The Unmerciful Servant s6

First Look 3- through 5-year-olds, July, Week 3

July 17, 2016

Basic Truth: God made me. Key Question: Who made everything? Bottom Line: God made everything. Memory Verse: “You made the world and everything in it.” Psalm 89:11, NCV Bible Story: Creation, Day 6 continued 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. Head and Shoulders “Head and Shoulders” is an activity that uses music and movement to introduce today’s Bible story.

What You Need: No supplies needed

What You Do: During the Activity: Lead the children in singing “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes” several times. Place both hands on the part of the body that is mentioned. Begin singing very slowly at first and then get faster each time you sing the song. Keep going faster and faster until the song is so silly you can’t sing it anymore.

What You Say: During the Activity: (Singing) “Head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes. Head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes. Eyes and ears and mouth and nose. Head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes.”

After the Activity: “That was fun! I think we all know where our head, shoulders, knees, and toes are now! Have you ever thought about who made your head, shoulders, knees, and toes? Well, that’s what our Bible story is about today! It’s about how God made people!”

2. Move the Beanbag

“Move the Beanbag” uses gross motor movements to introduce today’s Bible story.

What You Need: A small beanbag for each child

What You Do: During the Activity: Lead children to follow age-appropriate directions using the beanbag.

What You Say: During the Activity: “Listen closely to what I say and then move your beanbag where I say. Put it over your head. Now put it between your toes. Can you move it so it’s beside your shoe? What about under your nose? Now move it so it’s on top of your shoulder. Now put it on your hip. Place it near one ear. Now touch your lip. Good job!” (Repeat directions and actions.)

After the Activity: “Great job! I wonder what all these different parts of our bodies have to do with our Bible story today. We’ll find out soon in large group!”

July 17, 2016

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. You Are Special “You Are Special” is an activity that uses repetition to teach the memory verse.

What You Need: Stickers

What You Do: Before the Activity: Sit in a circle with the children.

During the Activity: Go to each child and point out some way that God made them special. Pick a characteristic of that child, such as their blue eyes. Ask them to say the verse with you.

After the Activity: Give the child a sticker after he says the verse. Be sure to give each child a turn.

What You Say: Before the Activity: “God made people and He made each one of us special.”

During the Activity: (Choose first child.) “Yay! God made [child’s name]. I love that God made [child’s name] to smile all the time (or some quality that is true of them). I love how special God made [child’s name]. Let's say the verse together!” (Say verse and give the child a sticker. Continue with each child.)

After the Activity: “Great job! You are all so special and God made you that way! [Bottom Line] God made EVERYTHING! Who made everything? [Bottom Line] God made everything!”

2. Made to Move “Made to Move” is an activity that uses gross motor movements to review today’s Bible story.

What You Need: “Movement Cards” and “Body Parts” from the Activity Pages on the Website, scissors, and cardstock

What You Do: Before the Activity: Make copies of “Movement Cards” and “Body Parts” pages on cardstock and cut them apart.

During the Activity: Shuffle the cards and create two piles: one for each set of cards. Instruct the children to take turns choosing a card from each stack. Make sure they turn each card face up so that the whole group can see both cards. Then everyone must perform the movement with that body part.

What You Say:

Before the Activity: “I have a fun game for us to play. Are you ready? One at a time, you will choose a card from each of these stacks and face them so we can all see. Then you’re going to act out the movement with that body part. I wonder which body parts you’ll get. Let’s see!”

After the Activity: “God made people to do all kinds of things! He made us to hop, jump, sing, and dance. But do you know why God made people? God made people so we can know Him. That’s what makes people so special. We can know God! In fact, people aren’t just a good thing God makes. The Bible says people are a VERY good thing God makes. Who made everything? [Bottom Line] God made everything.”

July 17, 2016

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 Psalm 89:11. Provide a journal and a fun-shaped pen for each small group. You will also need an assortment of stickers that represent things God made: space stickers, flowers, sea life, land animals, etc. Since God made everything, pretty much everything works!

SMALL GROUP LEADER (SGL): “Today is a very special day because we are adding the most special thing God made to our Creation Station train. Do you know what the

most special thing God ever made is? (Pause.) Yes! People! God’s MOST favorite, MOST special, MOST amazing thing He will ever make is you and me and your mom and your dad and your brother and your sister and every person that’s ever been born! God loves people more than anything!

(Walk the children over to your Creation Station train.)

“Let’s take a look at all of the things we’ve put in our train so far. On Day One we added light and dark. On Day Two we added sky and water. On Day Three we added land, plants, and sea. On Day Four we added the sun, moon and stars. On Day Five we added fish and birds. On Day Six we added animals, and now we’re adding God’s favorite: PEOPLE! Yes! God made people on Day Six, the same day He made the animals, but He saved His best for last. Yes, people are the last thing God made, and we are His favorite!”

(Go back and sit in your small group.)

“I think it’s amazing to think about how [Bottom Line] God made everything in six days (hold up six fingers). Who made everything?”

CHILDREN and SGL: [Bottom Line] “God made everything!”

(Open the Bible to the memory verse card.)

SGL: “He sure did! And I have some awesome stickers of some of the things God made. Who’s ready to get a sticker for saying our memory verse? (Hold up the sheet of stickers.) I think you’re all ready! First we can say it together with the motions and then anyone who wants to try and say it by yourself can pick one of these fabulous stickers to take home. Here we go!”

CHILDREN and SGL: “You (point up) made (pound fists one on top of the other) the world (put your arms overhead to form a circle) and everything in it’ (spread your arms out wide), Psalm 89:11” (Open your hands like a book.)

SGL: “Yay! You did it! Now it’s time for you to say it by yourself. Who wants to go first?

(Give each child the opportunity to say the verse on his own. Have your stickers ready t o give when they say it.)

“Wow! Your stickers look wonderful and it makes me so happy that you said the verse. I am very proud of you!

“It’s time to write in our special Creation Station prayer journal (hold up journal), only today we’re going to do something a little different. Today I am going to write down everyone’s name and then I’ll write something beside your name that I think is very special. After all, God made you and that makes you special!

(Write each child’s name while you say it aloud and then write something special about that child and read that aloud as well. Remember to print the words so the children can recognize their names and the letters.)

“I hope you never forget how special you are. God made you, and God loves you. You are His favorite out of all the things He made. I’m going to use this list to pray and thank God for making you. Would anyone like to pray before I pray?

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

“Okay, my turn to pray.”

Prayer SGL: “Dear God, we believe You made the whole world and everything in it. Today I want to thank You for making my friends. Thank You for making (name of child) and giving her (a beautiful smile, fun laugh, big brown eyes, fun ideas, smart thinking skills, etc.; make sure you celebrate unique things about each child). Thank You for making (name of child) and for giving him … (continue this with each child). I hope my friends never forget how much You love them and how super special they are to You. Thank You for making people and for loving us like You do. We love You so much! In Jesus’ name, amen.”