Unit: Special Focus

Session Title: Esther

Life Point: People are special to God.

Life Verse: “I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go.” Genesis 28:15a

Weekly Bible Verse: “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good. His love is eternal.” Psalm 136:1

Bible Passage: Esther

Extras from LifeWay (GREAT Ideas Here): Click here

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Craft: Make a Crown
Because Esther was a queen you could make a crown in the class. The link below has a crown template or you could find another online. Talk about how God had a plan for Esther’s life, for her to be queen.
Click here for more info

Craft: Royal Decree
This craft lets the children write a law they would make if they were to become king or queen. It shows how to make it but doesn’t have a template for it so you would have to come up with one. We have lots of brown paper in the resource room or if you wanted to print and glue on brown paper sacks we have those as well.
Click here for more info

Game: Book Balancing Relay Race
An activity for Esther is working on balance and grace. It’s a great activity for your kids, and lets them think about Esther undergoing a YEAR’S worth of beauty treatments, and it wasn’t just baths and perfumes, it was also training in how to walk and talk.
Click here for more info

Food: Hamentaschen (Older Kids)
The holiday that is celebrated by the Jews because of Queen Esther saving them is called Purim. The website below has the information on how this holiday came about and what they do. It also has the recipe for this pastry if you would like to make it and bring it in for the kids to try. You could talk about the different customs of the holiday.
Click here for more info

Object Lesson: Courage
This is a fun simple object lesson that shows the children how to have courage in times where they have to make big decisions. Very easy to do and does not require many supplies at all. I would practice at home before doing in front of kids though. All of the instructions are on the website below.
Click here for more info

Unit: God Changes People

Session Title: Saul

Life Point: God loves and forgives people when they ask for forgiveness.

Life Verse: “Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.” Acts 16:31

Weekly Bible Verses: “Immediately he began proclaiming Jesus in the synagogues: ‘He is the Son of God.’” Acts 9:20

Bible Passage: Acts 8-9

Extras from LifeWay (GREAT Ideas Here): http://blog.lifeway.com/biblestudiesforlife/leaderextras/by-age-group/

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Craft: Saul to Paul Mask
Easy craft to do with younger children. All instructions and template on website.
Click here for more info

Activity: Name Transformer
To start this activity – let children first be silly and transform their own names, using ONLY the letters that are in their names but switching the letters around to make a silly name. Then tell children about Saul’s name being changed to Paul after he met Jesus and let children make a banner that will hang over their shoulder with a name that might describe a child of God — such as Faithful, Christian, Believer, or ideas from our lesson today.
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Activity: Blindfold Drawing
Have the kids put on a blindfold and then ask them to draw different things. Some can be hard and some easier. The kids will have a great laugh looking at what they drew but will also understand what its like to be blind.
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Unit: God Changes People

Session Title: Peter

Life Point: Jesus wants people to love, trust, and follow Him.

Life Verse: “Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.” Acts 16:31

Weekly Bible Verse: “Your heart must not be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in Me.” John 14:1

Bible Passages: John 18; 21

Extras from LifeWay (GREAT Ideas Here): Click here

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Object Lesson: Chain Reaction
Bring dominoes. Give the children free time to play with the pieces. Demonstrate how dominoes fall, creating a chain reaction. Let the children experiment with lining the dominoes up and knocking them down. Tie this activity into a discussion of how lying is wrong and can create bad chain reactions. Challenge the students to tell the truth.
Click here for more info

Craft: Rooster
All I have to show you for this craft is the picture that is on the website below. You will need to find a picture of a rooster to print out. I believe we have feathers in the resource room if you need them.
Click here for more info

Object Lesson: Denied Friendship
Choose two children in your class who know each other well. Prepare one to deny knowing the other and one to be the recipient of denial. Begin an interview with the denying child by asking probing questions about the alleged friendship. The other child should be surprised, even defensive, about the denial.

