Grades 1–3
Introductory Activity— Life Point Knockdown
Materials: empty, clean drink cans; permanent marker; beanbags; masking tape
Print the words of the LifePoint on the bottom of drink cans, one word per can. Make one set for the kids to play the game as one group. If you want to play as teams, create a set of cans for each team. Mix and arrange the cans at one end of an open area. Use masking tape to create a toss line. The first player tosses the beanbag to knock down a can. If a can falls, she runs to the can and retrieves it. If multiple cans fall, she runs down, takes one can, and resets the others. The next player tosses the beanbag to knock down another can. As kids gather the cans, they work to put the words in order and figure out what the LifePoint will be. Say the LifePoint together and talk about how kids will spend this lesson learning about the Holy Spirit.
Live It Out
Game— Help a Friend
Materials: blindfolds
Create pairs of kids, and if there is an uneven number, have one adult leader partner up with a child. One kid in each pair will wear a blindfold. Spend five minutes allowing the child with vision to lead the other child around the room with only their voice and without bumping into anyone else. In the next round, kids can lead their partner by holding hands. Kids can then switch and play with the other child blindfolded if time allows. Gather kids together and remind them that God gave us the gift of the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us. Say the LifePoint together.
Craft— Holy Spirit Bracelet
Materials: bracelet cord, beads of various fire colors (specifically, red, yellow, orange, and black)
Give each child bracelet cord and beads, and help them cut the cord into the correct length for their arms. Tie knot in the cord about 2 inches from one end. Kids can then string their beads to create whatever kind of pattern they would like. Ask them what the colors remind them of. Hopefully, kids figure out that these are the colors of fire. Tell kids that they can wear these bracelets as reminders that though they might not have literal tongues of fire above their heads, if they are Christians, the Holy Spirit lives inside of them forever. Say the Weekly Verse together. After they have finished, tie off the other end and allow adult leaders to tie the bracelet onto their wrists.
Grades 4–6
Introductory Activity— Code Word
Materials: white board, marker
Write the following letters on the board in this order:
het loyH itSirp si eht oeuornscl.
Give kids two minutes to guess the phrase (The Holy Spirit is the counselor). If they can’t get it in that time, give them a Bible and tell them to look up John 14:26 before giving them an additional minute to figure it out. After they get it, read the Weekly Verse together.
Live It Out
Game— Life-Size Gameboard
Materials: construction paper, marker, large number cube
Use construction paper to create a gameboard path across the room. You could do this ahead of time or involve the kids in creating the gameboard. On several spaces, draw a star or other shape. (Use the same shape throughout the gameboard.) Group kids into teams; each team chooses a kid to be the team’s game piece. All the “game pieces” should assemble at the start of the gameboard path. Team 1 rolls the number cube and the game piece moves that number of spaces. If the game piece lands on a starred space, the team can answer a review question from the Bible story. If the team gets the answer correct, the game piece can move ahead 1 space. Continue until a game piece reaches the end of the path. To lengthen the game, start a new game piece for a team when the first game piece reaches the end.
Craft— Bible Cover
Materials: large construction paper (12-by-18 inches), scissors, pencils, markers or crayons, colorful tape
Give a piece of construction paper to each kid. He can lay the paper on a table and center his open Bible in the middle of the paper. Help him carefully trace around the outside of his Bible with a pencil (or draw pencil lines just a fraction outside the edges of the Bible). Remove the Bible. Fold the top and bottom of the paper on the pencil lines. (If the Bible is small, use a small size of paper or trim around the pencil lines to leave about 2-3 inches extending past the lines.) Fold each side on the pencil lines. Slide the Bible front cover into the pocket created on the left side by the folded paper. Slide the back cover in the other pocket. Tape the inside flaps down if needed. Remove the Bible and decorate the cover with crayons, markers, or tape. Talk about the Life Point.
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