And then there’s the task of making sure everyone feels like they belong—especially kids with specialized needs. That’s where an inclusive, thoughtful curriculum like HeartShaper comes in. HeartShaper helps create a space where God’s love reaches every heart.

When I was a children’s pastor, I saw firsthand the beauty of creating a welcoming environment for all children. One of the kids I worked with was a boy named Noah who had Down syndrome. Noah didn’t talk much, but he loved to help.

One Sunday as we were completing our HeartShaper activities, Noah quietly started handing out crayons and supplies to the other kids, his face lighting up with each smile and “thank you” he received. It was a beautiful moment. His classmates saw Noah as an important part of our group, someone who brought joy and kindness to our time together.

And Noah? He knew just how much he was loved and valued.

HeartShaper

Instilling God’s Word in every child’s heart

With our easy-to-follow lessons, teachers can focus on kids’ unique needs while helping them hide God’s Word in their hearts.

Learn more

Everyone Is Welcomed and Loved in God’s Kingdom

Then there was Sarah, a young adult with special needs who volunteered with us each Sunday. Sarah had a heart for serving and was one of the most faithful, compassionate people I’ve ever met. She would greet every child with a big smile and an encouraging word, helping them feel welcome from the moment they stepped in.

Sarah’s love for God was so evident in her patient, kind, and joyful spirit. Each week, she would joyfully give each child their Weekly Bible Reader pamphlet as their parents checked them out. She was more than a volunteer; Sarah was a powerful example of God’s love in action. Children looked up to her, and our classroom was better because of her presence.

Stories like Noah’s and Sarah’s show why inclusive ministry is so important. Our classrooms are richer when they reflect God’s Kingdom—a Kingdom where every single one of us belongs. Children with special needs aren’t just “included” in ministry—they complete it.

They bring kindness, joy, and such unique perspectives that every child benefits. And, honestly, we’re better for having them with us.

The beautiful thing about HeartShaper is that it’s built to help make this possible. It’s designed to bring every child into the experience, using a mix of sensory, hands-on activities that reach kids with different learning styles.

Here are a few quick tips drawn from HeartShaper’s flexible approach to help make every child feel valued and involved:

1. Engage the Senses:
   Try to make each lesson hands on. Use sensory elements that help kids interact with the story. For example, if you’re teaching about Jesus by the sea, you might use sand or water. Or bring in soft fabrics for moments of comfort and rest. Simple sensory tools can make God’s Word come alive, especially for kids who connect more through touch or sound.
   
2. Set Consistent Routines:
   Routines help children with specialized needs feel secure and engaged. HeartShaper encourages routines, like starting each class with a prayer, singing a familiar song, or repeating phrases such as, “God loves you.” These repeated phrases and actions help all kids remember God’s truth in a way that sticks, while also helping them feel secure and included.
   
3. Encourage Connection:
   Group activities, even simple ones, allow children to connect with each other. HeartShaper includes activities that get children working together, whether it’s building something or acting out a story. And these moments help build bonds between kids of different abilities. Working together, they discover each other’s strengths and learn to appreciate what everyone brings to the table.
   
4. Focus on God’s Love for Each Child:
   At the end of the day, kids need to know that they are deeply loved by God. HeartShaper helps reinforce this by giving you ways to affirm each child’s identity as beloved children of God. Every story, activity, and prayer points back to this truth: God made you, God loves you, and you matter.

Inclusion in Ministry

Noah and Sarah are just two of the many people who are teaching me about the beauty of inclusion in ministry. HeartShaper isn’t just another curriculum—it’s a tool that helps you shape young hearts to know God’s love and to see each other as He does.

It’s a curriculum that embraces every child’s worth and reminds them that they each have a place in God’s family. When we include every child, we’re getting a glimpse of God’s Kingdom—a place where all His children are learning, growing, and showing God’s love to one another.

In children’s ministry, we’re blessed with the chance to shape young hearts and show each child that they are a cherished part of God’s family. When we show up fully, with open hearts and arms, God works through us to instill His Word into each child—and that’s something that will last for a lifetime.

Discover More about HeartShaper Children’s Curriculum

• A Heartfelt Approach to Inclusivity: HeartShaper Children’s Curriculum
• How to Make Your Bible Lessons More Inclusive for All Abilities
• Inclusion in Children’s Ministry: The Importance of Welcoming Kids of All Abilities
• How to Lead Hybrid Sunday School with HeartShaper Curriculum
• The Top Children’s Curriculum from David C Cook
• Why Choose Digital Curriculum from David C Cook?
• Why Your Children’s Curriculum Needs the Gospel, Not Morals
• Visit our website for a free sample!

“Jesus continued to learn more and more. . . . People liked him, and he pleased God.”

