Not lions, not tigers, but bears, oh my! One of the greatest delights of childhood is being surprised. Bring your kids a bundle of joy by organizing a full-blown, deep-in-the-heart-of-the-forest bear hunt. In your own home.

First, gather every stuffed bear in the house. If you can’t come up with at least a dozen, go door-to-door borrowing from neighbors. Most homes host many more. One of you will occupy the children while the other runs through the house looking for adequate but not too terribly complicated hiding places. Stow the bears so your youngest children will be able to find them. If you have a mix of children, let the oldest do the hiding. They’ll love it!

What comes next is pure excitement. Hand that child a flashlight and head to the hunting grounds. Turn out all other lights and keep close by. Let that one beam of light lead the way. And then follow your bear hunters around as they look for the sneaky beasts. As you find each bear, the thrill builds. Your children will want to rush from one bear burrow to the next. Let them, guiding enough to keep them from walking into furniture or walls. Then applaud their efforts with each new find!

Once your little hunter has caught the quota, flip on the lights. They’ll probably want another round as soon as possible. And you’ll have a brand-new family tradition. Tell them that sometimes they have only a dim light to lead the way, only a glimmer of hope. But they should know that God, like any good parent, stands waiting in the darkness, protecting and guiding them, and He’s always there if they call.