Welcome VBS ‘15 Volunteers! From the depths of my heart, I say thank you. Thank you for saying yes to serving in VBS. Thank you for saying yes to telling Bible stories, making crafts, playing games, eating snacks, singing songs, and sharing Christ! Thank you for planting seeds and nurturing young lives. Thank you for making an eternal difference in the life of a child. This year’s curriculum is Backstage With The Bible. If that sounds familiar to you, it is because we used this curriculum in 2009. Why the repeat? First of all, the message in Backstage is greatly needed. This is a VBS where the Word of God takes center stage. Children will learn the books of the Bible, the Ten Commandments, how to be saved by grace through faith, how to share their faith with others, and so much more. The goal is to clearly present the gospel of Jesus Christ while having as much fun as possible! Secondly, Go Fish has made several improvements to the curriculum such as brand new music videos, remixed songs, updated and revised lessons, updated crafts and snacks, and have even added Bible-related take home sheets. The Kingdom Kids Staff is very excited about these updates, and we truly feel that God is leading us to use this curriculum again. I am excited to let you know about a FUN and EXCITING event happening the week of VBS. On Thursday, June 18 at 6:30pm, KidzBlitz will bring FX Live! to First Woodway for VBS Family Night. FX Live is a 1 hour and 20 minute crowd participation show. The men who lead the show inspire families to think like a team as they participate on stage and from their seats in a variety of games and challenges. Biblical truths and the Gospel message are clearly presented as they are woven through the various games. The kids – and parents – and VBS volunteers – are going to love Family Night. I am praying for you as you prepare to teach and lead. Thank you, again, for answering God’s call to be a part of Vacation Bible School 2015. You are appreciated. Blessings,
Barbra Smith Children’s Minister Don’t forget these important dates: June 7: VBS Meeting @ 4:30pm (the only meeting we will have – please make every effort to attend!!) June 10: VBS Workday (with childcare and lunch!) @ 9:00am June 14: Final VBS set up after morning Worship June 15-19: VBS from 9:00am – noon each day
BACKSTAGE WITH THE BIBLE VBS 2015 // 2s -‐ Entering Kinder
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
10 Commandments: Are The Cross: Saved: By Grace You Good Enough? What Jesus Did For You Through Faith
FRIDAY
Go Fish! Share the Good News
TITLE
Superstar
TITLE VERSE
Psalm 139:14
Romans 3:23
BIBLE STORY
The Birth of Moses
The 10 Commandments
SCRIPTURE
Exodus 2:1-‐10
Exodus 20:1-‐17
Matthew 1:18-‐24; Matthew 27:27-‐31
Mark 10:17-‐27
Matthew 28:16-‐20
CRAFT
Concert Poster
Guitar Pick Necklaces
Paid in Full Penny Cross
Backstage Bandana
Go Fish!
SNACK
GORP
10 Commandment Crackers
Pretzel & Cheese Cross
INDOOR BIBLE ACTIVITIES
Wardrobe Ready
10 Commandment Boogie
From Our Heart to the Cross
John 3:16
Ephesians 2:8
Jesus' Birth, Death, The Rich Young Ruler & Resurrection
Matthew 4:19
The Great Commission
Cookie Crumb Fishing Poles Pudding Cups Believing Without Seeing
Go Fish!
Leading a Child to Christ Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me,” – and He meant it, but talking to a child about becoming a Christian brings fear to the hearts of many. Will they understand what I’m trying to say? Will they understand what I’m talking about? If they make a decision, how will I know if it’s real? What if I say something wrong? While these concerns are valid, we need to trust the work of the Holy Spirit and remember that we don’t save anyone…HE does. Remember…there is only one way to heaven. There is not one way for adults and another way for children. The Bible tells us that Jesus is the only way to heaven and anyone who believes in Him will have eternal life (John 14:6; John 3:16).
Tips to remember when sharing Christ with children: 1. Share with children individually (as much as possible). Talking with a child one-on-one gives you insight into what he is thinking and feeling and shows him that the decision he is making is important enough for individual attention. 2. Use open-ended questions. Open-ended questions are ones that require more than a yes or a no answer, and they help a child open up his heart and mind to you. Possible open-ended questions are: a. Who is Jesus? b. What is sin? c. Why is sin a big deal? d. What did Jesus do for you? e. Why do you want to become a Christian? f. How can you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior? 3. Allow time. Give the child enough time for thinking and responding. Avoid answering for him. If you need to, reword the question. 4. Avoid using symbolic language. Be conscious of word choice. If you are not sure a child understands a word you use, define it as you are talking. 5. Avoid giving more information that what is asked. When a child asks a question, answer it simply. See if the child has any more questions based on your answer and let the child guide the conversation. If a child gets bombarded with information that is beyond what he is asking, he will lose interest. 6. Use the Bible. Use a Bible when sharing with children. This shows them that the truths come straight from God’s Word. If a child has a Bible with him, use it and mark the verses to which you refer.
ABC’s of Salvation 1. ADMIT that you are a sinner a. We have all sinned and sin separated us from God. b. Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” c. Romans 3:10: “As it is written, “’none is righteous, no, not one.’” 2. BELIEVE that Jesus is God’s Son and that He died for you a. John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that He gave his only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” b. Acts 16:31: “And they said, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.’” c. Hebrews 11:6b: “For whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him.” 3. CALL on Jesus to save you a. Romans 10:13: “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” b. Romans 10:9: “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” c. 1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Prayer – if the child is ready, he can pray a prayer to God: Dear God, I know I have sinned and my sin separates me from You. I am sorry for my sin. I believe Jesus died on the cross for me so my sin can be forgiven. I believe Jesus rose from the dead and is alive. God, please forgive me. I ask Jesus to come into my life and be my Savior and Lord. I will obey You and live for You the rest of my life. Thank You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen
2015 VBS Volunteer Guidelines Resource Website www.fbcwoodway.org/vbsresource We have an online resource for our volunteers where you can view Go Fish daily lesson videos (shown in opening praise), learn tips on craft & snack activities and get all the latest VBS updates. If you have tips or resources to post, please email us at
[email protected] and we’ll add them to the page.
Background Check All individuals serving in VBS need to have a current background check on file with the Children’s Ministry Office.
Eligible Ages * VBS is open to children in the community 4 years old through 6th grade completed (4 years old by September 1, 2015). * For church members only: if you have a child 3 years of age by September 1, 2015, they may also attend VBS. * Classes are provided for VBS workers’ children, birth to 3 years old.
Registration * Registration will be online. Please go to www.fbcwoodway.org/vbs to submit your child’s registration. * VBS workers need to register their children EARLY. * Pre-registration for VBS begins May 1 and concludes June 9 at 5:00 pm. Walk-in registrations will still be accepted during the week of VBS.
Opening Praise * Fours - Entering Kinder are dropped off in the classroom at 9:00 am. They will have their own praise service at 9:55 am in the worship center. * Kinder Completed - Sixth Grade will attend Opening Praise from 9:00 - 9:35 am in the worship center.
Rotations * Twos – Sixth Grade participate in a daily rotation schedule, which may include Missions, Music, Recreation, and Class Time. * Refer to your class’ specific rotation schedule.
