Children’s Activity

Sunday 7th June | Genesis 1:1-2:4 & Matthew 28:16-20 | The Trinity

Fun for everyone

Get your household into a group/s of three, work out some synchronised movements that you will do together (moving as one) to go from one side of a room to the other. You must move as a single unit and try to include as many different types of movements as possible.

Craft

Step One: You’ll need collage paper/feathers etc or felt tips to decorate. Blue tack, glass pebbles, bottle tops & card.

Step Two: Cut the card into a circle and draw or print out 3 equal parts onto the circle.

Step Three: Get children to think about what they have heard and know about the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. On each third of the circle use colours, shapes and symbols to draw or collage their thoughts/feelings/ideas about each person of the Trinity.

Step Four: Turn the spinner over and stick the flat side of a glass pebble to the middle of the circle.

Step Five: On the front of the spinner, blue tack a bottle top to the middle.

Step Six: Twist the bottle top to spin the spinner and see how the three parts blend into one!

Questions to talk through together

• How is it possible for three separate living things to all be one?

• What do you think/feel about God the Father?

• What do you think/feel about God the Son?

• What do you think/feel about God the Holy Spirit?

• Are God the Father, God the Son & God the Holy Spirit equal?

A song for little ones

A short prayer

Dear God, Thank you for how amazing you are even if we don’t fully understand. Thank you for the Bible and how it shows God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit even though you are still one. Please help us learn about you and your love for everyone. Amen.

Sunday 31st May | Acts 2:1-21 | Pentecost

Just for fun

Step One: You’ll need some Maltesers, some straws and two bowls

Step Two: Place the Maltesers in one bowl and place the other bowl at the other end of a table or room

Step Three: Use the straw to suck up and hold the Malteser, and place it in the empty bowl

Step Four: See how many each person can move over in 60 seconds

Craft

Step One: You’ll need yellow, red and orange paint, foil (for easy clean-up afterwards), plastic forks, and card or paper (could use black paper for a great effect)

Step Two: Use a fork to put some paint onto the paper and add swirls. Pull or brush with the fork to create a picture of fire

Step Three: While creating your paintings for fire you could talk about; What is fire like? What can it do? What do you know about the power of fire? What about the Holy Spirit?

Step Four: Let your creation dry!

An activity for the whole family

Build a tent/den/fort; at Pentecost the disciples gathered in an upper room, huddled away. Build or put up a tent or make a fort with your sofa! Fill it with blankets, cushions and tell stories together. Put some worship music on. Huddle up and take time to listen to God. Share what you think God is saying with each other.

Questions to talk through together

• How do you think the disciples felt when they saw/heard the wind and fire?

• Can you remember who the Holy Spirit is?

• Why did God give us the Holy Spirit?

• How does it make you feel to know that the same Holy Spirit is with us today?

• How would you react if people started talking in lots of different languages?

• Who should we tell about Jesus?

A short prayer

Dear God, as we remember when the first believers in Jesus were given the courage to tell others about Him, we believe you give us that same courage to tell others about Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit. Help us to live in a way that means others see your love. Help us have the courage to tell others about your love and care. Amen.

Sunday 24th May | Acts 1:6-14 | Jesus’ Ascension

Fun for everyone

Find a children’s bible, we suggest The Beginner’s Bible, and read the story of Jesus’ ascension. Have time to find props and dressing up clothes and create a little sketch of the story you have just read together. Once you have created your sketch, perform it to one another.

Craft

Step One: Find a polystyrene or plastic cup and decorate like the sky, with paint, pens, cotton wool, or whatever you can find in your house

Step Two: Either print out a small colouring of Jesus or draw and colour your own

Step Three: Pierce a hole in the bottom of the cup

Step Four: Find some string or a pipe cleaner and push it through the hole and attach your picture of Jesus to the end of the string or pipe cleaner that goes inside of the cup

Questions to talk through together

• What is the good news of Jesus?

• How do you feel knowing that Jesus is now with God and can be with us all the time?

• How do you think the disciples felt at Jesus’ ascension?

• Who could you tell about how amazing Jesus is?

A short prayer

Dear God, Thank you that Jesus’ ascension is not the end but means we can have a forever relationship with you. Please help us to understand all the amazing things you do in our lives and how we can spread the word of how great it is to know you. Sorry for the times we keep this knowledge of your greatness to ourselves. Amen.

