Preschoolers love puppets! This script is a perfect segue into the fact that Jesus proved He was real after the resurrection. He didn’t simply appear to his followers, He let them touch his nail scarred hands & He ate with them.
Tag: preschool
Gospel in a Nutshell for Preschoolers
Use this easy finger play to teach preschoolers the Gospel message:
God made me (Hands forming something)
God loves me (hands cross over heart)
God wants me to follow Him (walk to the right)
But I want to go my own way (cross arms & walk to the left)
That’s called sin! (Whisper with hand to mouth)
And that’s a problem! (Tap chin)
Because God hates sin! (Mad face)
…but He loves me! (Hug yourself)
But God had a plan! (Finger up)
He gave His only Son, Jesus (hands extended)
To make a way for us (widen hands)
He came as a baby (squat and suck thumb)
And grew into a man (rise to stand-hands on hips)
He died on a cross (arms out-as on a cross)
Was buried (arms crossed-squat)
And rose 1-2-3 days later (rise on 3rd count)
He’s alive! He came to our rescue! (Hands up-celebrate!)
Thank you, Jesus! I’ll follow you! (Kneel-pray)
Salvation is a free gift
This is one of my favorite object lessons for preschoolers when sharing the Gospel message.
Instructions:
- Wrap a large box with a lid
- Glue or draw a cross on top
- Create a false bottom in the lid & cover it with the wrapping paper
- Cut a narrow slit in the top of the lid
- Cut medium sized heart shapes out of black construction paper (1 for each child in your class)…and then cut the same number & size hearts out of white paper. (Alternative: cut 1 very large black heart & 1 identical white heart)
Application:
- Explain plan of salvation
- When explaining the concept of sin, hand everyone a black heart to signify “…all have sinned…” (or just demonstrate with 1 large black heart if you have too large a group to use individual hearts)
- Explain that salvation is a free gift
- Explain what Jesus did for us on the cross & that not only does He have power over death…He also has the power to change our dirty, sinful hearts! He can cleanse us & give us a new heart!
- Invite the kids to place their “sinful heart” in the slit at the top of the box. Once everyone has put in their black heart, open the lid to reveal white hearts in their place (placed there before the lesson unbeknownst to the audience)
- Troubleshooting tip: don’t let the kids gather around & linger when putting the black hearts in, so they won’t see the false bottom of the lid; if you can keep the lid slightly above eye level, that works best! Also be very careful when you remove the lid in the “reveal” because the kids may hear the “black hearts” sliding around in the lid if you aren’t careful!
**if you have a large group, just use one large black heart that only you put in the lid as a demonstration & reveal an identical large white heart in the box.
Either way, preschoolers never fail to be amazed by it!
Dancing Sheep
Preschool Bible teachers seem to have many opportunities to talk about sheep! Bible stories for kids are filled with lessons about them! From Easter to Christmas…and everything in between…sheep and shepherds are a common biblical theme.
The following is a fun finger play for preschoolers written by Susan M. Dailey that would be a great complement to any lesson involving sheep.
I will be utilizing it this week as I teach the Parable of the Lost Sheep to kindergarteners. I think it will be one that will be recycled in many future lessons!
Please follow the link below to find the original fingerplay and accompanying song.
Dancing Sheep Finger Play by Susan M. Dailey
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Dancing Sheep Shhh! It’s time to go to sleep “Don’t go to bed,” the one sheep said. Soon he was… (draw these words out) He kept on… Dancing on the ceiling! “Stop that dancing, silly sheep. Soon the sheep lay on the floor. So I started … (draw these words out) -written by Susan M. Bailey |
Where is the Green Sheep?
Where is the Green Sheep by Mem Fox is a great companion book when teaching The Parable of the Lost Sheep to preschoolers. Although Ms. Fox’s book is not based on the biblical lesson, it is a fun rhyming book about a lost sheep (that is found in the end) that would complement the parable in a way that preschoolers would enjoy.
Below is a link to a You Tube storyteller reading the book:
You can find the book online at various retailers.
I made a large version to read to my class from coloring pages based on the book purchased here:
Where is the Green Sheep Coloring pages
We can remind the children that just like we looked for the green sheep in the story…Jesus searches for us when we are lost.