Class Rolls/Attendance * You will be provided a class roll sheet Monday morning. * Students not on your roll must have a colored postcard to enter class. Please add these new children to your class roll. * Daily attendance sheets will be provided in your classroom attendance envelope. Please fill out and hang outside your class by 10:00 am each day.
Nametags * Volunteer nametags will be provided; please wear daily. * Children’s nametags will be provided to you; please ensure that all children wear their nametags.
Floor Coordinators Each floor will have a floor coordinator who will: * Collect attendance * Fulfill supply requests * Help you in any way, shape, or form – within reason!
Supplies * Snacks - a way to retell the Bible story in a fun and creative way. Your snack supplies will be delivered to your class each day by the kitchen crew. * Craft Kit - pre-planned crafts will be provided. * General supplies that you will need for the week will be in your room by June 7. * Room Decoration Kit - 15 decorating posters (three for each day’s theme), a few themed items, and decorative borders for the classroom bulletin board. * Lessons - please coordinate with your team to find and provide the needed lesson material supplies for stations, object lessons and Bible stories. Exception: the bleach and iodine for Day 3 will be provided. See your floor coordinator.
Decorations * * * *
The theme is Backstage with the Bible. No tape/staples on walls. Mavalus tape is provided for you to use on the walls. Please do not decorate in the halls, on windows, or on door windows. Painter’s tape may be used on floors.
Room Set-up * Wednesday, June 10 is our official VBS room preparation day (9 am to 2 pm) with childcare provided. A workers’ appreciation luncheon will be at 11:30 in the Fellowship Hall and pizza will be provided for the kids.
Room Clean-Up * You are encouraged to return supplies DAILY as you finish with them. Categorized bags will be provided on each floor for you to return your items. * Final room clean-up will be immediately following VBS dismissal on Friday. All supplies need to be returned to designated locations and any personal items need to be taken home that day, so cleaning & preparation can be made for church on Sunday.
Missions Emphasis & Offering This year’s missions offering will go to help establish child-friendly spaces for the Syrian refugee children. Did you know that more than half of the over 3 million refugees are under the age of 18? Our offering will be used by the Southern Baptists to help build a discovery center where children will learn practical skills in a playful environment. Twos-EK: Your class offering container will be in your classroom. Please collect money in the classroom. Floor Coordinators will pick up offering at the same time roll sheets are collected. KC-Sixth Grade: There will be one offering container per age level in the Worship Center. These will be passed around during Opening Praise and collected by selected helpers.
Presentation of the Gospel Our goal of VBS is to guide young hearts to a relationship with Jesus! The gospel will be presented Wednesday morning during Opening Praise and an invitation will be offered. Children who respond to the message will remain in the worship center for counseling. Should a child in your class respond, please have an adult teacher from your class remain with the child. Counselor Training will be held on June 7 at 6:00 pm.
Family Night - KidzBlitz! Thursday, June 18 at 6:30 pm. This is a free night of high-energy, fun music, and crowd participation! With lights, fog, a unique sound track, and loads of action, FX KidzBlitz comes to VBS Family Night. A shared family experience, FX Live is a fast-paced, high-octane event for the whole family. Families will experience Biblical truths communicated through special effects and illustrative interaction.
Refreshments for VBS Volunteers Refreshments for VBS staff will be provided daily in four locations—Rooms 1120 and 1205 in the Children’s Building; and Rooms 128 and 209 in the Education Building.
First Aid & Emergencies The First Aid Station and nurse will be located at the Atrium Welcome Center in the Children’s Building. For emergencies, please call a member of the ministry team (phone numbers are on your nametag), or report to the First Aid station.
Allergy Alerts All children specifying a significant allergy on their registration form will have a red Allergy Alert wristband waiting for them in their classroom. Please make sure that they wear them and that teachers are aware of the allergy. Please check at snack time that no child is allergic to that day’s snack. An alternative can be provided; please contact your floor coordinator.
Twos - EK Specific Guidelines Wristbands Each class will wear a class-specific wristband for easy identification purposes. Please have the wristbands on the children any time they leave your room!
Security Codes At drop-off, parents should provide any 4-digit number as a security code for their child. Their 4-digit number MUST be provided by the person picking them up before the child can be released.
Early Arrival for Workers’ Children Childcare will be available for workers’ preschool age children beginning at 8:30 am. * Babies - EK should be dropped off in their classroom.
Student Arrival
Students will be accepted to the classroom starting at 9:00 am each day.
Dismissal * Two teachers (at least one must be an adult) must remain with the class until all children have been picked up. * VBS workers’ kids will remain in their classroom. * ALL WORKERS: please pick up your kids by 12:30 pm at the LATEST.
KC - Sixth Grade Specific Guidelines Wristbands (KC Only) Each KC class will wear a class-specific wristband for easy identification purposes. Please have the wristbands on the children any time they leave your room!
Arrival Teachers should be in the Worship Center by 8:30 am ready to receive children starting at 8:45 am.
Dismissal (KC) * Two teachers (at least one must be an adult) must remain with the class until all children have been picked up. * VBS workers’ kids will remain in their classroom. * ALL WORKERS: please pick up your kids by 12:30 pm at the LATEST.
Dismissal (1st - 6th Grade) * Children will return as a class to the Worship Center at 11:45 am for Closing Praise. * Two teachers (at least one must be an adult) must remain with the class until all children have been picked up. * ALL WORKERS: please pick up your kids by 12:30 pm at the LATEST.
2s and 3s VBS Master Schedule 2015 Times
Younger 2's
Older 2's
Younger 3's
Older 3's
8:30 - 9:00
Early Drop Off
Early Drop Off
Early Drop Off
Early Drop Off
9:55 - 10:15
Music
Playtime
10:20 - 10:40
Playtime
Music
10:45 - 11:05
Music
Playtime
11:10 - 11:30
Playtime
Music
9:00 - 9:50
11:35 - 12:00 Locations: Early Drop Off - VBS workers' kids only - Classroom Music - Classroom Playtime - Indoor Playground Dismissal - Classroom
Updated: 5/12/15 10:26 AM
4s - KC VBS Master Schedule 2015
Times
Fours - A/B/C
Fours - D/E and EKA
EKB/EKC/EKD
EKE/EKF/EKG
KCA/KCB/KCC
KCD/KCE/KCF
EDO - Classroom
EDO - Classroom
EDO - classroom
EDO - classroom
EDO - WC
EDO - WC
Worship
Worship
9:15 - 9:30
Music
Recreation
9:35 - 9:50
Missions
Music
Recreation
9:55 - 10:15
Worship
Worship
Worship
10:20 - 10:35
Recreation
Missions
Music
Missions
8:30 - 9:00 9:00 - 9:10
Missions Worship Music
10:40 - 10:55
Recreation
11:00 - 11:15
Music
Missions
Recreation
11:20 - 11:35
Missions
Recreation
Music
11:40 - 11:55 12:00
Dismissal - Classroom
Dismissal - Classroom
Dismissal - Classroom Dismissal - Classroom Dismissal - Classroom
Locations: Early Drop Off - VBS workers' kids only - Classroom/Worship Center Worship - Worship Center Missions - A120 (Hallelujah House Room) Recreation - Gym Music - A128 (in gym) Closing Worship - Worship Center Dismissal - Classrooms
Updated: 5/12/15 10:26 AM
Dismissal - Classroom
1st - 6th Grade VBS Master Schedule 2015 Times
1st Grade
2nd Grade
3rd Grade
4th Grade
5th Grade
6th Grade
8:45 - 9:00
Early Drop Off
Early Drop Off
Early Drop Off
Early Drop Off
Early Drop Off
Early Drop Off
9:00 - 9:35
Opening Worship
Opening Worship
Opening Worship
Opening Worship
Opening Worship
Opening Worship
Music
Missions
Missions
Music
Music
9:40 - 10:00 10:05 - 10:25
Music
10:30 - 10:50
Music
10:55 - 11:15
Missions
Missions
Missions Music
11:20 - 11:40
Missions
11:45 - 11:55
Closing Worship
Closing Worship
Closing Worship
Closing Worship
Closing Worship
Closing Worship
12:00
Dismissal
Dismissal
Dismissal
Dismissal
Dismissal
Dismissal
Locations: Early Drop-Off - Worship Center Worship - Worship Center Music - A200 (Youth Worship Room) Missions - Third Floor Center Section Dismissal - Worship Center
Updated: 5/12/15 10:26 AM
1109 Fours C 1111 Fours D 1113 Fours E 1115 Entering Kinder A
1110 Fours B
1107 Younger 2s
1112 Fours A
1105 Older 2s
1114 Older 3s
Teacher Snacks
1103 Younger 3s
1108 Floor Coordinator 1106 1 Year Olds
1104 Crawlers
1102 Babies
A-120 PS Missions (Fours – Kinder Completed)
A-128 PS Music (4s-KC)