Sunday 17th May | John 14:15-21 | Jesus promises the Holy Spirit

A craft activity for the whole family

Get out some paper or card and either write for your child, or have them write the following verse on the paper/card:

‘And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter to be with you for ever – the Spirit of truth.'

John 14:16-17

With the verse written out, decorate the paper/card. You can use pens, stickers or paint! Spend some time writing and decorating together - it may help the verse sink into your memories.

Questions to talk through together

Have some paper and pens out for these questions. In the middle of a piece of paper write out ‘Holy Spirit’ and discuss and write down the things you talk about when you first think of the Holy Spirit.

• What is the Holy Spirit?

• What does the Holy Spirit look like?

• What does the Holy Spirit do?

• Is the Holy Spirit a scary or a friendly image/thought?

Prayer time

If you have an electric fan, have children stand in front of it and switch it on.

Ask them to stand quietly and to close their eyes if they would like, spending some time experiencing the fan blowing air on their face. Ask them to think what it was like for the disciples when the Holy Spirit first came like a wind and how He changed so many things for them.

A short prayer

Heavenly Father, we thank you for giving us a friend, the Holy Spirit, to be with us in our lives. Help us to not be afraid of the Holy Spirit but to invite Him to guide us to make the right decisions for our lives. Amen.

Sunday 10th May | John 14:1-14 | Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life

I am the way

An activity for the whole family

Create a map with different objects and locations in your house. The map could be leading to a table, bookcase, tree or flower garden if outside, etc. The children will have to go to each area and get a small treat from that area to show that they actually went to all the places on the map! When they have completed the "course" and have found all the treasure, talk together about how a map can help to guide us to places when we are not sure where we are going or what we're looking for. Jesus is our guide in life, to help us to know how to live as God would want us to and how to have a relationship with God.

I am the truth

A quick game

This is a simple game of two truths and a lie. Each person says 3 ‘facts’ either about themselves or anything. One of those ‘facts’ must not be true, so when presented to the other members of your household, 2 of the ‘facts’ will be true and another a lie; try and figure out which one is a lie.

We have access to lots of information and people’s opinions, but Jesus states He is the truth. It's important to remember what Jesus teaches is true and that we can put our trust in Him.

I am the life

Fun for everyone

Have a party, put some worship music on, maybe blow up some balloons and have some fun together worshipping as a family!

Even through the dark times, God is with us and for us. It may be hard but remember to worship Him. Through Jesus we can have relationship with the Father, and live life to the full - knowing we have hope in Jesus.

Questions to talk through together

• Can you think of any ways Jesus taught us to live our lives?

• Jesus had just been telling his disciples what was going to happen to him and they were scared and worried. What do we worry about? What does Jesus say to do when we are worried?

• How would you explain to a friend what it means when Jesus says “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life”?

A short prayer

Dear God, thank you that you want to know us and that you sent Jesus to be the bridge between us and you. Help us to remember in difficult times to put our trust in you and that you love us. Please fill us with your spirit so we may have full life through Jesus. Amen.

Sunday 3rd May | John 10:1-10 | The Good Shepherd

An activity for the whole family

Make a circle of chairs or stools (or even toys). This circle is a sheep pen - leave an opening. But there's a problem. Here is a sheep-pen. The flock is safe for the night, but we don't have a gate yet. The opening is where wild beasts can get in and where the sheep can go out.

How can we solve this problem? Who wants to show how you can make a gate here? Try and make a gate using various objects you can find in the room.

We end the activity with the statement Jesus made: "I am the gate for the sheep."

In Jesus' time shepherds used to lie in the door opening and form a gate with their body – they were literally being the gate for the sheep!

A craft activity

Let's create a flock of sheep!

Use any materials you have in the house to create your sheep. You might want to use wool, stickers, pens etc.

Questions to talk through together

• Why do you think Jesus used the picture of a shepherd and sheep to describe himself and us, His people?

• What do you think Jesus means by saying “I am the gate”?

• How would you describe living life to the full?

• Do you think you are living life to the full?

A short prayer

Dear God, Thank you that through Jesus we can get to know you. Thank you that you love us so much that you want to know us. Please help us to learn more about you and allow you to guide us. Amen.

To continue prayer time

Draw around an adult’s hand on paper, then in the drawing of the hand draw lots of sheep. In those sheep write your own name or someone else's name. If your little one is too young to write you can get them to draw themselves and friends/family in the sheep. This can be used as an act of ‘putting the sheep into the hand of the Good Shepherd’.

