Holy Spirit Fire Extinguishers - Word of Life TeacherSource · Simple gestures and movements can...

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Lesson Adaptations How to meet the needs of each special and unique child The lessons in this Bible Study are designed to reach a broad range of children effectively. However, there are things to consider when preparing the learning environment and the lessons themselves. You may have special circumstances or children with special needs attending your club. The following information provides a few basic guidelines for you to consider when confronted with situations such as these. Classroom Atmosphere Your classroom should be a bright welcoming place for children. Use your creativity in displaying the Gopher family and other club materials. You may want to divide your classroom into three areas: a carpeted area for Bible Lesson time, a work area with appropriate sized chairs and tables, and a Game Time area. The safety and well-being of the children is another major consideration in your planning. Train your leaders in how to handle minor as well as emergency situations. Make sure you have some way to communicate with church personnel and parents in the event of an emergency. Classroom Suggestions Even the most experienced leader needs to prayerfully depend on God to give them the kind of love Jesus demonstrated that made little children want to come and listen to Him. (Matthew 19:13-14) Children will respond much better in an atmosphere in which the leader is calmly in control, and they understand the expectations. Here are a few classroom strategies that may enhance your learning environment. 1. Explain, demonstrate, and practice the behavior you expect from the children. Do this at the first meeting and review as needed. 2. Make your directions simple and clear. 3. Each child needs their own personal space. Use individual carpet squares for each child or tape X’s on the floor to show where the children should sit. 4. Have the children sit upright on the carpet area with crossed legs (unless the child has a physical disability). The cue “criss-cross applesauce” is helpful as a reminder of how you want them to sit. 5. Use positive peer pressure. Say, “I like the way Nick is sitting and waiting quietly for the lesson.” 6. Here are some attention getting suggestions: a. In a soft tone say “If you can hear me, touch your nose (ear, foot…).” Continue until you have the attention of all the children in the class. b. Clap your hands in a rhythmic pattern. Children will try to mimic you. c. Begin singing a familiar song. Lesson Adaptations A-1

Transcript of Holy Spirit Fire Extinguishers - Word of Life TeacherSource · Simple gestures and movements can...

Page 1: Holy Spirit Fire Extinguishers - Word of Life TeacherSource · Simple gestures and movements can communicate emotion.Never allow your puppet to stare into space for a period of time.

Lesson Adaptations

How to meet the needs of each special and unique child

The lessons in this Bible Study are designed to reach a broad range of children effectively. However, there are things to consider when preparing the learning environment and the lessons themselves. You may have special circumstances or children with special needs attending your club. The following information provides a few basic guidelines for you to consider when confronted with situations such as these.

Classroom Atmosphere

Your classroom should be a bright welcoming place for children. Use your creativity in displaying the Gopher family and other club materials. You may want to divide your classroom into three areas: a carpeted area for Bible Lesson time, a work area with appropriate sized chairs and tables, and a Game Time area. The safety and well-being of the children is another major consideration in your planning. Train your leaders in how to handle minor as well as emergency situations. Make sure you have some way to communicate with church personnel and parents in the event of an emergency.

Classroom Suggestions

Even the most experienced leader needs to prayerfully depend on God to give them the kind of love Jesus demonstrated that made little children want to come and listen to Him. (Matthew 19:13-14) Children will respond much better in an atmosphere in which the leader is calmly in control, and they understand the expectations. Here are a few classroom strategies that may enhance your learning environment.

1. Explain, demonstrate, and practice the behavior you expect from the children. Do this at the first meeting and review as needed.

2. Make your directions simple and clear. 3. Each child needs their own personal space. Use individual carpet squares for each child or tape X’s

on the floor to show where the children should sit. 4. Have the children sit upright on the carpet area with crossed legs (unless the child has a physical

disability). The cue “criss-cross applesauce” is helpful as a reminder of how you want them to sit. 5. Use positive peer pressure. Say, “I like the way Nick is sitting and waiting quietly for the lesson.” 6. Here are some attention getting suggestions:

a. In a soft tone say “If you can hear me, touch your nose (ear, foot…).” Continue until you have the attention of all the children in the class.

b. Clap your hands in a rhythmic pattern. Children will try to mimic you. c. Begin singing a familiar song.

Lesson Adaptations A-1

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What if you have a special needs child in your class?

A special needs child is one who needs help in acquiring or processing information. While some children with disabilities need help acquiring information, they may be able to process information without assistance; whereas other children with similar or different disabilities may need consistent help throughout the learning process. To be most effective in dealing with the needs of a special needs child, a home visit with the parents is recommended. This will accomplish two things. You will see how the child interacts and responds to their parents, and the parents can share what works and what doesn’t work with their child. The following list is not intended to be all inclusive or comprehensive in regards to all disabilities. It may be necessary to seek out Christian resources which address special needs specifically.

What if the child has:

ADD-ADHD (Attention Deficit Disorders)

• Make directions simple and clear. • Have the child repeat your directions. • Work with the child at their level; maintain eye contact. • Work with the child individually or in a small group. • Give reminders of expected behaviors before a situation (how to listen at story time; no running to

the work tables). • Be consistent. If necessary, communicate to the parents after each club time with a note. The Home

Connection page is an ideal way to do this. Be honest, kind and positive. • Use short commands instead of asking questions. Say, “Sit here.” not “Wouldn’t you like to sit here?”

Learning Disability

• Break learning into small steps. • Have the child repeat your directions. • Encourage the child to participate in all activities even if they are unable to complete the activities. • Allow the child to assist the teacher with props during lesson time.

Physical Disability (Visual, Auditory or Motor)

• Examine the classroom for possible mobility problems. • Have large size crayons, pencils, and pencil grips available. • Have an assistant who is familiar with the special requirements for the child. • Be aware of seating in regards to children with visual or auditory needs.

A-2 Lesson Adaptations

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Speech Impediment

• Watch the child’s lips to help you understand what they are saying. • Ask the child to stop, think, and then go on if they get stuck or lose their thought. • Encourage the child to say words and sentences not just point or make a noise.

Remember, as a teacher your main focus should always be to find and encourage every child’s strengths and learning styles regardless of whether they have a disability or not.

Lesson Adaptations A-3

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A-4 Lesson Adaptations

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Puppet Helps

Puppetry is a great way to communicate with children of all ages. Even adults enjoy the antics of puppets when the puppetry is done well. The information that follows will help you in using your Gopher puppets. Whether you are an experienced puppeteer or picking up a puppet for the very first time please take a few moments to read these guidelines.

1. Puppet Care

It is very important to take proper care of your puppets. With a little care, they will last a long time and provide you with the tools to do a quality performance. You may want to pre-treat your puppet with fabric protector before use. These are professionally made puppets and as such should not be played with. Store your puppets in a clean, dry place. A storage container would be ideal but remember to allow them to dry out after you use them. Putting them away when they are still wet with perspiration from your hand can cause mold to form inside the puppet and will result in permanent damage. Your puppets can be cleaned with upholstery cleaner when they become soiled. It is a good idea to retreat them with fabric protector after cleaning.

2. Proper Technique

Entrances and Exits Typically, you will operate your puppet while on your knees. To enter your puppet, begin bobbing it up and down pivoting at your shoulder. As you do this, move the puppet to stage level. This will give the effect that the puppet is entering up a flight of stairs. To exit, turn the puppet around and begin bobbing, as you appear to descend down the staircase.

Mouth Action The Gopher puppets do not have mouths that open and close. To give the illusion that the puppets are talking, you will need to move the puppet’s head slightly forward as you speak. Be careful not overdo this motion or you will distract from your message. You do not need to move the head with every syllable to give the illusion of speaking. If several puppeteers are working together, your motion for talking should be similar. Be sure to keep your puppet still while other puppets are speaking so that attention will be drawn to the speaking puppet.

Eye Contact It is very important to maintain good eye contact during your performance. When your puppet is speaking to the audience, have it look at the audience. When in dialog with another puppet, turn your puppet slightly toward that puppet. Never turn your puppet’s back to the audience unless you are exiting the stage.

Puppet Helps A-5

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Posture and Performance Height Try to maintain good posture with your puppet. Make an effort for them to look natural in the way they stand and in position to each other. Be careful not to allow your puppet to shrink from sight or to rise high enough for your arm to show below the puppet. Attempt to keep the puppet at a uniform height throughout the performance. This will come with practice. As your arm muscles develop you will be able to perform longer. Practice your puppetry in front of a mirror so that you will be able to see what the audience will see when your puppet is on stage. Gestures and Movements Simple gestures and movements can communicate emotion. Never allow your puppet to stare into space for a period of time. Hiding the eyes or shaking slightly can show fear. A sudden turn can show surprise. Don’t overdo your movements as it can take away from the message of your story. Practice gestures and movements to help your puppets come alive. Practice and Preparation Like anything else, good puppetry takes practice. Do not wait until five minutes before the lesson to begin looking for the stage and puppets. Prepare ahead of time. Review the lesson and be familiar with the dialog. This will allow you to focus on a quality performance with your puppet. Be prepared and bring glory to God through the use of your Gopher puppets.

3. Stage Ideas

Your church may have a puppet stage available for your Gopher Buddies club to use. If you do not have a stage, one can easily be made from a variety of different materials. Your choice will vary depending on the space available and the set-up of your classroom. Some suggestions are: Use a tension rod and a curtain in a doorway of your classroom. This is a very inexpensive and easy

way to make a stage. It can also be adjusted according to the height of your puppeteer. It is best to use a heavier curtain that is not easily seen through. Adjust the rod to the correct width for the doorway and store it and the curtain folded in an easily accessible place.

If your classroom has a Dutch doorway, than you have a ready-made option for a puppet stage. Just close the bottom portion of the door and leave the top portion open!

Cover a low table with an opaque sheet or tablecloth and add a presentation board (similar to those used in science fairs, etc.) to the table. This makes a fun stage that is stored easily when not in use. You might enjoy allowing the children to decorate the presentation board by writing their names on it or with pictures and stickers. Presentation boards are readily available at most office or teaching supply stores for a nominal cost.

Appliance boxes make good, inexpensive puppet stages as well. Cut one side away from the box and then make a “window” for the stage on the corresponding side. Again, the box can be fun for the children in your club to decorate.

A-6 Puppet Helps

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4. Puppeteers

Who should your puppeteer(s) for your Gopher Buddies club be? There are many different options. Perhaps someone from your regular leadership team will enjoy the responsibility. This is also a good way to incorporate some other volunteers into your team. Some possibilities are: Teenagers – Does your church encourage young people to be involved in the various ministries of

the church? This is a great way to include some teens in ministry. You will want to speak with your pastor or the person in charge of youth at your church for suggestions, as well as communication about whether or not this is feasible during your club time and the structure of your church’s ministry plan.

Parent or grandparent volunteers – Perhaps you have a parent, grandparent, or other adult in the church who would be available and enjoy helping your club in this way.

Regardless of who assumes the responsibility for becoming the puppeteer for your club, you will want to make sure that you communicate clearly the dates that their help will be needed. Some groups will want to include Gopher puppets weekly and incorporate the puppets by using them for the review question time. Some groups will use the puppets only when scripted into the lessons. Knowing in advance the times they need to be ready will enable your Gopher puppets to be an exciting and enjoyable part of Gopher Buddies Club that everyone looks forward to.

Puppet Helps A-7

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A-8 Puppet Helps

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Leading a Child to Christ

Leading a child to the Lord can and should be the most exciting and rewarding part of your ministry. However, there are things you must consider when preparing to counsel a child of this age. The following outline will enable you to be successful and avoid some common pitfalls most often encountered when leading a child to Christ.

