David and Goliath – The Well Creative Children's ministry

This is an assembly to go with the SEALS theme ‘Good to be me.’

5 mins	Game- bring a child to the front and put a post it note on their head with the name of a famous person on it (don’t let the volunteering child see it). The child has 2 minutes to ask questions to try and find out who the famous person is. Make sure everyone else in the room doesn’t give the game away! The point of the game is that knowing who we are is important!
5 mins	story- Read the story of David and Goliath from a good Children’s Bible. See here for some useful links, or get the children to act it out.
5 mins	Talk and illustration- talk about the fact that it is sometimes hard for other people to know who we actually are. Sometimes there are things we are good at that only we and God know about. Though others thought that David had no chance against Goliath, David trusted God and God was able to use him and the skills he had. We all have things that we were good at (sometimes things that no one else but God and ourselves know about) and we can all be used by God to help others. Before the children arrive, take a balloon and fill it with about a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda. It’s quite easy to make the balloon seem as though it is empty as long as the children don’t get close enough to touch it! Fix it to the neck of a bottle containing some white vinegar (this will look like water). Talk about how it would seem impossible for me to inflate the balloon using just what is in the bottle. You might think I was silly to even think it… But… At this point lift up the balloon and let the bicarbonate of soda be released into the bottle and explain that, even though no one else could see it, I knew there was something inside the balloon that could do the job. Watch the balloon inflate! Then talk about how God gives everyone special gifts and talents and sometimes no one else knows except you and God that they are there. When you use those special gifts, God can help you to do things that others might think you would never be able to!
2 mins	Light a candle and give the children time to think about the gifts and talents that God has given them and why it is good for them to be who they are. End with a short prayer saying thank you to God for each person.

Here are some ideas for exploring the story of David and Goliath with 5-7s.

Tell the story from a children’s Bible or use items in a story bag…

Challenge the children to walk in ‘Goliath feet’ made from cardboard and string (see picture above).

Have a bean bag target throw competition (as a reminder of David’s throwing skills).

Have a go with some paper ball catapults. Click here to see the original idea.

Decorate some stones to remind the children that something so small had such a great impact. .

Talk about times when we need to be brave. How do you feel? What or who helps you? Talk about times when you have trusted God to help you (it’s great for adults to share their expriences with the children!)

Prayer: Write each child’s name on a different stone and give them out so that each child has thier own name. Children hold their stone and ask God to help them when they need to be brave. Swap stones with someone and pray that God will help that person to be brave. Take that person’s stone home and remember to pray for them in the coming week.