Grades 1-3
Introductory Activity—Follow the Leader
Materials: music
As kids arrive, appoint a leader. Start playing a song and instruct the leader to dance any way she’d like. The other kids should copy the leader’s moves exactly. The leader can yell at any point “Free dance,” and let everyone freestyle. She can then say “Mirror,” so everyone goes back to copying. Appoint as many leaders as possible! Kids can join in as they arrive. When the dancing time is over, tell kids they will hear about people who decided to follow a new leader.
Live It Out
Game—True or False
Materials: True and False written on a separate sheets of paper, tape
Attach each paper to opposite sides of the space. Point out the sign on each wall. When you read a review statement from below, Kids should walk to the correct side of the room to answer the question. If a statement is false, encourage the kids to give the correct statement. After all the statements are answered, say the Life Point together.
Jesus walked beside the Sea of Tarsus. (False, it was the Sea of Galilee)
Jesus told brothers Simon and Andrew to follow Him. (True)
Jesus told them they would fish for people. (True)
After going home to eat lunch and say goodbye to their families, they followed Jesus. (False, they followed Him immediately
John’s brother was Matthew. (False, it was James)
Matthew’s old name was Judah. (False, it was Levi)
Matthew was collecting money from God’s people. (True)
Jesus called and sent out ten disciples. (False, twelve disciples)
James later betrayed Jesus. (False, Judas later betrayed Jesus.)
Craft—Let’s Fish!
Materials: paper cut into fish shapes, yarn cut into 1-foot pieces, tacky glue, plastic straws or sticks of any type, markers or crayons
Instruct kids to start decorating their fish. Tie the end of the yarn to the plastic straws or sticks and glue the other side to the fish. You may also punch a hole into the fish and tie the other side directly to the fish if you would rather not use glue. Tell kids to remember that many of the disciples were fishing for food, Jesus told them to follow Him and they would be fishers of men!
Grades 4-6
Introductory Activity—Can You Hear Me?
Materials: music, headphones
Choose two kids to play while everyone else watches. Have one kid put in headphones and play worship music on a high volume. The other kid should read off one of the following phrases:
1. I saw a kitten in the kitchen.
2. Did you see Susie in the sushi shop?
3. I’ve got a date at a quarter to eight.
4. Can we go to church camp, Kami?
The child with headphones should guess what the other said. Play with several kids. Mention that listening to Jesus is important. Tell kids to listen for what Jesus told some men.
Live It Out
Game—Match the Person to the Book
Materials: sticky notes, pen
On separate sticky notes, write the following words: Paul, Romans, Jesus, Matthew, Woman at the Well, John, Isaiah, Isaiah, Jonah, Jonah, Noah, Genesis, Adam and Eve, Genesis, Moses, Exodus, Daniel, Daniel, Peter, Mark, Silas, Acts, Barnabas, Acts. You may add or remove some of these based on the number of kids you have. Give each child a sticky note and when you say go, allow them to look at their character or book and find the match. There are some similar books, so remind kids that there are multiple characters in some books of the Bible. Talk about the people mentioned and how they followed and obeyed God and Jesus.
Craft—Get to Know the Twelve
Materials: wooden craft sticks (twelve per kid), markers, plastic baggies
Give each kid twelve wooden craft sticks. On one side, they should draw a person, and on the other side, they should write the name of one disciple. Tell kids they can use these sticks to help them memorize each of the twelve men Jesus originally called to be His disciples! Remind the kids that these men made the choice to follow Jesus, and they can do the same. Give kids plastic baggies to keep the sticks in when they leave.
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