****************************************************************************** Title: Kindergarten Sabbath School Program, July 10, 1999 From: NAD Children's Ministries (author: Lisa Seeders) Date Completed: June 15, 1999 Abstract: Activities to use as a supplement to help teach the lesson, A SPECIAL BABY ****************************************************************************** Lesson Aim: Jesus is God's special gift of love. Memory Verse: "You are to give him the name Jesus............" Matt. 1:21, NIV GETTING THEIR ATTENTION - BABY VISIT Materials needed: Try and arrange for a new mother to bring her infant into the classroom If a real infant is not available supply dolls and blankets Baby supplies: diapers, bottle, infant medicines, baby shampoo etc. WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) Place the baby supplies in a diaper bag or suitcase so they're out of sight. WHAT THE CHILDREN DO: If a real infant is available, have the mother sit within a small group of children. Discuss the following questions calling for volunteers to draw items from the diaper bag or suitcase when appropriate. (Children at this age generally are enthralled with babies, but if one is not available, supply each child with a doll. As the questions are discussed and the items retrieved from the bag, they can pretend to "care" for their baby as they so desire.) 1. Why do you think little babies are special? 2. What do people do to take care of little babies? 3. If you had a brand new baby at your house, what would you name it if it was a girl? A boy? 4. Why is the baby in our story today so special? 5. Do you know why He was given the special name of Jesus? GETTING INTO SCRIPTURE - HOME-MADE MANGERS (A multi-sensory activity) Materials needed: Graham Crackers (3 for each child) Tube of decorative cake icing Paper plates Bite-size shredded wheat cereal Animal cookies (Enough for each child to have 4) Toothpicks Small mini marshmallows (Enough for each child to have 2) Medium size marshmallows (Enough for each child to have 4) WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) There are no advance preparations necessary. WHAT THE CHILDREN DO: Give each child a paper plate. Explain to them that as you tell the story they will make a manger scene that they can take home and eat later. Follow these steps for constructing the scene. 1. Break one graham cracker in half. These are the two side walls. Have the child hold them upright while you "glue" one whole graham cracker across the top as the roof using the tube of decorative icing as the "glue". 2. "Glue" the third whole graham cracker across the back and set this complete piece on top the fourth graham cracker. 3. While the "stables" are setting-up, make a Mary by putting two medium marshmallows on a toothpick. Do the same for a Joseph. 4. Make a baby Jesus by putting two mini marshmallows on a toothpick. Break off any leftover toothpick. 5. Return to the "stable". Make 4 small piles of icing on the floor of the "stable". Give each child 4 animal crackers to place in the piles of icing. 6. Using the bite-size shredded wheat, arrange them like little hay bales to make a manger to lay Baby Jesus on. Use icing as a base for the manger also. Leave the creations in the classroom and instruct the children to pick them up after church. Write each child's name on his/her paper plate. GETTING INTO SCRIPTURE - MEMORY VERSE BINGO Materials needed: Piece of paper cut 4 « by 4 « for each child 9 objects for each child to be used as tokens for their card (coins, cardboard discs, raisins etc.) Bibles Nine 3 X 5 cards WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) Divide each child's piece of paper into 9 even squares. Cut the nine 3 X 5 cards in half. Write a word from the memory verse on each card including the text. On the remaining nine cards write other religious words that are not included in the memory verse. (Example: Love, forgive etc.) Shuffle the cards well. WHAT THE CHILDREN DO: Show the children where the memory verse is found in the Bible. Talk about what the name Jesus means. Give each child a memory verse bingo card and nine tokens. Lay the 3 X 5 cards face down on the table in front of the children. Have a child select a card from the pile. Ask them to locate the same word on their bingo card. If they find it, they lay one of their tokens down on the card. Repeat the word together. If it is not on their card, the 3 X 5 card is returned to the bottom of the deck and the next child selects a card. Continue the game until all the words on the memory verse bingo cards have tokens on them. Review saying the memory verse several times together. ACTING ON SCRIPTURE - SHARING GOD'S SPECIAL GIFT OF LOVE Materials needed: Wrapping paper Ribbon Glue sticks Picture of Baby Jesus Scissors Colors (optional) WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead) Xerox the picture of Baby Jesus so each child can have 3-4 copies. Cut the wrapping paper into 9 by 12 pieces. Cut the ribbon into 8" pieces. WHAT THE CHILDREN DO: Talk about how many special gifts God has given us. Nature, families, good times etc. The most special gift of all was Jesus, His Son. Some people don't know about God's best gift to them. This activity is a fun way to help children want to share the news about God's gift with others. Give each child several copies of the Baby Jesus picture. Color them if needed. Apply glue stick to the back of each picture. Lay the picture face up on a square of wrapping paper. Roll the wrapping paper up with the picture inside and tie closed with a strand of ribbon. Encourage the children to share the rolled gifts with others.