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Title: Kindergarten Sabbath School Program, May 26,
2001

From: NAD Children's Ministries (author: Lisa Seeders)

Date Completed: May 1, 2001

Abstract: Activities to use in place of program helps
to teach the lesson, A HIDDEN BABY BOY
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Lesson Aim: To help the children see the importance of
learning while they are young to love and serve Jesus. 

Memory Verse: "The Lord is with me; I will not be
afraid."  Psa. 118:6, NIV


GETTING THEIR ATTENTION -HIDING BABY

Materials needed:
Strawberry baskets (pint size; one for each child)
Napkins (one for each basket)
Small baby doll 
   (small enough to fit inside one of the baskets)

WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead)
Line each basket with a napkin.  Select one of the
baskets to put the baby doll in.  Regardless of the
size of your Sabbath school you would need at least 8
baskets to make this activity challenging.

WHAT THE CHILDREN DO:
Line the baskets up in a horizontal row a little above
the children's eye level, so they cannot see where the
baby is.  Have a volunteer guess which basket has
something hiding in it.  Whoever guesses correctly
comes to the front and re-hides the baby in a basket
while the rest of the children shut their eyes.  Every
time a child guesses correctly he/she may re-hide the
baby.   In our story today a real baby is hidden in a
basket and left floating along the riverbank.  GO
STRAIGHT INTO THE BIBLE STORY.


GETTING INTO SCRIPTURE - BIBLE STORY BASKET BOAT

Materials needed:
Strawberry pint baskets from previous activity 
  (one for each child)
Razor blade
15" ribbon for each child
Cotton balls
One spool for each child
Thin-line markers
Hot glue gun & glue sticks

WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead)
If the strawberry baskets are the solid cardboard
style, make vertical slits (5-6 on each side of the
basket) Make the slits wide enough for a child to be
able to weave their ribbon in and out of.  If the
baskets are the plastic pre-woven style, the slats are
already there to weave the ribbon in and out of.  Cut
each child a piece of ribbon, 15" in length. 

WHAT THE CHILDREN DO:
1.  Have the children weave basket boats by threading
    the ribbon in and out the vertical slits in the
    strawberry baskets.  Hot glue the ends of the
    ribbon together when they meet.
2.  Give each child cotton balls to line the basket
    boat.
3.  The spools are the "babies".  Have them take
    fine-tip markers and draw faces and other features
    on their babies.  Then place them in their basket
    boats.


GETTING INTO SCRIPTURE - MEMORY VERSE NURSERY

Materials needed:
A laundry basket (preferably a bamboo or wood one)
A blanket to line the basket with
A baby doll (preferably one that cries)
A bottle
A pacifier
A baby blanket
A stuffed toy
A disposable diaper
(10) sheets of plain white paper
Bibles

WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead)
On the ten sheets of paper write the memory verse
words, one word to a sheet.  Place them in a path-like
pattern with the laundry basket at the end of the path
following the word, "afraid".  Line the laundry basket
with a blanket and place the baby doll inside.  Put the
other items in a diaper bag or brown paper bag.

WHAT THE CHILDREN DO:
Show the children where the memory verse is found in
the Bible.  Repeat it several times together.  Remind
the children of Miriam's job of watching over little
brother, Moses while he floated in the Nile.  Do you
think this memory verse text would help someone have
courage when they have a job like hers?


Turn the baby on or pretend that it is crying.  A child
takes something from the diaper bag or sack and repeats
each word of the memory verse as they step over the
stones to reach the baby in the river.  If they get to
the baby without missing any stepping stones, (if they
missed they would fall into the river) they leave what
they've brought for the baby in the basket and it is
the next child's turn.  Encourage the children to keep
the activity flowing as quickly as possible so the
princess does not hear the baby crying.  For large
Sabbath schools the activity can be done several times
or several "relays" can be set-up and going at the same
time.


ACTING ON SCRIPTURE - MEMORY VERSE SONG

Materials needed:
Piano player OR cassette recorder and blank tape
Music for the tune of "The Wise Man Built His House
Upon a Rock"

WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead)
Practice singing the memory verse to the tune of "The
Wise Man Built His House Upon a Rock."  Instead of
singing, "I will" use the contraction "I'll".  Make up
hand or body motions to go along with the song.

For example: 

The Lord (point upward to Heaven) 
Is with me (point to yourself) 
I'll not be afraid (shudder and grasp your arms at the
elbows as if in fright) 
The Lord is with me; I'll not be afraid
The Lord is with me; I'll not be afraid
The Lord is with me; I'll not be afraid
Says Psalms 118: verse 6