Characters of Character mission is to provide a firm foundation for children to establish strong civic values. This is accomplished in so many ways. Through some research, we have found a number of educational websites which we want to pass along to you. We're all in this together and when we all do a little bit, it adds up to big accomplishments. Let's do our best for our children.

Characters of Character is a 501(c)(3) not for profit organization whose mission is to provide a firm foundation for children. We hope you find value in our work and consider a donation to our organization to continue making a difference in the life of a child. Learn how you can support our mission in other ways here. Find our books on Amazon. Thank you.
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All through our life, if we are lucky enough, we'll have a good friend. In our childhood it was usually the neighborhood kids which we played with all day and all night. When we would walk to school and talk and then walk home for lunch and talk some more and then walk home from school and continue our talk. In the evening we would gather in the front yards to play games like Kick the Can, or Ding Dong Ditch, or catch lightning bugs. All such good memories with childhood friends.

Then, we go to middle school or Jr. High School. Some of us are lucky enough to keep our neighborhood friends and continue our growing up with them through school years. Those are good friends. I still stay in touch with a few of mine from our old neighborhood and it's just wonderful to catch up on the good ol' days.

Next, we may go off to college where we continue to make friends. Get married, stay in touch and then make more new friends, couple friends to do things with. Go to dinner, concerts, play games or just get together to talk about life. Different chapters of life usually has different friendships.

How are you teaching your children about being a friend in these changing times we live in? A few changes come to my mind, one of which is today children go to Day Care and Pre School where they begin making friends at an earlier age. Or, they have "Play Dates" which is much different than when I was a little girl. We actually would just walk over to our neighborhood friends house to come out and play, there wasn't all this technology like today, we loved getting outdoors to play. There was usually a group of us all the time at somebody's home. 

Still, some things do remain the same. For instance, friends still talk together. Friends still walk together. And, friends still get together to catch up on life. Here are a few additional ways to help teach children what friends can do together and that a good friend is like a hidden treasure, take good care of them!
1. Friends can go to the park together
2. Friends can paint together.
3. Friends can cook together.
4. Friends can sing together.
5. Friends can help out in their community.
6. Friends are honest with one another.
7. Friends are good listeners to one another.
8. Friends can share secrets together.
9. Friends can learn new activities together, like swimming or a sport.
10. Friends can read together and tell stories together.
11. Friends can help other friends.

Friends can do most anything together when they trust in each other, when they respect each other and when they enjoy one another. Tell Friendship Frog what you and your friends like to do together!

Write a letter to Friendship Frog and tell this character about you and your friend. Mail to:
Characters of Character (or your favorite character)
P.O. Box 391
McHenry, Illinois 60050
Please be sure to include a self addressed envelope for a reply. Let's be Pen Pals. This activity helps your child to think about what they do that is kind, or who they know that is kind and how they can be kind. Plus, it helps build literacy and communication skills!


Characters of Character will be adding videos and resources often, please check the website. Our Youtube Channel will also provide the videos.

Characters of Character is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Your support and donations are essential to our mission, "Providing a firm foundation for children to establish strong civic values" Let's make the world better together.
Our focus this year is to donate to children in the hospitals. Please consider donating for this cause. Additional information is on our website and this is a short video.
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Times have changed, but having healthy habits should remain the same, it’s just heightened for now. Research has found that a healthy habit is formed when you do something for at least 21 days. As adults, we teach our children to wash their hands often, after they go to the washroom, after they play outdoors, when they sneeze, make a mess and before meals and snacks. Today, we just need to remind them more often, hopefully it’s already a habit.
Healthy Hippo is sharing coloring pages for families to do with their children (scroll down to download). Positive reinforcement is always welcomed in any situation; use these as coloring pages for your children to write and draw in. Ask them first, “What are healthy habits?” to open the line of communications with them. Ask them, “Who do you know that has healthy habits,” to let them think about things. Allow them to write in their journal and draw pictures to communicate their thoughts and feelings. Ask them, “What is your favorite food?” Is it a healthy choice? If not, discuss healthier choices that they can be making.
Below are some simple ideas to help teach healthy habits:
1. Be a role model
2. Wash your hands often
3. Choose nutritional foods
4. Choose healthy snacks
5. Brush your teeth
6. Exercise
7. Keep your mind healthy, read
8. Do puzzles
9. Have conversations, communicate, keep your mind active
10. A healthy body is as important as a healthy mind
Teaching our children these vital core values shapes them into their own character and helps them to gain a deeper awareness to develop these positive character traits. I’m a visual learner and guess many of you are as well. Use old magazines to cut pictures out and let your kids glue them onto another piece of paper, then use as a poster and visual reminder! Here are some ideas on what to look for in the magazine:
– Find healthy foods
– Find hygiene products
– Find people exercising
– Find items for building a healthy body
– Find items for building a healthy mind
Discuss with your family and let them know what you expect from them in order to form healthy habits. It’s not an easy task to always eat healthily, and I find myself struggling at times with this. What I’ve done for myself is to limit the cravings. When I really want a piece of chocolate cake, I eat just a few bites rather than an entire piece. It’s the little things that will make a difference and become healthier habits in your life.
Here are a few links to watch Healthy Hippo teach healthy habits for your family:
Characters of Character
Healthy Hippo On Hand Washing
Healthy Hippo Discussion and Coloring Pages
Learn more online at https://www.charactersofcharacter.org/
Coloring pages:
Healthy Hippo Coloring Pages 2
Healthy Hippo Coloring Pages 1

Teaching kindness to our children is essential. Teaching our children these vital core values shapes them into their own character and helps them to gain a deeper awareness to develop these positive traits. Here are some tips from Warm-Hearted Walrus to help teach children kindness:

1. Be a role model for your children
2. Communicate with your children what kindness looks like, sounds like and feel like
3. Create a chart together on kind things the children can do
4. Help around the house and in the yard
5. Allow them to feel kindness so they in turn share it with others
6. Let them hear you share compliments to others
7. Volunteer in the community

Write a letter to Warm-Hearted Walrus and tell this character what you do that is kind. Mail to:
Characters of Character (or your favorite character)
P.O. Box 391
McHenry, Illinois 60050
Please be sure to include a self addressed envelope for a reply. Let's be Pen Pals. This activity helps your child to think about what they do that is kind, or who they know that is kind and how they can be kind. Plus, it helps build literacy and communication skills!

Characters of Character will be adding videos and resources often, please check the website. Our Youtube Channel will also provide the videos.

Characters of Character is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Your support and donations are essential to our mission, "Providing a firm foundation for children to establish strong civic values" Let's make the world better together.
Our focus this year is to donate to children in the hospitals. Please consider donating for this cause. Additional information is on our website and this is a short video.
Follow us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
Follow us on LinkedIn
Follow us on Instagram
Follow us on Pinterest
Contact Joni Downey