Grades 1-3
Introductory Activity – Hard to Do
Materials: construction paper, markers, tape
Print on two of each paper Hard to Do, Easy to Do, and I’ll Never Do It! Tape the three papers on opposite sides of the room. (One set with the three statements.) Give each kid a marker. Form them into two groups, one for each set of papers. Tell them they have five minutes to print something in each of the three papers. Read the responses when they are finishes. Say that in today’s story they will hear about someone who did something difficult.
Live It Out
Game – Keep It Up!
Materials: beach ball or balloon
Guide kids to stand in a group. Bounce the beach ball into the group. Guide kids to continue to bounce the ball up in the air. As they bounce the ball up each time, they can say one word of the Life Point. If the ball hits the floor, start the Life Point over as you restart the ball. Encourage kids to work together to keep the ball up for the entire Life Point. Talk about the Bible story and what Stephen did, even though he faced angry men.
Craft – Accordion Books
Materials: paper (6 by 12 inches), crayons, clear tape
Guide kids to fanfold the paper to create accordion books. They can draw pictures about Jesus on each page of their books. As they work, talk about the Life Point. Suggest kids could use the books to tell stories about Jesus to their friends. If a child wants a longer book, tape the paper strips together along the short ends.
Grades 4-6
Introductory Activity – Would You?
Materials: signs Yes, No, Maybe; tape
Tape the signs in three different areas of the room. (Print the words on paper to create simple signs). Ask kids simple questions and tell them to move to the sign that represents their answers. Sample questions: Would you eat hot peppers? Would you ride in a hot air balloon? Would you turn in a wallet with money that you found in the school hallway? Would you go bungee jumping? Would you walk to school from your house? Would you copy a friend’s homework? Would you work in a food bank with your family stacking food on the shelves? Would you ask a new kid to play a game with you? Pause after each question for kids to move to their answers. Talk about the choices as you choose. Tell kids that sometimes Christians must choose what to say and do when they face difficult times.
Live It Out
Game – Dodge the Cones
Materials: cones or plastic cups, two sets of cards with the words of the Life Point (one word per card)
Mix each set of cards and scatter at one end of the game area. Set up the cones in a line, spaced between the start line and the cards. Group the kids into two teams. Teams should line up at the start line. On your signal, the first player from each team will run to the cones, weave in and out between the cones, pick up a card, and weave back through the cones to the team. Then the next player from the team will repeat the course. Continue until all cards have been retrieved. Guide teams to put the Life Point in order. Talk about times it may be difficult to tell about Jesus. Say the Life Point together. For greater challenge, create a more complicated cones course for kids to navigate.
Craft – Encouragement Cards
Materials: note cards, decorative stickers, patterned scissors, gel pens, colored pencils
Talk about the Life Point. Mention that people need encouragement during difficult times. Say that God uses other people to encourage those who are overwhelmed or discouraged. Tell kids that God can use them to encourage others. Lead them to use the materials to create colorful cards. They may want to make general encouragement cards or make cards for a specific person they think may need encouragement. (If your church supports individual missionaries, lead kids to write notes to one of those people.) After they complete their cards, suggest kids mail or give the cards to people this week. Pray, thanking God that He gives help and sends others to give help when people face difficult times.
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