Explain to the child that you were setting him up to make an illustration. Tell the class that the conversation they just heard is similar to what Peter did to Jesus when he denied knowing Him. Ask the denied child, how it felt to be denied. Allow for some discussion.
Click here for more info

Game: Peter Says
Like ‘Simon Says,’ but use the name ‘Peter.’ At the end, say that Peter said many things that he would do, but he did not always do them.
Click here for more info

Craft: Rooster Polish Wycinanki
Wycinanki is a traditional Polish folk art. These folk paper cutouts were used in the 1800’s by Polish peasants to decorate their houses. They usually hung these decorations on white walls and along ceiling beams to make the house more cheery. The cutouts are symmetrical with nature designs and geometric shapes (and lots of roosters) and they are also used for special occasions such as Christmas (maybe a symmetrical Christmas tree shape). Sometimes they are layered (different colored cutouts placed one on top of another) to make a more intricate design. This one is of a rooster and the site explains how to do it (both an easy version and a more difficult version are available on the website).
Click here for more info

Unit: God Changes People

Session Title: Zechariah

Life Point: People should follow God’s plans, not their own.

Life Verse: “Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.” Acts 16:31

Weekly Bible Verses: “I will always obey Your instruction, forever and ever.” Psalm 119:44

Bible Passage: Luke 1

Extras from LifeWay (GREAT Ideas Here): Click here

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Craft for Mother’s Day: Cupcake Card
Here is a good easy craft if you are wanting to do something for Mother’s Day. You will need to prepare some of it beforehand but most of it can be done by the children.
Click here for more info

Mother’s Day Craft: Buttons
You could do this on mini canvases, poster board, or I did it on tiles. You will just need a lot of buttons. You don’t have to do a heart with the buttons, you could have the children come up with a design with the buttons. It was a very cute craft when we did it and the moms loved it.
Click here for more info

Mother’s Day: Love You Because Flowers
This is a cute craft for kids to do for their mother. The site says to use foam flowers but you could definitely do this craft with construction paper as well and it may be easier because you can use regular markers.
Click here for more info

Mother’s Day: I Love You With A Cherry On Top
Cute craft that has the kids think of adjectives to describe their moms. Could be made into a card but the example on the site is more poster like.
Click here for more info

Here is a site to a lot of mother’s day card ideas, which are very cute and easy to do as well.
Click here for more info

Mother’s Day: Fingerprint Flower Pots
The instructions are on the site below. This would be an easy craft to do with any age. You will need to buy the flower pots for this.
Click here for more info

Opening Activity: Nothing Is Impossible But It’s Physically Impossible….
Supplies – index cards, dark marker, tape
The following tasks are considered (near) impossible for humans to complete. Try out these ‘simple’ tests to see if anyone can succeed.
• Twitch your nose (without moving the rest of your face)
• Lick your elbow
• Rotate your right leg in a clockwise motion, while drawing a ‘6’ in the air with you right hand
• Wiggle your ears
• Place your palm on a flat surface with your middle finger curled underneath, then raise (only) your ring finger
Click here for more info

Unit: God Changes People

Session Titles: The Samaritan Woman

Life Point: People should treat others with kindness and respect.

Life Verse: “If you love Me, you will keep My commands” John 14:15

Weekly Bible Verses: “Just as you want others to do for you, do the same for them.” Luke 6:31

Bible Passage: John 4

Extras from LifeWay (GREAT Ideas Here): Click here

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Craft: Cup of Living Water
White Paper
Paper 9-oz. Party Cups
Crayons or Colored Paper
Scissors
Hole Punch
Blue Card Stock
Yarn

What to do:
1. Before class cut water drop shapes from blue card stock so that they fit inside the cup. Make enough water drops so each craft has enough to write one word of the verse on each water drop.
3. Punch holes at the top of each water drop.
4. In class have your children string the water drops in order on the string tying each water drop to the string before they add another water drop.
5. Have your children color the cup and write the Bible verse on one side. Punch a hole in the bottom of the cup and string the yarn through the hole. Tape the string to the bottom of the cup.
Click here for more info

Craft: Woman at the Well Spinning Craft
This craft is going to be better for 2nd, 3rd and 4th graders because it is semi-complicated. All the instructions as well as the templates are on the website. It is pretty cool but will be time consuming so plan accordingly.
Click here for more info

Game: Running on Thirsty (Could be Messy)
Teach children about the woman at the well from John 4.
For this game, every child will need two cups (one with water, one without) and a drinking straw.
Have kids stand against one wall, and give each child a straw. Place cups with water on the ground near each child while placing empty cups on the floor about 10 feet away. Demonstrate how to hold water in the straw by dipping it in the cup, plugging the top with a finger, and lifting the straw. On “go,” give kids 60 seconds to see how much water they can transfer to their empty cups using only their straws.

When time’s up, read aloud John 4:7-10.

Then say: Talk about a time you were really thirsty and how you quenched your thirst.