127 Kinder Completed G
111
128 Teacher Snacks
110 Entering Kinder-B
114 Floor Coord.
131 Kinder Completed-F 132 Kinder Completed-E 133 Kinder Completed-D 134 Kinder Completed-C
116
119 117 Kinder Kinder Completed Completed B A
108 Entering Kinder-C 107 Entering Kinder-D 106 Entering Kinder-E 105 Entering Kinder-F
1206 The Alley 1209 2nd - A
1208 2nd - D
1211 2nd - B
1210 2nd - E
1213 2nd - C
1212 3rd - A
1215 3rd - B
1219 3rd - D
1204 The Word
1205 Teacher Snacks & Floor Coord.
1203 1st - D
1201 1st - C
1217 3rd - C
1207 1st - E
1202 1st - B
1200 1st - A
Mechanical
A203
A213
A200 1st – 6th Grade Music
219
220
216 Floor Coord.
207
4th - B
A210
205/206 6th Grade
210
214 5th - B
204 6 Grade
211
203 th 6 Grade
213 5th - A
Men
212 5th - D
Women Elevators
224/225 4th - A
A211
215 5th - C
222 4th - C 223
208
209 – Tchr Snacks 221 4th - D
Mechanical
Open to Foyer
Education Building – 2nd Floor
th
333
332
314 331
313
334
1st – 6th Grade Missions
338 341
343
311
308
339
316
309
340
329
312
307
342
315
310
337
336
330
Rooms 317-328
335
306 305 304 303 302
344
Education Building – 3rd Floor
301
Preschool 1
Bible Study, Crafts, Snacks, Games, and Activity Options
GOD MADE YOU IN HIS IMAGE
“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made…”
Decoration Ideas If possible, decorate the room like Egypt with pyramids, palm trees, sand, Nile River, etc.
- PSALM 139:14 -
...................................................................
Free Play We suggest having a CD and CD player ready to play ‘Superstar’ as the children arrive. Free play with your preschool children until your group has all arrived and is ready to go to the Concert Session along with the elementary age children. We suggest designating an area specifically for free play with toys set out in advance.
!
Preschool lessons are designed to allow preschoolers to attend the Concert & Encore sessions along with the elementary age children.
Getting Started Supplies Needed: • Bible for leader with passage marked ahead of time (Exodus 2:1-10) • Hand mirror • Blanket, doll, and basket (basket should be large enough to hold the doll wrapped in the blanket) Directions: Hold the hand mirror in front of your face while saying out loud: Mirror, Mirror, who do you see? I see ___________ looking at me. Fill your own name in the blank and then pass the mirror around so that everyone in the group can have a turn. If you have a large number of preschoolers, split up into smaller groups for the sake of time and then join together again as a large group for the Bible Study. Boys and girls, wasn’t it fun to look in the mirror? Did you see your special face? Did you know that God made you to be His special child? When God looks at you, He sees a superstar! In our Bible story today we are going to look at another superstar. God had a special plan for this boy before he was even born, just like He has a plan for you! DAY 1 • PRESCHOOL • SUPERSTAR
Bible Study & More Today’s Bible Study, snacks, and more are on the following pages.
GO FISH • BACKSTAGE
5
Bible Study
1
SUPERSTAR
Raise your hand if you have heard the true Bible story of Moses. Moses was born at a very sad time. A horrible ruler did not want any boys to be born because he was scared that he would be replaced.
Activities & Games Station activities and games can be found on the following page.
6
GO FISH • BACKSTAGE
However, Moses’ mom was very smart and listened to God. God told her what to do to keep Moses safe from harm. She put baby Moses into a basket that would float on top of the water and placed him into the river. At this time wrap the doll in the blanket and place the baby in the basket. If the room is decorated with the Nile River, place the basket by the river. Moses had an older sister, Miriam, who kept watch on the basket to make sure Moses was safe. As she was watching him from her hiding place, the ruler’s daughter came to the river to take a bath. It was God’s plan that she would come to the river the same time Moses was floating by! She found baby Moses in the basket and decided to take care of him. Miriam went to her and asked if she needed help caring for baby Moses. The ruler’s daughter did need help so Miriam ran to get her mom. Not only was baby Moses safe, but he was still able to be with his family!
Since Moses grew up as the adopted son of the ruler, he was very famous and important. He had the best teachers and was very smart. God used this to make Moses the leader of His people. God wanted Moses to lead His people to a wonderful new land that God had for them. God told Moses what to say. Moses followed God because he knew that God had a plan for him and for his family. Moses was one of God’s superstars. He made Moses in His image. We are also God’s superstars because we are made in His image too! Just like God had a plan for Moses, God also has a plan for you! Let’s pray and thank God for making us superstars and for having a special plan for us. Dear God, We are so grateful that You made us in Your image. Thank You for making us so special! Thank You for bringing us here together today to learn more about You. I also want to thank You for - insert the children’s names*. In Jesus’ name, Amen. *Preschoolers love to hear their name. It is a simple thing to do to make them feel special!
DAY 1 • PRESCHOOL • SUPERSTAR
Stations
Wardrobe Ready
INTERMISSION (Games)
Items Needed for Each Team: • Laundry baskets • Various articles of clothing in youth sizes (shorts, T-shirts, socks, hats, ties, etc) Objective: To be the first team to successfully complete the relay race. Instructions: Have the children line up in equal teams with the first person from each team standing behind the starting line. On the signal to begin, the first person will run down to the laundry basket and grab one article of clothing from the basket to add to their wardrobe. The preschooler will put on their concert clothes and run back to their band. When they high five their band member to go next, they will move to the end of the line. The first team to be wardrobe ready wins!
