Introduce the activity by asking the children to imagine that the Good Samaritan and the wounded Jewish man in the parable have become best friends. Explain that they are going to write letters to each other on special ‘BFF letter paper’.
Ask the children to think about what the Good Samaritan might write to the wounded Jewish man in the inn. Encourage them to imagine the tone and content of the letter, and to include kind and caring words.
Next, ask the children to think about what the wounded Jewish man might write to the Good Samaritan. Again, encourage them to imagine the tone and content of the letter, and to express gratitude for the Samaritan's kindness.
Give the children time to write both letters on the provided ‘BFF letter paper’.
After the letters are complete, ask the children to share what they have written in small groups. Encourage them to discuss what they learned about friendship and kindness from the parable and from writing these letters.
Finally, ask the children to take time to write a real ‘BFF’ short note to a friend or a family member.
By imagining the Good Samaritan and the wounded Jewish man as friends, this activity encourages children to explore the themes of friendship, kindness, and compassion in a new way. The act of writing letters to each other and to their friends or families allows children to practice expressing their feelings and appreciation for others, and to reflect on the importance of treating everyone as a neighbour and friend.
