Grades 1-3
Introductory Activity – Who’s Who?
Materials: no materials needed
Form groups with three to four kids in each group. Tell them you will ask several “Who is…” questions concerning their family and they are to tell their group members their answers. After each question, give one or two kids the opportunity to share their answer with the entire class. Afterwards, explain to your kids that Jesus was born into a family just like them. (Be sensitive to any child who may be adopted or in foster care.)
Possible questions to ask: Who is best at playing basketball? Who takes the longest to get ready in the morning? Who makes the best food? Who enjoys school the most? Who runs the fastest? Who likes listening to music the most?
Live It Out
Game – Yes or No
Materials: no materials needed
Tell your kids that you will ask them a series of questions about whether something would scare them or not. If something would scare them, instruct them to go to the right wall. If something would not scare them, tell them to go to the left wall. After each question, give a couple of kids the opportunity to share why something would or would not scare them. At the end of the activity, tell them that Mary was scared when the angel appeared to tell her about Jesus. Even though she was scared, she still obeyed God and followed his directions. Have everyone read the Weekly Verse together.
Possible “Are you scared of…?” questions: Snakes, dark, storms, bugs, being alone, loud noises, angel showing up in your room (make this your last one)
Craft – Birth Announcement
Materials: card stock (cut into fourths), scissors, markers, star stickers
Display the materials. Explain to the kids that they can make a birth announcement for Jesus, since Gabriel announced the birth to Mary. Tell the kids what kind of information is usually included on an announcement—name, parents, place of birth. Tell them to not put a birthdate on the announcement, since no one is sure when Jesus was born, even though we celebrate His birth in December. Say the Life Point as the kids work. Encourage them to put the Weekly Verse somewhere on their announcements. Suggest they keep their announcements in their Bibles to remember the birth of Jesus.
Grades 4-6
Introductory Activity – Promises Made and Kept
Materials: paper, pencils
Give each child a piece of paper and pencil. Instruct them to draw a line across the middle of the page. On top of the page, tell them to write about a time when someone else made a promise to them and kept their promise. On the bottom of the page, instruct them to write about a time when they made a promise to someone else, and they kept their promise. Allow several kids to share their stories with the entire group. Next, ask for a volunteer to read Matthew 1:22-23 and show your kids how last week they learned how Isaiah made a prophecy about Jesus and now Matthew is showing that God is honoring his promise! Remind your kids that God always honors His promises.
Live It Out
Game – Scariest Things in the World
Materials: paper, pencils
Form three or four teams with your kids. Give each group a piece of paper and a pencil. Tell the groups you will give them two minutes to list as many things as possible that they find scary. Allow each group to share their list at the end. The group with the longest list wins. Have everyone read the Weekly Verse, and remind your kids that Mary was scared when she first heard from the angel about becoming Jesus’ mother.
Craft – A Letter Home
Materials: paper, pencils
Give each child a pencil and piece of paper. Have everyone say the Life Point together. Remind them that just as God wanted Jesus to be a part of a family, God placed them in a family, too. Tell them that one way to help families grow stronger is to tell family members how much they care about them. Instruct your kids to pick one family member to write a short letter to. The letter should contain: Two things they admire about them, and one thing they want to thank them for. Encourage the kids to give their letters to their chosen family member when they get home after class.
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