Grades 1-3
Introductory Activity – I Spy
Materials: small animal figures
Before kids arrive, place the animal figures around the room, in places where kids can see them from their seats. Say: “I spy something red” (not necessarily one of the animal figures). Guide kids to guess what you spy. When it is guessed, spy something else. After a couple of rounds, spy one of the animals. Continue with the game. You may want kids to take turns spying things. Tell kids that in the Bible story today, people had to look for things.
Live It Out
Game – Drop the Coin
Materials: cardboard circle covered in foil
Choose a kid to be It. Guide the group to stand in a circle, facing inward. It holds the “coin” and walks around the outside of the circle. She drops the coin behind someone and walks quickly away. The chosen child walks around the circle quickly, trying to tag It before she gets back to the now empty spot. When It stands in the empty spot or is tagged, ask a review question. The chosen child answers to question. Then he becomes the new It and play continues. Talk about the story with kids and say the Life Point together.
Craft – Adjectives for God
Materials: white board, marker, paper, markers
Help the kids brainstorm adjectives that describe God. Print the words on the whiteboard. Give each child a paper. Tell kids to choose their five favorites from the words and write them on their papers. They can choose to decorate their papers by drawing or coloring, if they wish. Remind kids that Jesus told the parables to help people learn about God. Tell them to put their papers on display at home.
Grades 4-6
Introductory Activity – “I Lost It” Game
Materials: none
Guide kids to sit in a circle. Start the game by saying: “I went on a trip and I lost my hat.” Lead the kid to your right to say: “I went on a trip and I lost my hat and _____.” She should fill in the blank with another item. The next kid should say the sentence with the two items named and add a third. Continue around the circle. If someone forgets an item, help him recall all the items and add to it. Tell kids that in today’s Bible story, people each lost something.
Live It Out
Game – Lost Sheep Relay
Materials: yardsticks (one per team), foam balls (one per team), cups
Arrange the cups into a zigzag course. Group the kids into two (or more) teams. Tell kids: “The ball is your team’s lost sheep. You will take turns moving your lost sheep back to the fold.” Give the first player on each team a ball and a yardstick. On your signal, the players use the yardsticks to move the balls around the course and back to the start line. The next team’s player takes the yardstick and moves the “sheep” through the course. The first team to complete the course with all team members wins. Talk about the Bible story. Ask: “How did the shepherd feel when he found his lost sheep?” Say that Jesus told this parable to help people know how much God loves them. Say the Weekly Verse together.
Craft – Comic Strip Story
Materials: paper, pens, markers
Review the three parables Jesus told in today’s Bible story. Guide the kids to pick one of the stories and turn it into a comic strip. Show them how to make boxes to draw in and use word balloons for dialogue. Explain they can draw stick figures. Talk about how Jesus used parables or stories to teach people about God.
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