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Title: Kindergarten Sabbath School Program, November 13, 1999

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

Date Completed: September 15, 1999

Abstract: Activities to use as a supplement to help teach the lesson, 
JESUS SLEEPS IN A BOAT
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Lesson Aim: When we are afraid, we can trust Jesus.

Memory Verse: “Even the winds and the waves obey him!”  Matt. 8:27, NIV


GETTING THEIR ATTENTION - ARTIST’S ARENA (A primarily visual & auditory activity)

Materials needed:
Newsprint pad paper OR artist’s paper (one sheet the size of a poster board for 
each child)
Smocks or old shirts
Poster board paints and brushes
Newspaper

WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead)
Spread the newspaper out in different areas of the room on the floor.  Put a 
piece of paper, a brush, a bottle of poster paint and an old shirt on top of 
each newspaper.

WHAT THE CHILDREN DO:
Tell the children about a time when you were afraid.  As you tell the story 
paint a picture about it on a piece of newsprint pad from the front where they 
all can see.  Keep the painting very simple.  Include where you were, who was 
with you, what you were afraid about and how the situation was resolved.  
Send each child to a newspaper where the supplies are located.  Make sure they 
put their smocks or old shirts on first.  Have them paint a picture of a time 
when they were afraid.  Encourage them to include the same elements that you 
did in your sample.  (Don’t center the focus on the painting.  One color of 
paint for each child is sufficient, so time is not spent trading and 
worrying about the finished product.  It cuts down on spills and messes also.)
When the pictures are finished briefly share with one another the experiences.
In our Bible story today Jesus’ friends were very afraid.  Let’s find out what 
they did with their fears.  GO STRAIGHT INTO THE BIBLE STORY.


GETTING INTO SCRIPTURE - BIBLE STORY SIMULATION (A multi-sensory activity)

Materials needed:
Styrofoam (one 2" X 2" piece for each child)
Straight pins with heads (6 per child)
Popsicle sticks (one per child)
Scissors
Colored construction paper (one 3" X 3" square for each child; let them choose 
their color)
Scotch tape
Baby bathtub or other large bucket (to use as the Sea of Galilee)
Water
Plastic tablecloth or other water-resistant material

WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead)
In each styrofoam block make a slit with the scissors where the popsicle 
stick can be inserted.  Fill the bathtub or bucket with water and place 
it on a plastic tablecloth on the floor.  

WHAT THE CHILDREN DO:
As you tell the story help children create a simulation using the 
following steps.
1.  Give each child a styrofoam block.  Have them insert the popsicle stick 
in the slit for the mast.
2.  After they choose the color of construction paper that they want, cut out 
a 3" X 3" square and help them tape it to the mast as the sail.
3.  Give them 6 large-headed pins to stick into the styrofoam to represent 
the disciples and Jesus.  One pin should be stuck through like it’s lying 
down on the styrofoam.  (Explain to the children that we don’t know exactly 
how many of the disciples were with Jesus in the boat that night.)
4.  Have all the children place their “boats” in the “Sea of Galilee”.  Let 
them help with the sound effects of the storm and the rocking of the water.
5.  Stand the “Jesus pin figure” up at the appropriate time in the story.
6.  Children can take their boats home and share the story in the bathtub 
with their family.


GETTING INTO SCRIPTURE - MEMORY VERSE SINK OR FLOAT (A multi-sensory activity)

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.   Tell the 
children they are going to pretend they are boats.  They may roam anywhere 
around the room which is the Sea of Galilee.  When you say, “stop” all boats 
have to stand still.  You, the teacher, approach one of the “boats”.  If they 
can repeat the memory verse to you, they may continuing roaming around the 
Sea of Galilee.  If they cannot, they sit down where they are because they 
have sunk.  They must remain “at the bottom of the sea” until you have spoken 
to the rest of the boats.  When the rest of the boats have repeated the memory 
verse go back to the sunk boats.  Help them learn and repeat the verse until 
they can drift around with the rest.  Have all the boats return to the harbor.
ACTING ON SCRIPTURE - A SONG TO SHARE (An auditory activity)

Materials needed:
None

WHAT THE TEACHER DOES: (To prepare ahead)
Practice singing the following words to the tune of Mary Had a Little Lamb
The A stands for the word, “afraid”
The T stands for the word, “trusting”
The J stands for the word, “Jesus”
SONG: If you’re feeling A-A-A
	A-A-A
	A-A-A
	If you’re feeling A-A-A
	Try T-J today

WHAT THE CHILDREN DO:
Ask the children what Jesus wants us to do when we feel afraid?  He wants 
us to trust Him.  Sometimes that means waiting, sometimes it means giving 
up something we wanted.  Here’s a little song they can sing to themselves 
and to others when they feel afraid.  Explain that the letter “A” stands for 
afraid because it is the first letter in that word.  The letter “T” stands 
for the word, trusting because it is the first letter in that word.  The 
letter “J” stands for the word, Jesus because it is the first letter in that 
word.  After the children can sing the song well, they can think of ways to 
stand, sit or bend to represent the letters, A, T & J then do the actions as 
they sing the song.