COLORING SHEET
GO FISH • BACKSTAGE
Backstage Logo
Supplies needed: • Markers or crayons • Backstage Day 1 Coloring Sheet (available to print from your Backstage CD-Rom or copy from this manual)
DAY 1 • PRESCHOOL • SUPERSTAR
9
CLOSING OBJECT LESSON
A Tale of Two Pens Items Needed: • Ballpoint pens • Fancy pen How many pens do you have lying around your house? Your parents probably have a bunch in different places like the office, the kitchen, and the bedroom. Pens like these are cheap. You can buy lots of them for only a few dollars. Did you know that you could buy a pen - one pen - that costs over a hundred dollars? It's true! You can get pens in gold, silver, platinum, or other precious metals. What kind of people do you think buy fancy pens? People who spend lots of money on pens are people who want to be seen using a fancy pen. They want to feel important and special. Does having a fancy pen really make you important or special? No. A fancy pen might write better than a regular pen for a while but what happens to that fancy pen when you run out of ink? It's no longer good for anything, is it? It's a golden, glittering piece of nothing. Pens remind us that how we look on the outside doesn’t matter. It’s what’s inside that counts. If we know we are made in God’s image and we are important to Him, we can do great work for God! We are His superstar no matter what.
vs.
10
DAY 1 • PRESCHOOL • SUPERSTAR
GO FISH • BACKSTAGE
Materials: • Pre-printed poster for each child • Markers/Crayons • Glue • Jewels • Yarn • Googly eyes
day one
Concert Poster
Today you learned that God made you in His image and that you are a superstar to Him! God delights in the praises of His people. He loves when we sing to Him, read and recite Bible verses, and talk to Him in prayer. Praising God draws us closer to Him. For our craft today you are going to design your very own concert poster. It will have a picture of you, the superstar, on it and our verse from today: I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made... Psalm 139:14. You can hang this concert poster in your room and when you look at it, remember that God made you in His image and loves to hear your praises. When your friends come over and ask about your poster, tell them! Share with them how thankful you are to God for creating you in His image and like no one else! Give each child a poster and items with which to decorate his poster. Each child can draw his image and decorate.
Preschool: CRAFTS
Directions:
Ingredients: • Chocolate candies or chips • Dried fruit
day one
GORP
• Oat cereal • Oyster crackers • Snack size frosted wheat cereal Supplies needed: • Paper towels • Large bowl • Serving spoon for scooping the GORP Directions: Today we are going to make a snack called GORP, using some special ingredients. As you talk about each item, add it to the large bowl to make a chex mix. Some items will be things the Egyptians would have eaten. Remember they had smart teachers and were rich. They may have eaten expensive things like chocolate and dried fruit. The other items in our snack are what Moses’ family would have eaten. They were the ones the ruler wanted to hurt. They were the Israelites and they did not have any money. They worked hard for the ruler and Egyptians. Plain crackers, oat cereal, and wheat cereal remind us of the straw that the Israelites used to mix with mud to make bricks. Make sure to have the children clean their hands before starting the snack. The adult helpers can go around and give each child a scoop of the mix. Also be sure to check for any allergies before serving.
Preschool: SNACKS
• Baby wipes
Preschool 2
Bible Study, Crafts, Snacks, Games, and Activity Options
Decoration Ideas
ARE YOU GOOD ENOUGH?
“…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…” - ROMANS 3:23 ...................................................................
Free Play We suggest having a CD and CD player ready to play ‘The 10 Commandments’ as the children arrive. Free play with your preschool children until your group has all arrived and is ready to go to the Concert Session along with the elementary age children. We suggest designating an area specifically for free play with toys set out in advance.
Getting Started
If possible, decorate the room with a large mountain in the background. You could add lightning and a large cloud to cover part of the mountain. It would also be helpful to have two stone tablets with the commandments written on them. These can be made out of foam or cardboard. You could also have a trumpet nearby for a visual as well.
!
Preschool lessons are designed to allow preschoolers to attend the Concert & Encore sessions along with the elementary age children.
Supplies Needed: • Bible for leader with passage marked ahead of time (Exodus 19:16-20:17) • Ten strips of colored construction paper large enough for paper chain labeled with the Ten Commandments (one for each strip) • Stapler • Print-out of the symbols for the Ten Commandments (available on the Backstage CD-Rom) Begin by asking the children to describe some of the things they see around the room. Do you remember the name of the superstar we talked about yesterday who was placed in a basket when he was a baby and floated down a river? Wasn’t that amazing to hear how God protected him? When Moses grew up, God used him to rescue His people, the Israelites from the Egyptians and their horrible rulers. God had a special plan for Moses and the Israelites. Part of that plan was giving them a set of rules to live by.
Bible Study & More Today’s Bible Study, snacks, and more are on the following pages.
Continued DAY 2 • PRESCHOOL • 10 COMMANDMENTS
GO FISH • BACKSTAGE
13
What are some examples of rules you have at home?
2
Can you think of some of the rules your mom and dad have to follow?
10 COMMANDMENTS
Why do you think we have rules?
14
GO FISH • BACKSTAGE
No one really likes to have rules but they are meant to keep us safe. We have rules about not touching the stove because we don’t want to get burned. We have rules about not running out into the street so we don’t get hit by a car. These are all for our own good, to keep us safe.
Bible Study Moses was leading the people of Israel on a long journey to a new home. God wanted them to be safe and make good choices. He called Moses up to a huge mountain to talk to him and give him some special rules. We call these rules the Ten Commandments. God wants us to obey His commands. They are to keep us safe and help us to have a friendship with God by knowing what He expects from us.
At this time, show them the colored strip of paper with the corresponding command, form it into a circle and staple it together. Add another link to the paper chain as you read each one. The second rule is that we should only give God our very best.
The Ten Commandments are found in the book of Exodus. Let’s learn what they are.
The third rule is that God’s name is special. We should never use it in a way that doesn’t keep it special.
At this time, choose a preschooler to hold up the represented symbol for the first commandment. Continue to choose another helper as you read each one.
The fourth rule is that God wants us to keep one day, out of our week, as a special day to think about Him. It’s a day set aside to focus on the Person who made us!
The first rule is that God wants to be the most important Person in our lives. Nothing should be more important to us than God. We should love God more than anyone or anything. He loves to hear us tell Him how much we love Him!
The fifth rule tells us to obey our mom and dad. The word obey means to do what they ask you to do. It means following their rules too!
Continued
DAY 2 • PRESCHOOL • 10 COMMANDMENTS
Bible Study (continued) Look at all these rules! Have you ever broken one of these rules? We all have! Jesus is the only One who has not broken any of these rules. He is perfect. When we break one of God’s rules it’s called sin.
The seventh rule is that God wants us to be very careful with our thoughts. He wants our minds to be full of good thoughts.
At this time, give the example of not listening to mom and dad and rip a link so the chain falls apart. Give a couple more examples of sin and rip the links apart as you do (save the broken chain for Lesson 3).
The eighth rule tells us not to steal from anyone. The ninth rule is to always tell the truth. We shouldn’t gossip about others or say untrue things that might hurt someone else’s feelings. We should always say good things to others and about others. The tenth rule is that we should be thankful for what we have and not want what someone else has.
