Grades 1-3
Introductory Activity – Grain Relay
Materials: four buckets; small cups or scoops; oatmeal, barley, or other small loose grain
Divide the grain between two of the buckets. Set these buckets on a table in the middle of the room. Place the two empty buckets and cups at the start line. Group kids into two teams. Say: “Go!” and the first member of each team will take a cup, run to the grain buckets, scoop some grain into the cup, run back, and pour the grain into the team bucket. The next team member will take the cup and run down to get more grain. Tell kids to scoop only about half a cupful each time so grain will not fall on the floor. Teams must clean up any spilled grain. Call: “Stop!” Determine which team has more grain. Pour the grain back into the beginning buckets and play the game again. Tell kids that they will hear a story that includes grain.
Live It Out
Game – Verse Pass
Materials: foam ball
Lead kids to sit on the floor (or in chairs) in a circle. Say the Bible verse together. Hand the ball to a child to start the game. The first child says the first word of the verse and passes the ball to the right; the next child says the second word as she passes the ball; and so forth. After the verse has been completed, stop passing the ball. Ask a review question for kids to answer. Then start saying the verse and passing the ball again. Repeat several times. As you choose, change saying the verse to saying the Life Point as you pass the ball.
Craft – Spiral Mobile
Materials: paper plates; pencils; thin-line black markers; scissors; hole punch; yarn; wide markers, watercolors, or other art supplies
Guide kids to draw a wide spiral on the back of paper plates, from the edge to the center. Use pencils and make the spiral lines heavy. Use thin-line markers to write the words of the Life Point between the spiral lines. (Kids could write the Bible verse instead.) Lead kids to use markers, paint, or other materials to decorate the other side of the plate. Encourage them to use blocks of color or large designs rather than small, intricate designs. They can also add decorative elements around the words. As kids finish their designs, tell them to cut along the spiral line all the way to the center of the plate. Punch a hole in the middle and tie a length of yarn through this hole (as a hanger). Show kids how to hold the end of the yarn and pull up to see the spiral. Suggest kids hang their spiral mobiles at home to remind them that they can trust God.
Grades 4-6
Introductory Activity – Ring a Name
Materials: paper plates, scissors, markers, tape
Cut the middles from paper plates to make rings. Write the letters of Ruth’s name on the paper plate middles (one per middle). Scatter the letters around the game area and tape them to the floor. Use the tape to make a tossing line a few feet from the letters. Guide kids to take turns tossing the rings onto the letters. Challenge them to ring the letters in order to spell Ruth’s name. (Most of the letter should be inside the ring for it to count.) Comment that they will hear a story about Ruth today.
Optional: Write the letters on plastic bottles. Guide kids to ring the bottles in order.
Live It Out
Game – Silent Order
Materials: paper, marker
Write the words of the Bible verse on paper, one word per page. Create a set of words for each team. Group the kids into teams. Mix a team’s words and hand one word per child. Team members should hold their words facing their bodies. Tell the kids that their teams must put the words in order without speaking. On your signal, kids turn their words facing out; teams work together without speaking to put their words in order of the verse. When a team completes their verse, they hold the words over their heads to indicate they have finished. Review the story and talk about how the people trusted God. As time permits, shuffle teams, hand out words, and play again.
Craft – Build a Reminder
Materials: paper, markers, straws, tape
Talk about the Bible story and the Life Point. Invite kids to use the materials to create reminders with the words of the Life Point. They can create any type of reminder they choose – a 3-D sculpture or a hanging reminder or another type of reminder. Encourage kids to think of ways that people can trust and obey God.
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