The Unmerciful Servant s4

First Look 2-year-olds, May, Week 3

May 21, 2017

Basic Truth: God loves me. Key Question: Who’s got it? Bottom Line: God’s got it. Memory Verse: “He is the great God, the mighty and awesome God.” Deuteronomy 10:17, NLT Bible Story Focus: God teaches me the way to go. Gideon at Battle • Judges 7:9-22

Here’s an overview of what you’ll be teaching in 2s this week.

Make It Fun (Choose one or both of these activities) • March • To the Castle • How to Do Puzzles

Make It True • Bible Story

Make It Stick (Choose as many of these activities as you like) • Verse in a Circle • What I Say • Light the Torch

May 21, 2017

Basic Truth: God loves me. Key Question: Who’s got it? Bottom Line: God’s got it. Memory Verse: “He is the great God, the mighty and awesome God.” Deuteronomy 10:17, NLT Bible Story Focus: God teaches me the way to go. Gideon at Battle • Judges 7:9-22

Make It Fun

Prepare to offer one or more of the following activities as your 2-year-olds arrive. Let one or two teachers lead small groups of children in activities throughout the room while another teacher greets parents and kids at the door. At this age not all children will participate, but most will want to be part of the fun.

1. March “March” is an activity that uses large motor skills to introduce today’s Bible story.

What You Need: No supplies needed

What You Do: Before the Activity: Have the children line up behind you in a single file line.

During the Activity: Start marching around the room by bringing your knees up to your waist as you walk. March all around the room with the children.

What You Say: Before the Activity: “Let’s pretend that we are soldiers!”

During the Activity: “We are going to march around the room just like soldiers. Follow me!” (Do activity.)

After the Activity: “Way to march! You are awesome soldiers. We are going to hear an exciting Bible story today about a special soldier in God’s army. I cannot wait for you to hear it!”

2. How to Do Puzzles “How to Do Puzzles” is an activity that teaches critical thinking and problem solving skills while introducing the concept of “teaching.”

What You Need: Several toddler puzzles

What You Do: Before the Activity: Lay the puzzles out in the activity area.

During the Activity: Sit with the children and teach them how to do each puzzle.

After the Activity: Allow the children to try to do the puzzles on their own.

What You Say: Before the Activity: “YAY! Puzzles! I love puzzles. Everyone come sit with me and I will teach you how to do them.”

During the Activity: (Begin first puzzle.) “First we pick up one piece (demonstrate) and try it in different spots on the board (demonstrate) until we find its perfect spot! (Place the puzzle piece in its place.) Now let’s try it with all of the other pieces. (Do activity.) Great job! Now that I have taught you how to do puzzles, you can try them on your own.” (Finish activity.)

After the Activity: “Way to go! I loved teaching you how to do puzzles. Teaching our friends can be so much fun! We can all be teachers. God is the best teacher of all! Today in our Bible story, God teaches a soldier something awesome!” Make It True

After children have participated in Make It Fun, tell the Bible story and then encourage the kids to have fun singing with you.

When sharing the Bible story, guide kids to gather around you on the floor. Some kids (especially the younger ones) may wander. That’s OK. They’re still listening and learning!

Bible Story What You Need: Bible and a box with the following props: flashlight, kazoo, and cup

STORYTELLER: “Hello, everyone! I’m glad to see all of you here today. I have an awesome, TRUE story to tell you from the Bible today (hold up Bible) about a man named Gideon. God asked Gideon to do something that probably seemed a little silly! But think about the things that God asks US to do! Like God wants us to share our toys when friends come over even though the toys are ours. And God wants us to be kind to our big brothers even when they’re not always kind to us. So why do we do it? Why do we do what God says? Well, the story of Gideon will show us!

“Gideon was the leader of God’s army and he was getting ready for a BIG battle. Normally when soldiers go into battle, they bring weapons, and they go attack and fight! But God told Gideon his army didn’t need weapons. They needed jars (hold up cup) and trumpets (hold up kazoo) and torches. (Hold up flashlight and put cup over it.) The army was confused! I’ll bet you’re confused too!

