Grades 1–6: Jesus Is the Savior! — Session 3: Thomas Believed (April 19)

Grades 1-3

Introductory Activity – Blow and Spell It

Materials: painters tape, marker, pom-poms

Attach a long piece of tape to a table or the floor. Print letters of the alphabet on the tape, with space between each letter. Include these letters (among others ): a, l, i, v, e.
Group the kids into teams. Say that team members will take turns blowing the pom-pom across the line. They should only cross the line over one of the letters in the word alive. On your signal, the first player of each team tries to blow the team’s pom-pom across the line over one of the appropriate letter. After two tries, players switch to the next one on the team. When a team crosses all the letters, the team should shout, “Alive!” Play a few rounds of the game. Tell kids that they will hear a Bible story after Jesus’ resurrection, when He was alive again.

Live It Out

Game – Toss to Review

Materials: several baskets or containers, beanbags, paper, marker

Print point values on the paper. Place one of the point values in each container. Set the containers in a line, with lowest point value closest to the toss line and highest point values furthest from the toss line.
Group kids into teams. Players from each team will take turns tossing beanbags into the containers. If a player misses the containers on the first toss, he can have a second toss. If he misses the second toss, he moves back into his team’s line. When a beanbag lands in a container, ask that team a review question. If the question is answered correctly, award the points for that container. If the answer is incorrect, no points are awarded. After the review questions have been asked at least twice, ask teams to repeat the Life Point or the Weekly Verse for additional points.

Craft – Duct Tape Wristband

Materials: heavyweight paper, scissors, several colors of duct tape, permanent markers, Velcro dots

Lead kids to cut paper strips that will fit around their wrists. Kids can cut lengths of duct tape and wrap around the paper strip to create a colored band. After the strip is covered, help kids write Jesus is the Savior! on their wristbands. When a child has completed his wristband, he can add part of a Velcro dot to each end; place one side of the dot on the back of the band at one end and on the top of the band at the other end. Show him how to fit the band around his wrist and attach the dots to secure the band. Encourage kids to wear their wristbands to tell others that Jesus’ resurrection was necessary to save people from sin.

Grades 4-6

Introductory Activity – Body Part Musical Chairs

Materials: chairs in a circle, music

Guide kids to stand around the outside of the circle of chairs. Tell them you will play musical chairs, but with a slight change. When the music stops, you will call out a body part, kids must touch that body part to a chair. Play music and guide kids to walk around the circle of chairs. Stop the music and call: “Elbow.” All kids must touch their elbows to a chair. (More than one elbow can be on a chair.) If a kid cannot get to a chair, he must stand out for one round. Start the music. Kids walk again. Stop the music and call another body part. After a few rounds, remove a couple of chairs to make the game more challenging. As the game continues, modify the rules to create more challenge. (Touch with two body parts; touch two chairs instead of just one chair; etc.) Say: “Today we will hear a story about someone who wanted to see Jesus’ hands.”

Live It Out

Game – Question Match

Materials: paper (2 colors), marker

Print each of the review questions on two colors of paper. Print the answers to the questions on separate papers of the same color. Form kids into two teams. Crumple the papers with the questions and answers on the floor. Assign each team a color. When you say “Go,” one person from each team should grab one of their team’s papers, open the paper, and read it to her team. The next person on the team should do the same until all the papers are collected. Then the teams can try to match the questions and the answers. Let the teams take turns reading a question and answer. If the team has made a correct match, award a point. Say the Life Point together.

Craft – 3-D Sculpture

Materials: paper, straws, craft sticks, scissors, tape, glue, markers

Review the Bible story. Talk about the Life Point and the Weekly Verse. Provide the art materials and tell kids to use the materials to create sculptures. Allow them to create whatever they choose to remind them that Jesus’ resurrection means people can believe that Jesus is alive. As they work, suggest they write the Life Point or Weekly Verse and add that as part of their sculptures. As kids finish their sculptures, encourage them to show and explain the sculptures.