************************************************************ Title: Kindergarten Sabbath School Program, February 26, 2000 From: NAD Children's Ministries (author: Lisa Seeders) Date Completed: January 31, 2000 Abstract: Activities to use in place of program helps to teach the lesson, THE CHILDREN'S FRIEND ************************************************************** Lesson Aim: Jesus loves and welcomes children. Memory Verse: "..........'Let the little children come to me, .........for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.'" Matthew 19:14, NIV GETTING THEIR ATTENTION - CHILDREN COLLAGE Materials needed: Magazines Scissors Glue sticks Poster board WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) Draw a large circle on the poster board. Have it take up the majority of the poster board. WHAT THE CHILDREN DO: Give each child a magazine. Have them look for pictures of children, cut them out, and glue them inside the circle on the poster board. When the circle is full of children explain to your students that the Bible story today is about children; all kinds of children. They didn't look like these children; they didn't dress like these children, but Jesus drew them into His circle of love because He loves children! GO STRAIGHT INTO THE BIBLE STORY. GETTING INTO SCRIPTURE - BIBLE STORY TAPE Materials needed: Cassette tape recorder and blank tape Small strips of paper WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) On the small strips of paper write the following sentences, one sentence to a strip. 1. I want to go see Jesus. 2. How long will it take to get there? 3. Are we almost there yet? 4. Can I touch Him? 5. Why are those men frowning at us? 6. Maybe Jesus doesn't like us. 7. I want to go home! 8. Look! Jesus is smiling at me. 9. Jesus says I can sit on His lap. 10. Will you go with me mommy? 11.Jesus tells such good stories. 12. I'm glad I could see Jesus. 13. I love Jesus! Roll the slips of paper up and place them in a basket or jar for the children to draw out. Place numbers beside paragraphs in your quarterly where the above sentences could be inserted and spoken by the children. If your Sabbath school is larger, think up more sentences to add to those suggested above. Each child should have at least one thing to speak into the recorder during the Bible story. WHAT THE CHILDREN DO: Tell the children that they are going to pretend to be the children in the Bible story. They are to draw out a slip of paper from the basket or jar. As you tell the Bible story you will point to them when you want them to say what is on their slip of paper. (IT WOULD HELP TREMENDOUSLY IF YOU HAVE AN ADULT OR YOUTH HELPER WHO WOULD STAND BEHIND THE CHILD AND WHISPER WHAT IS ON THEIR PIECE OF PAPER RIGHT BEFORE THEY SAY IT.) Make sure and write down the child's name beside the number in your quarterly. Then you will know exactly who to point to at the appropriate time. Turn the recorder on and narrate the story inserting the children's comments as appropriate. Remind the children to be quiet during the recording. Play back the story. The children will enjoy hearing their voices in the re-telling of the story. Point out to them how important they were in helping you with the story. Our story today shows us that children are important to Jesus too. GETTING INTO SCRIPTURE - RED/LIGHT GREEN/LIGHT MEMORY VERSE GAME Materials needed: Bibles WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) There are no advance preparations necessary. WHAT THE CHILDREN DO: Show the children where the memory verse is found in the Bible. Divide the memory verse into two parts. (Let the little children come to me) (for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these). Point to a child and ask them to repeat the first part of the memory verse. Point to another child and ask for the second part of the verse. Continue doing this until they understand what to repeat when you ask for it. Line the children up horizontally across the back of the room. You stand at the front of the room. When you turn your back to the children they may advance toward you. When you turn back toward them they must be completely still. Whatever child is still moving needs to repeat whatever portion of the memory verse you ask for. (Part 1 - Let the little children come to me or Part 2 - for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.) If they repeat it fairly well, they can remain where they are. If not, they need to return to the back of the room and begin moving forward again. The game is not over until all the children reach the front of the room. Explain to the children that Jesus wants all His children to come to Him. ACTING ON SCRIPTURE - COMING TO JESUS Materials needed: 1 piece of heavy card stock paper for each child 1 piece of string (approximately 6-8 ") for each child A picture of Jesus for each child (About the size of the one on p. 33 of the quarterly. Xerox that one and lighten it if necessary.) Colored construction paper Glue sticks WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) There are no advance preparations necessary except for gathering the materials. WHAT THE CHILDREN DO: Give each child a piece of heavy card stock paper. Have them glue the picture of Jesus on the far left-hand side of the paper. Give each child a piece of colored construction paper of their choice. Draw a small gingerbread type figure on the paper that represents them. Have them cut it out. Punch two small holes in the heavy card stock paper with the tip of scissors. Punch one near the Jesus figure and one at the far right hand side of the card stock. The holes need to be big enough to thread the string through. Thread the string through both holes so it looks like a path on the front of the card stock and tie it in the back. It needs to be taut. Tape the construction paper figure to the string at the hole near the far-right hand side of the card stock. Show the children how to pull the string in the back to move their figure closer to the picture of Jesus. Talk about ways children can come to Jesus. (Telling Him they love Him; Praying; Listening to books and tapes that talk about Jesus; Singing about Him etc.)