Bible Story Transition Ideas

Helping young children transition from active times to more quiet parts of your lesson can be a challenge. You can create activities specially designed to give them a chance to calm down and turn on their listening ears. Here are a few suggestions:

• Give children a warning when moving from one activity to another. A couple of minutes before you want them to finish what they are doing, say, "This is your two-minute warning. We will start putting away the toys (or crayons) in two minutes." As adults, we get frustrated when someone interrupts what we're doing. Children often have the same frustration when we stop their activity abruptly instead of giving them time to finish what they're doing.

• If you want your students to move from an active to a quiet activity, provide a transition activity to help them calm down and get the wiggles out. This can be an action rhyme, "The Wiggle Song," a march around the room (getting slower and quieter each time around), or an action song such as "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes" (getting faster and faster; then getting slower with each round until everyone ends by sitting down).

• Do a fun action rhyme before the Bible story time, to help your students calm down and begin to focus their attention on you, the teacher. 

Here's a rhyme you can try with your class to help with the transition to your Bible story. Before doing the rhyme together, hold your open Bible and explain that the Bible is God's Word and it is true. Show your students how to hold their hands together, palms up, to look like an open Bible. Now lead them in this rhyme (younger children will either say the words with you or do the motions but probably won't be able to do both, which is fine).

I open my Bible (hold hands open like a book)
    And listen to God (hold hands to ear).
He tells me what I should do (point up).
    I know that He loves me (hug self)
He hears when I pray (hold hands folded as in prayer)
    And all of His stories are true (nod head)

I also know that Jesus loves me
    (point up, then hug self)
And watches over me every day
   (shade eyes and look side to side).
I like my Bible (hold hands open like a book)
   It's special to me (fold hands over heart)—
Like a friend I see every day (point to eyes).

So now I'll be quiet
    (put finger to lips and sit down)
My hands will be still (fold hands).
    I'll hear what God has to say.
(Hold one hand to ear and point up.)

Bible Lesson: Jesus, the True Vine

Here's a Bible lesson you can use with your students to help them understand that God takes care of us just as a gardener takes care of his garden and Christians grow spiritually when they read the Bible and stay connected to Jesus.

Bring a bowl of raisins, a bowl of grapes, and some napkins. Print out the visuals below and cut them apart. Put a circle of tape on the back of each one and give each visual to a different child. Hold your open Bible on your lap. Explain that this is a true story from the Bible.

THE TRUE VINE 

(Read John 15:1 and 5.) God says that He acts like a gardener. A gardener helps plants grow. God helps us live right and grow as Christians. In Bible times, many people grew grapes. A grape plant has several parts. First, there is the vine. (Have the child who has the Grape Vine place it on the wall.) Whose name is on the vine? (Jesus) The Bible calls Jesus the True Vine.

On the vine are many branches. (Have the children with the Side, Bottom, and Top Branches place them on the vine.) Good branches produce grapes. These grapes are called the fruit of the vine. (Pass around napkins and a bowl of grapes and let each child take a napkin and some grapes.)

God is the Gardener in the garden of life. Jesus is the Vine who grows good branches. Christians are those branches. If you have asked Jesus to be your Savior, you are like a branch on a vine in God’s garden.

What happens to a branch if it is cut off the vine? (It dies; it doesn’t grow anymore.) That’s what happens to anyone who isn’t a true follower of Jesus. The person may look like a Christian, and even act like one (by going to church and doing good things). But, if this person hasn’t invited Jesus into his life, he’s a fake Christian. He may fool other people, but he can’t fool God.

Branches need water and food to grow. How do the branches get these things? (through the roots) The vine sends food and water from the roots to the branches. Then the branches send food and water to the flowers that will produce grapes. (Pass around a bowl of raisins and let each child take some.) 

Once the vine has been taken care of and well watered, it makes grapes. Some grapes are dried like these. We grow spiritually when we get food from the Bible (read the Bible and memorize what it says) and stay connected to Jesus. We don’t make grapes, but we do make good actions that remind people of the way Jesus acted. Our good actions are called spiritual fruit. Jesus gives a promise that helps us stay close to Him. (Read Matthew 28:20.) 

This verse is part of the Great Commission, the last command Jesus gave before He went to heaven. Jesus promises to be with us always. Jesus will never leave us, just as a vine never leaves the branches.

Click on the image above for a larger view.