Luke 2:52

TEACHER PREPARATION

Heart to Heart Teacher Devotion

Learning to obey is one of the greatest struggles for children. When children learn that God is pleased by their obedience and right choices, they are encouraged to keep trying. We are often like children in our desire to be independent, and we forget that God calls us to obedience as well. When we consider that the perfect Son of God asked a man to baptize Him, we should be humbled by His example.

Bible Background for the Teacher

John the Baptist was the son of the priest Zechariah and his wife, Elizabeth. Elizabeth was a cousin to Jesus’ mother, Mary. John lived in the wilderness, or desert, area west of the Dead Sea. Around AD 27 he began to preach along the Jordan River. John preached to prepare people for Jesus. His ministry was foretold by the prophets Isaiah and Malachi (see Isaiah 40:3-5 and Malachi 3:1; 4:5, 6). Jesus was 30 years old when He came to be baptized by John.

Leader Resources

Below are some resources that will help you plan and lead this lesson.

GETTING STARTED

Quick Step

Time For School! (Unit Center)

Supplies

• Unit center supplies (see unit 2 pages)
• Optional: dry-erase markers and whiteboard

Show flash card 7c. SAY: John the Baptist was a teacher who taught people to follow God. We can please God by learning about His Word, the Bible. Let’s pretend we are at school and are learning to read new words. We can be teachers like John.

Let children take turns being the teacher and holding up the flash cards. Help them identify the letters in the words and sound out the words. Children can also practice copying the words on a board.

ASK: Who did John teach about? (God)
You can be a teacher like John. What can you teach to others?

Bugs and Honey

(Special Needs Friendly)

Supplies

• Stick pretzels
• Honey
• Small cups
• Wet wipes

SAY: The Bible says that we can please God. To please God means we do things that make God happy. Jesus pleased God, and so did His cousin John. John lived in a desert area. He ate honey and locusts, which are like grasshoppers.

Squeeze a small amount of honey into cups, one for each child. Let children dip their pretzels in the honey, pretending to be like John. Encourage children to taste their snacks. Discuss the flavor and texture of the foods (sweet, salty, crunchy) and compare them with what John ate.

ASK: Would bugs and honey taste like this snack?
Do you think you would like to eat locusts (grasshoppers)?
Why do you think John ate bugs and honey? (They were the foods available where he lived.)

Dressing for the Occasion

Supplies

• Belts
• Sandals
• Rough towels
• Optional: mirror

Show the teaching picture. SAY: John the Baptist was a man who taught people about God. The Bible says John wore clothes made out of camel’s hair and wore a leather belt. How do you think it would feel to wear clothes made out of camel’s hair? Scratchy? Let’s pretend we are friends of John who dress as he does.

Help children pretend to dress like John. Let them take turns preaching in front of the group and telling what people should do to please God. We can please God when we tell others about Him.

ASK: Why do you think John wore clothes made of camel’s hair? (Animal fur was commonly used for clothing in Bible times.)
How would you feel if your clothes were made from camel’s hair?

BIBLE DISCOVERY

Sing and Pray

Supplies

• CD tracks 2 and 5
• CD player
• Blue and brown bedsheets (or material or large paper)

Sing “Come and Follow” and “He Pleased God.”

PRAY: Dear God, help us to obey and do right. Help us to please You in everything we do. In Jesus’ name, amen.

SAY: How many of you have seen a baptism? Briefly explain what happens during a baptism. Today our Bible story is about a baptism. 

Show the sheets. We’ll pretend that the brown sheet is ground and the blue one is a river. Let’s listen about how Jesus and a man named John pleased God at a river. We can please God when we listen to stories from the Bible.

Bible Time

Supplies

• Bible
• 2 paper lunch bags
• Glue
• Clothesline
• Clothespins

Teach

Narrator: The Bible book of Matthew, chapter 3 (show Matthew 3), tells about a man named John the Baptist, Jesus’s cousin. John lived in the desert area around the Jordan River. 

John appears over the top of the brown sheet. 

He wore clothes made out of camel’s hair and a leather belt. He ate food that was found in the desert—locusts and honey. John spent all day preaching to people and telling them what God wanted them to do.

John: Get ready for a Savior to come. Change your hearts. Be baptized so God will forgive you for the wrong things that you do.

Narrator: When people were sorry for the wrong things they had done, John baptized them in the Jordan River. Move John over to the blue sheet, then back again. One day Jesus came to John.

Jesus: John, I need you to baptize me.

John: Jesus, I shouldn’t baptize You. You have never done anything wrong. You should baptize me!

Jesus: No, John, this is the right thing to do, and it would please God.

Narrator: So John baptized Jesus in the river. Move John and Jesus over to the blue sheet and act out the baptism. As soon as Jesus came up out of the water, the sky opened and the Spirit of God came down like a dove. Jesus and John and all the people who were watching heard God’s voice! God said, “This is my Son. I love Him. I am pleased with Him.” Jesus and John did the right thing. God was pleased with them.

Bible Review

Supplies

• Paper
• Scissors
• Craft sticks
• Tape
• Glue

Before class, copy and cut out paper doves, one for each child. Tape a craft stick to the back of each dove, as a handle.

