The Unmerciful Servant s3

First Look 3- through 5-year-olds, August, Week 1

August 7th, 2016

Basic Truth: God made me. God loves me. Jesus wants to be my friend forever.

Key Question: Who loves you?

Bottom Line: God loves me.

Memory Verse: “Nothing can separate us from God’s love.” Romans 8:39, NIrV

Bible Story Focus: God made me.

God made people • Genesis 1:26-27

Make It Fun (Introductory Activities, 10 minutes)

Prepare to offer one or more of the following activities as your 3-, 4-, or 5-year-olds arrive. Let one or two teachers lead activities in different areas of the room while another teacher greets parents and kids at the door.

1. 3, 2, 1 … Blast Off!

“3, 2, 1 … Blast Off” is a game that uses listening skills and gross motor movements to introduce today’s Bible story.

What You Need: No supplies needed

What You Do:

During the Activity: Gather the children in an open area of the room. Explain that you will call out a movement (like “march in place”), and when you say, “Three, two, one, blast off!” they are to perform that movement. Encourage the kids to put on their listening ears so that they can follow your directions and blast off together!

(Suggested movements: hug a friend, pat your legs, touch your nose, jump up high, sing “la, la, la”, jog in place, squat down low, touch your toes, twist side to side, wave “hello”)

What You Say:

During the Activity: “Today, I want to play a super fun game called ‘Three, Two, One, … Blast Off!’ I will call out a movement like ‘march in place,’ and when I say, ‘Three, two, one, blast off!’ I want you to do it with me like this. (Demonstrate marching in place.) Ready?”

After the Activity: “Wow! You guys are GREAT listeners! That was a super fun game! I’m so excited that we’re blasting off into a new year together!”

2. God Made Me

“God Made Me” is an activity that teaches patience in taking turns and uses a fun rhyme to introduce the concept of the Bible story.

What You Need: “Spinner” from Activity Pages on the Website, white cardstock, brad, and scissors.

What You Do:

Before the Activity: Copy the Activity Page onto the cardstock and cut it out on the dotted lines. Use a brad to create a paper spinner.

During the Activity: Place the spinner on the floor and have the children sit around it. Choose one child to go first and ask them to spin. Say the rhyme below, inserting the body part that the spinner landed on. Continue by allowing every child to have a turn. Say the rhyme each time. The SGL should say the rhyme at first, but encourage the children to say with you as you play.

God made my nose, nose, nose.

I am special, you see,

Because GOD MADE ME!

After the Activity: Introduce the Bible story.

What You Say:

Before the Activity: “We are going to play a game! On my spinner (hold up spinner) there are things that God made. We are going to take turns and spin and find out what some of them are.”

During the Activity: (Choose one child to go first). “You may spin first! (Allow the child to spin). Can you tell me what the arrow landed on? Yes! It’s a nose. God made our noses! (Say the rhyme above. Then continue with the next kid and whichever body part the spinner lands on next.)

After the Activity: “Our story today is about how God made someone VERY special. I cannot wait to find out who it is!”

August 7, 2016

Basic Truth: God made me. God loves me. Jesus wants to be my friend forever.

Key Question: Who loves you?

Bottom Line: God loves me.

Memory Verse: “Nothing can separate us from God’s love.” Romans 8:39, NIrV

Bible Story Focus: God made me.

God made people • Genesis 1:26-27

Make It Stick (Application Activities, 35 minutes)

These activities are designed to help preschoolers understand and remember today’s Bible story and Bottom Line. Offer as many of the following activities as your time, facilities, resources, and leadership allow. You may want to lead one activity at a time. Or offer two activities at once and allow half the kids to participate in each. Then switch groups and repeat the activities.

1. Memory Verse with Motions

“Memory Verse with Motions” is an activity that teaches the memory verse though repetition and movement.

What You Need: No supplies needed

What You Do:

Before the Activity: Say the memory verse and do the following motions in front of the children. “Nothing (shake your head side to side and wave your arms in front of you like you’re saying ‘no way’) can separate us (lock your fingers together in front of you and act like you can’t pull them apart) from God’s love” (point up with one finger and then hug yourself), Romans 8:39. (Open your hands like a book.)

During the Activity: Say the verse again with the motions and invite the children to do it with you.

After the Activity: Say the Bottom Line together.

What You Say:

Before the Activity: “I am going to say our new Memory Verse. Everyone watch me! ‘Nothing (shake your head side to side and wave your arms in front of you like you’re saying ‘no way’) can separate us (lock your fingers together in front of you and act like you can’t pull them apart) from God’s love’ (point up with one finger and then hug yourself), Romans 8:39.” (Open your hands like a book.)

During the Activity: “Now let's do it all together! Are you ready? (Say the memory verse with the motions several times.) Great job!”

After the Activity: “Good job! Our memory verse tells us that not matter what we do, God will ALWAYS love us! ALWAYS! God loves us sooo much! Who loves you? [Bottom Line] God loves me!”

3. Shape the Rocket

“Shape the Rocket” is an activity that teaches cutting skills and shape recognition.