We all sin. Our Bible verse today is …for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God… Romans 3:23 When we sin, we can’t be close to God. That’s the bad news. We are broken, just like this chain. The good news is that Jesus can help fix us because He is perfect. We are going to learn more about the good news tomorrow but let’s pray and ask God to help us keep His rules so we can be close to Him.
10 COMMANDMENTS
The sixth rule tells us not to hate anyone or take someone else’s life. God wants us to be careful with what we think and how we act toward others.
2
Activities & Games Station activities and games can be found on the following page.
DAY 2 • PRESCHOOL • 10 COMMANDMENTS
GO FISH • BACKSTAGE
15
Stations
Ten Commandment
INTERMISSION (Games)
Boogie
Items Needed for Each Team: • 2 sets of the printed out symbols (available on the Backstage CD-Rom) • CD and CD player Objective: To be the first team to place the Ten Commandment symbols in order. Instructions: Divide the preschoolers into two teams. Mix up the symbols and when given the signal to begin, have them arrange in the correct order. Play the Ten Commandment Boogie song while they work to help them with their sorting. You may also want to have an answer key in a designated area that they run to for help. The more times they need to look at the key, the more time they lose for their team.
r
I want
murde
obey
lie
COLORING SHEET Moses Supplies needed: • Markers or crayons • Backstage Day 2 Coloring Sheet (available to print from your Backstage CD-Rom or copy from this manual)
18
GO FISH • BACKSTAGE
DAY 2 • PRESCHOOL • 10 COMMANDMENTS
CLOSING OBJECT LESSON
The Quarter Challenge Does anyone want to try winning a quarter? Choose a volunteer to try to win a quarter. This is really tricky with preschoolers and their limited fine motor skills, but they enjoy it a lot! Have the child fold his or her hands like they were praying. Help them lift only their ring fingers up so that their fingertips are pressed together. Slip a quarter between the tips of the child's ring fingers. All you have to do to win that quarter is open your fingers and let the quarter drop to the floor but whatever you do, don’t move your other fingers. (Make sure to assist them by holding their other fingers down) After the first child fails, let a few others try the same trick. This was really an unfair challenge, wasn’t it? When your other fingers are bent in, it's impossible to spread your ring fingers apart! I wanted to show you this challenge as a reminder of today's lesson. The Bible tells us that we are all sinners. We have all fallen short of God's glory, and just like none of us can perform this trick, no one can save themselves from their sins either. Go ahead and try the quarter trick at home. Try it with your family and your friends. When you do, remember what we learned today. We are all sinners, and we cannot save ourselves.
DAY 2 • PRESCHOOL • 10 COMMANDMENTS
GO FISH • BACKSTAGE
19
Materials: • Wooden beads • Black, red, and white guitar picks (1 of each color per child) • String or leather cording
day two
Guitar Pick Necklaces
Directions:
The first guitar pick is black and represents our sin. The second pick is red, which reminds us of the blood that Jesus shed to pay the penalty for our sins. The third pick is white, which represents the forgiveness that is available to all of us through God’s Son, Jesus. When we are forgiven, the stain of our sin is wiped away and we are made clean! Wooden beads will be placed in between each colored pick to remind us of the wooden cross and what Jesus did for us so that we can be forgiven and have eternal life. What a rockin’ way to remember and share with others what Jesus did for you! Give each child a piece of cording, two wooden beads, and three guitar picks (one of each color). The child will string the black pick, then a bead, the red pick, then a bead, and finally the white pick.
Preschool: CRAFTS
For our craft today we are going to make something we can wear to remind us of what Jesus did for us on the cross. You are going to design a necklace made out of colored guitar picks and wooden beads.
Ingredients: • Honey graham crackers • White frosting
day two
10 Commandment Crackers
• (10) 1-inch pieces of peel apart string licorice per child Supplies needed: • Baby wipes • Paper Towels • Paper plates Directions: Today we are going to make a snack that will help us remember that God gave us the Ten Commandments. He gave us His commandments so that we could know what sin is. Remember, sin is what keeps us from being close to God. Give each child a cracker. Scoop frosting on to the paper plate. Using the spreader, kids can spread the frosting on their cracker. Place the string licorice onto the frosting in lines to represent the Ten Commandments. The children can review the commandments as they are eating their snack.
Preschool: SNACKS
• Wooden spreaders
Preschool 3
Bible Study, Crafts, Snacks, Games, and Activity Options
Decoration Ideas
WHAT JESUS DID FOR YOU
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” - JOHN 3:16 -
If possible, decorate one side of the room with a manger and Christmas tree and the other side of the room with a cross.
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Free Play We suggest having a CD and CD player ready to play ‘Stories’ as the children arrive. Free play with your preschool children until your group has all arrived and is ready to go to the Concert Session along with the elementary age children. We suggest designating an area specifically for free play with toys set out in advance.
!
Preschool lessons are designed to allow preschoolers to attend the Concert & Encore sessions along with the elementary age children.
Getting Started Supplies Needed: • Bible for leader with passages marked ahead of time (Matthew 1, 27, 28) • Ten Commandments for reference • Glass bowl or pitcher • 4 cups of tap water • 1/2 cup bleach in a container labeled with a cross • 1 oz of iodine (Tincture USP 2%- can be found in first aid section of any drugstore) • Christmas créche with large figurines • The broken chain links from previous lesson • Stapler Let’s review some of the things we have learned so far in our time together. 1. God made us in His image and He loves us very much. 2. God gives us rules to help us make good choices. 3. All of us have broken God’s rules. When we break God’s rules it is called sin. 4. Jesus is the only One who has never broken any of God’s rules.
DAY 3 • PRESCHOOL • THE CROSS
Bible Study & More Today’s Bible Study, snacks, and more are on the following pages.
GO FISH • BACKSTAGE
21
Bible Study
3
THE CROSS
As you tell the story of Jesus, hold up the parts of the Christmas créche as a visual. Mary was a young woman who was engaged to Joseph. One day an angel appeared to Mary. I bet she was so surprised! The angel told Mary some special news. She was going to have a baby! He was God’s Son and she was to name Him Jesus. When Mary told Joseph, he was also very surprised! He didn’t know what to do, but God sent an angel to give Joseph some news too. The angel told Joseph not to be afraid and to name the baby Jesus because He will save people from their sins! Mary and Joseph trusted God with the news of baby Jesus. When Mary was almost ready to give birth to baby Jesus, they found out that they needed to travel to a town called Bethlehem. It was a very long journey. When they got to Bethlehem, they weren’t able to find any rooms to stay overnight. The only place that had room for them was a stable. A stable is a place where animals eat and sleep. Jesus was born in that stable and they laid Him in a manger. The manger (or Christmas tree) in our room is to remind us that Jesus was born for a very special reason. He was born to save us from our sins.
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GO FISH • BACKSTAGE
When Jesus grew up to be a man, He healed many people and told them about His Father, God. Some people did not like what Jesus was doing. They wanted to kill Him. They nailed His body to a cross even though He didn’t do anything wrong. On that cross is where Jesus died for our sin. At this time, take the ripped chain links from the previous lesson and staple the links back together. When Jesus died on the cross, He took on our sin. He is the only One who can fix us because He is God’s Son. He is the perfect Savior. Did Jesus stay dead though? No! The Bible tells us that He woke up from being dead and showed everyone that He was God’s Son. Whenever we see the cross, we should remember that Jesus died for us. Why did Jesus have to die? A price needed to be paid for our sin. Remember, we all have broken God’s rules and made wrong choices. Every time we sin, we make ourselves unclean and that separates us from God. Can you give me some examples of what sin is from the Ten Commandments?
