January 21st was National Hugging Day, but I think it should be changed to National Hugging MONTH! Could anything be better than a hug on a cold winter day?
If your school is cautious about hugging, demonstrate how to give a hug in sign language by making fists with your hands and wrapping your arms around your chest.
How about a “hall hug”? Cross index and middle fingers and wiggle.
An “eye hug” is a good way to greet visitors to your classroom. Children squeeze their eyes as they wrap their arms around themselves and then open them up and share the hug.
A “hand hug” can be done by placing your palm next to a partner’s palm. Wrap your thumbs around, squeeze, look in your partner’s eyes, and smile!
Someone told me that a “rainbow hug” is when you hug yourself, make a wish, and send love to someone far away.
Can your students think of other ways to give a hug?
Discuss why we hug people. How does it make you feel when someone hugs you?
For a writing activity ask your students to make a list of all the people they’d like to give a hug.
Give children a paper plate and ask them to draw their face on it. Let them trace around their hands and cut them out. Give them two strips of paper (12” x 2 ½”) for arms. They can glue the arms to the paper plate and then attach the hands. Use the “hugs” for a bulletin board or let children give them to someone special.
Here’s a great big hug from me to you today!!!