(This lesson is an excerpt from Elementary Bible Activity Lessons. Try a FREE sample and then choose your lesson by topic or Bible story. Each lesson is just $5.95 each. Quantity discounts are available when you purchase ten or more lessons.)

Elementary Bible Activity Lessons

Ready-to-use Sunday school lessons!

Elementary Bible Activity Lessons are the perfect solution whenever you need a Bible lesson or just some extra activities for Sunday school. Bible Clubs or children's church. You can choose lessons based on topic, Bible reference, or even Scripture verse. Each lesson is regularly only $5.95 each. 


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Instantly download the lessons you need, any time, at your convenience online. Each Bible story features three or more Bible activity sheets, one take-home Bible story page with activity, and a teacher's page with a creative way to present the Bible lesson plus answers to the activity pages. Many lessons also include colorful visuals to help tell the Bible story.

• Easy to use and fun for kids
• Download anytime for only $5.95 per lesson or less
• All lessons are fully reproducible
• Flexible and easily adaptable for a wide range of ages (Kindergarten through 6th grade)
• Activity pages include both NIV and KJV
• Wonderful supplement to any Sunday school curriculum — and VBS too!
• Complete Bible lessons, easy-to-read Bible stories, plus fun activities
• Designed to help children apply the Bible lesson to their lives
• Activity sheets can be used in class, at home, or during kids' worship
• Minimal preparation is needed — great for substitute teachers

Try out a sample lesson with your students: David Becomes King

Download or view the entire Scope & Sequence.

Helping a Shy Child Gain Confidence

If you have a problem with a chronically solitary child—a child who will not join in with the group or simply stands alone in a corner of the classroom—you can try these methods: 

1. Give the shy or lonely child access to an attractive activity with the hope of drawing other children to interact with him. 
2. Try to interest the child in a cooperative activity such as putting together a puzzle, playing a game, or block building, with you as his partner. 
3. After playing with the child yourself, draw another child over and say, [Chris] and I are having fun playing together. [Caleb], why don't you play with [Chris] now.

Try to include the child or have other students personally invite the child to take part in group activities.  Give the shy child a specific job or activity to do such as handing out activity sheets, giving each person a pencil, or passing out snacks.


Greet the shy child at the door to your classroom and welcome him inside. Help him say goodbye to his parents. Then lead him over to join another child or a small group of children so he doesn't feel overwhelmed by the large group.


The following week, have another child or two greet the shy child at the door and invite him to join a smaller group of children. Encourage the child to become engaged in the small group activity.


From preschool through elementary and up to middle school and beyond, shy children can be reluctant to join the group or to experience new activities. Kind encouragement seems to work best with these children. Welcoming adults and caring peers can go a long way to making shy children feel supported and loved as they hesitantly enter new situations.


Galatians 5:13 is a good reminder of how we should treat all children who enter our programs: "You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature ; rather,serve one another in love."

Tour Guide for Life

Don't think of yourself as just a teacher. Think of yourself as life's tour guide. Your task is to plan the itinerary, show the children the places of learning, and then let them explore and discover God's Word for themselves.

Talk with your students like a tour guide. For example, while finger painting or sculpting clay, talk about the color and texture of the materials. Describe what you and the children are experiencing. Let your students share their own descriptions. Linking language with sight, sound, and activities teaches important pre-reading skills to your preschoolers and helps reach students of all ages who learn in different ways. In fact, the more senses students use to experience a lesson, the more likely they are to remember the lesson long after it's over.

Enthusiastic Teaching

Don't be afraid to share your enthusiasm with your Bible club students. The word enthusiasm means "of God." Excellent curriculum and a biblically accurate lesson may not make any substantial impact in the hearts of the children if the lesson is presented in a boring or disinterested way.

Get excited about the Lord, and let it show in your posture, your eyes, and your voice! Greet the children with joy as they enter your room. Your enthusiasm will prove to your students that you aren't just reading from a book of fiction. Rather, God's Word is real and life-changing, and He is worth getting to know!

Effectively Teaching Preteens

Knowing as much as possible about your preteen students can be a big help in improving your teaching effectiveness. First of all,  it's important that you know the physical, mental, social, emotional, and spiritual characteristics of the age group with which you work. Knowing these facts—why kids act the way they do—can affect how, why, and what you teach. Meet with your coworkers to study these age-level characteristics.

