ʻOhana Activity Box 2
Aloha at HomeWe are excited to have you and your family join Aloha at Home with ʻOhana Activity Box 2. It is filled with Aloha Activities that will help you learn about and practice Serve & Return with your family. Each box is valued at $100+ and recommended for ages 3+. Boxes are sponsored for your ʻohana by Aloha at Home. Click button below and complete a short survey.
What is Serve & Return?
Serve and Return is when your child smiles at you, and you smile back. When your older child or another adult seems sad, and you take the time to sit with them and chat when they are ready, this is Serve and Return. Even adults need to help practicing Serve and Return. Think about Serve and Return as a lively game of ping-pong, showing that caregivers are sensitive and responsive to signals and needs of those around them. Serve and Return builds healthy relationships and strong brain architecture to last a lifetime. In five easy steps, you can practice Serve and Return.
5 Easy Steps to Serve and Return
1
Notice
Notice what the other person (child, partner, adult) is doing or feeling, and share your attention with them. They are "serving" a thought, feeling, question, or reaction to you. Notice the serve.
2
Encourage
"Return" this "Serve" by encouraging them. You might say, "Keep going. That looks good," or "I'm here for you." In some cases, encouragement might not even have words but is quiet support you can send through your body language and presence.
3
Name What Is Happening
Name what you are focusing your attention on. You might say, "I see you are building blocks," or "I notice you put your backpack away." You can also help identify feelings like "I see you look upset" or "Wow, you seem so excited."
4
Wait & Take Turns
Take turns by waiting for the other person to do something (notice), practice ENCOURAGING, and NAMING once again. Keep the interaction going as long as they remain focused.
5
Endings & Beginnings
Acknowledge when their actions start, continue, or ends. You might say, "I see you are done playing with blocks. Now you are playing with cars," or "It seems like you were sad, but now you look like you are feeling little better. I'll be here for you when you need me."
Confirmation of ʻOhana Activity Box 2
Fill out the short survey to make sure you remain on our list for future ʻohana boxes. Scroll inside the survey box to complete the survey.
Contents of the ʻOhana Activity Box 2
Aloha at Home Box 2 focuses on definitions and examples of Serve and Return to engage your family in positive interactions. Click images below to download a pdf copy.
- Serve & Return Flip Book – spiral bound book that explains Serve and Return and games you can do as a family. Download a copy below.
- 2 – Hanu Hā Stickers – reminder to breathe. Put my sticker somewhere visible like water bottle or ipad
- Kūpuna Book Corner – Spend quality time reading the book Too Many Mangoes with an older family member, caregiver, or loved one. Ask each other: “What are ways you share with others?” and “How do you feel after you give to others?”
- Family Card Game – Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza – This card game is a fun way to practice serve and return with hilarious interactions. This game is a natural way to bring families together.
- Emoji Emotions Activity- Take turns showing each other what the emotions look like with your face and body.
- Koʻu Kino Poster – My Body – Pehea ʻoe? How do you feel today? Show me where you feel the emotion in your body? Take turns placing the emoji on the poster and talk about feelings.
Click on the booklets and brochures below to download a pdf copy.
Video Link for Hanu Hā Centering Activity
with Liliuokalani Trust
Social Media Challenge
Enter to win! On Facebook or Instagram, do the following challenge to win a gift card. Do all 4 items below to enter. Unlimited entries until June 30, 2023. Winners will be announced in July 2023.
- Post a photo of you and your ʻohana using Aloha at Home Box 2 together (i.e. unboxing, doing one of the activities, etc)
- Describe what is happening in the picture and how it brought aloha into your home.
- Tag us @alohaathome
- Use the hashtags #alohabox2 #alohaathome
More ʻOhana Activities to Try
Values of Aloha
The following Aloha Values helps us to understand Aloha with greater depth, so we can practice Aloha more where it matters most, in our homes.
Akahai - Kindness
Akahai is translated as kindness and should be expressed with tenderness. Aloha starts with tenderness, forgiveness, and acceptance for yourself and others. Whether you are experiencing good times or challenges, approach your interactions with akahai for yourself and others and see how it builds aloha around you.
Lōkahi - Unity
Lōkahi, often translated as unity and expressed with a feeling of harmony, helps us understand that all of us are part of a life force that is unbroken, even when some of us feel separated from the group. With lōkahi, we support and accept each other in acknowledgement of this unbrokenness and work together in love.
ʻOluʻolu - Agreeable
ʻOluʻolu, often translated as agreeable and expressed with feelings of pleasantness, is intended to remind us not to be argumentative or pessimistic. 'Olu'olu reminds us that even if we differ, we can express differences in encouraging and kind ways.
Ha'aha'a - Humility
Haʻahaʻa translated as humility and expressed with a feeling of modesty, asks us to empty ourselves of judgment for others. Ha'aha'a means to be open to learning, growing and receiving new information. Rooted in willingness to accept new things, haʻahaʻa helps us to remember that we can grow and so can others around us.
Ahonui - Patience
Ahonui, translated as patience, should be applied with perseverance. Ahonui with perseverance means we are waiting for the right time to speak, act, or think. Children and families thrive when ahonui is present for it allows everyone a chance to grow, learn and fail in a loving and caring environment.