Read aloud John 4:11-14. Say: The woman drew water at the well, just like you drew water with your straws. Jesus, though, talked about a different kind of water.
Ask:
•    What “water” do you think Jesus talked about?
•    What kinds of “thirsts” do you think Jesus’ water could quench?
Hold up a cup of water and say: Just like the water the woman got out of the well, the water in this cup will run out but Jesus’ living water never runs out!
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Craft/Food: Refreshing Treat
Let each child choose a bottle of water or juice and give them a long piece of paper and markers to write and decorate the bottle with JESUS GIVES US LIVING WATER. Tape their piece of decorated paper onto the bottle to remember today’s lesson.
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Illustration: Crackers and Water (Older Kids)
I need four volunteers to come upfront for a cracker eating challenge. If you want to be picked, you have to like crackers. (Choose four volunteers)
(Optional – During the competition, play a countdown video from freecountdowns.net. Another option is to play upbeat background music.)
(Get out the box of saltine crackers. Have children stand near the box. Place four bottles of water near the crackers.)

The four of you are going to race and see who can eat the most saltine crackers in two minutes. Whoever completely swallows the most crackers wins. You might notice the water bottles near the crackers. Well, you can’t have any water. Sorry. The rest of you in the audience, your job is to cheer for all four of them. Make some noise.
Ready, set, go!
After the competition congratulate the winner.

Say – I have a question for all four of you. What does your mouth feel like right now? (Get responses) How thirsty are you? (Get responses) What would you think if I said you couldn’t have any water till after church? (Get responses) Well, that wouldn’t be fair of me, would it? I can see you’re very thirsty, so each of you, go ahead and take a bottle of water to drink. Enjoy! You can go back to your seats now.
[Volunteers return to their seats]

**Please play this game carefully.  I would suggest that you ask them to finish one cracker be-fore they can go to the next one so they do not stuff too many crackers into their mouths and choke.**

Unit: God Changes People

Session Title: Miriam

Life Point: People’s thoughts and attitudes should honor God.

Life Verse: “If you love Me, you will keep My commands.” John 14:15

Weekly Bible Verses: “Love the Lord your God, obey Him, and remain faithful to Him. For He is your life, and He will prolong your life.” Deuteronomy 30:20

Bible Passage: Numbers 12

Extras from LifeWay (GREAT Ideas Here): Click here

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Craft: Beattitudes Board
This week is not about the beattitudes but it is about having a good attitude. Below I have attached a picture of a jumping off point for a craft you could do with your kids. You could do it on construction paper or anything else you could think of!
Click here for more info

Craft: Attitude Wheel
You will have to adapt this idea since it is done on a lazy susan and hung on a wall in their home. But you could make something like this to help remind kids to have a good attitude each day. They had some fun ways of describing good attitudes but you could come up with you own as well.
Click here for more info

Craft: Keys to Obedience
This is a cute idea for the younger grades. All the instructions are on the website below. I would change the verse to either the key verse or weekly verse for this week.
Click here for more info

Craft: Trusting God Footprints
All the instructions are on the pdf below. With this craft you will want to talk about how when Aaron and Miriam did not obey God, they also were not trusting God.
Trusting God Footprints PDF
From: Super Duper Fun & Exciting Absolutely Thought Igniting Bible Activities for Kids

Unit: God Changes People

Session Titles: Abram

Life Point: Even when people make wrong choices, God always has a plan.

Life Verse: “If you love Me, you will keep My commands” John 14:15

Weekly Bible Verses: “We will do and obey everything that the Lord has commanded.” Exodus 24:7b

Bible Passage: Genesis 15-16

Extras from LifeWay (GREAT Ideas Here): Click here

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Craft: Promises to Abraham
Cute craft to show the promise God made to Abraham. Look at picture below.
Click here for more info

Craft: Popsicle Stick Star
Look at the website below to find out how to make popsicle stick stars. After you make the star you could bring out the life verse or weekly bible verse and glue to the top. Note: we do not have washi tape in the resource room. You can buy this at Hobby Lobby or Michael’s.
Click here for more info

Game: God’s Loving Plans
In this game students will follow the leaders’ plans and find missing envelopes. It is a lot like a scavenger hunt and could be a lot of fun for the students. If you have a smaller class you could hide some of the envelopes in other places in Children’s Ministry Area but I would try to keep the majority of it in your room. The attached PDF will give you all the details of the game and how to set it up.
Source: The Humongous Book of Games for Children’s Ministry
gods-loving-plans-pdf

Unit: Jesus, the Savior

Session Titles: The Ascension

Life Point: Jesus will return to earth some day.

