10 hours ago
3
Grades 1-3
Introductory Activity – Yes! To God
Materials: music player
Tell the kids that in today’s lesson, they will see how Mary and Joseph both said “Yes” to God’s directions concerning becoming Jesus’ parents. Instruct everyone to stand up and spread throughout the room. Tell them to dance as you play music. Instruct them to dance fast when the music is upbeat and slow when it is calm. Whenever you pause the music, they are to freeze in a position with a partner that communicates, “Yes!” (ex. Give a thumbs up, high fives, etc.) Write the Life Point on the board and say it together. Explain that Mary and Joseph got to participate in God’s plans because they said “Yes” to His directions.
Live It Out
Game – Weekly Verse Puzzle
Materials: construction paper, scissors, markers, envelopes
Write the Weekly Verse on a piece of construction paper: She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. Matthew 1:21. Make four copies. Cut the paper into puzzle pieces and put each set into an envelope. Form four groups of kids. Instruct them to pull the puzzle pieces out of the envelope and assemble them. When all the puzzles are complete, say the Weekly Verse together.
Craft – Angel Ornament
Materials: peg clothespins, white paper, scissors, tape or glue, fine-line markers
Talk about the messengers that spoke to Mary and Joseph. Kids can use the materials to create ornaments to remind them that Jesus was God’s plan to save people from their sins. They can use the markers to draw faces on the peg clothespins. Guide kids to cut “clothing” from the white paper; they can print the Weekly Verse on the paper and glue the clothing on the clothespins. Tell kids they can hang their ornaments by sliding the clothespins onto tree branches. Say the Weekly Verse together.
Grades 4-6
Introductory Activity – Draw and Guess
Materials: large pieces of paper and markers or dry erase board and markers
Draw a picture of a Christmas-related word or phrase. Guide kids to guess what you are drawing. Choose a kid to draw another picture of a Christmas word or phrase. After a few guesses, talk about the words and phrases drawn. Say that Christmas is a time of celebration. However, the Bible story tells about the reason we celebrate Christmas. Tell kids that today they will hear about God’s plan to send Jesus.
Live It Out
Game – Angel Singing Relay
Materials: slips of paper, three large cups
Cut out slips of paper and write an event from today’s lesson on each slip. Make three copies. Place each set of paper into a cup. Form three teams of kids and line them up on one side of the room, across from the three cups. Inform the teams that they will run to the cup, one at a time, sing “The Messiah is here!” in their best angel impersonation, grab a slip of paper, and run back to their team. The first team to grab all of the slips of paper and put the events in order is the winner!
Possible events to write on paper: Mary and Joseph were engaged; Gabriel visited Mary; Gabriel informed Mary that she would be Jesus’ mother; Mary visited Elizabeth; Elizabeth’s unborn child leapt when Mary visited; Elizabeth called Mary “the mother of my Lord”; Joseph had a dream; An angel told Joseph the Mary’s child would be the Son of God
Craft – Thumbprint Bible Pictures
Materials: paper, washable stamp pads, gel pensTalk about the Bible story with kids. Lead them to think of scenes from the Bible story that they can depict. Each kid can use thumbprints and pens to create a scene from the story. Arrange the scenes in order to create a timeline of the Bible story. Encourage kids to talk about how God prepared a way for Jesus to be born.
English (US) · 