Grades 1-3
Introductory Activity – Hey, Hey, I Can Pray
Materials: None
Lead the kids to say phrases with a rhythm. Examples might include: “Hey, hey, I can pray.” Or “Jesus taught us how to pay. He gave us sample words to say.” Have the kids clap or stomp as they repeat the phrases. Say that today’s Bible story is about learning to pray.
Live It Out
Game – Spelling Toss
Materials: 4 dishpans or other containers, beanbags (or paper wads)
Label each of the 4 containers with one of the letters in the word PRAY. Set the containers at one end of the game area.
Group the kids into two (or more) teams. Tell kids that the teams will take turns tossing beanbags into containers. Each time the beanbag lands in a container, you will ask that team a review question. If the question is answered correctly, the team is awarded the letter from that container. The team that answers a question for each letter wins. Talk about what Jesus said about prayer. Say the Life Point together.
Craft – Prayer Clips
Materials: wooden clothespins, markers, felt, construction paper, scissors, glue, magnet strips
Guide a child to color a clothespin with markers. She can cut out simple shapes from felt or paper and glue to the clothespin. Tell her to cut a piece of magnet strip and attach to the back of the clothespin. She can list people for whom she could pray on a piece of paper and clip the paper in the clothespin. Tell kids to place their clips in a place to remind them to pray for others. They can add more prayer requests on the clips.
Grades 4-6
Introductory Activity – Define It
Materials: paper, markers, tape
Post signs that read Who?, What?, When?, Where?, Why?, How?. Give paper and markers to kids. Tell them to think about prayer. They can write down answers to the questions about prayer. Who prays? Who do we pray to? What do we pray about? When do we pray? Where do we pray? Why do we pray? How do we pray?
They can write answers and ideas about prayer and tape them to the wall. They can answer each question on a different piece of paper as they choose. Tell kids that they will explore prayer today.
Live It Out
Game – Four in a Row
Materials: masking tape, flying disk, two colors of construction paper (several sheets of each), Review Questions
Make a grid on the floor that is at least 4 squares by 4 squares; the grid can be larger. Group kids into two teams; each team chooses a paper color. The first member of Team 1 tosses the flying disk to land on the grid. If the disk lands on a square, ask the team a review question. For a correct answer, the team places one of its colored papers in the square. If the answer is incorrect, the team does not place paper in the square. If the disk misses the grid, the team does not get a question. Then Team 2 takes a turn. Play goes back and forth between teams until one team gets 4 squares in a straight line.
Craft – Street Signs
Materials: red, yellow, and white heavyweight paper, markers, scissors
Read the Life Point and talk about it. Recall the Bible story and what Jesus said about prayer. Guide kids to think of street signs that could be used as reminders about prayer. (Examples: STOP and thank God; YIELD to God and ask Him for help; ONE WAY, let’s pray; TURN RIGHT to God and pray.) After you make a list, tell kids to choose paper and create a street sign reminder. Allow them to be creative as they work. Say the Bible verse together.
Leave a Reply