Life Verse: “We have seen and we testify that the Father has sent His Son as the world’s Savior.” 1 John 4:14

Weekly Bible Verses: “This Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come in the same way that you have seen Him going into heaven.” Acts 1:11b

Bible Passage: Acts 1:4-11

Extras from LifeWay (GREAT Ideas Here): Click here

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Craft: Jesus Ascension Window Craft
The website has all the instructions for this craft. This craft is more suited for 1st-3rd grade.
Click here for more info

Craft: Jesus Ascension Windsock
A fun and easy craft that kids will love to make. We have streamers in the resource room or you could use something different on the bottom.
Click here for more info
Ascension-Windsock-PDF

Game: Back and Forth Ascension Game
This is a fun game but needs to be done with children in 2nd grade and up. There is a little mess that could happen with this game : ) but if contained would be fun for the kids.
Click here for more info

Science Experiment: Ascension
A fun experiment to do with kids about Ascension and what it means. Any age kids can do this.
Click here for more info

Unit: Jesus, the Savior

Session Title: Jesus Met Two Disciples

Life Point: People can know that Jesus is alive!

Life Verse: “We have seen and we testify that the Father has sent His Son as the world’s Savior.” 1 John 4:14

Weekly Bible Verses: “The Lord has certainly been raised, and has appeared to Simon!” Luke 24:34b

Bible Passage: Luke 24:13-35

Extras from LifeWay (GREAT Ideas Here): Click here

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Game: Road to Emmaus Game (Older Kids)
All the instructions are on the pdf. Great review game for the older children.
Click here for more info
Road to Emmaus Game PDF

Craft: Walking with Jesus (Younger Children)
The disciples in the story walked with Jesus in person, but Christians hold that whoever believes in Jesus still walks with Him in their heart. Explain to children that believers can know for sure that Jesus’ resurrection was for real because the Bible says many people saw him alive before he returned to heaven. Trace your children’s feet to make a take-home reminder to follow in his footsteps. Preprint labels that read “Jesus has really risen! Luke 24:34” and stick one to each foot or write the caption on each paper. Let the children color a road around the feet.

Read more: Crafts for Preschoolers on the “Road to Emmaus” | eHow.com
Click here for more info

Snack: Graham Cracker Road
Explain to children that the roads in Jesus’ time were dirty and dusty, unlike the paved roads of today. Make an old-style road by spreading frosting or peanut butter on a whole graham crack-er. Sprinkle crushed cookie crumbs over the top as the dust. Place three gummy bears on the road to represent the two disciples and Jesus.

Read more: Crafts for Preschoolers on the “Road to Emmaus” | eHow.com
Click here for more info

Unit: Jesus, the Savior

Session Titles: The Triumphal Entry / Jesus Crucifixion and Resurrection

Life Points: People should praise Jesus because He is the Savior! / Jesus died and was resurrected.

Life Verse: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God!” Matthew 16:16

Weekly Bible Verses: “Then those who went ahead and those who followed kept shouting: “Hosanna! He who comes in the name of the Lord is the blessed One!” Mark 11:9 / “We have heard for ourselves and know that this really is the Savior of the world.” John 4:42b

Bible Passages: Matthew 21:1-11 / Matthew 26:26-28:10

Extras from LifeWay (GREAT Ideas Here): Click here

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Craft: Song and Palm Branch Collage
Have children make palm branches out of different colors of green and brown paper. You could bring in scrapbook paper in these colors as well. Then they would write out the song that is in the picture and color green and brown behind it to represent the ground of the road.
Click here for more info

Craft: “Palm” Branch
Have children trace their hands about 8-10 times on green construction paper and then cut out. Then they will glue them to a long thin piece of construction paper representing the branch.
Click here for more info

Craft: Palm Branch Craft (for older children)
If you watch the video they will teach you had to make a cross from a palm branch.
Click here to watch the video

Craft: Palm Branch and Clothing Road (for younger children)
You will create the road and then add clothes to it like the people threw down in scripture and then add palm branches to it. The website does a very good job of explaining how to do this craft.
Click here for more info

Game: Palm Branch Pass
The pdf attached has all the instructions.
Source: The Big Book of Bible Crafts #2
Palm Branch Pass PDF

