Sheldon, Iowa — In these days of social distancing, our entertainment has been reduced to going for walks (while maintaining social distancing), going for rides, and whatever we can find to do at home. But some people are making those rides and walks more interesting for our kids and showing that we’re all in this together.
Rachel McDonald of Sheldon says she and others are taking part in such a program.
(as said:)”I had a friend on Facebook invite me to this group called Heart Hunters. So I joined the group and checked it out. It was actually just formed on Saturday the 21st. Every state in the United States is represented and 26 other countries as well and the idea behind it is this: There is a lot of negativity and such going around on social media and just in general everybody is concerned and rightfully so but this Heart Hunters is a way to spread positivity.”
McDonald tells us how you can take part.
(as said:)”All you have to do is cut out a heart — a paper heart. Do you know whatever you want. And you put it in your window and it’s kind of a scavenger hunt. Kids when they’re out for a walk — if you need to get your kids out of the house and you’re just in your car driving around? The idea is that you can drive around or walk around and go on a scavenger hunt. How many houses can you see or businesses (even) that have a heart displayed? You can make a game out of it. And kids can have tally sheets. How many red ones, how many blue? Are there patterns? Are there designs and other things like that? And they can just track all the different things that they see and they can put them up themselves. It’s a fun way — I think — to just focus on something positive and to just be creative. They can incorporate that into social studies and online learning lessons that a lot of parents are having to do with their kids now. And make it, you know, just change it out, change it each week. We can say hey how many different patterns can be seen? How many other people are doing this? It’s a way to — without having to be in physical contact with people — to be able to just say hey, you know, we’re here and we are standing together and we’re going to get through this.”
Other groups are doing other kinds of cutouts. The Sheldon Chamber reports that there are groups doing the same thing with rainbows, and having a “social-distancing Easter egg hunt” as well, with cutouts of Easter eggs. And in other communities, they’re putting teddy bears in their windows for the same reason.