Preparing yourself to lead a child to Christ

Have you prayed? Spend time in prayer before the teaching session. Pray that the Holy Spirit will speak to the children.

Do you have your Bible ready along with a simple outline that will help you remember the steps? Have you decided in advance which Bible verses to use? Have you practiced counseling with a co-leader? This will be very helpful.

Giving the invitation

After a message of salvation has been clearly presented, be sure to: Give an opportunity for children to trust Christ Do not manipulate them into making a decision by:

Saying things such as, “this would please your parents, or me.” Giving public praise for the child who makes a decision. Telling them that they will go to hell if they don’t make this decision. (A better way to explain this last point to this age group would be that they will be separated from God forever.)

Give them a specific time and place when they can come and talk to you or another leader. (Who is also prepared to counsel.)

It is usually not a good idea to have younger children raise their hand if they want to receive Christ. It is likely they will raise their hand because you have told them to or because their friend is raising a hand.

Counseling for Salvation

Pray for the Holy Spirit’s guidance as you counsel the child. Select an area that is conducive to counseling. Review the message of salvation simply. Remember, children of this age want to please. They will do what you do and say what you tell

them to say. Avoid having the child repeat what you have said, then telling them that they are saved. Instead,

use a gentle, unhurried manner. Ask simple questions to determine his readiness. Avoid yes/no questions. Encourage them to talk to you about their need. If you discern that a child is not ready to trust Christ, stop and pray with them and tell them you will

always be available to talk with them again.

Leading a Child to Christ B-1

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A Simple Outline for Your Bible

Need

Would you tell me why you came to talk with me? Why do you need Jesus? What is sin? Who has sinned? (Romans 3:23) Can you think of something you have done that God calls sin?

Way

Why did God send Jesus to Earth? Who is Jesus? What did Jesus do about your sin? (1 Corinthians 15:3-4) What happened three days after Jesus died and was buried?

Receive

(Read and let child say after you one promise verse; John 3:16, John 1:12 or Acts 16:31) What does God promise to do for you? What do you want God to do for you now? (If the child is clear on their need, let them pray. You

may need to guide the prayer: Tell God about the sin problem between you and Him, what you believe Jesus did because of your sin, what you want Him to do for you today.) If the child is not clear at this point, you may want to suggest that they think about it some more, and that you will always be available to talk with them when they are ready. The child should be clear on two key facts: What God wants the child to do What God will do – if he confesses his sin?

Assurance and Growth

What did God just do for you? How do you know? (Show the same condition/promise verse.) Will God ever leave you? (Hebrews 13:5) God will help you say no to sin. If you do sin, what should you do? (1 John 1:9) Allow the child to say a “thank you” prayer.

B-2 Leading a Child to Christ

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Snack Ideas

When serving fruit for a snack you may wish to pre-treat it using one of the following options: Option 1—Add one to four tablespoons lemon juice to one quart water, mix, then pre-soak sliced apples in this mixture for a short time. Drain. Option 2—Dip fruit into one of these fruit juices: orange, lemon, or pineapple (diluted half strength with water). You may also use one and one half teaspoon salt to one quart water and mix well. Pre-soak fruit slices and then drain and rinse with water. Drain well. Option 3—Purchase product designed to preserve fresh fruit from the supermarket.

Easy Snacks Abraham’s Traveling Trail Mix

Use snack size Ziploc bags and put trail mix (nuts, raisins, mini M&M’s or chocolate chips, banana chips etc.) in each one for every child. If time allows, hide the trail mix bags around the room or outside and have children “travel” around to find their snack bag.

Andy’s Dipping Snacks Serve pretzels or cracker sticks with cheese for dipping.

Animal Crackers

Serve prepackaged animal crackers with milk.

Ananias’ Apple Bites Serve children apple slices and a spoonful of yogurt to dip them in.

Ants on a log Spread cream cheese on large pretzel rods and top them with raisins. Serve with milk or juice.

Balloon Bump Cookies Make or buy circle shaped sugar cookies. Frost one cookie; put in a red shoelace licorice and top with another cookie. Serve with milk.

Basket Crackers Serve wheat crackers (with a basket design). Serve with blue juice.

Beach Snack Crackers Spread cake icing tinted blue on one graham cracker. Let the children add Goldfish crackers onto the iced graham cracker. Serve with milk or blue “beach” juice.

Snack Ideas C-1

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Buddy Balloons Provide each child with two circle-shaped sugar cookies. Frost one cookie with icing and put a red shoelace licorice on the cookie. Top with the second cookie to make the balloon. Serve with milk or juice.

Bugle Trumpets

Serve the children Bugles snacks with juice. Show the children how to bite the end off the Bugles and blow it to make a noise.

Build a Wall

Use pretzel rods and spreadable cheese and let the kids build “walls” for their snack. Cracker Snackers

Serve graham crackers or club crackers. Before serving the snack, pass out napkins, giving one napkin to every other child. Tell the children they need to fold out their napkin and share it with the person next to them who doesn’t have a napkin. Then serve the crackers with juice or milk.

Creation Critter Snack Mix Serve a trail mix made of animal crackers, fish crackers, raisins, pretzels, or other items mixed together.

Crunch-n-Munch Critter Snack Serve this favorite “horsey” snack: baby carrots and apple slices. Add some veggie and fruit dip to make it even more fun.

Daniel Delights

Serve cut up celery, cucumbers, and baby carrots with ranch dip and ice water to drink. Day and Night Cookie Snack

Serve the children Oreo cookies and milk. Desert Delights

Serve ice pops or frozen fruit bars for snack time this week. Dust Pudding

Purchase individual pudding cups or serve pudding to the children in individual cups or bowls. (A small paper cup with plastic spoon will work well.) In advance, crumble up some graham crackers, vanilla wafers, or sandwich cookies. Allow each child to scoop some “dust” from the bag and sprinkle it on top of their pudding. Serve with milk.

Easy Cheesey Cracker Snack

Serve Cheez-It Scrabble Junior Crackers. Give each child a serving of crackers on a small plate. Emily Gopher’s Favorite Fish Snack

Serve fish-shaped crackers and blue juice.

Fellowship Fruit Serve fresh fruit slices, grapes, or cut banana sections.

C-2 Snack Ideas

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Filled Pretzel Snack Serve cheese-filled pretzel bites or similar prepackaged snacks.

Fish and Loaves

Serve fish crackers and rolls or biscuits. Serve with milk.

Fish Snack Serve fish-shaped crackers with milk or juice.

Fishermen’s Feast Serve fish crackers with a blue beverage.

Friendly Snacks

Choose a prepackaged snack that comes in twos. Be sure to allow the children to sit with the friend they brought. One helper should pass out the snacks and another helper should help the children who brought a guest serve their snack to them first before taking their own. Pair up the children who did not bring a friend and have them serve each other as well.

Fruit Snacks Serve fruit snacks or dried fruit rolls.

Gelatin Eggs Make gelatin eggs in an egg mold if you have one (generally available in supermarkets during Easter season) or by using an egg-shaped cookie cutter to cut them from a tray of gelatin.

Glad Gopher Buddies’ Goodies The following are some ideas of various fun little snacks that children enjoy: mini graham crackers in various shapes, dried fruit rolls, small bowls of ice cream, gelatin or pudding cups, pizza snacks, or other snacks that you know the children in your club like. Serve with juice.

Gopher Goodies The snack this week should be served in one large bowl. Some good options are a cereal snack mix, popcorn, cheese puffs, etc. Place one scoop or measuring cup in the bowl. Give each child their own bowl or napkin.

Gopherville Bible Snack

Give each child two graham crackers, a small bowl with a spoonful of canned frosting, and a small craft stick. Show the children how to spread the frosting on the crackers with the craft stick and put the crackers together to make a book. Serve with milk.

Happy Face Snacks Serve round snack crackers with happy faces made from canned cheese spray.

Heart Snacks Serve snacks that are heart-shaped. A heart cookie cutter will easily transform many things into the correct shape. Some options are heart-shaped cheese slices, heart-shaped sandwiches, or heart-shaped gelatin. Serve with milk.

Snack Ideas C-3

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Hugs and Kisses Give each child a Hershey’s Hug and Kiss candy. Tell them they must give their candy to another child and wait for someone to give them candy. When everyone has shared their candy, have the children eat their snack. Serve with milk.

Joseph’s Snack

Serve dry cereal as a snack with milk to drink.

Mama’s Muffins Serve homemade or prepackaged muffins and milk. To go along with today’s helping theme, have the children help pass out napkins, cups, and the muffins. After snack time is finished, encourage the children to help clean up by throwing away the trash, wiping the tables, and sweeping up crumbs.

Mini Trees Serve raw broccoli and cauliflower pieces with a dip such as ranch dressing. Serve with water or juice.

Nativity Cookies Serve sugar cookies in the shapes of the nativity figures such as sheep, angels, or stars (with the use of cookie cutters). Serve with milk.

Nighttime Nibbles

Serve the snack of your choice (box of crackers, bag of pretzels, box of fruit snacks—anything simple and not easily crumbled) with milk, juice, or water. Eat your snack in a darkened room. Dim the lights if possible, or leave the door ajar to utilize light from the hallway. You might also use a few flashlights to provide enough light to see and to insure none of the children are frightened.

Pebble Pillow – Donut Holes Serve donut holes and milk for snacks.

Piggy Slop

Give each child a clear cup filled with chocolate pudding and a spoon. Place bowls of sprinkles, M&M’s, raisins, and chopped bananas in the center of the table. Let the children mix their favorite things in their own pudding. Then let them enjoy their own cup of “piggy slop.”

Prayer Reminder Serve small pretzel sticks or round cookies with stripes. Serve with milk.

Rainbow Refreshments Serve rainbow vanilla wafer cookies or fruit flavored “O” shaped cereal. Serve with milk.

Samuel Cookies

Purchase gingerbread or sugar cookies at a grocery store or a bakery and serve with milk. You may choose to have the children decorate the cookies with purchased tube frosting or icing.

Spy Snacks

Give each child a package of fruit snacks. Don’t forget the purple juice. For more fun during snack time, hide the fruit snacks around the room before class. At snack time, have the children look and try to spy out their snack. When everyone has found a package of fruit snacks, let snack time begin.

C-4 Snack Ideas

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Traveling Treats Serve the children grapes, bread, crackers, and cheese.

Wheat Crackers

Serve some type of wheat cracker with cheese spread or cheese slices, and juice.

Wooly Sheep Munch and Crunch Bring popcorn to class for the kids to munch. Don’t forget the juice! Optional Idea: To go along with the “lost” theme, put popcorn into individual bags for the children. Hide the bags before class, and tell the children at snack time that you have lost their snacks. Tell them they need to be like the shepherd, and go looking for the lost snacks.

More Difficult Snacks Abraham’s Traveling Tent Snack

Give each child two graham crackers. Show them how to stand the graham crackers up in a tent shape. Then spread some canned frosting on the ends of each cracker and have them stand up their tent shaped crackers on a paper plate. Serve with milk.

Angel Food Dream Dessert Serve each child a slice of angel food cake. Have chocolate syrup, strawberries and whipped cream toppings available for children to put on their dream dessert.

Aquatic Gelatin Make enough blue gelatin for your group size. Pour the gelatin into small, clear plastic cups. Add a few gummy fish to each cup and refrigerate till hardened.

Baa, Baa Cupcakes Decorate cupcakes with frosting and top with mini marshmallows to look like sheep. Serve with milk or juice.