Game: Palm Branch Pick Up
The pdf attached has all the instructions.
Source: The Big Book of Bible Crafts #2
Palm Branch Pick Up PDF

Craft: Calvary Hill Paper Plate Craft
The website has all the instructions for how to make this great craft to show the crosses on Calvary Hill. (This craft does come from a Catholic website.)
Click here for more info

Craft: Tie Dye Easter Crosses
A fun and easy craft that kids in any grade will love. We have dot paint in the Preschool and Children’s Resource Rooms if you are looking for it. : )
Click here for more info

Craft: Nail Cross (Older Kids)
The site shows a more extensive project but you could simplify it by just making the cross of nails. You will want to be very careful with the sharp nails and wire. I think it would be some-thing the older kids would love and help remind them of what Jesus did for us on the cross.
Click here for more info

Craft: Crown of Thorns Bracelet
Materials
Craft wire, scissors, brown cord

Instructions
1.    Cut three pieces of craft wire to measure about 6-inches long each.
2.    Hold the three pieces of wire together. Wrap one end of one piece of wire around the other three to hold them together.
3.    Braid the three strands of wire together loosely until you have reached a spot about two inches from their ends.
4.    Wrap the end of one piece of wire around the other two to hold the braid together. Cut the ends of the wire off.
5.    Cut five pieces of brown cord to each measure two inches long. Tie the pieces onto the bracelet evenly spaced around. These will be the thorns of the crown. Use scissors to cut the ends of the knots so the cord looks like thorns.
6.    Tightly wrap brown cord over the ends of the bracelet to cover the ends of the wire. Tie the cord to secure it in place.
Click here for more info

Craft: Easter Story Wreath
The site has all the pieces for printing and instructions to make this wreath. This would be something good to make this week and then can talk about it with their families on Easter the next Sunday.
Click here for more info

Activity: Easter Story Trivia Game
This pdf has everything you need to play this game including the questions and answers. I would play this with older kids as some of the questions are kind of hard but they do give the scripture reference if you wanted the kids to look up the answer in their Bibles as well.
Click here for more info

Craft: Jesus is Alive Tape Painting
Have children make a cross using two pieces of masking tape or painters tape (something that is not too sticky). Students will paint the background with a color or pattern and write “Jesus is Alive” around the cross. Once paint is dry, remove tape to make a cross on your paper.
Note: you will want to use thicker paper if you are going to paint.
Click here for more info

Game: Road to Emmaus Game (Older Kids)
All the instructions are on the pdf. Great review game for the older children.
Click here for more info
Road to Emmaus Game PDF

Craft: Walking with Jesus (Younger Children)
The disciples in the story walked with Jesus in person, but Christians know that whoever believes in Jesus still walks with him in their heart. Explain to children that believers can know for sure that Jesus’ resurrection was for real because the Bible says many people saw him alive be-fore he returned to heaven. Trace your children’s feet to make a take-home reminder to follow in his footsteps. Pre-print labels that read “Jesus has really risen! Luke 24:34” and stick one to each foot or write the caption on each paper. Let the children color a road around the feet.
Read more: Crafts for Preschoolers on the “Road to Emmaus” | eHow.com
Click here for more info

Snack: Graham Cracker Road
Explain to children that the roads in Jesus’ time were dirty and dusty, unlike the paved roads of today. Make an old-style road by spreading frosting or peanut butter on a whole graham crack-er. Sprinkle crushed cookie crumbs over the top as the dust. Place three gummy bears on the road to represent the two disciples and Jesus.
Read more: Crafts for Preschoolers on the “Road to Emmaus” | eHow.com
Click here for more info

Craft: Eye Seeing Chart
Let children make a Seeing Eye Chart, similar to one in an eye doctor’s office. The letters on the first line will be BIG, the letters on the second line will be a little smaller, the letters on the 3rd line will be a little smaller, etc. The TITLE can be “SEEING JESUS,” etc.   The words can be on the chalk board for the children to copy, such as JESUS HELPS US TO SEE AND UNDERSTAND OUR LIVES, or JESUS HELPS ME UNDERSTAND MORE CLEARLY WHEN I AM CONFUSED, or JESUS HELPS ME SEE THAT HE LOVES ME AND THERE IS NOTHING TO FEAR!  ****For younger children, the teacher can have the letters lightly drawn for the children to trace over the above words on their eye charts!
Click here for more info