Grades 1-3
Introductory Activity – Match My Steps
No materials needed.
Guide kids to walk in a line behind you. (Tell kids to maintain space between one another.) Lead kids to walk, shuffle, hop, or walk in other odd ways. After a minute or so, move to the back of the line and allow the kid behind you to lead the line. Change leaders several times. (For larger groups, make several lines to walk around the room.) Tell kids that Elijah followed what God wanted him to do.
Live It Out
Game – Draw Review
Materials: dry erase board and marker or large paper and marker; words or names from the Bible story printed on paper squares; timer; cleaning wipes
Guide a child to choose one of the paper squares and read the word/name to himself. On your signal, he will draw for one minute so the other kids can guess the word or name. When someone guesses (or the time is up), talk about the word or name. Recall parts of the Bible story. Choose another child to draw a new word or name. (Clean the marker between children.)
Craft – Keychain
Materials: lengths of leather or plastic cord (each about 8 inches), split rings, pony beads, letter beads
Invite a child to make a keychain or zipper pull. Help the child fold the cord in half and run the loop end of the cord through a split ring. Then he can bring the two ends of the cord back and through the loop, pulling tight. This will attach the split ring to the cord. Guide kids to thread pony beads onto their cords. They can add the letters G-O-D to their cords, too. Help them tie knots at the ends of the cords to secure the beads. Talk about the Bible story. Say the Life Point. Tell kids to carry the keychain with them (or place it on their backpack zippers) to remind them that God is the only God.
Grades 4-6
Introductory Activity – Name That Event
Materials: paper squares, marker
On each paper square, print an event that a preteen might do every day: brush teeth, text a friend, ride to school, watch TV, read a book, do homework, listen to music, practice an instrument, sleep, talk on a phone. Add a few special events: blow candles on a birthday cake, open a present, go to an amusement park, go to a movie.
Choose a volunteer. Ask the volunteer to step outside the room for a minute. Show the event to the rest of the group. Call the volunteer back to the group. Tell him that he can ask 10 questions to try and figure out what the event is. (Possible questions: Do I need help to do this? What time of day does this happen? Does this happen at home or somewhere else? Questions do not need to be yes/no.) If he does not know the answer after 10 questions, give a few hints. After the event is named, choose another volunteer and play again.
After several events, comment that most of these events are things kids do every day. Tell them that they will hear about an unusual event in today’s Bible story.
Live It Out
Game – What’s the Question?
No materials
Tell kids that you will review the Bible story in an opposite way. You will give them an answer and they must ask a question to go with the answer. Say: “The answer is a mountain.” Call on a preteen to supply a question. (For example, What is Carmel in the story? Where did Elijah meet the prophets of Baal?) Questions may vary but should be considered correct if it corresponds to your answer. Continue giving answers and calling for questions. Your answers can be as specific or general as you choose but should be related to the Bible story, Life Point, or related application previously discussed. As time permits, group kids into pairs or threes to play the game. Kids can alternate giving answers and supplying questions.
Craft – Doorknob Reminder
Materials: heavyweight paper, markers, stickers, ribbon, glue, collage materials, scissors
Lead kids to cut circles or other shapes from heavyweight paper. Help a preteen cut a length of ribbon, fold it, and glue the ends to the back of her shape to create a hanger. Tell her to print Honor and obey God in the middle of the shape. She can use the art materials to decorate around the question. Talk about the Bible story and the Life Point. Suggest kids print the Life Point on the backs of their shapes. Tell kids to hang the reminder on the doorknobs to their rooms. They will be reminded that God is the only God and they should honor and obey Him.
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