Ask questions about the Bible story. “Fly” a dove to the child when he answers. Or have the children fly their doves to you when they answer.

ASK: What did John tell the people? (“Change your hearts.”)
What happened after Jesus was baptized? (God spoke.)
Who pleased God? (Jesus and John)

Bible Memory

Supplies

• Bible
• Dove stick puppets prepared for the Bible Review

Before class, print and display the motions.

Read Luke 2:52 and review the motions with the children. SAY: Now let’s fly our dove puppets in a circle as we say Luke 2:52. 

Have children say the Bible Memory as they fly their doves.

GROW AND GO

Do Right Tic-Tac-Toe

Supplies

• Washable markers (or crayons)
• Scissors
• Optional: paper, resealable plastic bags

SAY: We can please God as Jesus did. When we make right choices, we please God and make Him happy. Let’s play a game of tic-tac-toe and decide which choices are right and which are wrong.

Have children cut out the game board and color the pictures.

Help them decide which pictures show choices that are wrong and put frowning X stickers on these pictures. Then put smiling Os on the right choices. Mark the winning diagonal lines. If you want the children to play several times, put the stickers on paper and let them cut them apart. Give children resealable plastic bags for their game pieces.

When we make right choices, we are always winners!

ASK: What can you do to please God and make Him happy?

Go and Please God

Supplies

• Toy cars, people, and houses

SAY: Jesus made the right choice to be baptized. We can please God by making right choices too. Let’s pretend we are going to different places in our cars. We can name ways to please God at those places.

As children drive their cars on the floor, give each child a scenario. (Examples: a new child has come to Sunday school, your mom asks you to help clean up a room at home, brother is crying because he fell on some play equipment at the park) Have each child tell how he can please God by the way he handles the situation.

ASK: How can you please God at home? at a friend’s house?
What will you do to please God this week?

For more fun lessons like this one check out this post!

Heart to Heart Teacher Devotion

When Jairus’s daughter was brought back to life, the people were “completely astonished” (Mark 5:42). According to Merriam-Webster’s dictionary, astonish means “to make a strong impression on (someone) with something unexpected.”

From His birth to His resurrection, Jesus’ life was filled with events and teachings that astounded and dumbfounded all who came in contact with Him. What strong impression has Jesus made on your life? Does Jesus’ love for you astonish you? Teach your students to be astonished by Jesus too.

Leader Resources

FOCUS IN

Use one of these activities to help children explore surprising things. Use the Bible Memory activity to introduce the memory verse.

Welcome

• Welcome each child by name.
• Early arrivers will enjoy doing the additional activities described on the Unit 1 Overview.

What Surprises You?

Supplies

• Whiteboard
• Dry-erase markers

Teach

Have the children gather in a circle.

SAY: Raise your hand if you like surprises. Let children respond, and then continue. Maybe you’ve been to a surprise birthday party. That’s a great surprise! But maybe you fell off your bike and broke your arm. That’s not such a great surprise. Let’s make a list of surprises you have had. 

Encourage kids to think about and name surprises that have taken place in different areas of their lives: school (a surprise quiz), home (a surprise treat), outdoors (a loud clap of thunder). Let the kids draw smiley or sad faces beside each situation as you list it on the board.

SAY: In today’s Bible story, we’ll learn about some things that surprised people. Jesus is God. He knows everything. That’s both amazing and surprising!

Option

Surprise! Special Needs Friendly

Supplies

• Slips of paper
• Pen
• Plastic cups
• Tray

Before Class

Turn the cups upside down on a tray. On separate slips of paper, write (or draw simple pictures of) a variety of surprising situations. (Examples: a surprise party, a surprise quiz, a sudden storm, falling and breaking a bone, a surprise treat) Fold the slips and place one under each cup. Leave a couple cups with no slips under them—as a surprise!

Have the children gather in a circle. SAY: In today’s Bible story, we’ll learn about a time when some people were surprised. Let’s have fun discovering some things that might surprise us. Show the prepared tray of cups. Explain that there are papers under the cups that tell about both happy and sad surprises.

Let the kids take turns choosing cups. As each cup is chosen, read the surprise written on the slip of paper under the cup. Talk about whether the surprise is a happy or a sad surprise.

ASK: Do you like surprises? Why or why not?
What is the best surprise you’ve ever had?  Let kids share.

SAY: We are surprised when we don’t know something is about to happen. But Jesus is God. He knows everything. Let’s find out what happened one time when Jesus knew something the people didn’t know.

Bible Memory

Supplies

• Bibles
• Reusable adhesive
• Self-stick notes

Before class, place self-stick notes over several of the words or pictures on the Bible Memory poster. Ask whether anyone wants to try to say the verse, even though some of the words are covered. Let volunteers try saying the verse; then remove the self-stick notes and say the verse together.

