God knows me matchbox craft

April 30, 2017Leave a comment

Very often there are stories in the Bible where people do things that completely exceed expectations. Samuel hears the word of God, even when he is a young child; David kills Goliath when he is only a boy; Jesus teaches in the temple when he is a boy. Children are often used by God in ways that adults would never expect and this should be a great encouragement to our own children! However young they are and however small they seem, God knows who they are, sees their potential and can use them to build his kingdom.

This craft helps children to think about the fact that they are known by God and each one of them has individual talents and gifts that, perhaps, only He and they know about. A reading of Psalm 139 might also help to put this idea into perspective. God knows them on the inside- no matter what they seem to others on the outside!

You will need: a matchbox for every child, paper, scissors, pens, sequins, glue, small items to go inside the box (the children could search for these and bring them with them or add them to the box later).

What to do: Keeping the outside of the box plain (with perhaps the child’s name on it), ask the children to decorate and fill the inside of the box to reflect their personality- they might want to draw and cut out pictures of things they like or are good at, or fill the box with keepsakes that mean a lot to who they are. When closed, the box will look small and insignificant but, when opened up, everyone will see details of what God knows about who that person has been created to be.

Talk about: gifts God has given us, things in our lives we would like to thank God for, things about our friends that we would like to thank God for.

Pray: ask children to close their boxes and to swap them around so that each person is holding someone else’s box. Ask each child to thank God for the person to whom the box belongs and to ask him to bless and use that person to help and bless others.

Last Supper Easy Flat Bread Recipe

March 31, 2017Leave a comment

Children generally seem to love cooking activities and this is a recipe that lets them early get hands on!

As we build up to Easter, you might be thinking of a new way to explore the story of the last supper with your children. Making flat bread is a great way to really get into the story!

Explain to the children that Jesus and his disciples were celebrating passover so the bread they used at the last supper would in all probability be the unleavened bread Jews ate at the passover meal. The bread is unleavened because at the original Passover, the Israelites had to be ready to move quickly and didn’t have time to make bread with yeast.

You will Need: 175g plain flour, 100ml water,2 tablespoons oil, a pinch of salt, baking tray, greaseproof paper (enough for 6 portions)

Pre heat the oven to 180°C.

Mix together the flour, salt, water and oil until a dough is formed. You may need to add a little more flour if the dough is too wet to handle.

On a floured surface, take turns in kneading the dough over a period of about 5 minutes and then separate the dough into 6 pieces.

Place dough on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper and bake for 15- 20 minutes. Take the bread out of the oven and leave to cool.

When cooled, use the bread to act out the last supper and get the children to reflect on how the story makes them feel and what questions it makes them ask.

Psalm 23: Cups Running Over Craft

February 9, 2017Leave a comment

This craft was incredibly popular at our most recent Messy Church and is a great way to help children tithing about the image in Psalm 23 of God’s provision and an overflowing cup.

You will need: Clear plastic cups, white vinegar, food colouring, bicarbonate of soda

Put some vinegar in a cup (about 1/3 full) and add some food colouring to it. Add a heaped teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda to the vinegar and watch the liquid bubble up and then overflow.

Talk: Ask children- where do you need help most in your life? Who helps you and gives you the things you need? Who makes you feel special and like you belong? How do they do that? Have you ever asked God to hep you with things you need?

Pray: Ask children to think of an area of their life where they would like God to help them. Pray as you add the bicarbonate of soda that he will bless that area!

5 Ideas for Reflective Prayer

January 26, 2017Leave a comment

It’s always amazing to see the depth of spirituality children display when we give them freedom and encouragement to explore. Just as some adults prefer to connect with God in quiet contemplation, the same is true with some children and we underestimate them at our peril! Here are some ways I’ve found useful to help children to reflect on God and to be with Him in silence and contemplation.

Each of the activities below allows children to speak to God, but also, as they are doing so, to listen for His voice. After doing one of these activities, it might be helpful to ask them if they felt God was saying anything to them or if anything popped into their head while they were praying. Be ready to be astounded!

Sand art reflection

You will need: slightly damp sand, a tray, a lolly stick, pencil or finger!

Fill the tray with the sand and smooth out the surface. Ask children to spend time writing or drawing their prayers to God in the sand. What do they want Him to know? What would they like to tell Him?

Letters to God

You will need: envelopes, paper, pens, a letter box

Ask children to write letters to God. What questions do they want to ask Him? What do they want to say to Him? Do they want to thank Him for anything? Put the letters into envelopes and encourage children to address the envelopes and put them into the box.

Reflective colouring

You will need: Reflective colouring sheets or prayers or Bible verses. Click here to print some off, pens and colouring pencils

Let children colour in silence. As they colour, do any of the words or phrases stand out to them? Do they feel God saying anything to them? Do they have any questions for God?

Play dough reflections

You will need: Play dough, a wipeable surface

Encourage children to use the play dough to express their ideas about God: What might He look like? What words describe Him? What other signs and symbols reflect who He is?

Reflection bottles

You will need: Clear plastic bottles, water, oil, food colouring, glitter

Glitter bottle: fill a bottle with water and add a tablespoon of glitter, seal and shake.

Oil Bottle: Fill the bottle 2/3 full of water. Add some food colouring to colour the water. Fill the rest of the bottle with vegetable oil or baby oil. Seal and shake.

Watch the glitter or the oil mix with the water and then gradually settle. Use the time to focus on God and to listen for his voice.

School Club Session: The 10 Lepers

October 26, 2016Leave a comment

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5 mins	Reflective colouring while waiting for all children to arrive. Click here for ideas to print out
5 mins	Game- 10 cup bowling Set out 10 cups in a ten pin bowling formation and throw a soft ball or beanbag at them. Can you knock down all 10 with 3 throws?
2 mins	Song (click for a Pinterest board of Children’s Ministry songs)
10 mins	Tell the story either from a book or interactively. The Lion Storyteller Bible is great! Get children thinking about what they are grateful for. Remind them that out of the 10 lepers, only one came back to say thank you. Why do you think that was? How do you feel when someone forgets to say thank you? What would you like to say thank you for?
10 mins	Prayer: balloon praise- blow up balloons and write/ draw thank you prayers on them with sharpies (or write on stickers and stick to the balloons) Play some music and bat the balloons around. When the music stops, everyone grab a balloon and say thank you to God for something on that balloon. Repeat. Make up a word search using words from the story or using word of things they would like to say thank you for. Click here to print out a blank word search sheet.
3 mins	End with a game! Click here for a Pinterest board full of ideas.

The Exodus Story: Life in the Desert Sandpaper Painting

October 3, 2016Leave a comment

The Exodus story is a fabulously colourful and exciting one. Miracle after miracle happens to the Israelites as they journey through the Red Sea and across the desert to the promised land. This craft touches on the life bringing provision God brings to his people through manna, quail and water.

You will need: sandpaper (use quite fine sandpaper if finger painting as it is much less rough on fingers), paint.

The sandpaper is rough and reflects both the sand of the desert the Israelites are crossing and the hardship of life there. Adding colour helps to reflect the life that God’s proven brings to them.

Encourage children to use their fingers or brushes to paint on the sandpaper. They might want to paint something from the story they have heard or simply to create a colourful picture. Use the time to talk about how God provided for the Israelites in the desert, bringing them life and showing his love.