Then accept kids where they are. Accept them because of who they are, and respect them! There's no room for "favorites" if you want to reach all the kids in your group. Every preteen has something special about himself and something unique to offer. Find out what it is, and get busy helping that young person feel special and wanted.

Challenge your students to participate. Use them as helpers and leaders. All-Stars for Jesus Bible Clubs are expressional training programs designed to involve kids and let them learn by doing. So don't always do things for them. You as the teacher should always be available and ready to help, if needed, but you should sometimes be in the background. Instead of finding the answer for them, show them where they can find it for themselves.

When your students get restless, you as the leader always need to ask "why?" Usually it's because (1) the activity is too long for the attention span of the group or (2) the activity itself is boring. If this is the case, it's your responsibility as the teacher to correct the situation. Change the activity and always have a variety of activities up your sleeve in case one doesn't work out or is over faster than you anticipated. Again, be prepared. Your preteens will seldom grow bored or restless if there's a fast-moving, variety-filled program or lesson in which they are actively involved.

Give your preteens plenty of responsibility—not just by participating in programs, but in maintaining the appearance of the room, distributing and collecting materials, and in general, being a contributing member of the group. Provide your preteens with plenty of meaningful tasks, even if it would easier to do them yourself. Always thank your students and show your appreciation.

Youngsters, even preteens, are looking for role models. You have a unique opportunity and responsibility as a preteen Bible teacher to be the kind of positive, Christian example they need!

Plan a Summer Spectacular

Don't allow the summer vacation to cause a break in your students' spiritual journey. Here are some ideas to make this a spectacular summer:

1. Take a day trip with your students to your local nursing home or hospital. Before your trip, let your students make cheery cards to hand out to the patients.
2. Go swimming, rollerblading, or miniature golfing. Make this a family outing so siblings and parents can join in.
3. Have a picnic at a local park and do the Bible Exploration part of your lesson or a brief devotion or Bible study there.
4. Spend a day letting your students help out at a local soup kitchen or folding clothes for a thrift store.
5. Hold a work party at church and help with any jobs the church needs.
6. Have an ice cream Sundae party and let each child or family bring a favorite topping.
7. Hold a game of Ultimate Frisbee. Let younger children use a ball instead of a flying disc.

Gather the children at the church before you begin any special event. Use all available phones to invite non-active All-Stars for Jesus members to your next Bible Club meeting. After each event, let each child say a sentence prayer of thanks to God for a wonderful summer spectacular!

Tips for Helping Kids Memorize Bible Verses

Scripture memorization is an important part of spiritual growth. Bible memory is a great tool for the Christian who understands the importance of the Word of God and wants it available in his mind for meditation and application. The Bible club leader is an important link in a child’s appreciation and understanding of the significant role the Bible can play in his life. One of the best aspects of Scripture memorization that takes it out of the realm of drudgery and into the area of personal excitement is the understanding of what one is learning or has learned. This is where you, the Bible club leader, come into the picture. Be sure the children of your group can say the verse or passage not only as it’s found in the Bible, but can say it in their own words, too. This will help you determine if they really know the meaning of what they’ve memorized.

Each All-Stars for Jesus Bible club meeting includes a creative activity or game to help your students memorize the weekly memory verse. Following are some tips to help children learn to hide God’s Word in their hearts:

Ask parents to say the Bible memory verse with their young child before bed each night, even if the child doesn’t join in. The verses will be sinking into the child’s heart and mind even if he’s not participating. After several weeks (or months, depending on the child), parents may be surprised to find their child saying Bible verses along with them, without any prompting.

During Honeybees or Cubby Bears, encourage each child to say the memory verse to a leader before they go to the snack table. Even if the child says nothing, the leader can say the verse, encouraging the child to participate. When he’s ready, the child will join in. Weekly memory verse sessions will help prepare the child to say the verse at the end of the month before receiving his award.

When giving awards to Cubby Bears and Honeybees for saying their memory verses, make sure every child receives an award, even if he only says one or two words of the verse. Children may say the verse along with a leader instead of by themselves, if they prefer. However, if the children begin the memory verse program when they are two or three, most will be able to say the verses by themselves when they are four and five. Each verse is memorized over a four- or five-week period, ensuring that every child who attends regularly will be able to say the verse at the end of the month.

