Common Good Candy Hunt

What does the common good mean to you? How can you serve the common good? 

Time: 

60 Minutes 

Materials: 

• Enough individual pieces of candy for each participant to have one piece 
• Chart paper and markers 

Activity:

1. When the participants arrive announce that they are going to participate in a “Common Good Candy Hunt.” Explain that candy has been hidden around the area (room, outdoor space, etc.), with enough pieces for each person to have one piece.
2. The “Common Good Candy Hunt” will have some special rules. 
   • Each member may pick up only one piece of candy. 
   • If they find more than one piece of candy, they may not pick it up, but they may help others who have not found a piece of candy find it by giving verbal clues only about its location. An example might be, “It is close to something green” or “It is under something you look at everyday.” 
   • Pointing or leading the others to the candy’s location is not allowed. 
   • No one may eat his or her candy until everyone has one piece. 
3. If you notice youth are not following the rules, call out “Freeze!” When everyone has stopped, explain the rules again, emphasizing the rules are not to be broken.
4. Once everyone has found a piece of candy, ask participants to form a circle on the floor and allow the participants to eat their piece of candy.  
5. Write the words “Common Good” in the middle of a piece of chart paper. Talk about how this activity reflected working toward the common good.
   • They were given an equal chance to find candy. In connection, this is about making sure everyone has an equal chance to enjoy life (things or opportunities).
   • They helped others when they were having a hard time finding a piece of candy. In connection, they found that by helping someone else, they were able to share in the fun of finding and getting to eat a piece of candy. 
   • What is good for everyone, is often good for you individually as well. Philanthropists serve the common good. 

Reflection: 

• How did different participants find their candy? How did the group work together as a team? How did they cooperate? 
• Think about other “hunts” in which you may have participated. What happens in most hunts? Do most people cooperate with each other to benefit the common good? 
• How might the participants translate the results of the candy hunt into everyday life? Can they give examples when they worked with others to serve the common good? 
• How can they use serving the “common good” with their family or at school? (Write the responses on the chart paper.)