Prayer Cube

June 1, 2015June 1, 2015Leave a comment

When teaching younger children about prayer, I have found it easiest to concentrate on ‘Sorry,’ ‘Please,’ and ‘Thank you’ prayers. This cube helps to make prayers fun! Throw the cube and pray whatever prayer lands face up. If it is a ‘sorry’ prayer we always tell the children that it’s Ok to say the prayer in your head because sorries are between you and God. Enjoy!

Click here for a printable version.

Easter Story Pass the Parcel

May 31, 2015May 31, 2015Leave a comment

This is a good way to tell the Easter story in groups.

You will need: 5 pictures telling the Easter story: Palm Sunday, Last Supper, Gethsemane, Crucifixion, Resurrection

At the centre of the parcel, wrap up a big bag of mini eggs (so there is enough for each child in the group) and the picture of the resurrection.

In the next layer wrap up the crucifixion picture and a sweet,

The following layers should be…
Gethsemane, last supper and the top layer: Palm Sunday.
Each layer should also contain a sweet- this is important for later!

When you have the finished parcel you can play the game!

As the music plays, pass the parcel and whoever has it when the music stops unwraps the picture and the sweet. Discuss what the picture shows and start again. As each layer is opened, speak about the next part of the story and the picture. The children might even predict what comes next.

The final layer will reveal the resurrection picture and the big bag of sweets. Jesus died so that we could be set free from the bad things we’ve done and the he rose again to show that he was truly God’s Son It was amazing!!. He gives us hope and new life and wants everyone to know the good news, not just a few people. Tell the children that, yes, it really wasn’t fair that only some children got sweets and others didn’t. He wants everyone who knows the good news to share it, and at that point share the sweets with the children. Hopefully the point, emphasized by chocolate might stick!

Prayer Rockets!

May 31, 2015May 31, 2015Leave a comment

Here’s a fun way to get children to engage in thanking God and asking for blessing while also symbolically releasing their prayers into his hands.

First, get children to write and draw their prayers on a small slip of paper (about the size of an average till receipt).

Next, roll the paper tightly round a straw (the long straight part rather than the bendy part!) and secure it with sellotape. Fold the top of the paper over and secure it with some more sellotape. The paper will now have made a sealed pocket around the top of the straw.

Talk to children about releasing prayers to God and trusting in His love and His power. Say a short prayer, giving your prayers to God and then blow on the free end of the straw. Watch the prayer rocket fly as you release your prayers!

Pentecost: Fork Flame Paintings

May 30, 2015May 30, 2015Leave a comment

This is a really great idea for all ages. We ended up working on the kitchen floor and even the adults decided to join in. Some of the children got incredibly creative…

You will need: yellow, red and orange paint, foil (for easy clean-up afterwards!), plastic forks, card or paper (we used black for a great effect).

Use a fork to blob some paint onto the paper and then swirl and pull or brush with the fork!

Encourage colour mixing as the flames flicker together…

Advent Playdough Mat

May 30, 2015May 30, 2015Leave a comment

Advent is a time of waiting and preparation. To fit with this, here is a play dough mat based around the idea of ‘journeying’ (reflecting the journey that Mary and Joseph went on to Bethlehem). Print out the mat, laminate it for repeated use and get creative!

Click here to print out the mat.

Fuzzy Felt Story Telling

May 29, 2015May 29, 2015Leave a comment

Visual ways of telling stories are great for all ages. Fuzzy Felt is especially good as the children can play with the pieces after you have told the story and recreate the events for themselves. The great thing is that the felt figures will stick to the felt background so you will be able to hold your felt board upright as you tell the story, making it easy for everyone to see.

You will need: A board or piece of cardboard, felt sheets, scissors, glue

Cover a board with a large felt sheet (use glue or staples) to make a ‘background’ board.

Cut simple figures out of felt to help you to tell the story. Here are some examples to give you an idea…

Nativity

Baptism of Jesus

Joseph

Jesus calms the storm

You can also make mini fuzzy felt boxes by sticking some felt to the inside of a sandwich box lid and then keeping small fuzzy felt pieces inside the box. See here for more on this.