Most children are good at memorizing, even though they may not want to admit it. Primaries have the same Bible verse to memorize (except the verse in the Stand-Alone Meeting) for two weeks in a row. To help children memorize the Bible memory verse, encourage parents to say it with their child each day during the week. After a few days, have the whole family say it together. Inform parents which Bible version — King James Version (KJV) or New International Version (NIV) — you are using for memorization. The verses for each quarter are listed on the Take-Home Papers and Classroom Activity Sheets the children bring home each week.

Talk about what the Bible memory verse means during the Bible club lesson. Let the children explain the meaning to you in their own words. Have each child try to say the verse from memory, with a friend’s prompting, before saying the verse for the leader.

Bible verses will be more fun to learn and easier to remember if movements are put to them. Putting rhythm to words and making the verse into a chant will also help, if this is suitable for the words being spoken. For example: “This is the day which the LORD hath made, we will rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24). Say (with the children seated), Stand up on every other word while we say the verse together. Then have them jump a small jump while saying every other word in the verse. Finally, have them jump high with both arms raised while saying every other word in the verse. Try it — it’s fun!

Music is also a wonderful aid to memorization. Let your students make up a tune to go with the memory verse (and include the reference in the song, if possible). Then let them teach the tune and verse to another class. Part of the teaching process can include explaining the meaning of the verse and describing how it applies to the children’s lives.

Challenge your students to memorize as many Bible verses as they can within a certain time frame. As each child says his verse to you, add a link to a paper chain with the student’s name and the memory verse reference written on it. This is something everyone can contribute to, even if it is just one link. At the end of the time frame, present the chain to the church and request that it be displayed in a prominent place. If it is Christmas, you might decorate the church tree or fellowship hall with it.

A good leader is always thoroughly prepared. A concert pianist wouldn’t dream of going into a recital without hours and hours of practice and preparation. Why should a teacher or leader feel that his performance demands less practice? Remember — in teaching from God’s Word, we’re dealing with the souls of children! How this should challenge us to be more diligent in our preparation of every Bible club activity, including Bible memorization! Don’t minimize the importance of your calling as a leader. Ask God’s wisdom and direction as you prepare for the task of teaching and training children to get to know and love God’s Word.


For a PDF version of this post, download the file, Bible Verse Memorization Tips and copy it for your coworkers and parents.

Mother's Day Craft: Bath Salts

Have your students prepare a special Mother's Day gift for their moms or grandmothers. Collect a small clear container with a lid for each child (such as a baby food jar or pimento jar or plastic muffin cup container). Cut a fabric circle larger than the lid for each child. Copy the sheet below onto heavy paper and cut out a circle for each child. Punch a hole at the top of each paper circle.

Cover the work area with newspapers. Bring a shirt box or box lid, a 10-inch ribbon, a rubber band, and a small scoop for each child. Also bring Epsom salts, (1 cup for each child), a sealable plastic bag for each child, and food coloring. Let each child print his name on the back of a directions circle. Give each child a small clear container with a lid and a plastic bag about a third full of Epsom salt (about 1 cup). Help the child put several drops of food coloring of his choice in the bag. Seal the bag and help the child knead it to spread the color throughout the salts.

Give each child a shirt box or lid to use as his work space. Place an empty clear container in the box. Then let each child scoop a small amount of the colored Epsom salt into his container. (The shirt box will catch the extra salts and you can recycle the salts for others to use.) Let the child trade salt colors with the other children until he has at least three or four layers of colored salt in his container. Add the lid and cover it with the fabric circle. Use a rubber band to hold the fabric in place. Tie a ribbon through the directions circle and then around the fabric to hold it in place. 

Make sure names are on the crafts. Say, This salt feels nice and soft in a bath. You can give this gift to your mother or to someone you love. When you are kind to your parents and family members, you are showing you love them. God is pleased when we show love to others.

Click the image above to download this fun craft.

Bible Game: Trust God's Word

Because people are not always trustworthy, it can be hard for children to understand that God always keeps His promises. Reinforce the absolute truth of God's Word to your students.

Hold an open Bible. Explain that this special book is God's Word and it is true. Say, "God always keeps His promises. People may try to keep their promises, but they are not always able to keep them. Often people break their promises. God is different. He always keeps His promises. What God says is always true. God's Words are found in the Bible, and they are true. Let's play a game to see how the words people say are not always trustworthy. We cannot always believe the words people say."

