Grades 1-3
Introductory Activity – Word Map
Materials: paper, markers, and tape
Write Praying on a piece of paper and tape to the wall. Tell the kids to read the word (or read it for them) and think about what the word means. Lead them to write words and draw pictures about praying. They can attach the words and pictures around the title to create a word map. As time allows, each child can make several words/pictures to add to the map. Tell kids that they will hear about a time when Jesus prayed and think about how they can follow His example.
Live It Out
Game – Ring Toss
Materials: cardboard tubes, chenille stems, marker, tape (optional)
Write the letters P, R, A, Y on cardboard tubes. Make several sets of letters. Arrange the tubes, spacing them out so a ring will fit over it. You may want to use a small strip of tape to secure the tube to the floor. Make rings by twisting 2 chenille stems together at one end and then bending it into a ring. (Test the ring. If it seems so small that tossing it onto the tubes is too challenging, use 3 chenille stems instead.) Guide kids to take turns tossing rings around the tubes. Ask review questions and talk about the Bible story as kids toss the rings. Challenge them to ring the letters in order to spell pray or to ring three of the same letter. Guide the group to say the Life Point each time a ring goes around a tube. Talk about how the kids can follow Jesus’ example and pray to God.
Craft – Decorated Pencils
Materials: pencils (that kids can take), colored tape, scissors, paper
Distribute pencils. Tell kids they can decorate their pencils with the colored tape. Talk about the Bible story and the Life Point. Talk about times kids and their families can pray, together or individually. As kids finish decorating their pencils, lead them to list things to pray about or to write a prayer to God. Tell kids to take the pencils home and use them to list prayer requests this week and pray for those things.
Grades 4-6
Introductory Activity – Pencil Bounce
Materials: plastic cups, unsharpened pencils with erasers, marker, timer (optional)
Write the letters E, X, A, M, P, L, E on cups, one letter per cup. Make several sets. Set each set of cups in a line on a table. Lay a group of pencils with each set of cups.
Guide kids to take turns bouncing the pencils on their erasers and into the cups. Groups of kids can work together to bounce a pencil into each cup to spell the word. Or form teams and have groups compete against one another to complete the task first. If you choose, set the timer for 1 minute (or other time) and challenge teams to get the pencils in the cups before timer sounds. Remind kids that they are learning about ways they can follow Jesus’ example during this unit. Tell them that today they will hear about a time that Jesus prayed.
Live It Out
Game – Letter Swap
Materials: letter tiles (for pray) or paper squares and marker, timer or music
Gather letter tiles for pray. You will need one tile per kid. To make these, cut heavy paper into squares and write a letter on each square. Repeat the Life Point together. Give a letter tile to each kid. Set a timer for 1 minute or play music. During the time or music, kids should move among each other, trading letters. Everyone should have only 1 letter at a time. When timer sounds or you stop the music, kids freeze. Say: “Go!” Kids must work to get into groups of 4 to spell the word; for example, if a child has p, he must find 3 kids, one each with r, a, y. When a group of four has formed, the group says the Life Point aloud. Start the timer or music again to continue the game. Play several rounds. Talk about how the kids could follow Jesus’ example to pray.
Craft – Zipper Pull
Materials: plastic cord, pony beads, letter beads, key rings, scissors
Give each preteen about 8 inches of cord. Tell kids to tie a bead at one end of the cord. Say the Life Point. Tell kids to create a zipper pull that will help remind them to follow Jesus’ example to pray. They can include the letter beads as reminders. (Maybe a J for Jesus or P for pray.) Allow them to choose the letters they want to use for their own reminders. They can use the other beads to fill the cord. As they work, talk about the Bible story and discuss Jesus’ praying in the garden. Talk about times or reasons kids may need to pray. When kids finish with the beads, help them attach key rings to the end of their pulls. Suggest kids add their zipper pulls to their backpacks or other places to help them remember to follow Jesus’ example to pray.
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