SAY: Maybe you were surprised when I asked you to say the verse even though some of the words were covered. You were surprised because you didn’t know I was going to do that. Jesus is God. He knows everything.

He knows what we need even before we ask Him. Let’s learn about a time when Jesus surprised some people and showed that He is the Messiah, the Son of God.

EXPLORE HIS WORD

Use all of these activities to help children tell about a time when Jesus healed both a woman and a young girl.

Bible Background For The Teacher

A synagogue ruler would have been in charge of administrative responsibilities at the synagogue, the building where people worshipped. He would have arranged for services and looked after the building. Jairus obviously had heard about Jesus’ power and believed that Jesus could heal his daughter, who was about 12 years old (see Luke 8:42).

Jesus’ journey to Jairus’s house was interrupted by another incident. An unnamed woman, who had suffered from bleeding for 12 years, came in search of her own healing. The very fact that this woman had the courage to make her way through the crowd is worth noting. Not only was she a woman, but she also was considered to be socially unclean.

It was customary to hire professional mourners, people who would wail and mourn at the time of death of a family member. Perhaps it was the professional mourners who so quickly stopped crying and began to laugh at Jesus when He said that the girl was only sleeping. In the end, however, those who had doubted Jesus’ power to heal were the ones amazed.

There are both differences and similarities between the two stories told here. In one instance, a person of prominence is named; in the other, a social outcast remains unnamed. One person who needed Jesus’ help had lived for 12 years; the other had suffered for 12 years. Both Jairus and the unnamed woman knelt before Jesus. Both believed in His power, and both received the restoration they needed.

Bible Exploration

Supplies

• Whiteboard
• Dry-erase marker
• Bibles
• 2 paper lunch bags
• Glue
• CD player
• CD track 3

Worship Time

Before Class

Attach the puppet pieces to paper bags, as illustrated.

How To Say It

SAY: Today’s Bible story comes from the New Testament book of Mark. Write “Mark 5:21” on the board. Help the children turn to Mark 5:21 in their Bibles. Ask for a volunteer to read the verse.

SAY: It is no surprise that large crowds gathered around Jesus. The people had seen Jesus perform miracles that no other person could do. Jesus could make sick people well without even being in the same place. 

Show Teaching Picture 1. Jesus could help people walk who had never walked before. Show Teaching Picture 2. The people wanted to learn more about Jesus.

On this occasion, an important man came to see Jesus. Let’s listen to his story. We’ll hear about some surprising things that happened. Play scene 1 recording (or use the script provided). Use the Jairus puppet, moving the puppet’s mouth as the story is told. Pause the CD after the sentence: “It might surprise you, but Jesus went with me!”

Ask the children what they think happened next. After a few responses,

SAY: Those were all good guesses. But something else surprising happened before Jesus arrived at Jairus’s house. A woman came through the crowd and made her way to Jesus. Let’s listen to her story. There are more surprises. 

Keep It Going

Play scene 2 (or use the printed script) and use the woman puppet as the narration is told. Pause the CD after the sentence: “Go, and don’t suffer anymore.”

What a happy surprise the woman received from Jesus! While Jesus was still speaking to the woman, some people came from Jairus’s house. 

Ask the children whether they can guess what was happening. After a few guesses, SAY: Let’s find out whether you are correct. Play scene 3 (or use the printed script) and use the Jairus puppet. Stop the CD player at the end of the track.

Show Teaching Picture 3. The Bible tells us that when the people saw that Jairus’s daughter was alive, they were “completely astonished.” The word astonished means “surprised, amazed, speechless, shocked.” The people were learning that Jesus is God.

He knows everything.  Jesus knew when His power had helped a woman be healed. Jesus knew He had the power to bring a young girl back to life. And that’s just what He did!

Bible Memory

Supplies

• Whiteboard
• Dry-erase marker
• Bibles

“These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God.”

Write “John 20:31” on the board. Remind children how to use the table of contents in their Bibles to find the book of John. Give children help as needed in turning to John 20:31. Ask a volunteer to read the verse.

Review the motions taught in lesson 2: written —pretend to write; believe —using the index finger, point to the forehead and then bring the hand down to clasp the other hand (as holding onto a thought); Jesus — touch the middle finger of one hand to the middle of the palm of the other hand and then repeat with the other hand; God —an open hand is raised to the heavens and then downward.

Say the verse together, while doing the motions.

SAY: Only Jesus, the Son of God, could do the surprising miracles Jesus did. We can believe that Jesus is God. He knows everything.

Optional Bible Skill Builder

Print copies of the Books of the New Testament bookmarks included in the Classroom Tools folder. Cut apart and give each student a bookmark. Read together the list of New Testament book names. Have the children place their bookmarks at the first page of John, the fourth book in the New Testament.

MAKE IT REAL

Use one of these activities to help children name surprising things Jesus has done for them.

Look What Jesus Did!

