Category: Kidsmin

Posted in children’s church, Sunday School, Grades 1-5

Color Game (Stroop Test)

Posted on by lovebnamom10

Object:

Look at the color word held by the teacher & try to be the first one to touch the name of the color it’s written in. For instance, if the word yellow is written in the color blue, the first person to touch the word “blue” wins! (It’s harder than you think!)

Before class:

  • Write color words in black lettering on card stock
  • Write another set of the same color words on card stock. Use the color words listed above…but this time make sure it’s written in a different color than word reads

How to play:

  • Lay out the black lettered color words face up on a table
  • Invite 2 kids to stand facing the black lettered color words, within easy reach of all of them
  • Quickly hold up a color word that is written in a different color than the word itself (for instance, the word “red” may be written in the color green.)
  • When the kids see the word, the first kid to hit the black lettered color THAT THE WORD IS WRITTEN IN wins the match (so even though the word reads “red”…if it’s written in green, the child should hit the card on the table that says “green.”
  • Remember: “Match the color…not the word!”
  • We divided into teams & each winner would receive 1 point for their respective teams; the team with the most points when our game time was up won the game!

Also check out this fun online version of the Stroop Test for kids!

https://s3.mirror.co.uk/click-the-colour-and-not-the-word/index.html

Application:

We used this game to introduce our lesson on Lydia (Acts 16). We explained that the reason we played this fun game about colors was because the woman in our story today was known for selling a cloth of a certain color. We encouraged the kids to listen closely to find out which color was associated with the story of Lydia.

** Spoiler alert: Lydia was known for selling PURPLE cloth! (You can read her story in Acts 16)

Posted in Kidsmin

God’s “phone number”

Posted on by lovebnamom10

Our Lifeway curriculum gave us an idea to introduce our lesson on prayer by pretending to be interrupted by a phone call with our pastor in front of the kids. As the kids listened to the one-sided conversation, we were to drop clues as to who we were conversing with without actually saying the person’s name. *

(ie “Hello! Thanks for getting back with me about the baptism next week! Yes, I’m sure you’ve been busy preparing for the sermon today! I hope it all goes well! Ok! We’ll talk to you after church! Thanks again! Good bye!”)

We were then to ask the kids if they could guess who we had been talking to on the phone.

We did the introductory activity, but then expounded on this idea and made it into fun game!

We told the kids we were going to make some more ” phone calls” & they had to listen & try to figure out who we were talking to.

Here are a few of the people (some real, some fiction) we “called”:

Mary (Example: “Hi! Just wanted to congratulate you on the new baby! Wow! A boy?? That’s so great! Someone told me you had to give birth in a BARN! What in the world!? I can’t wait to hear all about that! ..and Angels?? That’s so crazy!! Yes! I’m sure you were overwhelmed by it all! That’s so awesome! I’m so glad it all turned out okay! Oh! I hear the baby crying! I’ll let you go! Bye!”)

Iron Man

Shaggy

Noah

President of the United States

One of our SS teachers

Joseph

Buzz Lightyear

The last phone call we made was to God

(Example: Hi. It’s me. Listen, I have some things I’m really worried about, and I just don’t know who else to talk to! I wanted to talk to You, because I know you are so wise & I knew You could help me figure out what to do!

First, my husband has some hard things going on at work and I’m so worried…

What’s that? Oh yes. You’re right! I know You’re in control & I shouldn’t worry! Yes. I trust You!

Oh, and my son has some really big decisions he has to make & I just…

What? Oh yes. I know You love him even more than I do, which I can’t even comprehend! Yes…ok…Thank you for reminding me of that. You’ll talk to Him about what he should do? Oh! Thank you so much!!

Oh,and one more thing…I have this health issue that keeps popping up! I’m kind of scared about it, because the doctors…

Oh, that’s right! How silly of me! I know You made me & You know EVERYTHING about what’s going on! Yes! I remember how You healed people…and comforted people You didn’t heal right away….

Yes. Thank you for reminding me Who You are and that I can trust You with all my problems!

I always feel so much better after I talk to You!

What’s that? Oh, I love You too! I’m so thankful for You and all You do for me!

…and yes, that’s a great idea! I’ll do that! I knew You’d know what I should do! Thank You! I promise I’ll talk to you again soon!”)

We concluded by telling the kids that even though we wouldn’t really call God on the phone….it’s really just that easy to talk to Him!

Some people refer to Jeremiah 33:3 as “God’s phone number:”

“Call to Me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things which you do not know.”

Aren’t you glad we don’t need a phone to talk to God!? There is never a busy signal or voice mail recording! He is always available! All we have to do is call out to Him, and He is ready and willing to listen and communicate with us!

*p. 53, Kids Bible Studies for Life, Summer 2019 (3rd & 4th grade Leader’s Guide)

Posted in children’s church, Kidsmin

Nebuchadnezzar says…

Posted on by lovebnamom10

Today we played a variation of “Simon Says” in preparation for our lesson on Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego in the fiery furnace.

Items needed:

None

Instructions:

  • Explain that you are King Nebuchadnezzar & you will call out various commands for the kids to follow
  • Tell the kids when you give a command, you expect it to be followed immediately! …after all, you are the KING!
  • Warn them that you might throw in a few commands that they should NOT obey…even though the king says to do it! Tell the kids you’ll be watching closely who can figure out which commands God would not want them to obey!
  • Begin giving basic commands similar to Simon Says
  • Some examples:

-Nebuchadnezzar says touch your nose!