Quick Tip Tuesday
Turn any storybook or Bible story into a large visual to read to your class by cutting large simple shapes out of poster board, gluing enlarged pictures or clip art illustrations to the front & the story to be read on the back! The kids love it because they are able to see the pictures & teachers love it because it’s easy to read!
A Bible Story on Noah’s Ark could be in the shape of an ark…a Christmas story in the shape of a star, manger or angel…the story of Moses in the shape of a basket…the possibilities are endless!
Make sure you laminate your story so that it can be re-used year after year!
Happy Face, Happy Face…
Happy Face Jingle:
“Happy Face, Happy Face what do you see?
I see a silly face looking at me! 🤪
Silly face, silly face what do you see?
I see a sad face looking at me!😢
Sad face, sad face what do you see?
I see a mad face looking at me! 😡
Mad face, mad face what do you see?
I see a surprised face looking at me! 😳
Surprised face, surprised face what do you see?
I see a sleepy face looking at me!😴
Sleepy face, sleepy face what do you see?
I see happy face looking at me! 😊
Happy Face, Happy Face what do you see?
I see another happy face looking back at me!” 😃
~author unknown
Items needed:
- Construction paper cardstock
- Markers
- Scissors
- Paint sticks
- Packaging tape
- Happy Face Jingle
Instructions:
- Draw each of the faces mentioned in the Happy Face Jingle on a piece of construction paper cardstock
- Cut face out into a large circle shape
- Write words to each line of Jingle on back of corresponding face circles, as well as any songs, prompts or fingerplays you may like to sing when you are finished on the last circle
- Begin w/ Happy Face #1…work through the corresponding faces individually & end with Happy Face #2 looking at Happy Face #1
- Laminate circles to help them last longer!
- Tape paint sticks to back of circles
Tips & Tricks:
- Be as animated as possible!
- As you say the Jingle, show the circle face that corresponds with each line
- Make the faces yourself as shown on the circles & encourage the kids to show you their best “happy face, silly face, etc” along with you!
- This is a great transition activity to get kids ready to sit & listen to a story!
- I usually tell them how GLAD I am to see their sweet happy faces in my class!
- We’ve made smaller versions w/ craft sticks instead of paint sticks for the kids to hold & they love that option too at times for small classes!
“This battle is the Lord’s!”
1 Samuel 17
David & Goliath Game
Items Needed:
- Darth Vader piñata
- Black Velcro tape
- 5 small plastic balls (we used plastic golf balls)
Preparation:
- Adhere approx 5 strips of Velcro tape to the helmet of the piñata so that “Goliath’s” forehead is completely covered with Velcro
- Adhere Velcro tape to the plastic balls so that they will stick to the Velcro area of the piñata
Instructions:
- Divide kids into 2 teams
- Each child gets 5 attempts to hit “Goliath” in the forehead with a ball
- Each team receives 1 point for each ball that sticks to “Goliath’s” forehead
- Team with highest score wins
Tips & Tricks:
- Make sure Goliath’s helmet has a wide area covered with Velcro! (It’s harder than it looks!)
- Place Goliath on a top bookshelf or high cabinet where he is higher than the kids & stationary
- If you want the game to move a little faster, tell kids their turn is over when they have 1 ball stick, or after their 5th failed attempt
Bible Verse Puzzle Game
Items Needed:
- 1 colored poster board per team (each team should have a different color)
- Write Bible verse on each poster
- Cut into large puzzle pieces
Instructions:
- Before class begins, hide puzzle pieces around room
- Divide kids into teams
- Tell each team what color puzzle pieces they will be hunting for
- Remind kids that the “Red Team” can only get RED pieces…the “Yellow Team” can only get YELLOW, etc. If they see another teams’ puzzle pieces, just stay quiet & leave it alone!
- On the sound of “GO!” the teams should hunt for their assigned color pieces & work together to put their puzzle together.
First team to find all their pieces & put their puzzle together wins!
Tips and Tricks:
- Assign an adult helper or older child to each team to help aid in putting puzzle together, if needed (especially for preschoolers)
- Tell the kids how many pieces they will be hunting for
- Make each poster as similar as possible…especially having same number of pieces
- For younger students, make sure puzzle pieces are not too hard to find!
Playtime with a Purpose 