Fruit of the Spirit family activities

Children learn the fruit of the Spirit best by talking about real life and trying it together. Here are five conversation questions and a simple activity for each of the nine fruits. Grown-ups go first, so kids hear that it's okay to be honest.

Love: talk and try together

Love wants the best for someone else, even when it costs you.

• Talk: What's one way someone in our family showed you love this week? Try: Each person says one thing they love about the person on their left.
• Talk: Who do you know who might feel lonely right now? Try: Make a card together for someone who might feel alone.
• Talk: Is love a feeling or a choice? Or both? Try: Choose one loving thing to do for a neighbor this week.
• Talk: When is it hardest to love someone in our family? Try: Share one thing you'll try to do differently.
• Talk: What does it mean that God loved us first? Try: Read 1 John 4:19 together and say thank you to God.

Joy: talk and try together

Joy can sing even in the dark, because it comes from God, not from how things are going.

• Talk: What made you really happy this week? Try: Everyone shares one good thing from today.
• Talk: Can you have joy on a sad day? How? Try: Write a list of ten things to be thankful for, together.
• Talk: What's the funniest thing that happened this month? Try: Tell it again and laugh together.
• Talk: How can we cheer for each other more? Try: Make a "cheer jar" and add a note when someone does something great.
• Talk: What's the difference between joy and fun? Try: Plan one simple, joyful thing to do as a family this week.

Peace: talk and try together

God's peace is stronger than any storm we face.

• Talk: What helps you feel calm when you're worried? Try: Practise three slow breaths together.
• Talk: How can we argue in a way that's fair? Try: Make three family rules for disagreements.
• Talk: What worries are you carrying right now? Try: Pray for each person's worry, one by one.
• Talk: Who in our family is a good peacemaker? Why? Try: Thank that person out loud.
• Talk: What makes our home feel peaceful? Try: Choose one thing to do this week that makes home calmer.

Patience: talk and try together

Patience keeps trusting God while the answer takes time.

• Talk: What's something you're waiting for right now? Try: Plant a seed together and watch it grow over the weeks.
• Talk: When do you lose patience most? Try: Each person picks a "calm-down word" the family can use.
• Talk: Who has been really patient with you? Try: Say thank you to them this week.
• Talk: Is waiting ever good for us? When? Try: Wait five minutes before dessert, and talk while you wait.
• Talk: How is God patient with us? Try: Share one time you needed a second chance.

Kindness: talk and try together

Kindness looks for people to bless, especially those others forget.

• Talk: What's the kindest thing someone did for you? Try: Do a secret kindness for someone in the family this week.
• Talk: Who at school or work could use some kindness? Try: Make a plan to help them.
• Talk: Is it harder to be kind to family or to strangers? Why? Try: Each person picks one kind thing to say at dinner tomorrow.
• Talk: What's a kindness that costs nothing? Try: Do three of them together this week.
• Talk: How can we be kind online? Try: Send an encouraging message to someone together.

Goodness: talk and try together

Goodness is a life full of helpful, honest actions.

• Talk: What does it mean to be good when nobody's watching? Try: Share a time you chose to be honest.
• Talk: Have you ever stood up for someone? Try: Talk about how to get help when you see something unfair.
• Talk: Is being good the same as being nice? Try: Find an example of someone who did a brave good thing.
• Talk: What's a good thing our family could do for our neighborhood? Try: Pick one and do it together.
• Talk: Why does honesty matter? Try: Each person shares one thing that's hard to be honest about.

Faithfulness: talk and try together

Faithfulness stays loyal, even when leaving would be easier.

• Talk: What does it mean to keep a promise? Try: Each person makes one small promise for this week.
• Talk: Who in your life always shows up for you? Try: Write them a thank-you note.
• Talk: What promises has God made to us? Try: Find one promise in the Bible and talk about it.
• Talk: What happens when someone breaks a promise? Try: Talk about how to make things right.
• Talk: What's a family tradition we always keep? Try: Start a new small tradition together.

Gentleness: talk and try together

The strongest person who ever lived was gentle with the smallest people.

• Talk: What does a gentle voice sound like? Try: Practise saying "please pass the salt" angrily, then gently, and laugh.
• Talk: When is it hard to be gentle? Try: Choose a family signal for "let's soften our voices".
• Talk: Can a strong person be gentle? Try: Talk about Jesus being strong and gentle.
• Talk: How can we tell someone they're wrong gently? Try: Role-play it with a silly example.
• Talk: Who's the gentlest person you know? Try: Say what you admire about them.

Self-control: talk and try together

Self-control chooses what's right, even when revenge is easy.

• Talk: What's something hard to stop doing? Try: Each person picks one thing to do less of this week.
• Talk: What helps you calm down when you're angry? Try: Make a list of calm-down ideas for the fridge.
• Talk: Is it okay to feel angry? Try: Talk about the difference between feeling angry and acting on it.
• Talk: Why is it hard to wait? Try: Try a family screen-free hour this week.
• Talk: How can we help each other with self-control? Try: Choose one way to encourage each other.

Play them in the app

Ninefruit includes these as Family Conversation Cards, plus real-life moments you can read aloud and choose together. Turn on Family Mode and purchases and web links ask for a grown-up first.

Take the free Fruit of the Spirit test