SAY: Jesus did some surprising things for Jairus and the woman who came to Jesus in the crowd. Let’s act out some surprising things Jesus has done for us. 

Start the activity by acting out something that Jesus has done for you. (Examples: helped you feel better, helped you learn to do something that was hard for you to do, etc.) Let the children guess what surprising thing Jesus did for you.

Then let volunteers act out something surprising Jesus has done for them. (Examples: healed a broken bone, helped a parent find a new job, helped them feel happy when they have been feeling sad, etc.)

SAY: Jesus is God. He knows everything. We can believe that Jesus knows us. He will help us when we talk to Him in prayer.

Option

Story From Weekly Bible Reader

Supplies

Teach

SAY: I’m going to read a story. Listen for whom Jesus knew and what surprising thing Jesus did. Read “A Sick Friend.”

ASK: Who did Jesus know about? (Michael and Tyler)
What did Jesus do?  (heard Michael’s prayer, helped to heal Tyler)

SAY: Jesus is God. He knows everything. We can believe that Jesus knows us. He will help us when we talk to Him in prayer.

LIVE IT OUT

Kneeling Before Jesus

SAY: Jairus and the woman who was healed both knelt on the ground before Jesus. Kneeling when we pray is one way we can show Jesus that we know He is greater than us or anyone else. We can pray and ask Jesus for things we need. We can pray and tell Jesus the whole truth about something we have done, and we can pray and worship Jesus. When we worship Jesus, we give honor to Him and show our love for Him.

ASK: What could you say to Jesus to worship Him? Let children respond. (Examples: “I love You, Jesus.” “You are great.”)

Invite the children to kneel with you. Ask whether any of them want to pray aloud. After children who want to pray have done so, you can close the prayer time.

PRAY: Dear Jesus, we know You have power over everything. We know You see our needs and can help us. Jesus, You are God. You know everything. Thank You for all the surprising things You do for us. In Your name we pray, amen.

Option

Worship Pop-Up Cards

Supplies

• Colored pencils (or markers)
• Scissors

SAY: We have learned that Jesus is God. He knows everything. Worshipping Jesus is one way that we let Jesus know we believe in Him. When we worship Jesus, we give honor to Him and show our love for Him. Sometimes it’s hard to remember to worship Jesus. Let’s make cards that will remind us of some of the surprising things Jesus does for us. We’ll use our cards as we worship Him.

Distribute the activity pages, stickers, and supplies. Encourage children to take their time and do their best as they make the cards.

SAY: Doing our best with the abilities God has given us is one way we worship Jesus. 

Help the children fold the cards so the center portion pops up when the card is opened. Ask volunteers to show and tell what they have drawn on the inside of their cards. Repeat the Bible verse together, emphasizing the words included on the stickers: Jesus, Messiah, Son, God. Encourage the children to set the cards where they will see them and remember to tell Jesus how much they love Him.

For more fun lessons like this one check out this post!

“Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

John 20:30, 31

TEACHER PREPARATION

Heart to Heart Teacher Devotion

In this lesson, Jesus brings peace to a stormy sea and peace to His disciples. Jesus shows that He has power over nature, power over fear, power over any problem. When Jesus is in control of our lives, we have nothing to worry about or fear.

Leader Resources

Below are some resources that will help you plan and lead this lesson.

FOCUS IN

Use one or more of these activities to help students explore times they’ve been afraid.

Welcome

• Welcome each student warmly by name.
• Early arrivers will enjoy doing the additional activities described in the Overview.

Quick Step

When Have You Been Afraid?

Supplies

• Pencils
• Watch

Teach

SAY: Let’s play a game that will help us think about times when we’ve been afraid. Show kids one of the reproducible pages. 

In this game, the goal is to get as many signatures in each box as possible. Start by putting your name at the top. Then give your paper to a friend. The friend will quickly put her name in the boxes that describe times she has been afraid. When she is done, get your paper back and give it to someone else. 

Tell kids to be truthful. If they’ve been afraid of any of these things, they can put their names in the boxes. If they haven’t, they should not. You’ll have three minutes. Ready? Go! After three minutes, call time. Have kids retrieve their own papers. Congratulate those who got lots of names on their papers.

ASK: When are some other times you’ve been afraid? Accept responses.

SAY: Today we’re going to dig into God’s Word and find out who can help us when we’re afraid—and who is in control.

Option

Homemade Storm

Supplies

• Large glass bowl
• Towel
• Measuring cup
• Measuring spoons
• Water
• Vinegar
• Baking soda
• Blue food coloring

Teach

ASK: When are some times you’ve been afraid? Accept responses.

SAY: One thing that many people are afraid of is big storms. Let’s make our own storm! Have students gather around the bowl. Put a towel under the bowl. Let students help by pouring and measuring.

Put one cup of water into the bowl. Add blue food coloring, if desired, to make it look more like a stormy sea. Pour in one cup of vinegar and stir. Then add one tablespoon of baking soda. As the ingredients mix, the water will become very bubbly and foamy.

