************************************************************* Title: Kindergarten Sabbath School Program, January 22, 2000 From: NAD Children's Ministries (author: Lisa Seeders) Date Completed: December 15, 1999 Abstract: Activities to use as a supplement to help teach the lesson, A SPECIAL INVITATION ************************************************************** Lesson Aim: Jesus invites us to share His happiness in heaven. Memory Verse: "............make them come in, so that my house will be full." Luke 14:23, NIV GETTING THEIR ATTENTION - WHO'S INVITED? (A multi-sensory activity) Materials needed: Fresh fruit (small quantities of whatever is available this time of year) Small fancy party plates Napkins Invitations (homemade or bought; one for each child in the class) White paper tablecloth (Used later during Getting Into Scripture time) Candlesticks, candles Pretty centerpiece Crackers WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) Prepare a nice-looking table in a corner of the room. Make it look as fancy as possible without jeopardizing your good things. Set a place for each child. Arrange the fruit and crackers on a tray. On each child's invitation write the following message making sure their name is clearly visible for them to see on the inside of the invitation. After inserting the invitations into envelopes, DO NOT PUT THEIR NAME ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE ENVELOPE. Drop all the invitations into a basket or box. ____________________is invited to a special Sabbath celebration. It will be at the table in the corner. Please come and take your place anywhere you wish at the table. WHAT THE CHILDREN DO: Refer to the table and comment that you have prepared a treat today. Not everyone can enjoy the treat, however, only those children who have an invitation may come. Display the invitation envelopes. Have a child select any one of them, open it and show it to the rest of the group. Read the invitation out loud. Whoever's name is written on the invitation goes over and takes his/her place at the table. Repeat this procedure until all the envelopes have been distributed and the children are all seated around the table. While enjoying the snack together ask the following questions: 1. Were you glad your name was on an invitation? 2. Suppose after you all received your invitation you decided not to come over to my little party. How would I feel? In our Bible story today Jesus tells a story about a man who invites his friends to a special dinner. They did exactly what we just talked about. They didn't show up. GO STRAIGHT INTO THE BIBLE STORY. GETTING INTO SCRIPTURE - BIBLE STORY ART (A primarily visual activity) Materials needed: White paper tablecloth from Getting Their Attention Activity Crayons WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) There are no advance preparations necessary. WHAT THE CHILDREN DO: After clearing away the party supplies give each child some crayons. As you tell the Bible story have them illustrate it on the tablecloth in front of them. They will draw the banquet table, put some food on it, then draw people around the table. Encourage them to be creative and add other features as they hear and imagine the story. GETTING INTO SCRIPTURE - MEMORY VERSE GAME (An auditory & kinesthetic activity) Materials needed: Blindfold Bible WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) Clear an area of the room so there is nothing to stumble over as the children move around. WHAT THE CHILDREN DO: Show the children where the memory verse is found in the Bible. Repeat it several times together. Select one child to be the servant. (Choose someone who can repeat the memory verse without difficulty). Blindfold the servant. The remaining children move around within the cleared area. Only walking, no running or ducking etc. When the servant taps or catches one of the moving children, he (the servant) has to say the memory verse. If he says it correctly, he takes his blindfold off and goes and sits in one corner of the room designated the house. He has been successful in bringing someone to the dinner. The child who was caught becomes the servant. He puts the blindfold on and goes out to "catch" another guest for dinner. He also has to repeat the memory verse after he has caught someone. Any time someone cannot repeat the memory verse they let go of the "guest" they have caught and go look for another. Repeat the memory verse with the child before he goes looking for another guest. When all the children have been caught as "guests" and are sitting in the corner the game is over. ACTING ON SCRIPTURE - Heavenly invitations Materials needed: Construction paper (Approximately 3 pieces for each child) Fruit or food stickers Markers WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) Fold the pieces of construction paper in half. On the front print in large letters the words, You're Invited...... On the inside right of each card print the words:....to a banquet in Heaven with Jesus. See you there! On the inside left draw a table. WHAT THE CHILDREN DO: Talk with the children about how the parable story that Jesus told in the lesson is one way He wanted us to know about the special feast He is preparing to share with us in Heaven. We want everyone to know and have an invitation to this feast. Give each child an invitational card. First they trace the words, You're invited, on the front of the card with markers. Next they decorate the table with food and fruit stickers, and last they sign the card. Encourage them to share their cards with others this week. They can make more at home by copying from one of these.