Pray together that each person in the hand would know that through Jesus they can have a relationship with God, and that those who already know Jesus would grow in their faith.

Sunday 26th April | Luke 24:13-35 | The Road to Emmaus

Questions to talk through together

• Can you name three amazing things that Jesus did in the Bible?

• If you met someone who didn’t know the amazing things of Jesus, would you tell them?

• If you met Jesus on a walk, what would you say to Him?

• If Jesus met you on a walk, what do you think He would say to you?

Activities for the whole family

Write the Bible verse "Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him." (Luke 24:31) in very small print on several pieces of paper and stick them on the wall. Give each child a turn at using binoculars ( or make your own from card or even pretend with your hands) from across the room to find and read the Bible verse on one of those small pieces of paper. If children are too young to read, they can use the binoculars to find the word JESUS written in tiny print somewhere on the wall.

Step 1: This might be a little messy but get some paint out and do some prints of each other's feet onto paper or card.

Step 2: While the paint is drying come up with some ways you could walk with Jesus this week (e.g. read my bible, have a time of sung worship, be patient with my family).

Step 3: Write or draw these around the prints of the feet as a reminder to walk with Jesus in the following weeks!

A short prayer

Dear God, Thank you that you love us and thank you for sending Jesus to do amazing things. Please help us to see the amazing things you still do today. Please help us not to get distracted by other things and focus on you. Show us how to live a life that pleases you. Amen.

Sunday 19th April | 1 Peter 1:3-9 | Praise & Thankfulness

Questions to talk through together

• What did we celebrate last Sunday?

• What does this mean for us?

• What things do you do that people say ‘thank you’ to you for?

• Why is it good to say thank you?

An activity for the whole family

Step 1: You will need thin paper, scissors, marker pens & a container filled with water (or your sink/bath)

Step 2: Cut the paper into shapes; flower, star, etc.

Step 3: Write or draw on your shape what you want to thank God for

Step 4: Fold the corners of your shape into the middle and place on top of the water

Step 5: The shapes will gradually open out, symbolically opening out the thanksgiving to God. The opened shape will then float on top of the water. This will take some time to happen fully so there is plenty of opportunity to watch and reflect on the prayers!

A game for everyone

Set up an obstacle course inside or outside with a piece of clothing at each obstacle. Blindfold a child and direct them to each obstacle and tell them what the clothing item is. Have the child try to put on the clothing whilst still blindfolded and then get over the obstacle, onto the next one. By the end the child will be wearing a whole new outfit! Even though we face trials and difficult things, we can still have new life through Jesus.

A short prayer

Dear God, Thank you so much for all the celebrations of Easter. Help us to remember how amazing you are, and say thank you for the amazing things you continue to do. Even though we might be confused or scared by coronavirus, please help us to remain full of the peace and joy you bring. Amen.

Sunday 12th April | Easter Sunday

(watch the video from 4:02)

An activity for the whole family

Print or write out large individual letters of the phrase “He is ALIVE!”

Hide them around your house and have a scavenger hunt to find all the letters of the phrase. Once all the letters have been found, work together to spell out the phrase.

Questions to talk through together

• Why is Easter so special?

• If you saw Jesus die and then saw him alive three days later, how would you react?

• How can we make today special, even at home?

• If Easter is so special and amazing, should we keep it to ourselves or tell our friends and family?

A short prayer

Dear God, thank you so much for sending Jesus to die for our sins. Thank you that through him we can know you. Please help us to celebrate all you have done. Help us to remember that you love us so much and forgive our sins. Please help us to love others as you love us. Thank you for defeating death and thank you that we can have eternal life with you. Amen.

To continue prayer time

Check out this great prayer activity that involves Easter eggs!

Friday 10th April | Good Friday

(watch the video up to 4:02)

A craft activity

Step 1: Cut out a cross shape from A4 paper or card

Step 2: Stick masking tape over the cross in any pattern you like

Step 3: Dip the end of coloured chalk in water and paint with it

Step 4: When the chalk is dry, carefully remove the masking tape from the cross!

Questions to talk through together

• Why do you think the day Jesus died is called Good Friday?

• How do you think Jesus felt after a friend of his betrayed him?

• How do you feel when your friends and family upset you?

• Why do you think Jesus died on the cross?

