Grades 1-3
Introductory Activity – James Says
Materials: no materials needed
Tell the kids to stand facing you. Explain that you will give them a series of commands to obey. When you say, “James says,” before the command, they are to follow your command. However, if you do not say “James says,” they are not to do what you say. If they move and you didn’t say, “James says,” then they have to sit down. The last person standing is the winner! Allow several volunteers to lead the game. Afterward, explain that The Bible teaches people how to live, and we are to obey God’s directions.
Live It Out
Game – Telephone
Materials: no materials needed
Form two teams with the kids and line them up. Tell them you will give the child at the end of each team a simple message. Instruct them to whisper the message down the line to the last kid. Have the children at the end of both teams declare the message they received. The team that states the message most correctly is the winner! Allow time to do several rounds. Explain that it is vital that we accurately share God’s message so that other people will know how to obey Him!
Possible messages to use:
James said I should obey, not just listen to, God’s word.
I need to always control my tongue.
God’s word will put me on the right path.
Craft – Wise Actions Tree
Materials: white paper, brown construction paper, green construction paper, glue, markers
Give each child a piece of white paper, brown construction paper, and green construction paper. Ensure they have access to the other supplies. Instruct them to create and cut out a tree from the brown and green construction paper. Tell them to glue their tree to the white paper. Direct them to write the Weekly Verse on the bottom of the page. On the green part of the tree, instruct them to write down wise actions they should take to show they follow God’s directions.
Grades 4-6
Introductory Activity – Face Off
Materials: no materials needed
Form groups of two with the kids. Tell the groups that one child will say something they learned that week, and the other child must repeat what the first child said exactly. Afterward, they will switch roles. Instruct them to alternate roles several times. Write the Weekly Verse on the board, and explain that they are to learn God’s word and do exactly what it says. Say the Weekly Verse together.
Live It Out
Game – Review Bells
Materials: bell, review questions
Form two teams with the kids and line them up on opposite sides of the room. Place a bell in between the two teams. Tell them you will read review questions from today’s session or a previous session. After you read the question, you will say the name of an animal. Inform them that the first team that sends someone who moves like that animal, rings the bell, and gives the correct answer will receive a point. The team with the most points at the end of the game is the winner!
Craft – Vine of Obedience
Materials: white paper, green construction paper, glue, markers, scissorsGive each child a piece of white paper and a piece of green construction paper. Ensure everyone has access to the other supplies. Instruct them to draw two curvy lines that match each other from top to bottom on the green paper. Tell them to cut the two lines, creating a vine that they will glue to the white paper. Direct them to draw four leaves on the green paper and cut them out. Instruct them to write these phrases on their leaves: QUICK TO LISTEN, SLOW TO SPEAK, SLOW TO GET ANGRY, and CONTROL YOUR TONGUE, one on each leaf. Tell them to glue the leaves to the vine. Instruct the kids to write the Life Point at the bottom of the page.
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