Think of some hard-to-say sentences such as:

1. Chester, the calico cat, chased chipmunks.

2. Susie sells seashells at the seashore.

3. There was a crooked man who went a crooked mile.

4. If you keep doing what you’ve been doing, you’ll keep getting what you’ve been getting.

5. How much wood could a woodchuck chuck, if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

6. Big baby beluga whales blow water from their blow-holes.

Have the children sit in a circle. Explain that you’re going to whisper a sentence to the first child. He will whisper it to the next child and on around the circle to the end. The last person will say aloud what was heard. The leader will read the original sentence. Usually the sentence will be quite changed along the way.

Move to a new child in the circle and repeat the game with a new sentence and a new end person. Do a new sentence as often as time allows.

After the game say, "This game shows that we can’t always trust what we hear. The only words we can always trust are God’s Word, the Bible. Have a child read a Bible verse aloud from the Bible. Explain that God's words are always true."

(This game is taken from Bible Foundations Downloadable Curriculum for Early Elementary. To download an entire Bible Foundations lesson for preschool, early elementary, or late elementary ages, visit our Bible Foundations Samples Page.)

The Importance of Prayer

A few generations ago, in many families, the way to begin and end a child’s day was with prayers. They were recited out loud, usually beginning and ending with requests for God to bless the child’s family and friends. Today, however, in most homes, prayers have disappeared, except perhaps before meals. To encourage your family and your students to pray regularly (even for a minute or two at a time), try the following suggestions:

 •    Point out blessings as you notice them. Say a brief prayer of thanks with your students for the beautiful sunset, a rainbow, a rabbit scurrying across your path, or the rain.

 •    Give thanks for the small acts of kindness you catch your students doing (sharing a toy, giving another child a turn, saying “please”).

 •    Let your students share some of the praises and blessings in their own lives. Or point out some blessings for them. Say, “I’m so thankful to God for that yummy fruit we just ate.”

 •    Help your students verbalize some of their own praises and blessings. Say, “[Jason], why don’t you thank God that your grandma is home from the hospital.”

 •    Since children are great imitators, try spending some quiet time in prayer by yourself, and let your child know that you are also having your own conversation with God.

Bible Lesson: God Cares for Us

Help your students understand that God cares for us and helps through hard times.

Ask five good readers to each look up and read aloud one of the following Scripture verses. Print the Scripture references on a board or poster paper:
Exodus 12:21-23
Psalm 12:5
Psalm 32:7
Psalm 46:1-3
Psalm 91:14

Then ask for five volunteers for a short reader's theater. Say, "Each one of our readers will act like a person with a problem. Decide which Scripture passage the person is talking about."

Reader 1: When I am scared, I read the Bible, pray, and sometimes I sing hymns or praise songs. They help me remember that God is taking care of me and is a hiding place for me. (Psalm 32:7)

Say, "Just reading the Bible and praying can soothe us when we're upset or distressed." (Discuss how reading the Bible, along with singing, helps us to remember God's love and gives us comfort.)

Reader 2: God saved our whole family from the plagues when Moses told us to paint our doorframes with the blood of the lamb. (Exodus 12:21-32)

Say, "God protected is people during the plagues. God heard the cries of his people in Egypt and protected them while He tried to teach the Egyptians to be fair with them. When that didn't work, He sent Moses to lead His people out of slavery into their own land."

Reader 3: Because I truly love God and trust Him, God will help me when I am in trouble. (Psalm 91:14)

Say, "God promises to hear His people when they call His name and to help them."

Reader 4: It seems like my whole world is falling apart. Everything seems to be getting worse, but I know that God will give me strength. (Psalm 46:1-3)

Say, "When everything else seems shaky, God is always solid and firm. We can trust in the Lord God even when we are facing life-changing problems. Just reading and remembering these verses can bring us comfort."

Reader 5: I am poor and weak and needy, but God keeps me safe. (Psalm 12:5)

Say, "God promises to take care of Christians when they have physical needs like hunger and poverty, and to give them what they need. He often lays it on the hearts of other Christians to give them the help they need. Just like the people in our reader's theater, God doesn't always take away pain and trouble, but He is always there to give comfort and strength to His children."

Have your students learn Psalm 46:1-2 for their memory verse. Have a child read the verse aloud from the Bible. Say, "In times of trouble, it is important to know that God is with us, even if it feels like the whole world is falling apart."