“How did God think jars and torches and trumpets were going to win the battle? But Gideon told his army that God’s way is always the right way. He told them not to fear because God’s got this! So that night, Gideon’s army snuck around the bad guys’ camp.

“Just then Gideon gave the signal, and the army blew the trumpets. (Blow the kazoo.) And they broke the jars they had over their torches. (Knock cup off the flashlight.) When they broke those jars, their torches shone bright. And it worked! The bad guys were so afraid of the noise and the bright torches that God’s army won!

“Great story, right? When Gideon was in battle, God showed Gideon the way to go and Gideon won! And He’ll show us to the way to go too! When you aren’t sure what to say or what to do, you can always ask God the way to go because [Bottom Line] God’s got it. Who’s got it? [Bottom Line] God’s got it. Who’s got it?”

CHILDREN and STORYTELLER: [Bottom Line] “God’s got it!”

STORYTELLER: “He will show you the right way. So let’s pray.

“Heavenly Father, thank You so much for the true story of Gideon. He may have thought Your instructions were crazy, but he followed You! Help us to listen and follow You too, because we know You’ll show us the right way. We know You’ve got this! In Jesus’ name, amen.” Make It Stick

Choose two or more of the following activities to help make the Bottom Line stick. Lead the activities with small groups of children. Encourage children to play on their own if they do not wish to take part in an activity.

1. Verse in a Circle “Verse in a Circle” is an activity that uses repetition and movement to teach this month’s memory verse.

What You Do: Before the Activity: Ask the children stand in a circle and hold hands.

During the Activity: Slowly walk around the circle with the children and say the memory verse while holding hands (like “Ring Around the Rosie”). When you say the word “AWESOME,” encourage everyone to stop holding hands and throw their hands in the air. When it is time to say, “Deuteronomy 10:17,” challenge everyone to “all fall down.” Repeat several times.

What You Say: Before the Activity: “Our God is an AWESOME God!”

During the Activity: “Let’s practice our memory verse. Everyone stand in a circle and hold hands. We will walk around the circle while we say our verse. Everyone watch what I do! (Demonstrate. Do activity.) Great job! Let’s do it again!”

After the Activity: “You all did an AWESOME job! Our God is mighty and AWESOME! [Bottom Line] God’s got it! Who’s got it? [Bottom Line] God’s got it!”

2. What I Say “What I Say” is an activity that teaches the children following directions and listening skills while reinforcing today’s Bible story.

What You Do: Before the Activity: Have the children line up in front of you.

During the Activity: Call out a movement and challenge the children to do that movement. Do not do the movement, only say it. Call out the following movements: hop, twist, touch toes, spin, pat head, stick out tongue, and stand on tippy toes. Continue as long as there is interest.

What You Say:

Before the Activity: “God told Gideon what to do in our story today. Gideon listened to God.”

During the Activity: “I am going to say some movements and I want you to listen just like Gideon did. When you hear me say a movement, do that movement together. Are you ready?” (Do activity.)

After the Activity: “Nice job! You listened very well. God tells us what to do just like He did for Gideon. We just have to listen and He will teach us the way to go. [Bottom Line] God’s got it! Who’s got it? [Bottom Line] God’s got it!”

3. Light the Torch “Light the Torch” is an activity that teaches fine motor skills while creating a visual of today’s Bible story.

What You Need: “Light the Torch” Activity Page, white cardstock, glue sticks, and red, yellow, and orange tissue squares

What You Do: Before the Activity: Copy the Activity Page onto the cardstock.

During the Activity: Give each child an Activity Page, glue stick, and tissue squares. Help the children glue the tissue squares above the torch. Be sure each child uses all three colors of tissue paper.

What You Say: Before the Activity: “We are going to make a picture of Gideon’s torch!”

During the Activity: “This is a picture of the torch (hold up), but it is missing the fire. We are going to glue on this tissue paper (hold up) to the top of the torch to make the fire!” (Do activity.)

After the Activity: “Perfect! Now your torches have fire! God told Gideon exactly what to do and it worked! God’s plan is always right! [Bottom Line] God’s got it! Who’s got it? [Bottom Line] God’s got it!”