Grades 1-3
Introductory Activity – Colorful Snowball Fight
Materials: paper of different colors (at least 7 sheets of each color), marker, writing paper, pencils
Print these letters on one color of paper, one letter per sheet: p, r, o, m, i, s, e. Make a set of letters for each color of paper; use at least 3 colors. Wad each sheet of paper into a paper “snowball.” Put the snowballs in a basket or dishpan. Say: “We will have a colorful snowball fight.” Pour the paper balls onto the floor and say: “Go!” Kids should pick up the balls and toss them at one another. Say: “Stop! Everyone, move to the sides of the room.” Group the kids into teams (one team for every color of paper). Assign a color to each team. Say: “When I give the signal, each team should gather all the assigned color paper. Open the paper and spell as many words as you can. See if you can make a word with all the letters. Go!” The teams gather their colored paper, open the paper, and make words with the letters. The teams can list their words on writing paper. After a few minutes, call stop. Ask teams if they found a word that used all the letters. Say the word promise. Remind them that they learned previously that God always keeps His promises. Tell kids they will hear a story today about a promise that seems impossible to keep.
Live It Out
Game – Keep It Up!
Materials: balloons
Toss an inflated balloon to the group of kids. Challenge them to keep batting the balloon up in the air and keep it aloft as long as they can. When the balloon falls to the ground, stop the action. Ask a review question. After kids answer, begin the game again. After a few rounds, add another balloon. Continue asking review questions when either balloon falls to the ground. Talk about the Life Point with the kids. Repeat the Life Point as you bat the balloon up in the air.
Craft – Magnetic Puzzles
Materials: heavyweight paper (cut into 6-inch squares), gel pens, markers, magnetic tape, scissors, ziplock bags
Distribute the squares of paper to the kids. Lead them to write the Life Point in large colorful letters. They may want to add some flourishes to the letters, too. Talk about the Bible story and the promise that God made and kept. Guide them to cut their squares into 5-6 pieces and attach magnetic tape to the back of each piece. Tell kids to assemble their own puzzles. After a few minutes suggest kids trade and work one another’s puzzles. Distribute bags to hold the puzzles for transport home. Challenge kids to place the puzzles on their refrigerators to remember that nothing is too difficult for God to do.
Grades 4-6
Introductory Activity – Spelling Bee
Materials: Paper squares or index cards, marker
Print these letters on squares or cards: a, b, r, a, h, a, m, s, a, r, a, h. Make multiple sets if needed so each person will have a card. (You can include other letters as you choose.)
Mix the cards and distribute the letters. Give a signal and guide kids to group up to spell words. Say: “Scramble!” and kids move to form different words with other kids. After several rounds, tell kids to try and spell names with their letters. Say: “We will hear a story today about Abraham and Sarah.” Lead kids to spell those two names.
Live It Out
Game – Bridge Ball
Materials: foam ball or inflated ball
Guide kids to stand in a circle with legs spread apart. Tell them to stand foot-to-foot. (They will need to stand with legs slightly wider than their shoulders.) Kids can show they are ready to play by standing with hands on knees. Hand the ball to one kid to start the game. Kids try to roll the ball through another’s legs and keep the ball from rolling between their own legs. The ball can only be hit with the open palm, not thrown. When the ball goes between a kid’s legs (bridge), ask a review question. The kid can answer or choose someone to help him answer. Retrieve the ball and start again. Change the game after the story is reviewed. When a ball goes through a kid’s legs, ask him and the friends on either side of him to say the Bible verse together.
Alternate Idea: Increase the challenge by using more than one ball in the game.
Craft – Embossed Plaques
Materials: craft foam rectangles, aluminum tape, dull pencils or toothpicks, colored masking tape (optional)
Lead kids to cover their rectangles of foam with aluminum tape. They can use the pencils or toothpicks to write the today’s Bible verse in the aluminum tape. They can add designs around the words of the verse. Talk about the story and the Life Point as kids work. As an option, offer colored masking tape for kids to make frames around their verse plaques. Tell kids they can place their verse plaques in their homes to remember that nothing is too difficult for God.
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