Close with a time of prayer, encouraging your students to pray for each other's praises and prayer requests.

Ideas for Teaching Preschoolers

A preschooler's intellectual ability, imagination, and curiosity are growing very quickly. He is trying to establish his own identity and independence, so he is apt to want to "strike out on his own" frequently. However, he often finds independence to be scary, and he may cry or scream for the protection and comfort he received as a baby or young toddler.

The games and activities in Honeybees for Jesus and Cubby Bears for Jesus Bible Clubs provide many opportunities for children to have their own experiences for precisely this reason. However, these Bible club learning experiences always include the loving care of adult leaders and helpers nearby to provide comfort and love when the child needs it.

Preschoolers especially are challenged by just about everything they experience. Their self-confidence grows as they master simple tasks they are able to accomplish. For this reason, Honeybees for Jesus and Cubby Bears for Jesus Bible Clubs include a wide range of learning activities, using many different methods, to challenge and teach children about their heavenly Father and in the process build their self-confidence as they master important skills.

Preschoolers remember best when they use all their senses—touch, hearing, sight, smell, and even taste— in the learning process. The more senses a child uses in learning, the more real that item or experience will become to him. This is the reason the activities in these Bible club programs incorporate the use of many senses. You will want to include activities that use a variety of senses in your lessons.

It is also important which senses are used in teaching. Studies have shown children learn 1% by taste, 1.5% by touch, 3.5% by smell, 11% by hearing, and 83% by sight. So you will want to enhance your room environment with visuals and decorations to engage the children. Placing a few small beanbag chair or rockers near a tub of picture books can make a reading corner where children can enjoy books on their own or while sitting in the lap of an adult leader.

Preschoolers' curiosity and creativity can be further stimulated by opportunities to explore and experience. Learning centers are a great way to let children explore new art mediums and nature items under the close supervision of a loving, Christian adult. Children need lots of new sensations, new impressions, new sights, feelings, and sounds. Honeybees for Jesus and Cubby Bears for Jesus Bible Clubs are designed to help you create such a place, where the growing child can receive a foundation of positive interaction with other children. Not only do preschoolers sing and talk about loving God and each other, but the children are given the chance to talk and interact with each other and with adults who love and care for them.

Children also learn by questioning—asking questions to solve current problems and clear up any misconceptions. Allow your students' questions to guide the direction of your discussions, moving your teaching to fit the children's ever-changing interests while being sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Now you're ready to guide your preschoolers on an exciting journey toward a personal relationship with Jesus and a love for God and His Word!

Parrot Memory Verse Craft

Let your students make a Colorful Parrot craft for your Sunday school or Bible club program. Choose one of the Bible verses your students are learning and print it on a sheet of poster board so the children can copy it onto their craft. (Or print the Bible memory verse  onto stickers or labels for younger children. Make one sticker for each child.)

Give each child a drinking straw, various colors of construction paper, glue, tape, a 9-inch piece of yarn, scissors, and crayons or markers. Bring a hole punch (or several, if you have a large group). Copy the Parrot pattern for each child. This pattern is a download you can purchase for just $1.99. Then print as many patterns with instructions as you need. 

Make sure names are on the parrots after they are completed. Let each child add a memory verse sticker to the craft or print the memory verse on the parrot as a reminder of the Bible story or lesson theme.

As the children work, talk about ways they can tell others about Jesus this week. Say the memory verse together a few times.

Click on the image above to download the Parrot Pattern and craft instructions.

The Empty Cross Craft

While the excitement of Christmas is still fresh in your student's minds, help them remember the reason God sent His Son Jesus to be born. Let your students review the Christmas story. Then explain that Jesus didn't stay a baby. Rather, Jesus grew up into a boy and then into a man. Remind the children that Jesus told people about God's love and then he was crucified on a cross to pay the penalty for our sin (the wrong things we say and do).

Let your students make a cross craft to help them remember that Jesus didn't stay dead. Instead, He came alive again and now lives in heaven. Talk personally with each child and follow up with those who interested in learning more about becoming a Christian. (See the post from May 17, 2010 on "Leading a Child to Christ" for more helpful information.)

Click on the image below to see the cross craft. You have our permission to copy it for your students.

