Preschool: God Sent Jesus: Session 4—Wise Men Worshiped Jesus (December 22)

1s & 2s—Decorate Picture Frames

Bible Story: Wise Men Worshiped Jesus Matthew 2:1-12
Life Point: People knew Jesus was special.
Weekly Verse: Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Matthew 2:1

Materials: Teaching Picture 4, large craft sticks, hot glue gun (teacher’s use), foam stickers, Optional: pictures of children in your class, tape, magnet tape

• Before the session make the frames by gluing together four craft sticks in a square shape. Display the teaching picture with the frames and stickers.
• Invite a preschooler to use stickers to decorate a frame. Say that they are making a gift for their parents. Talk about the Bible story as the preschoolers work. Point to the picture of the wise men. Comment that they knew Jesus was special and brought gifts for Him.
•  Optional: Tape a picture of a child into his frame. Attach a strip of magnet tape to the back.

3–Pre-K—Explore Wrapped Boxes

Bible Story: Wise Men Worshiped Jesus Matthew 2:1-12
Life Point: People knew Jesus was God’s Son.
Weekly Verse: Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Matthew 2:1

Materials: Teaching Pictures 1-4, gift wrap paper (no fantasy designs), scissors, tape, 4 gift boxes (shirt size), ribbon or yarn, optional: newsprint, wooden blocks 

• Mention the wise men brought gifts to Jesus because they knew He was God’s Son. Preschoolers may enjoy using newsprint to wrap blocks as gifts.
• Before the session, wrap the top of the box so the lids can be still opened. Place each teaching picture in a box and put the lid on the top. Place the boxes in the blocks center.
•  Listen to children tell you about opening Christmas presents. Guide preschoolers to open the boxes (not unwrap them) and look at the pictures.
• Open the Bible to and read a one of the Weekly Verses. Ask children to find the picture that matches the verse.

Kindergarten—Build a Timeline

Bible Story: Wise Men Worshiped Jesus Matthew 2:1-12
Life Point: People knew Jesus was God’s Son.
Weekly Verse: Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Matthew 2:1

Materials: Bible, Teaching Pictures 1-4, Winter Weekly Verses (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:21; Luke 2:7, Matthew 2:1), yarn, clothespins, 4-by-6-inch cards, markers, paper

• Provide paper (or additional index cards) and markers for kids to draw pictures or print words about Jesus’ birth to add to the time line.
• Print the following statements on cards:
  An angel visited Mary.
  Mary heard that she would be the mother of God’s Son, Jesus.
  Joseph obeyed God.
  Joseph and Mary became a family.
  Jesus was born.
  The shepherds saw Baby Jesus in Bethlehem.
  Wise men worshiped Jesus.
  The wise men brought gifts to Jesus.
• Attach the ends of the yarn to two chairs to make a clothesline. Lay pictures, cards, clothespins, and Bible near the clothesline.
• Tell today’s Bible story and say the Weekly Verse. 
• Help kindergartners spread out the cards and read the words. Guide them to place the cards in order according to when the events happened.
• Ask boys and girls to clip the cards to the yarn to create a timeline that shows the order of what happened.
• Look at the teaching pictures. Ask kindergartners to identify people and tell what happened in each picture. Guide them to add the teaching pictures to their timeline in the appropriate places.
• Help them read the Bible verses for this unit and add to the timeline, too.