SAY: Today we’re going to dig into God’s Word to find out about a time when some men were afraid of a storm. We’ll also discover who can help us when we’re afraid—and who is in control.

EXPLORE HIS WORD

Use these activities to help students describe what happened when Jesus and His disciples were in a boat.

Bible Background for The Teacher

The Sea of Galilee sits some 600 feet below sea level in the deep rift that forms the Jordan valley. After sunset, when cool air from the surrounding mountains meets the warm air rising from the lake, violent winds often arise suddenly and churn the surface of the sea.

The disciples, several of whom were fishermen, were therefore justified in their concern. Jesus’ response to this dangerous situation reveals His divine identity. The Old Testament portrays God as the one who controls the sea (Job 38:8-11; Psalms 29:3-11; 65:5-7), and this theme is carried over into the Gospels.

The Sea of Galilee formed the physical backdrop for Jesus’ ministry, making it an appropriate canvas for displays of His power: walking on water (Mark 6:47-49), supplying a coin from a fish’s mouth (Matthew 17:24-27), and providing a miraculous catch of fish (John 21:1-11).

Jesus interprets the disciples’ cry for help as a lack of faith. Although they believe that Jesus can rescue them, they don’t yet truly understand who He is. The disciples should have realized that God would not allow His Son to die an untimely death before His purposes were accomplished.

Jesus therefore criticized them for their “little faith” (Matthew 8:26). No storm could disrupt God’s plan. The disciples’ response in Matthew 8:27 was typical of miracle accounts. Despite their earlier confidence, they remain amazed at Jesus’ power.

The key to the episode lies in their unanswered question, “What kind of man is this?” Had they recognized the kind of man that Jesus was, they would not have feared the storm in the first place. However, now the disciples have even more reason to know and understand that Jesus is in control .

Bible Exploration

Supplies

• Bibles
• Pencils
• Optional: masking tape, can of tuna fish
• Resources Sheet 2
• Resources Sheet 3

Teach

Have a volunteer show on the map the Sea of Galilee. Tell students that this is where today’s Bible story takes place. Have another volunteer read about this place from the map and from the Check It Out! section below the map. Stand by the Bible time line of Jesus’ life. Point out the “Beatitudes” icon.

SAY: Jesus continued teaching about God when He taught His disciples the Lord’s Prayer. He spoke in parables and healed a centurion’s servant. This is where we pick up God’s story.

ASK: What’s the first book of the New Testament? (Matthew) 
Who does Matthew write about?  (Jesus)

Ask students to turn to Matthew 8:23-27. Have volunteers read the verses aloud. Then have students move their chairs to sit as if they were in a boat (or have kids sit on the floor). If desired, you could use masking tape to make an outline of a boat in which the kids could sit. You could also open a can of tuna fish to help create a sea-smelling room!

SAY: If you remember, some of Jesus’ disciples had been fishermen. Probably all had traveled by sea many times. So when Jesus got into the boat, His disciples did too. Getting into a boat was a very normal thing to do. But while out on the Sea of Galilee, a huge storm came up. Let’s pretend that we’re in the boat too. 

Tell kids to sway back and forth as if being tossed by huge waves. Flash the overhead lights on and off.

Continue the Story

SAY: Hang on! We might drown! Wait a minute. Jesus is on the boat. The disciples looked for Jesus. Jesus was sleeping! Tell kids to keep swaying back and forth. The disciples woke Jesus and said, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” (Matthew 8:25). 

Jesus said, “You men have such little faith. You know that I’m right here with you. Why are you afraid?” The disciples had nothing to say. Jesus got up and scolded the waves that were beating against the boat. He rebuked the strong winds that were blowing. Immediately, the storm was gone! 

Kids should stop swaying. 

Jesus’ disciples looked at each other in amazement. They couldn’t believe it. How could Jesus speak to the waves and wind? And how could the waves and wind obey Him? What kind of man was this? The disciples did not yet understand how powerful Jesus is. They did not yet understand that Jesus is in control , even over winds and waves.

Have students return to their seats. Distribute the activity leaflets and have students look at Jesus Calms a Storm. Read the directions and do the page together.

(Answers: 1=was sleeping; 2=”We’re going to drown! Save us!”; 3=men of little faith; 4=they immediately became calm; 5=”What kind of man is this?”)

Keep Going

ASK: From this event, what did you learn about Jesus? (He’s powerful. He has control over nature.) 

Why did Jesus scold, or rebuke, His disciples?  (because they didn’t have much faith, they were afraid) 

What is a number between 1 and 10, with 10 being the highest, to describe how much faith in Jesus you think you might have had if you had been in the boat?  Accept responses.

SAY: It can be easy to think badly about the disciples for not having much faith in Jesus and not understanding that Jesus is in control. But what if we had been in the boat? It’s hard to know what we would have done. Let’s think about times that we can put our faith in Jesus, knowing that He is in control.