Celebrate Jesus' Birth

For many of us, the Christmas season is a hectic time with too much to do and not enough time to do it all. But the Christmas season is really a time of preparation for Jesus’ birth. Beginning the fourth Sunday before Christmas and continuing through Christmas Eve is a time often called the advent season. The word advent is derived from the Latin word “adventus,” which means “coming” or “arrival.” The birth of Jesus in Bethlehem is recognized as the first advent. The advent season is a time to prepare spiritually for the birth of Christ.

To help get your classroom ready for advent and Christmas, use coupon code DECO to save 20% on classroom decorations (minimum $100 order) in our Classroom Decorations Store. But hurry! This offer expires December 1, 2010.

You can also save on candlelight service sets in our Candlelight Store. 

Set aside family and/or Sunday school or children’s church time to read about the preparation for Jesus and His birth in Luke 1:1-80 through 2:20. Read a few verses at a time, letting some of your good child readers alternate with adults to take turns reading the verses. Talk about how the people of so long ago must have felt as they prepared for the birth of Jesus.

You may also want to read Matthew 1:18-24. Explain that when the angel appeared to Joseph, he told him to name the Baby Jesus, “because He will save His people from their sins.” Jesus is the Greek form of Joshua, which means the LORD saves. (You may  need to explain that "sins" are the wrong things we say and do.) This took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet Isaiah: “The virgin will … give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel —which  means, 'God with us.'” This Scripture is taken from Isaiah 7:14.

Let each person describe how he feels as Christmas approaches. Take time together to remember all of the reasons you have to be joyful. Sing a favorite Christmas carol or two. Close with a prayer of thanks to God for sending His Son, Jesus, to earth.

God's Message to Us

Children's Bibles

Hold an open Bible. Explain that the Bible is God's Word and it is true. Have a child read II Peter 1:21 aloud from the Bible. Say it together in unison. Then lead your students in saying the following poem together.

Where did this Book

    (hold hands like an open book) come from

That tells us (point to other children)

   Of God’s love (point to your heart)?

Why, it came from God Himself

   (hold both hands high),

My Father (point to self) up above (point up).

This Book (hold hands like an open book)

   Is God’s own precious Word (hug self):

True things spoken (point to mouth) by Him

   (point up).

It tells me (point to self) I am His own child

   (point up)

When I (point to self) ask Jesus in

   (form cross with fingers, then point to heart).

This Book (hold hands like an open book)

   Is a light, a map, a guide 

(shade eyes with hand, look left to right)

   That shows the way to walk (walk fingers up arm).

Each day I read (point to self)

   From God’s own Word (hold hands like an open book)

Each day with Him (point up) I talk

   (fold hands to pray, and bow head).

Say, The Bible tells us that God loves us. He has always loved us, and He has always wanted to tell us so. A long, long time ago God spoke in many ways to tell about His love for us. Sometimes He spoke through men called prophets. They and others (such as King David) wrote down what God wanted everyone to know. And sometimes God talked to people directly, telling them little by little about His plans.

Then when Jesus came down from heaven to be born on earth, God spoke to us through Him. God’s Son, Jesus, brought us the message of God’s love.

Preteen Spiritual Fitness

Your preteens are learning about physical well-being in school so this is a great time to teach them about spiritual health and fitness—relate it to their physical health. Around your classroom, put up posters and other information about physical health. Include material about nutritious food groups, good exercise principles, friendship principles, and developing individual talents. Some of your students may be able to make posters encouraging good physical health. If you know elementary school teachers, they may be willing to let you borrow posters from their classrooms.

Help your students relate these areas of physical health and fitness to their spiritual health. Emphasize a different area each week.

Nutrition
Bring a nutritious snack of whole-grain muffins, veggies and dip, or fruit. As your students eat, talk about the things our bodies need to stay healthy (vitamins and minerals, food, water, sun, exercise, etc.) Explain that just as our physical bodies need many vitamins and minerals to keep healthy, the body of Christ needs each member to stay healthy. Have your students describe what happens when a body is missing a vitamin or other essential element. Explain that when one member is absent, the body of Christ suffers. Hand out construction paper or poster board and markers. Let your students make posters that show how necessary each person is to the body of Christ, the church.

