Hearts of Service: A Simple Family Tradition That Teaches Love, Kindness, and Faith
Last updated on January 20th, 2026 at 04:04 pm
In today’s fast-paced world, finding meaningful family time can feel harder than ever. Between busy schedules—one child rushing off to soccer practice, another to piano lessons, and the youngest needing a quiet nap—it can feel like we’re simply passing each other in the night.
With so many individual commitments pulling us in different directions, it becomes even more important to intentionally teach our children to think beyond themselves. We want them to grow in kindness, empathy, and love for others. That desire is what led us to create a simple family tradition we now call Hearts of Service.
(Free printable at the bottom of this post.)
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A Strong Desire to Teach Service at Home
Participating in church services, family prayer, and studying the scriptures together are beautiful and powerful ways to teach our children gospel values. But I felt a strong desire to do even more—to make service something tangible and lived out in our everyday life.
Even with only one child, our days are often full. Between feeding animals, cleaning stalls, milking, preparing meals, keeping up with the house, and homeschooling, our homestead life is full and sometimes chaotic. Because we have one child, I feel an even deeper responsibility to intentionally teach her to think of others and to find joy in helping them.
I want service to be something she associates with warmth, love, and happiness—not obligation.
A New Family Tradition Begins
This past Christmas, we embraced a new tradition centered on serving others and spreading kindness. We purchased a beautiful Giving Manger, which came tucked inside the sweetest little box. Inside was a small wooden manger designed to hold pieces of hay—each strand representing an act of service.
The idea was simple yet profound: every time we served someone, we added a piece of hay to the manger. Over the weeks leading up to Christmas, the manger slowly filled, becoming a visual reminder of the love and service happening in our home.
On Christmas Eve, we placed a tiny baby Jesus into the soft bedding of hay. It was such a tender, meaningful moment—one that filled our home with peace, joy, and purpose. Our child absolutely loved it. Their excitement made us want to serve more, notice others more, and be more intentional with our time.
Carrying the Spirit of Service Beyond Christmas
After Christmas, my child and I began talking about how much they loved this tradition—and how they didn’t want it to end with the holiday season.
With Valentine’s Day approaching, we decided to create a new way to continue showing Christ like love throughout the month. Together, we brainstormed simple acts of service we could do for friends, family, neighbors, and even strangers.
Our hope was simple: to spread God’s pure love in small, meaningful ways—and to make service a natural rhythm of our family life.
Hearts of Service: A Simple Way to Practice Kindness
This is where Hearts of Service was born.
To begin, gather some construction paper or plain paper and cut out heart shapes. They can be big or small—whatever feels right for your family. This is a wonderful opportunity to let children decorate and personalize them.
Next, decide how you want to display your hearts. You could place them in a decorative bowl where everyone can see them. My child suggested attaching them to a bulletin board, creating a colorful and growing display of love and service throughout the month.
Each evening, we gather together as a family and reflect on our day. We take turns sharing how we helped someone—whether it was a big act or a very small one. After sharing, we place a heart into our display as a reminder of the love we chose to give that day.
Keep It Simple and Have Fun
Our prayer is that this simple tradition brings as much joy to your family as it has to ours. Service doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming. Often, it’s found in the smallest moments—helping with chores, writing a note, sharing a smile, or offering a kind word.
These shared experiences strengthen family bonds, deepen faith, and create memories that last far beyond a season. My hope is that Hearts of Service becomes a tradition your family looks forward to year after year.
At the bottom of this post, you’ll find a free printable to help you get started.
