What We Do

The Little Friends for Peace curriculum is based on the philosophy that peace begins with you.  When we find the peace inside each one of us, we can all become peacemakers and spread peace to our communities, our countries, and the world. Peace Education teaches skills that are crucial for individuals to understand themselves, navigate relationships, & ultimately become productive citizens. 

Peace education enriches communities by bringing social-emotional learning directly to them through our hands on programs. As they experience, learn, and practice peace, participants gain the tools they need to feel, think, and behave peacefully towards themselves and others. By encouraging individuals to reflect and act on this ideal, LFFP motivates them to cultivate peace in their lives and their communities. Below are a few of the practices and tools we use to help people become the change they want to see in the world. Our books and publications are listed here. 

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Peace Circles: Building Community

Peace Circles are the main components of all LFFP programs.  A Peace Circle starts with some form of group centering; it can be a prayer, quotation, moment of silence, etc. For our youth programs we generally start with planting the Peace Pole and saying "May Peace Prevail on Earth."  Then as a group we say the Peace Pledge. The most important part of a Peace Circle is the check in. Everyone in the circle to gets a chance to say what is breaking their peace and what is making their peace that day or in that moment. This is a key opportunity for everyone to connect with each other and to build self-esteem by giving focus to each individual. Every Peace Circle is a little different, but all are based on the idea of strengthening relationships and hearing from everyone. 

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I-Care Tools: Skills for Spreading Compassion

LFFP uses a variety of I-Care tools to help teach the importance of compassion and respect.  Using I-Care Rules, I-Care Language, and I- Messages, students build a toolbox of skills that allow them to interact with others in a caring way. 

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The Peace Train: Nonviolent Conflict Resolution

The Peace Train is how LFFP teaches problem solving. Each train car is a step to solving a problem nonviolently. Always remember, the Peace Train isn't just for kids. Anyone can hop on board!

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Cooperative Games: The Power of
Win-Win

Win-Lose games teach excellence and victory through competition, individualism, and domination. These games exclude some participants and can build feelings of superiority. 

Win-Win games teach excellence and victory through trust, cooperation, and empowerment. These games cultivate sensitivity, teamwork, and empathy. And they are fun too!