Balloon Bump Cakes Give each child a rice cake and a small cup filled with frosting. Give the children craft sticks to use as spreaders. Have the children decorate their rice cake with frosting. Use string licorice as the balloon string. For even more fun, let the children add sprinkles to their balloon.

Barnabas’ Bagel Bites Serve the children bagel chips and a spoonful of ranch dressing dip or cheese dip.

Beach Walk Snack

Tell the children to pretend that the class is walking on the beach, and these are the things they may find! In a large bowl let the children help you mix together the following: pretzels (driftwood), fish-shaped crackers, chocolate chips (beach pebbles), chow mein noodles (seaweed), and cereal (life preservers). Serve with blue “beach” juice.

Snack Ideas C-5

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Birthday Cake Serve a birthday cake for Jesus. Don’t forget the candles! Let children sing “Happy Birthday” to Jesus. Serve with milk.

Celery Trees Cut celery ribs into desired lengths. Slice one end of each celery stick in narrow lengthwise strips, approximately one-fourth to one-third of a stick. Place celery in ice water and refrigerate for an hour or two. The top of the celery will curl down and look like tree branches. Serve with peanut butter or cream cheese to spread on the trees. (It is important to make sure that no children in your classroom have peanut allergies before serving peanut butter at snack time.)

Cereal Squares 1/4 cup regular margarine 10-oz. pkg. regular marshmallows (about 40) 6 cups crispy rice cereal Measure margarine into a 2 or 3 quart saucepan; melt over low heat. Add marshmallows and heat stirring constantly until marshmallows are melted and mixture is very syrupy. Remove from heat. Add crispy rice cereal. Stir until cereal is well coated. Spread warm mixture in buttered 13" × 9" × 2" pan. Using wax paper or buttered spatula, press mixture firmly into an even layer. Cut into squares when cool. Yield: 24 two-inch squares. Serve with milk.

Cheesey Cracker Scrabble Mix Mix Cheez-It Scrabble Junior Crackers with pretzel sticks and M&M’s in a large bowl. Give each child a serving of cracker mix on a small plate.

Chocolate Surprise

20 milk chocolate kisses ¼ cup margarine or butter 2 packages of refrigerated biscuits ½ cup sugar ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease Bundt pan. Unwrap chocolate kisses. Melt margarine or butter. Separate and flatten each biscuit into a 3-inch circle. Place a chocolate kiss in the center of each biscuit. Wrap the biscuit around the chocolate, forming a ball. Pinch the ends to seal firmly. Mix sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl. Dip each dough ball in margarine and then roll in cinnamon-sugar mixture. Layer the balls in the greased Bundt pan. Make sure to place the second layer of dough balls on top and between the balls of dough in the first layer. Bake for 20 minutes or until the bubble ring is golden. Remove from oven and cool approximately one minute. Turn pan upside down onto plate and remove the pan. Cool for about ten minutes. Serve with milk.

Cracker Fishing

On a small paper plate give each child a spoonful of a spreadable cheese dip, several pretzel sticks, and fish-shaped crackers. Now tell them they can start fishing. Show them how to dip one end of the pretzel stick into the cheese and then catch a fish-shaped cracker with the cheesey end of the stick.

C-6 Snack Ideas

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Cupcake Surprise Make cupcakes or muffins. Fill the muffin cup halfway and then add jelly or other appropriate filling. Add more of the cupcake or muffin mix on top and bake as directed. Frost or top according to the recipe.

Daniel Dip Sticks

Serve cut up celery, cucumbers, baby carrots, and cherry tomatoes. Give the children round toothpicks to spear the vegetables and then dip them in ranch dressing. Serve with ice water.

Dessert Coolers

1 package (3 ounces) gelatin, your choice of flavor 1 envelope unsweetened drink mix, same flavor as gelatin 1 cup sugar 2 cups boiling water 2 cups cold water In a bowl, dissolve the gelatin, drink mix, and sugar in boiling water. Stir in cold water. Pour into molds or paper cups; insert craft sticks. Freeze until firm. Makes 16–18 servings.

Emily’s Chicken Nuggets and Dipping Sauce Serve chicken nuggets and sauce for dipping.

Emily’s Edibles Prepare in advance plates of cookies or graham crackers. Have small containers of frosting and sprinkles. Have plastic knives or craft sticks for children to use as spreaders. Allow children to take their own snack from the plate and spread frosting and sprinkles on it. Serve with milk.

Fish Sticks and Bread

Serve baked fish sticks and refrigerated biscuits or any other kind of bread or roll. (Please make sure there are no children with fish allergies before serving this snack in the classroom.) Serve with ranch dressing and/or tartar sauce or other dipping sauces and milk.

Friendly Crunches

You will need fish-shaped crackers, small chocolate candy pieces, circle-shaped cereal, raisins, and whatever else you may want to mix together. At snack time, let each child pour a small amount of the above ingredients into a large bowl. Mix together well and serve in small bowls or cups.

Frosted Crackers Give each child an unbroken section of graham cracker or club cracker and a plastic knife or spreading tool. Place small cups of frosting or cheese spread between each group of two children. Allow the children to spread their crackers with the topping provided. Place another section of cracker on top and help the children to cut or break the crackers apart. They should then give a portion of their cracker to the child on their right.

Snack Ideas C-7

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Fruit Bright Bites Set out apples cut into wedges along with several flavors of gelatin (the sugar kind) powder mix. Have children dip an apple wedge into one of the gelatin powders, covering all sides of the apple. Let the apple sit for several seconds. The apple will turn a bright color. Then eat the apple wedge. Have paper towels ready; this snack is fun but messy. Suggested gelatin flavors to use: orange, rasberry, lime, and blueberry. Helpful Hint: Gala and Cortland apples do not turn brown as quickly when sliced.

Gideon Grub In the middle of the table, place one bowl of Bugles snacks, one bowl of M&M’s candy, one bowl of gold fish shaped crackers, and one large bowl to mix everything together. Have on hand a small scoop or measuring cup. Tell the children that you want them to help make today’s snack. Tell them they will need to follow the directions you give them. Then let the children take turns putting the different things into the bowl as you give each one a specific direction. Example: Put two scoops of fish crackers in the bowl. After all the children have had a turn carefully mix the ingredients together.

Glad Gopher Buddies’ Cookies Make some chocolate chip or other homemade cookies. Serve with milk.

Gobbling Grapes

Serve grapes and a small cup of yogurt to dip them in. Don’t forget the purple juice.

Gopher Buddies’ Snack Pack Pack simple snacks of your choosing in small boxes or other containers for the children to enjoy this week. You might want to bring them in a large picnic basket. Put a napkin and snack into each container.

Gopher Buddy Bible Snack

Before class, spread white frosting between two graham crackers. Put the crackers together to look like a book. Use a tube of icing to write the word “Bible” on the front of the crackers. Serve with milk.

Happy and Sad Face Snacks

Start with a round food like rice cakes, English muffins or Ritz Crackers. (This will be the head.) Using small plastic knives or craft sticks, have children spread peanut butter or cream cheese on the “head.” Then give the children small candies—raisins, chocolate chips—to make a happy face and a sad face. (Before serving peanut butter, make sure there are no children with peanut allergies in your classroom.)

Horsey Chew and Chomp Before class mix the following favorite horsey treats in a large bowl: mini shredded wheat (hay bales), Cheerios (oats), dried apples (apples), candy corn (corn).

Licorice Chains Before class make a chain for each child using pull-apart licorice or fruit roll-ups.

Locust Cakes Serve the children rolls or biscuits with butter and honey. Have jam available for those children who may not like honey. Serve with milk.

C-8 Snack Ideas

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Mama’s Munch and Crunch In a large bowl, mix fish shaped crackers, small chocolate candy pieces, circle shaped cereal, and raisins. Serve mixture in small bowls along with juice. To go along with today’s helping theme, have the children help pass out napkins, bowls, and cups. After snack time is finished, encourage the children to help clean up by throwing away the trash, wiping the tables, and sweeping up crumbs.

Mother Gopher’s Creation Cupcakes Make cupcakes and frost with blue icing. Put several fish-shaped crackers on top of the icing. Serve with milk.

Oatmeal Cookies 1 cup butter or margarine 3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed 3/4 cup granulated sugar 2 eggs 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1-1/4 cups flour 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. baking soda 3 cups oatmeal In a large bowl, mix butter, sugars, eggs, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Sift together dry ingredients. Add sifted dry ingredients to creamed mixture. Fold in oatmeal. Mix well. Drop from a teaspoon onto greased baking sheets. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 6–8 minutes. Variation: Add one 7-ounce package of chocolate chips or raisins. Serve with milk.

Painted Toast

Purchase small paint brushes. Wash and dry them thoroughly. In small, spill-proof plastic containers, mix three tablespoons milk and a few drops food coloring. You may add a little sugar if desired. Use a different container for each color. (Two brushes per container work well. The children will end up mixing the colors, but that’s okay.) You may want to have the children put on paint smocks (men’s old cotton shirts or t-shirts work well). If desired, use cookie cutters to cut shapes out of bread before toasting. Toast bread, at least two slices per child. Allow children to “paint” the bread with the colored milk. The painted toast can also be spread with margarine and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar.

Pink Pig-Sicles Mix together two cups of plain yogurt, a twelve ounce can of unsweetened frozen apple-cranberry juice concentrate, and two teaspoons of vanilla. Pour the mixture into small paper cups and insert plastic spoons for handles. Chill in the freezer until set. (Makes 8-10 treats)

Pizza Surprise Bake a round cake or roll out sugar cookie dough onto a round pizza pan and bake. Use red food coloring to frost the cake or cookie. Add shavings of white chocolate to look like mozzarella cheese. Top with pretend pepperoni cut from a red dried fruit roll. Bring out the snack and show it to the children. Serve with milk.

Snack Ideas C-9

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Pretzel Stick Churches Serve pretzel sticks on paper plates. Have children arrange sticks in the shape of a church building.

Pretzel Stick People Pretzel sticks Marshmallows Gum drops Cheese cubes Meat cubes Use any combination of the suggested ingredients above to let the children make a stick person to munch on during snack time this week. Serve with milk or juice.

Pricey Snacks Serve chocolate coins or graham crackers or cookie bars decorated to look like coins or dollar bills.

Puppy Pet Food 9 c crispy rice cereal squares ½ c peanut butter 1 c semi sweet chocolate chips 1 ½ c powdered sugar Melt chocolate in microwave or saucepan. Add peanut butter and mix until smooth. Add cereal and stir until coated. Pour powdered sugar into a large re-sealable bag or container. Shake until coated. Serve with milk.

Resurrection Snack Give each child one half of a chocolate donut, standing it on its cut ends. Tell the children this reminds us of the tomb. Then give each child a donut hole and have them place it in front of the cut donut. Tell the children this reminds us of the stone in front of the tomb. Before eating their snack, ask the children to show you what happened to the “stone” on the first Easter morning.

Samuel’s Midnight Snack Use a cookie cutter to cut shapes from sliced bread and top with cheese or other toppings. Add the toppings yourself or allow the children to do so by themselves.

Sharing Sandwiches Before class make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Wrap sandwiches individually in plastic wrap. Also have paper plates, napkins, and cups. Select some of the children to pass out the sandwiches, others to set out paper plates, napkins, and cups. Serve sandwiches with milk or juice. After the children are finished eating, have them put their plates and napkins into the trash and help to clean up the table. Note: If you have children in your group with peanut allergies you may wish to substitute cream cheese for peanut butter in this snack.