Exercise
Have your students do a few jumping jacks together. Then have them relax and sit on the floor. Explain that just as our bodies need exercise to keep them strong, we need to exercise our spiritual muscles to keep our spiritual life strong. Talk about responsibilities we have to serve and help others in the church. Let your students brainstorm ways they can help others. Give each child a large piece of felt, scissors, glue, fabric paint, fabric markers, and felt pieces. Let your students make banners that show ways they can help and serve others.

Relationships

Have your students name some of the important people in their lives. Explain that no one can be truly healthy unless he or she develops strong bonds with other people. This includes parents, siblings, friends, and adults such as teachers, pastors, neighbors, and parents of friends. The body of Christ can't be truly healthy without developing friendships either. Believers are part of an eternal family and must therefore treat each other with respect and care. Make up a class list of 3-4 rules to ensure each person in your group is treated with respect. Then brainstorm ways your students can make visitors feel welcome to your class.

Gifts and Talents

Invite a couple of your students to share their talents with the class (playing an instrument, jumping rope, telling jokes, displaying a work of art, etc.) Explain that just as each person has talents that allow him to excel in different areas, God gives us spiritual gifts. God expects us to use these spiritual gifts to build up the body of Christ. Read I Corinthians 12:4-6 and 11 aloud. Tell your students that even though they may not yet know which spiritual gift(s) they have, all Christians have at least one spiritual gift, and some have more than one. Whatever your spiritual gift, it is beneficial to the body of Christ.

Tips for Teaching Primaries

First and second graders are really developing their personalities and becoming more intellectual. Here are some tips for teaching your primaries. More hints and tips can be found on our website, ChristianEdWarehouse.com.

A Blooming Story
Here's a unique way for a story to unfold. Cut identical size circles, one for each element of your story plus one more. Use one circle as the center of your story plus one more. Use one circle as the center of a flower, glue an appropriate picture or print the title of the story on it. Use the other circles as flower petals. Attach them with staples. Print or put a picture of each story element on the petals so they are in order clockwise. Then beginning with the last element of the story and working toward the first element of the story, fold all the petals behind the center of the flower. Now you are ready to tell the story. Introduce the story with the center of the flower, and fold each petal forward as each story element is told. When the story is finished, the flower will be in full bloom.

Color Day
Help your students remember lessons better. Design the lesson around a color featured in the lesson. (For example, blue can be used for a lesson about the children of Israel crossing the sea or Jesus walking on the water.) On Blue Day (or whatever color you choose) everyone must wear something blue. (Have some blue ribbons or bandanas available for children who don't wear blue.) Snacks must be blue. Everything you do must have something to do with blue. What do you do as a follow-up to a color day? Why, have black and white day, of course!

Party TableclothHelp your students design their own party tablecloth. Use a flat, white, twin-size bed sheet. Place newspapers under it to prevent the colors from bleeding onto the floor. Use fabric dye markers for drawing or writing. Use acrylic paint in a shallow pan for hand prints. Personalize the tablecloth with everyone's signature. You can use the tablecloth again and again throughout the year for special events or to add interest to your room. If you wish, choose a central theme or make the tablecloth for a special occasion.

Look! Up in the sky! It's a lesson visual!
When setting up visual displays, don't limit yourself to bulletin boards. Other possible display areas include the classroom door, the sides of a desk, the sides of a file cabinet, or the back of a piano. You can use large cardboard boxes for movable stand-up room displays. If you feel adventurous, use the ceiling and have everyone lay on the floor for the lesson!

Primary humorOrdinary things out of place are funny to primaries. Mix things up. Do things backwards. For primaries, silly is fun. When you plant a seed, don't use a flower pot (that's too ordinary); plant your seeds in an old tennis shoe. That's something your students will talk about.

This week, shape the future
Most people only talk about making the world a better place, but you are doing something about it! In a series of experiments on the moral development of children, a significant discovery was made: children who are enrolled in Sunday school showed significantly better conduct in the areas of honesty, cooperation, persistence, and inhibition of undesirable behavior! How important is this week's lesson? You are making this world a better place. You are shaping the future!

Keep it concrete
Primaries are making tremendous intellectual progress. By this age they can manipulate data mentally, come to some logical conclusions, and define, compare, and contrast things. But they still do not understand symbolism. After touring the defense plant where her daddy worked, one first grader resisted when told it was time to go home. She cried, "But I haven't seen where Daddy makes the money yet!" When teaching primaries, say what you mean and mean what you say. Always teach them in literal concrete terms.