Bible Memory

Supplies

• Bibles
• Reusable adhesive

Teach

“Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

Continue to display the John 20:30, 31 poster on a wall or bulletin board. Have kids turn in their Bibles to John 20:30, 31, and have a volunteer read the verses aloud. Have volunteers place the word cards in their correct places on the poster.

SAY: Jesus did miracles, such as calming the sea, so people would come to believe in Him and have life in His name.

Have kids gather in a circle. Take the word cards off the poster, and give one card to a student. Have that student say the first word of the Bible Memory. He should pass the word card to the person beside him. That student should say the next word. Keep going like that until the kids have said the first verse.

The student who completes the verse can place the word card on the poster. Give another word card to a student and repeat the process. Keep going until all the word cards have been added to the poster.

Optional Bible Skill Builder

Supplies

• Bibles

MAKE IT REAL

It’s Time!

Supplies

• Pencils

Teach

SAY: Jesus doesn’t ask us to get into a boat with Him. But He does ask us to put our faith in Him. Have kids pair up and interview each other. It would be best if there is at least one willing reader in each pair. 

Ask your partner: When is a time that you’ve put your faith in Jesus or seen someone else put his or her faith in Jesus? 

After a minute or so, let kids share what their partners said. Then have students turn in their activity leaflets to Time to Put Your Faith in Jesus! Staying in the same pairs, assign each pair one of the situations to read and come up with possible responses.

When kids are done, have the pair who has situation #1 read it and tell how Austin can put his faith in Jesus. (Possible responses: Pray and ask for God’s help. Know that Jesus is in control. Not worry about it, but trust that Jesus will help him make friends.)

Tell kids to look at the word “faith” in the middle of the page.

SAY: Austin would do well to remember the FAITH acrostic: “Forever, Always, I Trust Him.” No matter the situation, we can have faith in and trust Jesus. Encourage everyone to write their ideas on the blank lines. Continue in the same way with all the situations. In the blank space, tell students to write about a time they need to put their faith in Jesus. 

When hard times come for you, like the time when the disciples were in the boat with Jesus, remember that Jesus is in control.

Option

Newspaper Stand

Supplies

• Newspapers

Other Hard Situations

Sickness or death in the family, bullies, friends want you to do something wrong, parents are thinking about divorce, your family doesn’t have much money, others laugh at you for talking about Jesus.

SAY: Jesus doesn’t ask us to get into a boat with Him. But when hard times come, Jesus wants us to put our faith in Him. Place a newspaper on the floor and stand in the middle of it. Ask students to join you standing on the newspaper. Make sure that kids fit on the newspaper, but just barely. Tell them that both feet must be on the newspaper or they are out. 

Maybe you think no one likes you, or you’re unpopular. That’s a storm in your life. If you don’t put your faith in Jesus, you’ll have a hard time and things may not go well. Gently push one or two kids off the newspaper. 

This is a time you need to put your faith in Jesus. Here’s another hard situation. Maybe you’re not doing well in school. That’s a storm in your life. If you don’t put your faith in Jesus, you’ll have a hard time and things may not go well. Gently push one or two kids off the newspaper. Continue with other hard situations (see narrow column). 

When hard times come for you, like the time when the disciples were in the boat with Jesus, remember that Jesus is in control.

LIVE IT OUT

Use one of these activities to help students choose to put their faith in Jesus because He’s in control.

Faith Drawing (Special Needs Tip)

Supplies

• Roll paper
• Pencils
• Markers
• Crayons
• Reusable adhesive

Teach

Before class, use a pencil to draw a large, simple boat outline on a long length of roll paper. Go over the outline with a black marker.

ASK: We’re all afraid at times. What will you do about that? Will you choose to put your faith in Jesus because you know and believe that Jesus is in control? Allow time for kids think to about these questions.

Lay the prepared roll paper on a table or on the floor. Tell kids to draw themselves in the boat. If you’re choosing to put your faith in Jesus because He’s in control, sign your name on or by your drawing. 

When kids are done with that, have them use crayons to draw waves beating against the ship. On top of the waves, tell kids to use markers to write times when they need to put their faith in Jesus (as discussed in the Make It Real activities). Offer assistance with writing, as needed.

When students are done with the drawing, display it. For the prayer time, ask students to gather around the drawing. SAY: I’m so glad that Jesus is in control. When rough storms of life come your way, I hope you’ll choose to put your faith in Jesus, because He’s the only one who is really in control. Ask for volunteers to pray, thanking God that Jesus is in control.

Option

Boats of Faith

Supplies

• Small foam rectangles (3″ x 4″; 1 per student)
• Construction paper (2″ x 3″; 1 per student)
• Scissors
• Markers
• Large toothpicks
• Optional: duct tape, permanent markers

Teach

Before class, it would be good to make a sample of the boat.