What You Need: “Shape Rocket 1” and “Shape Rocket 2” from the Activity Pages on the Website, blue cardstock, red paper, safety scissors, and glue sticks

What You Do:

Before the Activity: Copy the “Shape Rocket 1” Activity Page onto the blue cardstock. Copy the “Shape Rocket 2” Activity Page onto the red paper. Each child needs one of each page.

During the Activity: Hand out the red Activity Pages and the safety scissors. Help the children cut out the shapes on the dotted lines. Once cut out, encourage the children to match the shapes to the outlines on the blue page. Once they have all been matched, ask the children to glue each shape in place.

After the Activity: Place the projects in a safe place until parents arrive. Say the Bottom Line together.

What You Say:

Before the Activity: “We are going to build a rocket! It is a puzzle of shapes, so we have to put our thinking caps on! Are you ready?”

During the Activity: “First we need to use our scissors and cut out each shape on the red page. Be sure to try to stay on the dotted lines. (Allow the children to cut). Great job! Now look at your blue paper. There are outlines of shapes. See if you can match the shapes that you cut to the shapes on the blue paper. (Pause.) Nice work! Now you can glue the shapes where they go!”

After the Activity: “Great thinking! That is the way to use the brain that God made! You have all made amazing rockets! God loves us so much and He always gives us what we need! Who loves you? [Bottom Line] God loves me!”

4. Hokey Pokey

“Hokey Pokey” is an activity that encourages gross motor movements and following directions to review today’s bottom line.

What You Need: No supplies needed

What You Do:

During the Activity: Gather children in an open area of the room. Sing the “Hokey Pokey” as you lead the children to move the correct body part.

What You Say:

During the Activity: “Today we’re going to sing the ‘Hokey Pokey’! Watch me so you can follow along with the right motions.

You put your right arm in, you put your right arm out.

You put your right arm in and you shake it all about.

You do the Hokey Pokey and you turn yourself around.

That’s what it’s all about. (Clap, Clap.)

(Repeat with: left arm, right leg, left leg, head, and whole self.)

After the Activity: “Who made your right arm and your left arm? (Pause for responses.) Who made your right leg and your left leg? (Pause for responses.) You got it! And God made your head and your whole self too! We know God loves us because God made us—every single part of us. [Bottom Line] God loves me. Who loves you? [Bottom Line] God loves me!”

August 7, 2016

Basic Truth: God made me. God loves me. Jesus wants to be my friend forever.

Key Question: Who loves you?

Bottom Line: God loves me.

Memory Verse: “Nothing can separate us from God’s love.” Romans 8:39, NIrV

Bible Story Focus: God made me.

God made people • Genesis 1:26-27

Make It Real (Small Groups, 5 minutes)

Make It Real is designed to help preschoolers understand how the Bottom Line applies to them. They’ll discuss real-life experiences and share prayer requests.

Divide kids into small groups of about five to eight children with each leader. Ideally, assign the same small group leader to the same group of preschoolers for the entire year.

Small Group Time

What you Need: Paperclip “Memory Verse Card” (from the week one Activity Pages on the Website) in your Bible at Romans 8:39. Provide a journal and a fun-shaped pen for each small group.

SMALL GROUP LEADER (SGL): “Our Bible story today was about how God made (name of child) and God made (name of child) and God made … (say this with each child’s name as you point to them). And because God made you, God loves you SOOOOO much! Who loves you?”

CHILDREN and SGL: [Bottom Line] “God loves me!”

SGL: “He sure does! (Open Bible to memory verse card.) And our new memory verse says, ‘Nothing can separate us from God’s love,’ Romans 8:39. God will always love you, no matter what! Who loves you?”

CHILDREN and SGL: [Bottom Line] “God loves me!”

SGL: “Let’s say our new memory verse together with the motions. This is one I hope we never forget!”

CHILDREN and SGL: “‘Nothing (shake your head side to side and wave your arms in front of you like you’re saying ‘no way’) can separate (lock your fingers together in front of you and act like you can’t pull them apart) us from God’s love’ (point up with one finger and then hug yourself), Romans 8:39.” (Open your hands like a book.) (Repeat several times.)

SGL: “Ahhh, I love that verse! I love knowing that nothing will ever separate you and me from God’s love!

“Now it’s time to write in our prayer journal. Today I’m going to draw a big red heart at the top of the page. This red heart is a picture of God’s big love for you and me. Next, I want each of you to write your name, all by yourself, under this red heart.”

Draw a big red heart and let each child write his/her name under the heart.

“You did such a great job writing your names! I am so proud of you. I’m going to use this list when I pray. Would anyone like to pray before I pray?”

Give each child that wants to pray the opportunity to do so.

“Now I’ll pray.”

Prayer

SGL: “Dear God, thank You that we don’t have to do anything to make You love us. Thank You for loving us because You made us. Thank You for loving me and (name each child) and that nothing will ever separate us from Your love. I hope we always remember that we are special because You made us, and we are loved because You made us. In Jesus’ name, amen.”