never eaten. Together, find out how to prepare it and then try this new food.

AUGUST 16 - AUGUST 22: Finding Joy

Watch for the August 15 worship service on the UUCR YouTube channel and consider sharing all or part of it with your children. The service is full of joyful music and, at the beginning of the homily, Holly Anderson tells a story about a childhood experience that holds a wonderful message for all ages.

During a meal you might invite family members to share what brings them joy. Children can create a self portrait using the handout and then draw what brings them joy on the sunglasses. If they run out of room on the sunglasses, they can add pictures around the face.