A short prayer

Dear God, we remember today the pain and suffering of the cross, so we could be set free. Help us never to take for granted this huge gift of love. Help us to be reminded of the cost of it all. Forgive us for being too busy or distracted by other things, and for not fully recognising what you have freely given - what you have done for us. Amen.

To continue prayer time

A simple idea to continue to pray as a family is a hand prayer. Have everyone show their hand (if you have children that prefer to draw you can draw around hands on a piece of paper). 

Each finger is something different to focus on:

Thumb: Say/draw your worries and pray that you would give them to God

Index: Pray for the church and your church family (or draw your church family)

Middle: Pray for the NHS and our government (or draw doctors and nurses)

Ring: Pray for your family and friends (or draw your loved ones)

Little: Pray for the vulnerable and sick (or draw those you know who need healing)

Sunday 5th April | Matthew 21:1-11 | Palm Sunday

A craft activity

Fun for the whole family

Get your coats out and make your own procession! Lay all the coats down, maybe down your hallway or in the living room, and wave your palm leaves. Put a song on (I suggest Church Unleashed that was released this week!) and have a praise party! Praise God for who He is.

Questions to talk through together

• If a king was to come to your town/house, how would you make him feel special and welcome him?

• The disciples had to trust Jesus when told to get the Donkey. What does trust mean to you?

• Why were the pharisees and religious rulers not happy with Jesus getting such a welcome?

• How, in the current situation, can we show we are welcoming Jesus with excitement and enthusiasm like the crowd in the story?

A short prayer

Dear God, Thank for Jesus and that through Him we can be closer to you. Sorry for the times we do not trust you and follow what you ask of us. Please help us to celebrate and praise you more even if we are in a difficult situation. Please use our praise to show more people how amazing you are. Amen.

To continue prayer time

This is an activity to encourage the act of praising and thanking God. This can also be saved for during the week.

Talk about praise words for God, possibly start with the word ‘amazing’ and ask the children to come up with words that mean the same thing. Soon you’ll have a long list of words to describe how amazing God is!

Sunday 29th March | John 11:1-45 | The Death of Lazarus

Fun for the whole family

Time to dress up! Normally we would do toilet paper mummies but because of the current situation, replace toilet paper with towels, bed sheets or whatever you can find. Make each other into mummies!

A quick game to play

Step 1: Grab 3 cups that are opaque and draw on a little piece of paper a sad face and on the other side a happy face.

Step 2: Make sure the children aren’t looking and put the drawing of the faces - ‘Lazarus’ - in one cup. You could also add a sweet treat. I used mini marshmallows.

Step 3: Get a child to point at which cup they think he is in and shout ‘Lazarus come out!’

Step 4: Lift the cup to see if they got the right one. When they do, flip Lazarus and show a happy face.

Step 5: Keep going until they get the right cup.

Give each child (or adult!) a go.

Questions to talk through together

• What makes you feel sad?

• How do you think Mary and Martha felt before Jesus arrived?

• How do you think Mary and Martha felt after Lazarus was alive again?

• Jesus brought back Lazarus to life, how amazing is that?! Can you create a list of all the amazing things God has done in your and your family’s life?

• Who else do we know that spent time in a tomb, and came back to life?

A short prayer

Dear God, Thank you that you are more powerful than death. Please help us to remember your power and glory when we are sad and hurt. We pray for those who are sad during this time and that your Holy Spirit would be with them. Please show us how to be your joy and love to people to bring glory to you. Amen.

 Sunday 22nd March | John 9:1-41 | Jesus heals a blind man

A game for the whole family

Questions to talk through together

• Try to imagine all the things the blind man hasn’t been able to see & enjoy

• How do you think the blind man felt knowing someone might be able to heal him?

• How do you think the blind man felt after he was healed?

• The man tells all his friends and family that Jesus healed him, when good things happen to you do you tell all your friends and family it was Jesus who helped you?

• Do you know any miracles that still happen today? How would you feel if your friends didn’t believe you?

A short prayer

Dear God, Thank you that you love to heal people. Help us to believe that your miracles are possible today. We pray for people we know that are sick at this time, may your Holy Spirit heal them. Help us to give you the glory for the good things you do even if others don’t believe us. Amen.

To continue prayer time

An activity to encourage the act of asking for healing over people’s life. This activity can also be saved for during the week, and can be added to daily.