Continued DAY 3 • PRESCHOOL • THE CROSS
Bible Study (continued) At this time pour the bleach (from a container with a cross on it) into the dirty water. Stir until the water clears.
On my own I cannot make myself clean. I cannot make the wrong things I do go away. Only Jesus can make me clean again. He is the only Person who can bring us close to God.
Because of what Jesus did for us on the cross we don’t need to be dirty with sin anymore. Jesus makes us clean! Let’s pray and thank Jesus for what He did on the cross.
THE CROSS
As the children are giving examples of sin, add a drop of iodine to the clear container of water.
3
Activities & Games Station activities and games can be found on the following page.
DAY 3 • PRESCHOOL • THE CROSS
GO FISH • BACKSTAGE
23
Stations
From Our Heart to The
Cross
Items Needed for Each Team: • Rope, cord, or tape to create the shape of a heart and a cross on the ground • Items to represent sin (cones, cups, boxes, beanbags, etc.)
INTERMISSION (Games)
Sin
Objective: To be the first team to move all sins from the heart to the cross. Set Up: Designate a large playing area. If possible, cordon off the play area into the shape of a heart on one side and the shape of a cross on the other side. Fill the heart with items of various sizes and shapes to represent sin (i.e. cones, scarves, cups, rolled up newspaper, boxes, etc.) Establish a start line several feet away from the heart. Instructions: Divide players into teams. Explain to the preschoolers that the one playing area represents a heart filled with sin. The other area represents the cross. Have the teams line up at the start line. At the signal to begin, the first player on each team must run into the heart and remove one item. They need to drop sin onto the cross, then run back to their team to tag off to the next player in line. Play continues until all the sins are removed and placed onto the cross. Discussion: All of those items we moved from the heart to the cross stand for the sin in our lives. Some were bigger in size than others. We might think lying is a smaller sin than stealing but God doesn't measure sin like that. God tells us that ALL sin is wrong and that ALL sin separates us from Him. The only way for us to have a clean heart is to trust in Jesus. He is the One Who paid the price for our sin on the cross.
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GO FISH • BACKSTAGE
COLORING SHEET The Cross Supplies needed: • Markers or crayons • Backstage Day 3 Coloring Sheet (available to print from your Backstage CD-Rom or copy from this manual)
DAY 3 • PRESCHOOL • THE CROSS
CLOSING OBJECT LESSON
“Your Bill Has Already Been Paid” Supplies Needed: • An old checkbook from an inactive account Does your mom and dad have one of these? It’s called a checkbook. It’s kind of like money. Your mom and dad can write out a check to pay for their bills and the bank takes the money out of their account. You have to keep track of how many checks you write though! You can’t write out a check unless you have money in the bank. Do you think it costs a lot of money to live in a house? What are some of the things you have to pay for when you live in a house? For each item that a child lists off, rip out a check and drop it to the ground. They might need some examples to get them started. Some examples might include turning on the water, lights, air conditioning, fireplace, stove, and using the refrigerator, microwave, phone and computer, as well as having the garbage picked up and buying groceries. Nothing is free. Everything comes with a price and someone has to pay. We learned earlier that we all sin and break God’s laws. There’s a price to be paid but your mom and dad can’t write out a check for that. That’s the bad news. The good news is that they don’t have to. Jesus already paid the price. It cost much more than all of these things we have talked about. That’s how much He loves you!
DAY 3 • PRESCHOOL • THE CROSS
GO FISH • BACKSTAGE
27
Materials: • Wooden Cross • Fake pennies (10 per child) • Hot glue gun • Verse label
day three
Paid in Full Penny Cross
Today the children learn that God loves us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus to pay the penalty for our sins on the cross. They will read about His death, burial and resurrection. The lesson emphasizes that it is only through God’s mercy and grace that we can be forgiven. The penny cross will be a reminder to the children of what Jesus did for us, so that we may have eternal life. Put the verse sticker and child’s name on the back of the cross. Place glue on the cross and then place the coins on the glue.
Preschool: CRAFTS
Directions:
Ingredients: • Large pretzel rods (2 per child) • Canned squirt cheese
day three
Pretzel & Cheese Cross
Supplies needed: • Baby wipes • Paper Towels
The only way we can be forgiven is if the penalty for our sins is paid. God didn’t want us to have to pay that penalty so He sent His Son, Jesus to die in our place. That’s how much He loves us! Because of what Jesus did on the cross, we can be saved. Today our snack will remind us of that amazing gift and help us remember the cross. • Lay a pretzel rod on the paper towel • Break another pretzel rod in half • Squirt canned cheese in the middle of the broken pretzel rod • Place the broken rod with cheese onto the unbroken pretzel to make a cross
Preschool: SNACKS
Directions:
Preschool 4
Bible Study, Crafts, Snacks, Games, and Activity Options
Decoration Ideas
BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith…” - EPHESIANS 2:8 ...................................................................
If possible, decorate the room like you are throwing a big party. Use balloons, streamers, presents, etc. Have one of the presents be a very large box wrapped in bright, fun wrapping paper with a huge bow. Inside this box should be a cross.
Free Play We suggest having a CD and CD player ready to play ‘Saved’ as the children arrive. Free play with your preschool children until your group has all arrived and is ready to go to the Concert Session along with the elementary age children. We suggest designating an area specifically for free play with toys set out in advance.
!
Preschool lessons are designed to allow preschoolers to attend the Concert & Encore sessions along with the elementary age children.
Getting Started Supplies Needed: • Bible for leader with passages marked ahead of time (Mark 10:17-22) We have already learned that God has a special plan for us. He has given us some rules to keep us safe. They also help us understand what sin is. Remember, God sent Jesus to Earth to die for our sins. Three days after Jesus died on the cross and was buried, he rose from the dead. He showed many people that He was alive again. Before Jesus went back to heaven to be with God, He told many people about His Father in heaven.
Bible Study & More Today’s Bible Study, snacks, and more are on the following pages.
DAY 4 • PRESCHOOL • SAVED
GO FISH • BACKSTAGE
29
Bible Study
4
SAVED
One day Jesus was walking along when a rich young man came running up to Him. The man asked Jesus what he had to do to live forever in heaven. The man told Jesus that he had kept all of God's rules since he was a boy. He was wrong. Nobody can keep all of God's rules perfectly. Jesus loved the man and told him to go and sell everything he had and follow Him. This made the man very sad. He loved his money and things more than he loved Jesus. Instead of following Jesus, the man turned away from Him. God wants us to obey His rules the very first rule is to love God more than anything else. Jesus told this rich man that he had a choice to make if he wanted to accept God’s gift of living forever with Him. We have to make the same choice ourselves. At this time draw the children’s attention to the large present with a bow that holds the cross inside. Do you see this wonderful present? Have you ever gotten a present and decided you weren’t going to open it? I know I haven’t! I love to open presents and see what’s inside.
