Grades 1-3
Introductory Activity – Keep It Up
Materials: beach balls or other inflated balls
Toss a beach ball to the group of kids. Challenge them to keep batting the ball up in the air and keep it aloft as long as they can. After a minute or so, add another ball. Say: “I saw you looking up as you were batting the balls. Today in our Bible story the disciples were looking up.”
Live It Out
Game – One Man Out
No materials needed
Group the kids into pairs. If you have an odd number of kids, tell the last kid that he will have a partner soon. If you have an even number of kids, ask an adult to be the first “one man out.” Tell partners to stand back to back. Tell them you will call out “Back to back” and they must stand back-to-back with a new partner. The “one man out” will move to get a partner, too. After you call back to back, ask the remaining kid a review question. She can ask a pair to help with the answer if needed. Continue to call “back to back” and ask questions. Tell kids that Jesus is in heaven now but one day He will return.
Craft – Flip Reminder
Materials: paper, clear sheet protectors, crayons or markers, yarn, scissors
Guide each kid to write the words of the Life Point on a piece of paper and the words of the Bible verse on another piece of paper. Talk about the Bible story and who Jesus is. Lead kids to draw pictures or make designs around the words on each piece of paper. Help a kid hold his papers back-to-back and slide into a sheet protector. Cut a length of yarn 24-36 inches. Help the kid tie the ends of the yarn to the holes in the sheet protector to make a hanger. Suggest kids hang the words on their bedroom doors, on a wall, or on another visible place. They can remember that Jesus is in heaven and will one day return to earth.
Grades 4-6
Introductory Activity – Book Search
Materials: Bibles; letter cards (A, S, C, E, N, S, I, O, N)
Mix the cards. Guide kids to choose cards and find books in the Bible that begin with the chosen letter. Continue for several minutes. Then guide kids to arrange the letters to form a word. Tell kids that they will hear about the ascension today.
Live It Out
Game – Ring Toss
Materials: chenille stems, plastic cups, tape
Use three chenille stems to make a ring. Make several rings. Write 1-2 words of the Life Point on each plastic cup. Set up the cups in a rectangular or triangular pattern. Turn words to face the tossing line. Tape the tossing line a few feet away. Lay rings at the tossing line. Guide kids to take turns tossing the rings, trying to ring the cups. After kids have each had a few practice tosses, say the Life Point. Tell kids to take turns tossing the rings on the words in order. Say the Life Point together and talk about the Bible story.
Craft – Life Point Lookup
Materials: paper plates, scissors, hole punches, yarn, markers
Review the Bible story. Talk about the Life Point. Tell kids that it is important to remember that Jesus is coming back to earth. Lead a preteen to cut paper plates into pieces. He can punch a hole in the top and bottom of each piece and use lengths of yarn to tie the pieces together; leave slight space between each word as you tie them together. Tie a length of yarn in the top hole for a hanger. Tell kids to hang their hangers from the ceiling in their rooms. When they look up (like the disciples did), they can remember that Jesus is coming again someday.
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