C-10 Snack Ideas

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Snack in a Basket Crescent rolls, enough for approximately double your normal group size Hot dogs, same amount as crescent rolls Cheese slices, same amount as crescent rolls and hot dogs Roll out crescent roll dough, lay cheese slice on top, put hot dog on top of cheese slice and roll crescent roll dough up. Place on baking sheet and bake according to directions for crescent rolls. Serve in baskets. Serve with a blue drink. Helpful Hint: These may be cut into several pieces to accommodate a larger group.

Sun, Moon, and Star Sugar Cookies Serve sugar cookies shaped like a round, yellow sun; round, white moon; and yellow star. If you prefer not to serve cookies, use a cookie cutter to cut these shapes from other things such as bread, gelatin, cheese, bologna, pancakes, etc.

Wordless Snack This snack can be made with fruits or vegetables. Fruit: Yellow – apple, pineapple, banana Black – small chocolate chips Red – strawberries, cherries, apple White – mini marshmallows Green – green grapes, sliced in half to prevent choking Vegetable: Yellow – pepper Black – black olive Red – pepper, tomato White – cauliflower Green – cucumber, broccoli, green pepper Prepare a small dish or cup of the various color fruits or vegetables for each child. You may also wish to serve with yogurt or ranch dressing for dipping.

Yummy Cookie Wall Provide the children with cookies and canned frosting spread to build their own “wall.” Go ahead and let the children add some sprinkles for even more fun.

Snack Ideas C-11

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Scripture Memory Review Games

Balloon Toss

Toss a balloon into the air as high as you can. Have the children attempt to say the memory verse and reference before the balloon hits the floor. Repeat as time allows.

Beach Blanket Review

If the children brought their own beach towels let them use them for this activity. If not, give the children the towels you brought. If the towels are large enough, the children can easily share them. Tell the children different directions, using their towels, to practice the memory verse. For example, “Sit on your towel and say the verse.” “Stand on one leg on your towel and say the verse.” “Put the towel on your head and say the verse.” Repeat with different directions as time allows.

Binoculars Look Around

Put on your pretend binoculars and look around at the group of children. Say, “I’m looking around for someone to say, the memory verse with me today!” Then call out the name of one of the children. Say the verse with the child that was chosen. Repeat as time allows. To keep it interesting and fun, call out the names of several children at the same time.

Bouncing Ball

Have the children form a circle. Tell the children that you are going to call out someone’s name and bounce the ball to them. They are to catch the ball and then call out someone’s name and gently bounce the ball to them. These two children then stand in the middle of the circle and say the memory verse. Be sure to help them if necessary. When they have finished reciting the verse, they should return to their places in the circle. The leader should again bounce the ball to another child and that child to another. Then those children will go to the middle of the circle and say the memory verse. Continue to play until all children have had a turn.

Build the Verse

Have the same number of building blocks as there are words in the Bible verse in the version that the children are learning. Have a block for the reference, too. Pass out the blocks to the children, one block per child. Then as a group say the verse. As each word of the verse is said, have a child place one block on the table to make a wall. Repeat the activity until each child has had a turn to help build the wall.

Copy Cat

Ask the children if they have ever copied someone or echoed them. Explain to the children that if you copy or echo what someone says you repeat back to them exactly what they said. Try a trial run. Say, “If I say ‘ice cream,’ you say (allow children to say ice cream back to you).” Now split the verse into manageable sections. You will say the section first, point to the children, and have them repeat the section back to you. Continue as time allows or until you feel the children have a good understanding of the verse. Then as a group, without copying, say the verse a final time.

Scripture Memory Review Games D-1

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Crazy Stand Ups

Have the children sit on the floor facing you. Ask the children to stand up and say the verse and reference. Each time, vary the stipulations for standing (For example: all those with blue eyes, everyone who is wearing green, everyone who has a sister, everyone who has no siblings). Repeat until all the children have had a turn or as time allows.

Find the Treasure

Place different colors of construction paper on the floor in a circle. Use one sheet of paper per child. The children will walk around the outside of the paper circle as you play music. When the music stops, the children will stand by the paper closest to them. Call out one of the colors. The children standing by that color will say the verse and reference. Repeat until all the children have had a turn or as time allows.

Follow Me

Have the children stand facing you. Begin each round of the activity by saying, “Boys and girls, follow me. It’s as easy as A-B-C.” Then lead the children in saying the Bible verse including the reference while doing one of the following actions: standing on one leg, hopping up and down, marching in place, etc. Allow the children to take turns being the leader. Repeat until each child has had a turn being leader or as time allows.

Follow the Footsteps (Graphic)

Make copies of the set of footprints found in the Scripture Memory Games Appendix of the Bible Study. There should be one footprint per word and also a footprint for the reference. Place the footprints on the floor, spaced far enough apart so that the children can easily step on them as they walk across them. Have the children form a line. One at a time, the children will step on the footprints as they repeat the words.

Follow the Leader

Have children line up behind you. Tell them they will practice the memory verse by playing “Follow the Leader” and you are the leader. Begin by marching around the room. At short intervals, stop and turn around to the children and say, “Say the verse!”. Then lead the children in repeating the memory verse. Continue playing and doing different motions for the children to follow.

Freeze Verse

Have the children stand in an open area. Tell them when the music begins to play they should begin moving around. As soon as the music stops, they should “freeze”—no moving allowed. Lead the children in saying the memory verse together to unfreeze them. After the verse is said, continue playing as time allows.

D-2 Scripture Memory Review Games

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Helping Bridges

This activity is a version of “London Bridges.” Two leaders will stand and form the bridge with their arms. Have the leaders begin singing the song to the tune of “London Bridges.” We help Jesus, yes we do, Yes we do, yes we do. We help Jesus, yes we do, We’ll help you. After the children form a line, they will begin walking under the bridge. Periodically, have the leaders “capture” a child by bringing down their arms. Once a child is captured, have all the children repeat the verse including the reference. Continue playing until each child has had a turn to be “captured” in the bridge.

Hidden Scripture

Write the verse the children are learning on the puzzle pattern found in the appendix. Cut the puzzle along the lines. Have the children close their eyes while you hide the puzzle pieces. Choose a few children to look for the puzzle pieces. Have the children put the pieces together to complete the verse. A leader should help them if necessary. Once the verse is complete, have all the children repeat the verse. Have the children who just searched hide the pieces, while the other children cover their eyes. Repeat as time allows.

Light and Dark, Loud and Soft

After practicing the Bible verse, remind the children that God created the heavens and the earth; light and dark; all growing things; and the sun, moon and stars. Tell the children you want them to pretend that the light in your room is the sun. When you turn the light on, it is daytime and they can be loud. They need to shout the Bible verse when it is daytime. However, when you turn the light off, it is nighttime and they need to be quiet. Tell them you want them to whisper the Bible verse when the light is off. Repeat as time allows. Note: If your room will be too dark with the light off, bring a flashlight or lamp to leave on during the activity.

Lock ‘em Up and Let ‘em Go

Play this version on London Bridges to help the children learn the memory verse. Have two children pretend to be jailors and stand facing each other, holding hands with their arms raised high. Line the rest of the children up and have them walk underneath the arms of the jailors. As the children walk, have them repeat the verse including the reference. When the children say the reference, have the jailors bring down their arms and pretend to lock up the child who is between their arms. That child can then take the place of one of the jailors. Repeat until all the children have had a turn being a jailor or as time allows.

Scripture Memory Review Games D-3

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Match the Number

Have an index card numbered either 1 or 2 for each child. Place the index cards face down on the floor in an open area. As you say the verse and reference aloud, have the children walk around the cards. When you are finished saying the verse, have the children stop and pick up the card closest to them. Have all the children holding a 1 say the verse and reference together. Then have all the children holding a 2 say the verse and reference together. Repeat the game as time allows. A variation of this game would be to play music while the children are walking around and when the music stops they pick up a card.

Memory Cube

Have the children stand in a circle. A leader should toss the cube into the center of the circle. When the cube lands, have all the children recite the verse, including the reference (in the version you are using) in the same position as the picture shows. (Bible—person who tossed the cube acts out reading the verse from a Bible while reciting the verse; Question mark—person who tossed the cube chooses how the group says the verse; Hand on head—entire group pats their head as they say the verse; Hand on knees—entire group pats their knees while they say the verse; Leg in air—entire group says the verse while standing on one leg; Clapping hands—entire group claps their hands in rhythm as they say the verse.) Choose a child to toss the cube next. Keep tossing the cube and reciting the verse until each child has had a turn or as time allows. For a variation of the game, have the child who tosses the cube say the verse alone.

Monkeys in the Middle

Have the children hold hands and form a circle around the leader (first monkey in the middle). The children should walk around in a circle while the leader closes their eyes, turns around, and points. At the same time, the children should be reciting the verse. When the verse is recited, the children should stop and the leader stops. The child whom the leader is pointing at is the next monkey in the middle.

Musical Colors

Place different colors of construction paper on the floor in a circle. Use one sheet of paper per child. Have the children walk around the outside of the paper circle as you play music. When the music stops, the children should stand by the paper closest to them. Call out one of the colors. All the children standing by that color should say the verse and reference. Repeat until all the children have had a turn or as time allows. A variation of this game is to repeat the verse as the children walk around the circle. When you stop, they should stand on the closest color.

Musical Zoo

Have the children sit or stand in a circle. When you start the music, have the children pass one of the animals used in the Bible lesson introduction around the circle. After a brief time, stop the music. Have the children say the verse as a group. Repeat as time allows. Variation: While the children pass the animal around the circle, you say the Bible verse. The child holding the animal, when you are done saying the verse, receives a small prize (sticker, candy, Gopher Buddies hand stamp). Be sure all the children receive a prize. Children who haven’t held the animal can be given a prize for playing nicely.

D-4 Scripture Memory Review Games

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Name the Picture

Show the children Lesson Visual #3 from the Bible lesson. Ask the children to raise their hands to name something specific in the picture. After a child answers, have them (or the entire group) repeat the verse including reference. Repeat until each child has a chance to respond or as time allows.

Number Pickup

Have an index card for each child. Half the cards should have a number “1” written on them; the other half should have a number “2” on them. Spread the index cards face down on the floor in an open area. As you say the verse and reference aloud, have the children walk around the cards. When you are finished saying the verse, shout out, “Number Pickup.” The children should then stop and pick up the card closest to them. Have all the children holding a “1” card say the verse and reference together. Then have all the children holding a “2” card say the verse and reference together. Repeat the game as time allows. A variation of this game would be to play music while the children are walking around, and when the music stops they pick up a card. Another variation, choose just one child at a time from the “1s” or “2s” to say the verse.

Partner Pair-Up

Have children spread out in the room. Have them tiptoe around the room. When you call out “Partner Pair-Up,” have them find a partner and link arms. Then have each pair take a turn saying the memory verse together. Repeat as time allows. Encourage them to find a different partner for each round.

Pass the Ornament

Have the children sit in a circle. Hand one child a small, unbreakable Christmas ornament. Have the children say the verse including the reference. As the children say each word of the verse, have them pass the ornament to the child on their right. Repeat as time allows. For a variation of the game, have the children say the verse quickly or very slowly as they pass the ornament.

Pop Up

Have the children sit in a circle with you. Tell them that you are going to pretend to be popcorn popping. They are special popcorn and only “pop” on certain words. The first time you say the verse everyone is going to pop on the word “hear.” The second time you say the verse, have everyone pop on the words “hear” and “Word.” Continue adding words as time allows.

