Have Some Fun!
The wonder of life
by Revd Guy Donegan-Cross (revised, originally published in 2006)
Suitable for Whole School (Pri)
Aims
To consider the importance of having fun.
Preparation and materials
- Have available the YouTube video ‘Spoon full of sugar – Mary Poppins’ and the means to show it during the assembly. It is 3.08 minutes long and is available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrnoR9cBP3o
- Optional: you may wish to ask some children to read out the poem in the ‘Assembly’, Step 3, in which case they will need time to rehearse prior to the assembly.
Note: this poem has been printed in several publications, attributed to various authors including Nadine Stair, Don Herold and Anonymous. You may like to edit the poem to make it more age-appropriate, and explain words such as ‘fall’, as necessary.
Assembly
- Ask the children, ‘What’s the silliest thing you’ve ever done?’
Listen to a range of responses.
If possible, share a personal experience of your own. - Suggest that we often think of Jesus as a serious person. However, in the Bible, in Luke 5.33, Jesus is approached by some religious people who are worried by him and comment that he and his disciples seem to spend their time eating and drinking rather than fasting and praying. Jesus liked to have fun!
- There was an old lady who reached the end of her life and realized that she had not taken this message seriously enough. This is the poem that she wrote (it’s slightly adapted here).
Optional: ask the pre-arranged children to read the poem.
If I had my life to live over again,
I’d dare to make more mistakes next time;
I’d try not to be so perfect.
I’d relax more, I’d limber up.
I’d be sillier than I’ve been on this trip.
In fact, I know of very few things I’d take quite so seriously.
I’d be crazier . . . and I’d certainly be less hygienic.
I’d take more chances, I’d take more trips.
I’d climb more mountains, I’d swim more rivers
And I’d watch more sunsets.
I’d burn more petrol,
I’d eat more ice cream – and fewer beans.
I’d have more actual troubles and fewer imaginary ones.
You see, I was one of those people who lived sensibly,
Hour after hour and day after day.
Oh, that doesn’t mean I didn’t have my moments,
But if I had it to do all over, I’d have more of those moments.
In fact, I’d try to have nothing but wonderful moments, side by side.
I was one of those people who never went anywhere without a thermometer,
a hot-water bottle, a gargle, a raincoat and a parachute.
If I had it to do all over again, I’d travel lighter next time.
If I had my life to live all over again,
I’d start barefoot earlier in the spring
And I’d stay that way later in the fall.
I’d play the fool a lot more.
I’d ride more merry-go-rounds, I’d pick more flowers,
I’d hug more children,
I’d tell more people that I loved them.
If I had my life to live over again,
But, you see, I don’t. - Ask the children what they understand from this poem.
Is there anything that they would like to do more of? - Remind the children that life is wonderful and we should enjoy it! There are many things that we have to do. We have to go to school, adults need to go to work, we have responsibilities . . . but we must always take time to laugh and to have fun! Life is meant to be enjoyed.
Time for reflection
Ask the children, ‘Is it possible to find fun in everything we do?’
Remind the children of the scene in Mary Poppins where Mary sings the song ‘A spoonful of sugar’. The idea is that fun can be found in most situations, even in tidying our bedrooms!
Show the YouTube video ‘Spoon full of sugar – Mary Poppins’.
Suggest that some people can make most things fun. Challenge the children to have a go at doing this themselves during the week.
Prayer
Dear God,
You like us to laugh and enjoy the good things in life.
Teach us not to take ourselves too seriously.
Help us to enjoy everything that we have and all the opportunities that come our way.
Amen.
Song/music
Show the YouTube video ‘Spoon full of sugar – Mary Poppins’ again.