-Nebuchadnezzar says hop on one foot!

-Nebuchadnezzar says cluck like a chicken

– Nebuchadnezzar says waddle like a duck

-Nebuchadnezzar says nod your head

-Nebuchadnezzar says jump up & down

….and so on

***Unlike Simon Says, where some commands begin w/ “Simon Says” & some don’t….in this game, begin EVERY command with “Nebuchadnezzar says….”

  • After several routine “Nebuchadnezzar says” commands…add in a command that says: “Nebuchadnezzar says bow down & worship my statue!” (Hopefully the kids will catch themselves & remember they’re only supposed to bow down & worship God!)…if not…be sure to catch them & remind them of Gods command!
  • Go back to a few more regular/silly commands & then add: “Nebuchadnezzar says eat the King’s food!” (Again, use this as a teaching moment to share how Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego & Daniel handled that situation!)
  • Do a few more silly commands & finish w/ “Nebuchadnezzar says bow down & worship GOD!” (Share with the kids that after Nebuchadnezzar saw God rescue Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego from the fiery furnace, he decreed that no one should speak against their God!)
Posted in children’s church, Sunday School, Kidsmin

The house on the sand went SPLAT!

Posted on by lovebnamom10

Lots of laughter today in children’s church as we played a game to help introduce the story of Elijah & the false prophets of Baal on Mt Carmel (1 Kings 18)…

Items needed:

  • Table
  • Plastic tablecloths or disposable drop cloth
  • 2 large bowls
  • Tall kitchen trash bags (1 per child)
  • Headbands or plastic shower caps
  • Trashcan
  • Approx 1 egg/child sitting in an egg crate (approx 1/4 of the eggs should be hard boiled & the rest should be raw)…these should be mixed up so that the kids don’t know which eggs are raw & which are hard boiled.

Instructions & Application:

  • Before you begin, place a clean trash bag (cut out a neck hole & arm holes) over each participant’s clothes.
  • Explain to the kids that the people of Elijah’s time were worshipping false gods, instead of the One True God. Elijah told the people they could not keep wavering between what they believed/who they believed in! They had to decide who they were going to follow: God or Baal!
  • Today many people we know do the same thing! While they may not bow down to statues, many people SAY they believe in God…but they really put their trust in other things like money, jobs or even other people, rather than the One True God! Sometimes when you’re looking at people on the outside, it’s hard to tell the difference between different religions. People may look good on the outside & they may even be a nice person…but unless they put their faith in The One True God who sent His son Jesus to die on the cross for our sins, & believe He died, was buried & resurrected from the dead to pay for our sins…their religion is worthless. Jesus is the Way, the Truth & the Life and no one comes to the Father except through Him!
  • Say: “Remember the song you probably learned in church as a preschooler about the wise man who built his house upon the rock? When the storms came…his house stood firm! Those who put their trust in the One True God will experience the same thing! When hard times come in life…they’ll stand firm! The opposite is true as well! The song also talked about a foolish man who built his house on the sand…like the people of Elijah’s day, he was placing his confidence in the wrong things! And when the storms of life came…the house on the sand went SPLAT! “
  • These eggs on the table represent people who put their trust in God & those who don’t. Some will stay firm when they’re cracked…others will go splat!
  • We’re going to have a friendly competition between the boys & the girls to see which team can find the most hard boiled eggs!
  • Invite 1 boy & 1 girl from ea team to come to the front. Allow them to choose any egg from the crate. (Pull back any bangs from face w/ a headband or shower cap!)
  • You cannot shake or hold the eggs to try to figure out which are raw & which are cooked.
  • Once you touch an egg…it’s yours! Pick up that egg & crack it on your forehead (over the bowl) & if it’s a hard boiled egg,it’ll stay firm & your team gets a point! If you don’t choose wisely…you may have a mess to clean up!
  • One by one, allow the boys & girls who want to participate to come to the front & take a turn until the eggs are all cracked.
  • Team with the most hard boiled eggs wins!
  • Have wipes available for clean up!! Remind kids not to let the raw eggs get in their mouths! (Disclaimer: Be mindful of any food allergies in your group!)
  • Have fun, laugh a lot…and remember to choose wisely…in eggs & in life! 😊
Posted in children’s church, Kidsmin

Gideon’s army

Posted on by lovebnamom10

Judges 6-8

Items needed:

Index cards

Instructions:

Before class, prepare 2 batches of index cards. In the first set, make enough so that there will be one for each student. Approximately 2/3 of the cards should say “trembled with fear” and 1/3 should say “not afraid.”

The second set of index cards should match the same number of “not afraid” cards above. The majority should read “got on knees to drink” and approximately 2-3 cards should read “drank from cupped hands, lapping like a dog.” (The actual ratio is .03, but our group was too small to calculate that number, so we improvised a little to make the point!)

Application:

Ask all the kids to stand up. Hand each kid a card (facedown) from the first set. Instruct them not to look at the card until you tell them to!

Read Judges 7:2-3 aloud. Instruct the kids to look at their cards. Anyone whose card reads “trembled w/ fear” should sit down.

Pass out the second set of cards to the remaining kids. Again, the cards should stay facedown & no one is to look until you give the “okay.” Read aloud Judges 7:4-8. Invite the kids to look at their cards. Those who have “knelt down to drink” cards should be seated. The few remaining are the “chosen ones.” The lives of everyone in the room will depend on them! 😜

This activity was a great way to help the kids picture the Judges 7 account!