30
GO FISH • BACKSTAGE
What do you think is in this present? Allow the children to make some guesses. Inside this present is a special gift from God. It is the gift that God gave us when Jesus paid for our sin. It is the gift of life forever with God. There is nothing we have done to deserve this present. God is giving us this gift because of His grace. Grace means getting something you really don’t deserve. God is giving it to us because He is so good! Just like the rich man, we need to make a choice. Are we going to open God’s gift to us and receive it? Would you like to open the present? At this time open the gift and show them the cross. The gift from God is called forgiveness. When Jesus died on the cross He paid for our sins and made us clean. Do you remember the dirty water yesterday that was made clean with the cross? To open God’s gift to us, we have to say yes to God, tell Him that we are sorry for our sins, and ask Him to forgive us. When we do these things, we are accepting God’s gift to us to live
DAY 4 • PRESCHOOL • SAVED
Bible Study (continued)
4
forever with Him. We are accepting His forgiveness. At this time you have the option of showing the Go Fish gospel presentation video. You can also pray and model what it means to say yes to God. Instead of making the children repeat this prayer, let them know that this is a prayer that you have prayed and when they are ready to say yes to Jesus, they can pray it too. Be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading and handle this as you see fit.
SAVED
Dear God, I want to open the gift You have given me. I want to thank You for sending Jesus to pay for my sins. I want to thank You for being my perfect Heavenly Father. I want Jesus to be my best friend. I am sorry for the bad choices that I have made. Please forgive me. Thank You for this special gift. I want to say yes to You for the rest of my life! Amen
Activities & Games Station activities and games can be found on the following page.
DAY 4 • PRESCHOOL • SAVED
GO FISH • BACKSTAGE
31
Stations
Believing Without
Seeing
INTERMISSION (Games)
Items Needed for Each Team: • Large dark color pillowcase • Items for the preschoolers to guess without looking in the pillowcase (i.e. a spoon, straw, cotton ball, penny, etc.) • Adult volunteer to hold pillowcase as preschooler guesses Objective: To be the first team to guess all items in the pillowcase. Instructions: Divide the children into equal teams with the first person in line standing behind the starting line. On the signal to begin, the first preschooler will run down to the pillowcase and pick up an item without removing it. They will try to guess what the item is and tell the adult. When they guess correctly (make sure the volunteers know what’s in the pillowcase), the item is removed and they can return to the line to signal the next person to go. Discussion: Boys and girls, could you see the items in the pillowcase? Just because you couldn’t see them, does that mean they weren’t there? Can we see Jesus? Believing in Jesus without seeing Him is called faith. It’s what we sing about when we sing “I’m saved, by grace, through faith.” We are saved from the penalty of our sin by our belief in Jesus and what He did on the cross.
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GO FISH • BACKSTAGE
COLORING SHEET Zacchaeus Supplies needed: • Markers or crayons • Backstage Day 4 Coloring Sheet (available to print from your Backstage CD-Rom or copy from this manual)
DAY 4 • PRESCHOOL • SAVED
CLOSING OBJECT LESSON
Supplies Needed: • Cheap plastic toys from the kid’s meals at fast food restaurants Have you ever ordered a kid’s meal at a fast food restaurant and gotten a free toy with it? Share the different toys you have brought and ask what other toys the children have gotten in their meals. These toys can be hit or miss. Sometimes you get a boring toy that you just want to throw away. Other times it’s a toy that’s super awesome from a movie you loved! Do you think these toys are really free? No Who do you think paid for the toy? Whoever bought your meal Moms, dads, and grandparents pay for those toys. Sure they come "free" with the meal, but the meal wasn't free. Someone had to pay the price for that meal and, because they did, you received a free toy. We have already learned that Jesus paid the price for our sins. Because Jesus paid that price, we can receive a free gift far more valuable than plastic toys. We can receive forgiveness for our sins! If you went to a restaurant right now, you probably wouldn’t have enough money to buy your own meal. That’s where mom and dad step in and pay the price. We could never do enough on our own to pay the price that it costs to live with God in heaven forever, but Jesus stepped in and paid the price. The only thing that we need to do is accept His gift. If you've never received it, Jesus is inviting you to accept His gift today. It is the greatest gift ever given!
DAY 4 • PRESCHOOL • SAVED
GO FISH • BACKSTAGE
35
Materials: • White bandanas • Self adhesive gems • Fabric markers • Sharpies • Tacky glue • Butcher Paper
day four
Backstage Bandana
Today we learned about the rich young man and how he asked Jesus what he needed to do to be saved. The rich man went away sad because he realized that he loved his money more than he loved God. Can anyone tell me what grace means? Grace means we get something that we do not deserve and there’s nothing we can do to earn it. Our verse for today is found in Ephesians 2:8-9 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.” There is nothing we can do to earn our way to heaven; it is a gift from God. When you become a Christian you become a child of God. Cover the tables with butcher paper. Give each child a bandana and set the decorative items out. Let kids decorate their bandana. Encourage them to include verses they have learned this week.
Preschool: CRAFTS
Directions:
Ingredients: • Vanilla pudding cups • Vanilla wafer cookies, crushed into large crumbs
day four
Cookie Crumb Pudding Cups
• Sliced bananas Supplies needed: • Baby wipes • Paper Towels • Spoons Directions: Today our snack reminds us of the rich young man who tried to store up his treasures on Earth. You will have the chance to fill up your cup with cookies or banana slices, which both represent treasures. Think of the bananas as things that have eternal value, or things that have worth even in heaven. (Reading God’s Word, sharing the Good News with others, etc.) Think of the cookies as things that we can only use while here on Earth (money, toys, video games, etc.). I’m guessing many of you would rather store up cookies than bananas, but which one is better for you? Jesus asked the rich man to give up what he wanted. Jesus knew those things were more important to the man than his love for God. We might want a lot of cookies, or treasures, but we know they aren’t going to bring us lasting joy. We’ll eventually want more and more of those things. Jesus reminds us in this story that only He can bring us joy that lasts forever in Him. Hand out the pudding cups, a few vanilla wafers and several slices of banana. Enjoy!
Preschool: SNACKS
• Knife
Preschool 5
Bible Study, Crafts, Snacks, Games, and Activity Options
Decoration Ideas
SHARE THE GOOD NEWS
“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.”
If possible decorate the room with fishing poles, nets, and a tackle box.
- MATTHEW 4:19 -
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Free Play We suggest having a CD and CD player ready to play ‘The B-I-B-L-E’ as the children arrive. Free play with your preschool children until your group has all arrived and is ready to go to the Concert Session along with the elementary age children. We suggest designating an area specifically for free play with toys set out in advance.
!
Preschool lessons are designed to allow preschoolers to attend the Concert & Encore sessions along with the elementary age children.
Getting Started Supplies Needed: • Bible for leader with passage marked ahead of time (Matthew 28:16-20) • Large chart with two columns labeled “Good News” and “Bad News” and room for notes
S
EW GOOD N
You are going to want to start this day with a personal story about news that you have received that was so good you had to tell as many people as you knew. (Examples might include the birth of a baby, winning an award, etc.) You can also give the children an opportunity to share their own examples. When we learn something important, we want to share it with others! We’ve learned many important things this week – some of it was bad news, and some of it was good news. Let’s review! Bring attention to the two columned chart with the following statements on them.
