Grades 1-3
Introductory Activity – Who Am I?
Materials: smartphone or recording device
As each child comes in, take them to an area where they cannot be overheard by other children. Each child should record a sentence describing him or herself without saying his or her name. For example, “I am seven years old, have blond hair and am wearing black shoes. Who am I?” When the recording is played, the children must then try to guess who is speaking. Remind kids that though they were not in the room with the person who was speaking, they could tell who each child was by their voice and descriptors. But God doesn’t need any hints about us, because He is always there with us. Today, kids will learn about a time when a man named Jacob encountered God directly.
Live It Out
Game – Create an Obstacle Corse
Materials: various items around the room
Create two teams of kids. Instruct kids to use any items around the space to create an obstacle course. Kids can get creative with this! Once finished, each team can show the other how to run the course. After each team completes the course, gather kids together and talk about what kind of strength it took to complete the course. For example, if kids had to jump over something, they had to use their leg strength, and so on. Remind kids of the Weekly Verse. Tell kids that though physical strength might differ from person to person, God is the one who gives us spiritual strength because He is always with us.
Craft – Paint a rock
Materials: river rocks, acrylic paint, paintbrushes, newspaper
Cover the tables with newspaper. Distribute the rocks and paint to kids. Encourage them to decorate their rock with something that reminds them of God. Maybe it is the color blue, like the sky. Maybe it is the actual word God. Encourage them that after it dries, they can keep the rock in their pocket to remind them of the Life Point: God is everywhere and always with you.
Grades 4-6
Introductory Activity – Memorizing Movements
Materials: none
Create teams of three to four kids depending on your class size. Instruct teams to make up movements that go along with today’s Life Point: God is everywhere and always with you. The movements can be a group routine or individual hand motions. Whatever each team likes! At the end, teams should perform their movements while the rest of the group quotes the Life Point with them. Tell kids they will be learning more about this Life Point in the Bible story.
Live It Out
Game –Bubble Wrap Attack
Materials: 2–3 12-by-12-inch squares of bubble wrap per child
Lay out bubble wrap for each child. Kids should stand behind the bubble wrap and put their hands behind their backs. Kids will stomp on the bubble wrap with just one foot and say today’s Weekly Verse as they stomp all the bubbles out. Then they should race to stack it at the front of the room. Once all the bubble wrap is stacked, talk about how it took strength to stomp out the bubble wrap. Remind kids of the Weekly Verse. Tell kids that though physical strength might differ from person to person, God is the one who gives us spiritual strength because He is always with us.
Craft – Make a Pinwheel
Materials: colorful paper precut into 9-inch squares, scissors, brass fasteners, small wooden dowels, hole punch
Give each child a piece of square paper and fold the square in half at the corners, making a triangle. Unfold and repeat this step from the other corner. This should give you an “X” shape on your paper when you unfold it. Using scissors, make four diagonal cuts on the folded lines of the “X” toward the paper’s center. Stop at least half an inch from the center. Then fold the corner to the left of each cut into the center. Hold the folded points in place while you push a brass fastener through the center or use a hole punch to create a hole and then slide the brass fastener through it. Make sure that you puncture all four folded corners, you will need all four in order for your pinwheel to be formed. Twist the artwork back and forth around the brass fastener a few times until the paper slides easy back and forth. This ensures your pinwheel will be able to turn in the wind. Wrap the ends of the brass fastener around the wooden dowel. Make sure they are tight to avoid your pinwheel sliding down to the bottom of the dowel. Give kids some time to blow on their pinwheels and play with them. Tell them that though they cannot see their breath that makes the pinwheel move, it is there; similarly, we cannot always see God moving, but He is certainly there.
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