Rise and Shine

Arrange the children on the floor. Have them pretend to sleep like Samuel was asleep in the Bible lesson. Tell the children that when you call their name and say, “Rise and shine,” they should stand up and say the memory verse with you. After they say the verse, they should go back to sleep. Continue to awaken groups of children until each child has had a turn. Repeat as time allows.

Scripture Memory Review Games D-5

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Say It Like the Spies

Tell the children to listen carefully to your directions, so they know how to say the memory verse. Start off saying, “Say it like the spies and close your eyes.” All the children should then say the verse with their eyes closed. Then say, “Say it like the spies and jump up and down.” Children repeat the verse jumping up and down. Continue as time allows. Other suggestions: “Say it like the spies and.....turn around; clap your hands; hop on one foot; put your hands on your head.”

Say it Sad, Say it Glad

Tell the children that when you hold up the picture of Hannah crying, you want them to say the verse like they are feeling sad. Tell them that when you hold up the picture of Hannah with her baby, you want them to say the verse like they are very happy. Practice saying the verse with the children using a sad voice and expression and then saying it like they are happy.

Share the Toy

Have the children sit in a circle. Hand one child one of the toys that was used for the Bible lesson. Have each child say one word of the verse then pass the toy to the child on their right. Repeat as time allows. For a variation of the game, have the children say the verse quickly or very slowly as they pass the toy around the circle.

Simon Says “Say Your Bible Verse”

Have the children stand up and spread out to give themselves room to play this version of Simon Says. Tell the children the rules of Simon Says. Every three or four instructions say “Simon Says Say Your Bible Verse.” All the children should repeat the Bible verse. Continue to play as time allows. Variation: Play Simon Says as usual with one change: when a child is “out,” they may say the Bible verse to get back “in” the game.

Stop and Go (Graphic)

Make one copy of the “Stop” and “Go” signs found in the Scripture Memory Games appendix of the Bible Study. Hold up the “Stop” and “Go” signs. Tell the children when you hold up the “Go” sign they should begin saying the Bible verse. When you hold up the “Stop” sign, they should stop saying the verse until you hold up the “Go” sign again. Repeat as time allows.

Trumpets and Torches (Graphic)

Divide the children into two groups. Tell one group they are the trumpets, and show them the trumpet picture. Tell the second group they are the torches, and show them the torch picture. Tell the children that when you hold up their group’s picture, that group will say the memory verse all together. Start out the activity slowly as you raise the two different pictures. Then hold up the pictures faster. End the activity by holding up both pictures and having all the children say the verse together.

D-6 Scripture Memory Review Games

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Upset the Fruit Basket (Graphic)

After practicing the verse, have the children sit in a circle of chairs. Give each child a paper fruit. Tell the children you are going to call out the names of the different fruit they are holding. When you call the name of their fruit, all the children holding that fruit should get up and change places with each other. The children who stay sitting should recite the verse while the others are changing places. If you say “Upset the Fruit Basket,” everyone is to get up and change places.

Wake up Jacob!

Have the children put their heads down, close their eyes, and pretend to be asleep. No peeking! Then move around the room. Tap two or three children on the head and say, “Wake up Jacob.” Those children should then stand up and repeat the verse together. Repeat the activity until everyone has had a turn to practice the verse. The last time, tap all the children on the head and have them say the verse together.

Wiggle Worm Workout

Lead the children in saying the verse using the following actions. Touch their heads and say the reference, John 20:31b. Touch their shoulders and say “Jesus is the Christ.” Touch their knees and say “the Son,” and then touch their toes and say “of God.” Start slowly and speed up each time you recite the verse.

Scripture Memory Review Games D-7

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D-8 Scripture Memory Review Games

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Scripture Memory Review Games D-9

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D-10 Scripture Memory Review Games

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Scripture Memory Review Games D-11

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D-12 Scripture Memory Review Games

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Scripture Memory Review Games D-13

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D-14 Scripture Memory Review Games

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Scripture Memory Review Games D-15

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D-16 Scripture Memory Review Games

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Scripture Memory Review Games E-17

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Game Ideas

Easy Games ABC Suitcase

Have the children sit in a circle. Place the suitcase with the alphabet letters inside in the middle of the circle. Have children take turns going up and choosing a letter from the suitcase. Have them tell what they should pack for a pretend trip that begins with that letter. Allow the children to have fun and be silly as they think of words that begin with that letter. For example, “A-alligator,” “B-bubbles.”

Andy Gopher’s Balloon Pass Game Divide the children into two teams and have them stand in a straight line. Place a basket of balloons by the first person in the line and an empty basket by the last person. At your signal to start, have the first person in line grab a balloon and pass it to the child beside them. The children should continue passing the balloons down their line. The last person in the line should put the balloon in the basket. Continue playing until the teams have passed all the balloons down the line.

Animal Charades Attach the animal stickers or pictures to the index cards and place them into the box, basket, or bag. The children should be seated on the floor. One at a time, choose a child to come to the front of the room and take a card from the bag. The child should then act out the animal they have chosen with sounds and/or actions. Other children should raise their hands to guess the animal. Help shy or more timid children in acting out the animal. Vary the activity by having a leader draw a card and allow the group to act out the animal together. Repeat until all the children have had a turn or as time allows.

Apple Hunt Have the children go to another room with a helper while you hide the apples. Have the children return to the room to look and find one apple. After everyone has found an apple, have the children think of something they like to do at church. Then have the children take turns completing the sentence, “I’m happy when it’s time to go to church because .” If possible, let the children take home their apples as a reminder of today’s lesson.

Basket Battle Dash

Divide the children into two teams. Have the children line up in their teams two-by-two, so each child has a partner. Have one child sit down in the laundry basket and have their partner push them down to the designated line. Once they are at the line, have the children switch places and then return to their team. Continue playing until everyone has had a turn. The team who finishes first is the winner.

Bible Bookmark Craft This week’s lesson offers an excellent opportunity to make a simple craft, a Bible bookmark. Provide children with a 7-inch by 2-inch piece of cardstock or construction paper. Have markers and stickers available for children to decorate their bookmark. If time allows, write the Bible verse on bookmarks. Use a hole punch to make a hole at the top of the bookmark. Have children loop yarn or ribbon through the hole to complete their project.

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Bread, Bread, Fish Game Have the children sit down in a circle facing each other. Choose one child to be “it” and have them walk around the outside of the circle. As they walk around, they tap each child’s head and say whether the child is “bread” or a “fish.” Once someone is chosen as the “fish,” that child gets up and tries to chase “it” around the circle. The goal is to tag that person before they are able to sit down in the “fish’s” place. Play continues with the previous “fish” becoming the new “it.” Repeat until everyone has had a turn to be “it.” This game is similar to “Duck, Duck, Goose.”

Buddy Balloons Provide each child with two circle-shaped sugar cookies. Frost one cookie with icing and put a red shoelace licorice on the cookie. Top with the second cookie to make the balloon. Serve with milk or juice.

Bugs In the Bucket Mark a starting line on the floor with tape, and place a bucket of plastic bugs by the line. In front of the starting point, place five small buckets in a vertical line with spaces between each bucket. Line the children up behind the tape. The first child in line will choose a bug and try to toss it into the first bucket. Give each child five tries, taking a bug from the bucket each time and tossing it toward the next bucket. When the child is done, they should return to the end of the line. Encourage the children to cheer each other on and see how many bugs they can get into the buckets. Repeat until all the children have had a chance to play.

Carrot, Carrot, Corn Have children sit in a circle on the floor to play this version of Duck, Duck, Goose. Choose one child to be “It.” Have the child walk around the outside of the circle and tap the heads of the other players and say whether they are a “carrot” or “corn.” Once someone is chosen as the “corn,” they get up and try to chase “it” around the circle. The goal is to tag the person who is “it” before they are able to sit down in the empty spot. Continue playing until everyone has had a chance to be the “corn.”

Cotton Ball Sheep Search

Have a helper hide the cotton balls in another room away from the children or outside if weather permits. Hide enough cotton balls so that each child can find several. It may be easier just to hide a certain number and then tell the children how many they are each to try and find. Give each child a bag. Tell them that they need to search for the lost cotton ball sheep and when they find them to put them in their bag. After a sufficient amount of time, have the children come back together and count the cotton ball sheep that are in their bags.

Fill the Bucket Brigade Divide the class into two equal teams. Have each team stand in a line between their two buckets...one empty bucket and one full of water. Give each child a paper cup. Tell the children that you want them to empty the full bucket into the empty one by pouring water from one cup into the next, all the way down the line. The last child then pours their water into the empty bucket.

Find the Money Choose one child to leave the room while you hide a piece of play money in plain sight. Then have the child come back into the room and begin to look for the hidden money. As the child searches for the money, have the rest of the children give them clues by saying “warm” if they are getting close or “cold” if they are getting further away. When the child finds the money, they should choose the next child to leave the room while the money is hidden again. Continue to play until each child has had a turn to search for the money or as time allows. If your group is larger, you will want to divide the children up and have them play the game as teams instead.

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Fishy Concentration Affix fish stickers to half the index cards or construction paper. Place the cards or sheets of paper face down on the floor. Allow each child to choose two cards or papers to turn over. They should try to find two fish pictures. Continue until all the matches have been made or each child has taken a turn. Repeat as time allows. Vary the game for younger players by leaving the chosen cards face up.

Friendly Musical Chairs Arrange chairs in a circle in the center of the room. You will need one fewer chair than you have children. Use a CD player to play music as the children walk around the chairs. Stop the music after they have circled around a few times. When the music stops, the children should all sit down in a chair. One child will not have a chair. That child must find someone who will share their chair with them. Continue playing, taking one chair out each round. More children will need to share their chairs each time. Play until only one chair remains or as time allows.

Fruit Basket Relay Mark a starting line and finish line on the floor with tape. Divide the children into two teams. Line them up in two lines, spreading out between the start and finish lines. Put a basket at the finish line. Have the children pass various fruits along the line in different ways (overhand, underhand, under leg, gentle toss, etc.). The child at the end of the line should put the fruit into the basket. Continue until each team’s fruit is all in the basket. Repeat as time allows. Move the children around so each has the chance to put the fruit into the basket, if possible.

Fruit Pass Have the children stand in a circle. Hand an apple or orange to one of the children. The children should begin passing the fruit around the circle as soon as you begin to play music. Stop the music at regular intervals. The child holding the fruit when the music stops should name their favorite fruit to eat. Repeat until all the children have had a turn to name their favorite fruit.

Giggling Gophers Have one child leave the room with a helper. Hide Andy Gopher’s sheriff’s badge somewhere in the room. Have the child return and begin looking for the badge. Have the other children give the child help in finding the badge by giggling/laughing loudly when the child is close to the badge and giggling/laughing softly when the child is far away from the badge. Continue playing until all the children have had a turn to look for the badge. For more fun, have Andy Gopher lead the children in giggling.

Gopher Buddies’ Jump Ups Have the children sit on the floor in a circle. Tell the children that you are going to ask them questions about themselves and it is important for them to tell the truth. Begin by saying, “Who has a dog? If you have a dog, jump up!” All the children who have a dog should jump up and then sit back down. Continue in the same way asking questions that the children can jump up because it is true about them. To vary the game, tell the children to do various actions like jump up and down two times when they stand up or jump up and turn around. For a fun variation, have Andy Gopher ask the questions.

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Gopher Buddy Hop Divide the children into pairs. If there is an odd number of children, recruit a leader to join the game. Children should scatter around the room and begin hopping up and down holding their partner’s hands. When you call out, “Stop the Hop,” the children should stop moving. The children then tell their partner something God created. Play as many rounds as time allows. Variation: Play music while the children hop. Stop the music as a signal for them to stop hopping.

