Grades 1-3
Introductory Activity – Blow the Books
Materials: paper squares, marker, box fan
Print the names of the books of the New Testament on paper squares, one per square. Set the box fan near the game area. Tell kids to stand outside the game area. Turn on the fan and drop the paper squares in front of it so that the book names blow throughout the play area. On your signal, kids should work together to gather the book names and put the books of the New Testament in order as quickly as possible. Gather the paper squares, mix, and play again as time permits. Tell kids that today’s story is in the New Testament, in the Book of Acts.
Live It Out
Game – Move to Answer
Materials: 1 large YES sign and 1 large NO sign
Tape the two signs on opposite sides of the room. Guide kids to stand in the middle of the room or play area. Ask a yes/no review question about the Bible story. Tell kids to move to the answer they choose. Call on the group with the largest representation to answer. They should answer, “Yes and ___” telling one more thing about the story. Or they should answer, “No because ____” correcting the statement.
Craft – Story Triptych
Materials: heavyweight paper, markers, wide tape
Provide three pieces of paper for each child. Say: “Christians can trust that the Holy Spirit is with them.” Guide kids to draw three scenes from today’s Bible story. Talk about the things Paul did in Rome and how the Holy Spirit was with him. When a child completes all three pictures, help him lay his three pictures side by side, with sides touching. Help him cut a length of tape and use the tape to connect two of his pictures along the side. He can add the third picture. If desired, flip over the triptych and tape again on the back to reinforce the connection. Tell the child to fold on the tape and stand up his triptych.
Grades 4-6
Introductory Activity – Catapult
Materials: plastic spoons, cotton balls, paper, marker
Print the words of the Life Point on paper, one word per page. Scatter the words at one end of the game area. Guide kids to stand at the opposite end of the game area. Show kids how to hold a plastic spoon up and facing out. Hold a cotton ball in the spoon, pull it back slightly, and launch it across the room. Kids can take turns catapulting cotton balls onto the words of the Life Point. Challenge kids to hit the words in order. Tell kids they will hear a story about Paul, who traveled and told many people about Jesus.
Live It Out
Game – Straw Pull
Materials: small bowl, 8-10 straws, paper cup
Set the bowl on a table. Lay the straws across the bowl to create a platform. Stand the cup on the platform. (Upside down will make the cup more sturdy.)
Group the kids into two teams. Ask Team 1 a review question. If the team gets the question wrong, one player must slide/remove a straw from the bowl without toppling the cup. If the team gets the question correct, Team 2 must remove a straw. Then ask Team 2 a review question. Continue alternating questions and removing straws until the cup topples. The team that topples the cup receives 5 points. Reset and continue play. The team with the least number of points wins. (Or play without the points element.)
Craft – Break the Chain
Materials: scissors, black construction paper, tape, silver permanent marker or paint pen
Help kids cut black construction paper into strips. Circle the first strip together and tape the ends together. Then make a chain by threading the next strip through the first circle and taping the ends together and so on. Kids can make their chains as long as they’d like. On the middle six links, kids should write each of the following words on each link: Christians can trust the Holy Spirit. Remind kids that the Holy Spirit was with Paul during his difficult times.
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