Bible Study & More Today’s Bible Study, snacks, and more are on the following pages.
Continued DAY 5 • PRESCHOOL • GO FISH!
GO FISH • BACKSTAGE
37
The Good News: God created us and He loves us!
5
The Bad News: Each one of us has broken God’s laws – the Ten Commandments. We deserve to be punished for our sins. Our sin separates us from God. The Good News: God sent His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross. Jesus was perfect. He never sinned. When He died on the cross, He took the punishment for our sins and three days later He rose again from the dead. More Good News: We have a choice to make. We can choose to open God’s gift of forgiveness and live forever with Him!
GO FISH!
Bible Study
Activities & Games Station activities and games can be found on the following page.
38
GO FISH • BACKSTAGE
One day Jesus was walking along the shoreline of a big lake. He saw some men fishing in the lake. He went up to two men named Peter and Andrew. Jesus told them to leave their fishing nets and follow Him. Jesus also found ten other men and explained to them that He had a new job for them. Instead of fishing for fish, Jesus wanted them to fish for men! They didn’t understand exactly what Jesus meant but they did what He asked. These men became Jesus’ disciples. They left their jobs, followed Jesus, and watched what He did. They learned a lot from their Teacher and friend.
We have a God who loves us more than anyone else. We have a best friend who will never leave us. We also have the Holy Spirit who helps us make the right choices. Jesus wants us to tell our family and friends the Good News. You don’t need to wait until you are a grown-up to tell others about Jesus. You can start right now!
Jesus taught His disciples what it meant to be fishers of men and women. It meant to tell them the Good News. The Good News is called the Gospel and it is the best news ever! Jesus wants us to tell others that God loves them, that Jesus died for their sins, and that if they tell God they are sorry for their sins, they can be forgiven and go to heaven someday.
DAY 5 • PRESCHOOL • GO FISH!
Stations
INTERMISSION
Big Fish, Little Fish Go Fish! Items Needed for Each Team: Materials: • 5 fishing bobbers • •A Yarn fishing net • A tackle box • Spoons for each player Directions:
(Games)
J
BACK
FRONT Objective: • Use the yarn to form two circular fish nets on the floor on opposite sides of the room Toorbe the area. first team to pass on the Good News and spell the name of ‘Jesus’ with the bobbers in order. play
• Choose two children to be fishermen and say: Jesus had many friends who were Set Up: fishermen. They lots of then they sold the fish one in the market for people Write one letter and caught one number on fish eachand of the bobbers. For example bobber should have thetoletter ‘J’ eat. game and about When I call little fish, swim, swim, swim!” on theLet’s front play of theabobber thefish. number ‘1’ on theout, back“Big of thefish, bobber. everyone will run from the fishermen. J- 1 E- 2 S- 3 U- 4 S- 5 Team stand shoulder to shoulder, approximately feetfish apart. Team linesthe should • If alines fisherman tags you, go stand inside one two of the nets. When netsalso getstand too parallel to crowded, callthe outtackle “Bigbox fish,with littlethe fish, away free!” you canline. all escape and one another.I’ll Place fiveswim bobbers at one endThen of each team play again. How To Play: • Play for several minutes, changing fishermen often. Before you begin, tell the players the game they're about to play is called “Go Fish!” The object of the game is to pass the bobbers from the tackle box to the net at the end of the team lines. Then they need to arrange Read Aloud: the bobbers to form a word (show one of the bobbers with a letter written on it). The clue for solving the Matthew 4:18-20 word puzzle is that it is someone we should want to tell others about. At•the signal, the first person on each teamforscoops What do you think it means to fish men?a bobber onto his or her spoon and passes it on to the next player in line. The next player receives the bobber with his or her spoon and passes it on to the next • What does it mean to follow Jesus? player. This continues until the bobber reaches the net at the end of the line. The last player in line lays the • Whyindoes Henext want follow bobber the net to us his to or her feet.Him? As soon as the first bobber is passed on to the second player in line, the first player in line may scoop up a second bobber from the tackle box and begin to pass it down the line to the end player. When all the bobbers are passed down the line, each team must try to assemble the letters to form the name written on the bobbers: J-E-S-U-S. How To Win: The first team to arrange and shout out the name wins!
COLORING SHEET GO FISH • BACKSTAGE
Go Fish!
Supplies needed: • Markers or crayons • Backstage Day 5 Coloring Sheet (available to print from your Backstage CD-Rom or copy from this manual) DAY 5 • PRESCHOOL • GO FISH!
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CLOSING OBJECT LESSON
Share the Good News! Supplies Needed: • A movie case of one of your favorite movies Begin this lesson by sharing the movie you brought. Tell the children when you saw it, why you fell in love with it, and why they should see it too! When was the last time you saw a movie that you loved so much, you had to tell everyone? Give the children a few minutes to share. It sounds to me like all of you have had a time when you shared something exciting with your friends. When we see a good movie, hear a good song, or just get good news, we all want to run out and share it with someone. That's what Jesus is asking us to do today. In our time together we have learned that we are all sinners. We are separated from God by our sin, but God sent His Son, Jesus, to pay for our sins on the cross. Because Jesus died and rose again, we can have our sins forgiven. That's not just good news, it's great news! Now it's your turn. Jesus told His disciples before He left for heaven that they should go and share the Good News with the world. We have news that is better than any movie you'll ever see. Don't keep it to yourself! Tell a friend. Tell a neighbor. Tell someone that Jesus loves them! Close with prayer. Dear God, Thank You for the opportunity we've had to learn about Your Son this week. Give us the courage and the words to share Your Good News with others. Amen.
S W E N D GOO
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DAY 5 • PRESCHOOL • GO FISH!
GO FISH • BACKSTAGE
Materials: • Blue construction paper • Tempera paint
day five
Handprint Fish
• Foam paintbrush • Baby wipes • Glue • Googly eyes
Directions: In Matthew 4:19 Jesus says, “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Jesus meant that He wanted His disciples to tell people about Him. When you see your fish it will remind you to tell others about Jesus and His love. • Paint the child’s hand orange (or whatever color they want their fish to be) and press down gently onto the paper. Allow to dry. • Glue on the googly eye. • Draw on a mouth. • Attach a memory verse sticker to the page.
Preschool: CRAFTS
• Verse sticker
Ingredients: • Pretzel rods (2 per child) • Gummy worms (2 per child)
day five
Fishing Poles
• Twizzler pull & peel rope (2 per child) • Goldfish crackers Supplies needed: • Baby wipes
Directions: Today our snack will remind us that God wants us to ‘Go Fish!’ He wants us to fish for people by sharing with them the Good News of the Gospel. The Gospel has the power to save and Jesus commands everyone who believes in Him to tell others! Give each child a paper towel with pretzel rods, twizzler rope, gummy worms and goldfish on it. Tell them that they are going to make a fishing pole to remind them of the story. To make the fishing pole, wrap one end of the twizzler around the pretzel rod and the other end around the gummy worm. They can then pretend to fish and eat the goldfish. When they have finished the goldfish, they can eat the fishing pole.
Preschool: SNACKS
• Paper Towels