Grain Bag Drop Have children form a circle and stand facing each other. Choose one child to be “Joseph” and have them hold the bag of grain. Joseph should begin walking around the outside of the circle. Have Joseph drop the bag of grain behind one of the other children and then begin running around the circle. The child behind whom the grain bag was dropped must pick it up and start to run after Joseph, trying to catch them. Joseph should try to run completely around the circle and get back to the open space before the child with the grain does. Have Joseph take the open space, and the child with the grain becomes the next “Joseph.” Continue to play until all the children have had a turn to be Joseph.

Guard Chase

Have the children make a large circle and clasp hands. One child (the prison guard) should stand inside the circle. Another child (the prisoner, Peter) should stand outside the circle. The object of the game is for the “guard” to catch the “prisoner.” The “prisoner” runs in and out of the circle trying to stay away from the “guard,” and the “guard” tries to catch the “prisoner.” The children raise and lower their arms to aid the “prisoner” and hinder the “guard.” The “guard” is also allowed to go in and out of the circle if they can go over or under the other children’s arms. Have the children take turns being the “guard” and the “prisoner.”

Happy Feet Before beginning the game, ask the children if their feet are happy when it’s time to go to church. Tell them you want to see their happy feet move all around during this game. Play music while the children move around the room. At different times stop the music and call out one of the three things they have learned they can do at church. When you call out “read the Bible” the children should stop moving and place their open hands in front of them like they are reading the Bible. When you call out “pray for others” they should stop moving and put their hands together like they are praying. When you call out “help others” they should find a partner and hold hands. Continue playing as time allows.

Happy, Happy Birthday Play this Christmastime version of Duck, Duck Goose. Have the children sit in a circle. Select one child to go around the outside of the circle and tap the other children’s heads. Each time a head is tapped, have them say, “Happy” till they choose a child to run after them by saying, “Birthday!” The selected runner chases the other student until they sit down in the empty space.

Heart Toss On a large piece of poster board, draw five large hearts. In each heart write a number one through five. Line the children up and give each one a turn tossing a beanbag to hit the highest number. If weather permits, play this game outdoors. Instead of the poster board, draw the hearts with sidewalk chalk on the driveway or sidewalk. If you have a large group, you may wish to make two or three poster boards with hearts.

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Helper Binocular Craft If using paper towel tubes, cut each tube in half. Let the children decorate the tubes with markers and stickers. When the children are finished decorating their binoculars, have leaders staple the two tubes together. If you would like, hole punch the tubes and add yarn or string so children can wear them around their necks.

Hot Potato Seat the children in a circle. Use a portable CD player to play music while the children pass around a potato or other object of your choosing. Stop the music after a brief interval. When the music stops, the child who is holding the potato or object should give or “share” the potato with another child. Start the music up again and repeat as before. Continue until the children have all had a chance to “share” or as time allows.

I Spy

Choose one child to be “It.” “It” chooses an object in the room and whispers what it is in your ear. Then they should say out loud, “I spy something with my little eye and the color is (fill in the appropriate color of the object).” The other children then start guessing objects that are that color, until someone guesses the correct object. After each guess, “It” should answer either “yes” or “no.” The child who guesses correctly becomes the new “It” and tells the color of their object by repeating the rhyme. Continue playing as time allows.

Joseph’s Coat Relay Mark a starting and return line on the floor with tape. Divide the children into two teams and have them line up behind the starting line. Place a man’s robe or shirt at the return line. At your signal, have the first child in each line run down to the return line, put the robe or the shirt on, and run back to the starting line, take off the robe, and be seated at the end of the line. Continue playing until all the children have had a turn. The first team to have all their team members seated wins.

Jump Over the River Stretch two ropes parallel to each other, approximately six to ten inches apart. This is the “river.” Have the children line up on one side of the river. Then have them take turns jumping to the other side. Once everyone has jumped across, move the ropes a bit farther apart. Have the children jump over the river again. Continue as time allows, moving the ropes a bit farther apart each time.

Listening Game Have the children close their eyes. Tell them when they hear you read something from God’s Word, the Bible, they should stand up. When they hear a different noise they should put their hands over their ears. While their eyes are still closed, have them try and guess what the noise is. Alternate between reading one of the Bible verses and making a noise with the objects in the basket. Make sure to hold the Bible up so that when the children open up their eyes they can see that you were reading from it.

Moon, Moon, Star Have the children sit in a circle on the floor. In the same way you play Duck, Duck, Goose, you will play “Moon, Moon, Star.” Choose one child to be “It.” Have them walk around the outside of the circle. As they walk, have them gently tap the children on the head and say, “moon.” The child should keep saying “moon” with each tap until they tap someone and say “star.” At this point, the child who was tapped should get up and chase the other child around the circle, trying to tag them before the first child takes their seat. Continue playing until each child has had a turn be “It.”

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Musical Chairs You will need one fewer chairs than you have children playing the game. Line the chairs up back to back. Have one leader sit by the CD player to turn it on and off. When the music plays, the children should walk carefully around the chairs until the music stops. When the music stops, they should quickly sit down in a chair. The person left standing without a chair should move to the side to watch. It’s a good idea to have a small sticker or piece of candy for the children to eat while they sit out. Remove one chair each time a person leaves the circle. Continue to play until only one child is sitting in the chair. Repeat as time allows.

Musical Chariots Make a circle of chairs. Have one chair less than the number of children. Tell the children these are chariot chairs. Have the children form a circle around the chairs. Begin playing the music. The children should move in a line around the chairs. When the music stops, the children should try to sit on a chair closest to them. The child without a chair leaves the game and one chair is removed. Try to have a small prize or treat to give children when they leave the game. Continue playing until only one child remains.

Musical Fish

Have the children stand in a circle. Give one of the children the plastic toy fish. Tell them when the music starts they need to pass the fish around the circle. When the music stops, whoever is holding the fish is “caught” and must go sit in the “net.” Play until only one child is left. It’s always helpful to have a small piece of candy or sticker to give the children when they leave the game.

Pass the Peanuts Cup Relay Divide the children into two teams. Place a chair opposite each team. Give the first player in each line a cup filled to the top with packing peanuts or cotton balls. The first player then runs/walks to the chair, goes around it, and returns to their team. They then pass the cup to the next player in line. Continue until every player on each team has carried the cup to the chair and back. The person with the cup should not drop any peanuts/cotton balls. If they do, they must stop and put them back in the cup.

Share the Secret Seat the children in a circle on the floor. Sit in the circle with them. Tell them you are going to whisper a secret. Choose a child to hear the secret. Select a sentence about something the children have been learning in their lessons (e.g., Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus does not sin.). After you have whispered the secret to the first child, that child will whisper the secret to the next child. Continue around the circle. Tell the children to listen carefully so that they can tell the secret correctly. See if the secret is the same by the time it gets back to you. Repeat as time allows, continuing to review the lesson with the “secrets.”

Sock Toss You will need two laundry baskets and lots of old socks rolled into a ball shape. Divide the children into two teams and have each team make a circle around each of the baskets. Give each child at least one rolled sock. At your signal, the children should begin tossing the sock balls into their team’s laundry basket. The team who gets all their socks into the basket first, wins.

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Stone Drop Make a starting line with tape on the floor. Divide the children into two teams and line them up by teams behind the starting line. Place two buckets or pails across the room. Give each child a ping-pong ball. Tell them to pretend the ping-pong balls are stones. When you say “go,” the first player in each team will run to the bucket, drop the ping-pong ball (stone) into the bucket, run back, tag the child who is next in line and then sit down. Repeat as time allows, varying the relay each time (run backwards to the bucket, jump, hop, tiptoe, etc.).

Sweet Dreams Pillowcase Race

Divide the children into equal teams and have them line up on one side of the room. On the opposite side of the room, place a chair opposite each team. Have the first player on each team step into the pillowcase. At your signal, the first player hops in the pillowcase down and around the chair and then back to their team. The next player then gets into the pillowcase and hops to the chair and back. The winning team is the first team that all the players hop to the chair and back.

The Great Grape Hunt

Have the children sit on the floor and cover their eyes. Hide the purple and green pom-poms around the classroom. At your signal, have the children begin looking for the “grapes.” Continue playing as time allows. To keep it fun, have children take turns hiding the “grapes.” If weather permits, take the grape hunt outside.

Walking to Jerusalem

Have the children line up behind one of the leaders in a single-file line. The leader should then lead the group around the room pretending to walk to Jerusalem. The leader can walk, run, hop, skip, or do any other action that the children can easily copy. As each action is done, the leader goes to the back of the line and the next child becomes the leader. Continue until all the children have had a turn being the leader. Repeat as time allows.

What Did I Touch?

Before class, get a paper bag and add a variety of items for the children to touch. Suggested items: a small rock, a crayon, a cotton ball, a bean bag, a small sucker, a coin, a dollar bill, a key. Have children take turns putting their hand in the bag to pick one item and touching it—while you hold the bag. Then ask them to guess what they think they are touching. After they guess, let them take the item out of the bag to see if they were correct. Place the item back in the bag and continue the game until everyone has had a turn.

Where’s the Baby?

Choose one child to leave the room with a helper. Use a small doll or a picture of a baby and hide it somewhere in the room. Have the child come back to the room and begin looking for the baby. Have the other children give clues by pretending to cry loudly when the child is close to where the baby is hidden and pretending to cry softly when the child is far away from where the baby is. Continue playing until everyone has had a turn to look for the baby.

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More Difficult Games A Prayer Paper Chain Craft

Provide each child with several different colors of one inch strips of construction paper. Help children write down the names of people they know who they would like to pray for in the week ahead. Have children glue their paper chain together. You may want to reinforce the glue with a stapler. Encourage the children to place their chains somewhere at home to remind them to pray.

Baby Obstacle Course Set up an obstacle course either indoors or outside if weather permits. Have children crawl like babies through the course. Suggestions for the course: table to crawl under, chairs or playground cones to crawl around, leaders holding hula hoops upright to crawl through. If playing outdoors, think about a water obstacle for even more summer fun.

Balloon Bump First have the kids decorate a large-sized paper plate with markers, crayons, and stickers. Have leaders attach a paint stir stick or unsharpened pencil to the back of the plate with tape, and then attach another plain plate on to the back. This will be the balloon bump paddle. Give each child a balloon. Let them have fun batting and bouncing their balloons. You may also divide the children into pairs and have them bat one balloon back and forth between them. Play some music for even more fun!

Barnabas Balloon Sweep

Divide the children into two teams. Give the first player on each team a broom and a balloon. At your signal, they push the balloon along the floor, using the broom, to the designated return line and back. Repeat with each player. The team who finishes first is the winner.

Beanbag Buddies Mark a starting and return line on the floor with tape. Place a bucket at each return line. Divide children into two teams. Blindfold the first two children on each team and give them a beanbag. The next two children in line will be the blindfolded children’s helpers. Have the helpers guide their blindfolded buddies to the bucket and direct them in dropping the beanbag into the bucket. Once this is done, remove the blindfold and have both children return to the start and sit down. The next two children proceed and continue until everyone is sitting down. Repeat the game, switching helpers and blindfolded children the second time through.

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Catch that Fish Fill several water balloons up with water. With a marker, draw a simple fish “face” and scales on the balloon. Have two leaders hold the net. If a net is not available, use a large plastic tablecloth or a sheet. Let the children take turns tossing the fish into the “net.” See who can get the most fish in the net. Repeat as time allows. This is a great game to play outdoors!

