A lesson on thankfulness {and a fun game}

Lesson theme:

Thankfulness

Supplies:

Bean bag or ball,

Ahead of time:

Set up the computer with the video to watch. 

When they arrive:

Ask the kids all to be quiet while you watch a movie.  After the movie is done ask the kids questions.

Questions:

Q. Don’t you think Jesus would have like to have all of the lepers come back to tell him thank you?

A. yes

Q. how many lepers did Jesus heal?

A. 10

Q. how many lepers told Jesus thank you?

A. only 1

Q. how can we tell Jesus thank you for dyeing for us so that we can go to heaven?

A. Praying, obeying our mom and dad, listening to him, etc.

Q. what are some things we can be thankful for?

A. Everything, Our moms, dads, homes, etc.

Did you know that the bible tells us to be thankful about EVERYTHING!  I had something just the other day that I was not happy about, I had a really bad headache, but I knew that God had given me that for a reason.  Although it was hard to understand why, I said” thank you God for this headache, I now you gave it to me for a reason”

Now that may seem rather extreme but it ended out, later on, I found out that headache actually made something really good happen that made me feel really good later on.  Although I didn’t understand it then, God did.  We can be thankful about everything that happens. 

Game time:

Okay, this game is one that everyone can play.  Have the kids sit in a circle on the floor.  Use a very soft ball or bean bag.  Throw the ball to anyone in the circle.  The child must say something that they are thankful for.  If they can’t think of anything, they are out.  They cannot say the same thing twice. 

Color a picture

Best ever board game (for sunday school kids)

SO,   Two weeks ago I had to leave class early to help my youth group with some ministry opportunities.  When I left, all the kids were playing a giant board game.  they all grew very upset that they couldn't finish, and being the crazy person I am, told them that we would do it again in two weeks.  The problem was that my class has been rapidly growing.  The board game is great for a class of 3 or 4 kids, but 10 or 12 kids?  yeah...  so this is what I put together.

Theme: Overall
Supplies: 

Large piece of foam board
Oil crayons or markers
velcro
Cardstock paper
questions

Ahead of time
Cut two small pieces of foam board about 2X2 inches.
Make a curved path on the foam board for the game route.  Use the crayons to draw bible scenes or just simple scenery.  Draws lines on the path to make about 20 squares.  Place a small strip of velcro on each square and two small pieces of the back of the squares you cut out earlier.

Print out your questions on the cardstock and cut them out like playing cards.  Its best if you have each card move them 1,2, or 3.

When the kids arrive
Divide the kids up into 2 teams.  Ask them a question from the top card, and have them agree one one of your three answers.

And thats it.  Kids get sooo excited about this,  its crazy!

Pretty cake, nasty cake

This lesson was actually used as a object lesson-illustration-horrifying piece!  It takes awhile to do, but overall, the work is sooo worth the effort.  Plus,  it's fun for me!

Theme
It's what's on the inside that counts

Supplies

• 2 cakes that taste or look gross
• pretty colored icing
• spinach, greens, or some other not-so-appetizing food
• a nice cake tray
• tools to decorate the cake with

Ahead of time

Bake the cake and let it cool completely while you make the icing.  I had a little leftover icing from a group of cupcakes, so I just used that.  

Smooth a thin layer of icing on the tops of one of the cakes.  Using a very thick consistency of icing, build an icing dam around the edge of the cake.  Open the can of greens and drain them until you can't get any more juice out.  Put the greens in the center of the cake with the icing dam.   (Never mind that banana peel)

Place the second cake on top. Be sure that the layers are aligned and fit snugly together. 

Ice the cake with a thin layer of icing on the outside to seal in any juices or crumbs that might give away the cake's real heart!

Ice the cake in whatever decoration you had planned.  I used a ruffle technique, and yes, there are tutorials all over the internet for these!

Once you have your cake finished, put it in the fridge until you are ready to take it to church.  

The lesson

Show the kids the cake.  Ask them if they think it looks good and what flavor they think it might be.  Tell them you are going to cut it open and see what amazing flavors it beholds.  When you slice into the cake to see what amazing flavor it is, the kids will see how gross it looks and ask if those are really greens!

Ask those kids if they would like to eat the cake now...hopefully they say no.  Ask why they changed their minds so quickly.  

Explain that we can look good on the outside, and everyone thinks we are so cute or pretty or handsome, but on the inside, if we don't have Jesus in our hearts, we are just as nasty as the cake.  

Explain that I can't take all that nasty stuff out of the cake now, it's ruined, but if Jesus comes into our hearts, no matter how bad we are or how nasty our heart looks, he can still save us and make us new again.  

Ps.  Here is a picture of the cake once I cut it!  Gross :)
PPs.  if the kids say that they want to eat the cake, tell them a few ingredients and,if your cake has a lot of salt like mine did, inform them that they might even throw up if they tried to eat it.  

The straws upon the gravel and the house upon the sand

Theme: Teaching the bible story of the wise man who built his house on the rock and the foolish man who built his house on the sand.

Supplies: 

1.        glue 

2.        straws 

3.        sand 

4.        rocks 

5.        water 

6.        2 containers with tall sides (I used two 9x13 baking pans)

7.        2 large towels 

8.        kids aprons 

Ahead of time:

Collect about 8 cups of gravel and 8 cups of sand into two separate containers.  Pour several cups of water in a third container.   Find plenty of straws, one box of 100 straws from a dollar store will work just fine. 

Before the children arrive, lay the towels out on the table.  Empty the rocks and sand into the two separate containers.   

Lesson Plan

Divide the kids into two groups.  Assign one group to the pan with the rocks and one group to the pan with the sand.  Give the kids aprons.  

Ask each of the groups to build a house on the surface with the straws and, if needed, the glue.  When the kids are finished ask them to step away.  Pour water all over the foundation of the houses. The house on the sand should fall while the house on the rocks stays firm.  If it does not fall, you might need to implement and earthquake.   Show them that the sand didn't hold up well. The rocks did.   

Ask the following questions: 1. Why is it important to put God's Word into practice? 2. How can God's Word make us stronger? 3. What kind of storms in our lives can God help us withstand? 4. Can anyone give any examples on how some people may be building their lives on a foundation of sand? 5. What are some ways we can build our lives on the rock?    

Cake and cat food

Theme:

Just a bit of sin can ruin it all

Supplies

A cake mix, several things to put in like sprinkles, colored water, milk, etc.  , cat or dog food, a big bowl, a towel, a big mixing spoon.

Ahead of time

Get all of the supplies pre-scooped and ready to pour together.  Put in separate containers.

Place the towel on the table and put the bowl and spoon over top.  Make a "recipe".  Hide the cat food close by

Lesson plan

Let the kids have fun mixing in all the yummy things to make a cake, try to build excitement for the finished cake.     Once everything is in pull out the cat food.  The kids will shriek!

Tell them you are going to add just a little bit.

Add a little cat food and mix it up so that it ruins the cake.

Explain to the kids how just a little bit of sin can ruin your relationship with God.  However we can be buried deep in sin and God will get us out.  All we have to do is ask.