Preschool: What Jesus Taught: Session 2— Jesus Taught How to Pray (August 10)

1s & 2s — Make a Door Hanger

Bible Story: Jesus Taught How to Pray Matthew 5:1-2; 6:5-13
Life Point: Jesus taught about praying to God.
Weekly Verse: Jesus taught His disciples to pray. Matthew 6:9

Materials: construction paper, hole punch, yarn, colorful stickers, adhesive labels with the Weekly Verse 

• Cut the construction paper into 4-by-9-inch pieces. Lay the supplies on a low table.
• Invite preschoolers to decorate a paper strip with the stickers. Give each child a verse sticker for his strip. Read aloud the verse.
• Talk about the Bible story as preschoolers work. Comment that God wants people to talk to Him.
• Punch a hole in the top of each child’s paper. Help him thread a length of yarn through the hole and tie the ends together. Tell him to hang the reminder on a door at home.

3–Pre-K — Make Bubble Wrap Prints

Bible Story: Jesus Taught How to Pray Matthew 5:1-2; 6:5-13
Life Point: Jesus taught about praying to God.
Weekly Verse: Jesus taught His disciples to pray. Matthew 6:9

Materials: white paper, marker, bubble wrap, tape, wooden blocks, shallow containers of paint, painting smocks, newspaper

• Cover the table with newspaper. Cut the bubble wrap to fit around individual blocks and tape it to the blocks. Print the Weekly Verse on a paper for each child. Help a child put on a smock before painting.
• Show the children how to press the bubble-wrapped block into paint and then onto a paper. Talk about the Bible story as children paint.
• Pray with each child when she finishes her painting. Comment that Jesus taught about praying to God.

Kindergarten — Make Play Dough Words

Bible Story: Jesus Taught How to Pray Matthew 5:1-2; 6:5-13
Life Point: Jesus taught about praying to God.
Weekly Verse: Jesus taught His disciples to pray. Matthew 6:9

Materials: Large index cards, clear contact plastic, marker, play dough

• Before the session print the following words onto large index cards, one word per card: PRAY, GOD, JESUS, NAME. Add other words from the Bible story if you wish. Laminate the cards or cover them with clear contact plastic.
• Invite kids to use the play dough to spell the words on the cards. Guide them to make “ropes” and form them into letters. They can put the letters on top of the cards.
• Tell the Bible story as kids work. Say the Life Point and Weekly Verse together.