Chariot Shot

Have the children line up in one or several lines, depending on the amount of space you have available and the number of children in the group. Have the children take turns tossing beanbags into a chariot (a box or a bucket). Start with the containers fairly close to the children and move them back a bit further with each round. Repeat as time allows.

Clothesline Race You will need various articles of clothing (old shirts, socks, doll clothes, etc.), clothespins, and two ropes (three to four feet long) for clotheslines. Set up chairs at the end of the room and string a clothesline between two chairs (one clothesline for each team). Place equal piles of clothing next to the chairs or in laundry baskets. Divide the children into teams and have them form lines. Have each child run to the clothesline, choose an item from the pile or basket, and hang the item of clothing on the clothesline with a clothespin(s). They should then run back and tag the next child who will repeat the process. Continue until all the children have had a turn or as time allows.

Creation Bean Bag Toss

Divide the children into two groups. Make two lines on the floor with tape for the children to stand behind when tossing the beanbags. Spread out the two sets of laminated sun, moon, and stars in front of the lines. Give the starting child from each team three or four beanbags. When you say “go,” they will toss the beanbags, trying to land them on the laminated items. When they have tossed all the beanbags, have them retrieve them and hand them off to the next child in line. Be sure to encourage the children in the groups to cheer for each other. Adjust the number of groups according to the number of children. Repeat as time allows. For variation, have the children call out the name of the shape where their beanbag lands.

Doggy, Doggy Where’s Your Bone? Have the children sit in a circle. Choose one child to be the doggy. Have them sit in the middle of the circle with the bone by them and have them close their eyes. Point to another child and have them sneak the bone and return to their place without making any noise. They should place the bone behind them. Then have all the children put their hands behind their backs and say, “Doggy, doggy where’s your bone? Somebody stole it from your home.” The doggy then opens their eyes and gets three guesses to find out who has the bone. The child who has the bone is the next doggy. Continue playing until each child has had a turn to be the doggy.

Find Baby Moses Choose one child to be the “princess” and have them leave the room with a leader. Choose another child to hide Baby Moses and give them the doll. After the doll is hidden, have the princess come back and look for Baby Moses. Have the other children give the princess clues as to where the baby is. When the princess is close to the baby have them “cry loudly.” When the princess is far from the baby have them “cry” quietly. After the baby is found, choose a new hider and a new princess.

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Fishers of Men Take each three-foot long dowel rod and attach a three- to five-foot long string or cord to one end. Attach a magnet to the other end of the string. Set up a “fishing pond.” Place two tall chairs or easels three or four feet apart. Put a large piece of blue fabric or a sheet over the two chairs. Attach paper clips to several laminated “fish” and place them on the floor behind the fabric. A leader should be behind the fabric. Try to adjust the “pond” fabric so the children cannot see behind it. The children, with the help of another leader, should put their fishing line over the fabric. The hidden leader can attach a fish to the line before the child pulls the line up. Repeat until all the children have had an opportunity to fish. For a variation of this game, write review questions on the “fish” and see if the children can answer the question they catch.

Fishing Boat Races

Before class, cut the bottom from two cardboard boxes. The boxes should be a good size for a child to step into and walk while holding onto the sides. Divide the children into two teams. If time allows, let the teams decorate their boats. You may also choose to decorate the boats yourself beforehand. Mark starting and return lines on the floor with tape. Have the first child on each team step into their boat and race to the return line and back. Have a leader available to assist the children with getting in and out of their boat. Encourage the children to cheer for each other. Repeat as time allows.

Four Corners Game

Label four corners in the room with pieces of construction paper or poster board. Tell the children what each label is: home, church, school, and playground. You may wish to put a small picture on the label as well to help the children identify it. Begin playing music and have the children walk around the room. At intervals, stop the music and say, “God wants me to tell the truth at (insert one of the four places labeled).” The children should then run to that corner. Continue playing, pausing the music, and naming the different places. For more fun, name two or more places at the same time. Continue playing as time allows.

Fruit Tree Fun

Draw or paint a tree on a large piece of poster board. Cut several pieces of fruit from construction paper. On the back of the fruit, write questions that the children will answer. You may want to use the review questions from this lesson and previous lessons, and questions about rules for Gopher Buddies Club. You will need one piece of fruit per student. Make a few extra for possible visitors. Attach the fruit to the tree using sticky-tack or tape. Choose a child to come to the front and “pick” a piece of fruit from the tree. Read the question to them and allow them to answer. If a child is unsure of an answer, prompt them as necessary. Continue until all the children have had a turn. If time allows, you may wish to put the fruit back up and play again.

Game Time Bible Hunt

Tell the children that Andy Gopher needs their help to find his Bible. Have the kids close their eyes and hide a Bible somewhere in the room. Then let the children look for Andy’s Bible. The child who finds the Bible can hide the Bible for the next round. To make it more fun, have Andy Gopher give the game directions to the children and cheer them on as they look for his Bible. Take the opportunity when Andy’s Bible is found to review with the children how to correctly hold and take care of God’s Word.

Go Fish Get a wooden dowel about eighteen or twenty inches long. Tie a string on it. At the end of the string attach a small magnet. Make several fish using the pattern from the Games Ideas Appendix. Add a paperclip to each fish. Have the children fish with the fishing pole. For a variation of the game, write review questions on the fish and see if the children can answer the questions they catch.

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Going to Church Mark six lines on the floor with masking tape at regular intervals. The first line will represent “start” and the last line will be “church.” The children will move as a group from the first line to the church line by answering the review questions about the church. Tell the children that for each right answer they will all move to the next line and one step closer to being at church. When the group arrives at the church line have everyone give a cheer because they are happy to be at church. If time allows have children return to the start line and play again.

Grain Toss Divide the children into two teams and have each team form a line. Each child should be directly across from another child. The lines should be fairly close together. Start at about one foot apart. Take your double-bagged bag of grain and hand it to the first child in one line. That child should toss the bag to the child across from him. This child then tosses it to the next child in the opposite line. Continue zigzagging the bag on down the line. The children should try to catch the bag, but if a child drops it, just pick it up and continue the game. When the grain comes to the end of the line, have the children all take one step backward and begin again. Repeat as time allows, seeing how far apart the children can move and successfully toss the bag.

Grape Toss Divide the children into pairs, with each pair standing facing each other. Give each pair of children one purple water balloon. Have them toss the balloon to each other. After each successful toss, they take one step back. The pair whose tossing distance is the greatest, without dropping the balloon, is the winner. This is a fun summer game to play outdoors with the children.

Helping Hunt Adventure Use the binoculars that the children made and let them go on a helping hunt adventure. You may make arrangements beforehand with the church staff to see if there are any small jobs that the children could do to help the staff. Possible suggestions: clean nursery toys and tabletops with disinfect wipes, sweep sidewalks and pick up trash outside, place items in church mailboxes, empty wastebaskets, etc.

Hula Hoop Huddles Place two or three hula hoops on the floor around the room. Use more hoops depending on the number in your group. Have the children spread out and begin to move around the room. They should not step into the hoops. Have them continue moving until you blow the whistle and say, “Hula hoop huddle.” At that time, the children should quickly go and stand inside the nearest hula hoop. The more crowded the hoops, the more fun! Continue playing, varying the movements around the room. Suggested movements are walking on tiptoes, jumping, crawling, and marching.

Lettuce Bowl Self-Control Divide children into two teams. Designate a start line with a piece of masking tape. A few feet from the start line place six cardboard tubes in a pyramid shape. Have children on each team take turns going to the start line and rolling the head of lettuce to see how many tubes they can knock down. Each player should get two tries for each turn. Have a helper set the tubes back up at the end of each child’s turn. Continue playing until everyone has had a turn. Play again if time allows.

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Measuring Grain Divide the children into two teams. Put an equal amount of “grain” into two different bowls and place them in front of the teams. Put a scoop or measuring cup into each bowl with the grain. Place an empty bowl next to each filled bowl. Signal the children to begin, and have each child take a turn filling the scoop with grain and dumping it into the second bowl. Keep going, one child at a time, until the first bowl is empty. The first team to transfer all their grain to the second bowl wins. Repeat as time allows. A variation for the second time playing would be to have the children count each scoop aloud and find out how many scoops are in their bowl.

Musical Shares Arrange chairs in a circle in the center of the room. You will need one fewer chairs than you have children in attendance. Use a portable CD player to play music as the children walk around the chairs. Stop the music after they have circled the chairs a few times. When the music stops, the children should all sit down on a chair. One child will not have a chair. That child must find someone who will share their chair with them. Continue playing, taking one chair out each round. More children will need to share their chairs each time. Play until all the children have had a turn sharing a chair or as time allows.

Pillow Musical Chairs

Instead of chairs, place pillows in an oval shape, with one less pillow as you have children. When you begin to play the music, have the children walk around the pillows. When the music stops, the children must sit down on a pillow. Whoever doesn’t have one is out for that round. Take a pillow away for each round until only two children are left with one pillow. Helpful Hint: Provide a small piece of candy or a sticker for the children when they have to leave the game.

Pin the Tail on the Animal

Attach the poster board with the picture of the animal to the wall. A low easel or large bulletin board that can be steadied by a leader or leaned against a table or wall will also work well. A poster or premade game is another option to use for this activity. Line the children up and explain the game to them. Have a leader blindfold the first child. Use discretion as to whether to have the child turn around a few times before starting. The child should then try to attach the tail to the animal in the proper place using tape or sticky-tack. When they are finished, remove the blindfold and let them see how they did. Continue the game until all the children have had a turn. Repeat as time allows.

Purple Balloon Pass

Play this version of “Hot Potato” with one purple “grape” balloon. Have the children stand in a circle. When the music begins to play, have them pass the purple “grape” around the circle. The one holding the balloon when the music stops must leave the circle. Continue playing until one child is left.

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Page 52: Holy Spirit Fire Extinguishers - Word of Life TeacherSource · Simple gestures and movements can communicate emotion.Never allow your puppet to stare into space for a period of time.

Purple Grape Balloon Grab Before class, blow up lots of balloons. At game time, scatter the balloons all around the room. Tell the children that they have one minute to grab and hold on to as many as giant purple “grapes” as they can. The winner is the child who is holding on to the most “grapes” at the end of the time. Repeat as time allows.

Red Light, Green Light Mark a starting line and finish line on the floor. Line the children up facing you behind the starting line. Stand behind the finish line or in an out-of-the-way area where the children can see you. When you say “Green Light” and hold up the “Go” sign, the children should walk toward the finish line. When you say “Red Light” and hold up the “Stop” sign, the children should stop. Any child who doesn’t stop when you hold up the “Stop” sign goes back to the starting line. The child who crosses the finish line first is the winner.

Run for the Stone Use tape to mark two lines on the floor on opposite sides of the room. Divide children into two teams. Have each team stand behind the marked lines facing each other. Place the paper bag stone in the center between the two lines. Call two children’s names from opposite teams. After you call their names, have them run out and try to get the stone first and run back to their team line. Continue playing until each child has a turn to run for the stone or as time allows.

Sandal Relay Divide the children into two teams. Mark a starting line and a return line on the floor with tape. The first player on each team will put on the clothes and shoes provided, walk to the opposite line, and walk back. They should then remove the clothing. Continue until each player has had an opportunity to play. Provide a helper for each team to assist children as needed. Encourage the children to cheer for others on their team.

Searching for Peter Have the children form a circle. Choose one child to stand in the center of the circle pretending to be a guard. The guard should throw a beanbag to anyone in the circle and ask, “Have you seen Peter?” The child who catches the beanbag answers “Yes” and then describes another child in one statement. Example: “He is wearing a green sweatshirt.” The child with the bean bag then passes it to the right. The children try to get it to the child with the green sweatshirt before the guard says his name. If the guard guesses correctly in time, then Peter becomes the guard.

Shape Grab

Scatter colored shapes cut from poster board on the floor. There should be a variety of colors and shapes including two or three shapes that are crosses. Begin playing the music and have children walk around the room. When the music stops the children should pick up the shape they are closest to. Take turns having the children tell the color and the shape they are holding. When a child holds up a cross, lead the group in saying, “Thank you, God, for Jesus.”

Sleeping Samuel Have the children sit in a circle on the floor. Choose one child to be “Samuel.” Have them lie down with the pillow and blanket in the middle of the circle. Tell them to close their eyes and pretend to be asleep. Choose another child sitting in the circle and have them call out, “Samuel, Samuel.” Then have “Samuel” wake up and go stand by the person who they think called out their name. The player who called out “Samuel’s” name gets to be the next “Samuel.” Continue playing until all the children have had a chance to be “Samuel.”

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Star Light, Star Bright Before class, make star shapes cut from construction paper or cardstock. A star pattern may be found in the Game Ideas appendix. Make one star for each child in your class. At game time, spread the stars out on the floor of the playing area. When the music begins to play, have children move around the room. When the music stops, have them find a star and stand by it. For each round, vary the movements the children should do. For example: hop, tiptoe, hop on one foot, and stomp. Continue playing as time allows. Variation: Place one less star than children on the floor. When the music stops, the child who is not by a star names one thing God created and then sits down. Remove one star after each round of play. Continue playing until one child remains.

Stuffed Fish Craft

For each child you will need one brown paper lunch bag and a piece of string. You will also need newspapers, markers, and googly eyes. Let each child color their paper bag. Then have them stuff their bag with the newspaper. Help the children tie the string around the open end of the bag to make a tail. Help them add the googly eyes to their fish. Tell the children to place their fish somewhere at home to remind them of today’s Bible lesson.

Suitcase Shuffle

Divide the children into two teams and have them stand on one side of the room. Place a suitcase for each team with an outfit that each child can easily put on and take off on the other side. When you say “Go” a child from each team runs to the suitcase and puts on the outfit. They then run back to their team and take off the outfit. The next child puts on the outfit, runs to the suitcase, takes off the outfit, puts in back in the suitcase, and then runs back to their team. Keep playing until each team member has had a chance to put on the outfit. The winners each have a turn and put the outfit back into the suitcase first.

Trumpet and Torches Corners Game

Place the trumpet and torch pictures in opposite corners of the room. Play the music and have the children move around the room. When the music stops each child runs to one of the corners. Then the leader draws a piece of paper from the basket and calls out either “trumpet” or “torch.” All the children in that corner are out of the game. Continue to play until there is only one child left.

Wet and Wild Cup Relay

This would be a fun game to play outdoors in the good “ole summertime.” Give each child a small disposable cup. Divide the children into an equal number of teams and have them line up. Place a bucket full of water by each team. Opposite each team place an empty bucket. On your signal, the first player on each team takes their cup, fills it with water from the bucket, runs/walks to their team’s empty bucket, pours their cup of water into the bucket, and runs back to their team. The next player in line does the same thing. Continue playing until each player has had a turn. Then, see which team has the most water in the bucket that they ran to.

Who Has My Heart?

Before class, cut out several hearts using red, pink and purple construction paper. Cut them in half, varying the cut (zig zag, curvy, etc...) Scatter them on the floor and have the children pick out a half and then try to find its mate. This game may also be played relay style. Start each child off with a half of heart in their hand. Divide them into two teams and let the children try to find their match. The first team to get all their matches wins.

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Page 54: Holy Spirit Fire Extinguishers - Word of Life TeacherSource · Simple gestures and movements can communicate emotion.Never allow your puppet to stare into space for a period of time.

Who Has the Treasure? Seat the children in a circle on the floor. Show them a small coin or other “treasure.” Choose one child to be “It” and have them sit in the center of the circle. Instruct “It” to close their eyes, then hand the treasure to one of the children in the circle. Have all the children put their hands behind their backs. “It” should then open their eyes and try to guess which child is holding the treasure. The child holding the treasure then trades places with “It.” Continue playing until everyone has a turn to sit in the middle and guess.

Who is Missing?

Have the children sit on the floor with enough space to walk between them. At the front of the room, place a large golf umbrella opened on the floor. You might also use a blanket over a table, or have a leader hold up a blanket. Have the children hide/close their eyes. While the children’s eyes are closed, the leader will choose a child to very quietly come to the front of the room and hide behind the umbrella, blanket, or under the table. Then have the leader say the following to the group: “Open your eyes and look around. Who is missing from the crowd?” At this signal, the other children open their eyes and try to guess who is missing from the group. Repeat until all the children have had a chance to hide or as time allows.

Who Is Missing Here?

Gather the pieces of a Nativity set, leaving out the wise men. Place the pieces on a tray and have the children close their eyes. Remove one of the pieces and have the children see if they can figure out which piece is missing. After the missing piece is discovered, talk about its significance in today’s lesson. For example, if Mary is removed, talk to children about how she was chosen by God to be Jesus’ mother.

Wooly Roundup

Divide the children into two groups and have each group stand on opposite sides of the room. Place an empty basket or bucket by each team. Then take the cotton balls that were used in the Bible lesson and spread them out on the floor. Tell the children these are the sheep. Give each child a plastic spoon. Tell them that when you say “Go” each one should round up a cotton ball sheep. They have one minute to round up as many sheep as they can. They do that by placing the cotton ball on their spoon and putting it in their team’s bucket. At the end of the minute, have the children sit down and count the cotton ball sheep in their team’s bucket.

Zacchaeus Drama

Divide the children into groups of five or six. Each group will put on the dress-up clothing and act out the story of Zacchaeus for the rest of the group to watch. A small step stool will work for the tree. Have a leader or helper assist the children in dressing up and deciding who will play the different roles. Some of the groups of children will need less help than others. Continue until all the groups have had time to present their version of the story.

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Group Christian Service Activities

Encouragement Pictures

Encourage military personnel serving overseas, missionaries or shut-ins with a picture that the children have drawn for them. You may wish to have stickers or other additional supplies available for the children to decorate their drawings. Help the children who can write to tell the recipient that they are praying for them. Write the person’s name on a large sheet of paper or poster board and hang it in your classroom. Use these regularly during Gopher Buddies club time to remind the children and yourself to pray for the names on the list. You will also want to help the children write the name of the person in their Quiet Time prayer pages.

Praising God through Music

Practice two or three songs during Gopher Buddies song time for several weeks. Work together with your church staff to schedule time for the children to sing their songs for others in the church. If you have any adult groups meeting at the same facility and time as your Gopher Buddies meeting, this is likely the best time to perform. Be sure when you are practicing the songs that the children know they will be singing for the adults in church.

Sharing Seeds of Encouragement

Plant marigold seeds for the children to give to a parent, shut-in or neighbor. To complete this activity you will need: one styrofoam cup per child, a packet or two of marigold seeds, soil, one or two large plastic containers and some spoons. Put the soil into the large plastic containers for children to scoop out and put into the Styrofoam cups. Have the children plant two or three seeds in the soil. You may want to help the children put a little water on top of the soil when they are finished. Care for the seeds for a few weeks until they have sprouted, and then encourage the children to think about someone to give their plant to. You might also wish to help the children make cards or select gospel tracts to give along with the plant.

Greeting Card Pockets

Make baskets to hang on the door of a neighbor, shut-in, or relative. To complete this activity you will need: two paper plates per child, two lengths of thin yarn per child, hole punch, crayons, stickers and boxed greeting cards. Cut one paper plate in half. Line it up with the whole paper plate and punch holes around the edge. Tie a knot in the end of the length of yarn and have the child sew it through the holes. Help him knot the end when he is finished sewing. Then, color and decorate the front pocket area of the basket. Punch two additional holes at the top of the pocket and tie the second length of yarn there to make a hanger to fit over a doorknob. Have the children fill the pocket of the paper plates with several greeting cards you have available. They can then hang the paper plate pocket on a door knob. You might also want to visit a nursing home and allow the children to personally help deliver the greeting card pockets to the residents.

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Page 60: Holy Spirit Fire Extinguishers - Word of Life TeacherSource · Simple gestures and movements can communicate emotion.Never allow your puppet to stare into space for a period of time.

Sharing Our Food

Put together a box of nonperishable foods for your local food bank. Start preparing the children for the project by bringing in a box and allowing them to decorate it. You will want to first cover the box with a light colored construction paper or plain gift wrap. Have crayons and decorative stickers available for the children to use. At the same time, bring in a few canned and boxed goods to show the children the types of food they will be adding to the box. You may want to bring in a few items yourself to set aside for children who might not otherwise have an opportunity to put anything into the box. Write a note to the parents on the Home Connection page telling them about the project and the dates you will be working on it.

Invite a Friend

Make invitations for the children to use in inviting their friends to Gopher Buddies. For this activity you will need: one piece of construction paper per child, crayons, and stickers. Prepare the invitations in advance by pre-folding and printing or copying the information about your Gopher Buddies Club inside. (Location, time, date, and contact number for a leader.)Allow the children to decorate the invitations. Encourage them to ask their parents or those who bring them to Gopher Buddies to help them invite their friend in the coming week.

Wordless Bookworm

Make a wordless bookworm for the children to use in sharing the gospel message with their friends and relatives. For this activity you will need: one tongue depressor per child, large pompom balls in these colors; yellow, black, red, white, and green (one of each color per child), and googly eyes, one set per child. Help the children glue the pompoms onto the tongue depressor in this order: yellow, black, red, white and green. Glue the eyes to the yellow pompom.

Explanation of the colors for you to tell the children: Yellow: God loves you; John 3:16 Black: All have sinned; Romans 3:23 Red: Jesus took the punishment for our sin; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 White: You can be a child of God; 1 John 1:9 Green: You can grow in Jesus; 2 Peter 3:18 You also will want to refer to Appendix B Leading a child to Christ for additional information about sharing the gospel message with children.

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Missionary Gift Box

Send a package to a missionary family. To do this activity you will need: A mailing box, a book about missionaries appropriate for this age, a list of various items to send to a missionary family with children in the four to six year old age range and a name and picture of a missionary family your church supports that has a child in this age range. Remember there are also home missionaries who are sometimes overlooked in the United States. Some suggestions would be crayons, small plush animal, sticker activity books and coloring books. Send a note on the Home Connection page telling the parents about the items you are wishing to put in the box. Also put the deadline date for bringing items in. You may want to bring in a few items yourself to set aside for children who might not otherwise have an opportunity to put anything into the box. Show the picture of the missionary family to the children. Attach the picture to the box to remind the children who they are bringing their gifts for. Explain to the children what the family does in their ministry. Read the missionary story to the children and talk to them about the project. On the last date that the items are to be turned in, read the book again. Allow the children to help pack the box and, if time allows, to include pictures or cards they have made themselves.

Butterfly Verses

The children can share a memory verse they are learning with a friend or adult. To complete this activity you will need: one coffee filter per child, one clip clothespin per child, permanent marker and water colors. Write the reference for the scripture memory verse the children are currently learning on one edge of the coffee filter with permanent marker. Have the children paint the coffee filter with water colors. Help the children pinch the coffee filter into the shape of a butterfly and clip the center with a clothespin. The children should plan to say the verse for a family member, friend or neighbor when giving them their handiwork. Encourage them to share who they plan to give their butterfly to and pray with the children that they will be an encouragement to others.

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