ASK: We’re all afraid at times. What will you do about that? Will you choose to put your faith in Jesus because you know and believe that Jesus is in control? Allow time for kids think to about these questions.

Tell kids they will make boats to remind them to choose to put their faith in Jesus because He’s in control. Distribute supplies and show your sample boat. Tell kids to write on a piece of construction paper, “Jesus is in control.”

They could write the same thing on the other side or write something else, such as, “I’ll put my faith in Jesus.” Then show kids how to push the toothpick through the paper, near the bottom of it and again near the top. This forms the sail. Then they can stick the sail into a piece of foam. (If desired, kids could first cover the construction paper and the foam with duct tape.

If they choose to do this, they’ll need permanent markers to write on the duct tape.)

When students are done with the drawing, let them share their completed boats with each other.

SAY: I’m so glad that Jesus is in control. When rough storms of life come your way, I hope you’ll choose to put your faith in Jesus, because He’s the only one who is really in control. Ask for volunteers to pray, thanking God that Jesus is in control.

For more fun lessons like this one check out this post!

“We should love each other, because love comes from God.”

1 John 4:7

TEACHER PREPARATION

Heart to Heart Teacher Devotion

Preparing lessons, setting up activities, and guiding conversations toward biblical truths show that you and Jesus have a common characteristic: love for children. Love is not merely an emotion; it is framed by actions. What a privilege to share Jesus’ vivid display of love for children with those you will be teaching today!

Bible Background for the Teacher

Today’s text indicates that Jesus’ disciples believed Jesus was too busy or too important to bless little children. This event occurred late in Jesus’ ministry. Jesus had healed people who were blind, deaf, and lame.

He had raised the dead. But Jesus felt that blessing the little children was of great importance. He even said that we must become as little children—innocent, humble, trusting—in order to enter His kingdom. (See also Matthew 19:13-15 and Luke 18:15-17.)

Leader Resources

Below are some resources that will help you plan and lead this lesson.

You will want to make a squirrel puppet to use throughout the lessons. See the Scout Bag Puppet available here.

GETTING STARTED

Welcome

Save all visuals for reuse throughout the quarter.

• Use your Scout puppet to greet the children.
• Place a name tag on each child and gather necessary information from the adult bringing the child; then guide the child to a learning center.
• Provide a container in which children can place their offering money.

Quick Step

Things Children Do (Special Needs Friendly)

Supplies

• Paper lunch bag

Before class, put the photo cards in the lunch bag.

SAY: The Bible tells us Jesus loves children. Let’s play a game and talk about things children do and how these things make others feel.

Have children take turns showing a card from the bag and telling what the children in the picture are doing. Talk about how the children in the picture might feel about doing the activity.

ASK: What are some fun things children do?
What is your favorite thing to do?

Time to Do It!

Supplies

• Variety of clocks and watches

SAY: Many people love children! Grandparents do. Parents do. Jesus loves children  too. When you love someone, you like to know what that person does. Let’s look at and listen to these clocks and watches. Then we’ll talk about what children do at different times.

Show the clocks and watches; let children hear the various sounds of the clocks. Move the hands to various times. At each time, ask the children what they do at that time of the day.

ASK: What’s one thing you like to do at 8:00 in the morning? at 6:00 in the evening? 

Does Jesus know what you do?

Sunday’s To-Do List

Supplies

• Paper
• Pencil

Before class, make a list of jobs children can do when they are at your church building.

SAY: Jesus loves children so much. A church building is a place where children can come and learn about Jesus—and do jobs. Let’s pretend we are doing jobs at our church building. I’ll whisper to someone a job a child can do to help; then that person will act out what I whispered. The rest of us will try to guess what is being done. 

Ask for a volunteer. Whisper to that child the first job on the list. Let other children try to guess what the job is. Continue until each child has had a turn.

ASK: What else can children do to help at our church building?
Does Jesus want every child to be a helper? (yes)

BIBLE DISCOVERY

Sing and Pray

Supplies

• CD tracks 3 and 6
• CD player
• Bible

Sing “Yes, I Know Jesus Loves Me” and “We Should Love Each Other.”

PRAY: God, we know You love children. We know Your Son loves children too. Thank You for telling us in Your Bible how Jesus showed love to children. In Jesus’ name, amen.

SAY: Give yourself a hug. Have children do so. Show the picture. Our Bible story today is from the Bible book of Mark in the New Testament, chapter 10. Show Mark 10. lt’s about a time when lots of children felt loved.

Bible Time

Supplies

• 4 rulers (or paint-stirring sticks)
• Tape (or glue)

Hand the cards to four children. Have child holding card 10a hold up his card. SAY: Jesus did wonderful things for people while He lived on earth. Can you tell me some of these things? Let children answer. He made sick people better. He taught people how to live the way God wants them to live. Many people wanted to see Jesus.

Have second child hold up card 10b. One day some grown-ups brought some happy children to Jesus. Step, step, step. Have children walk in place. The grown-ups wanted Jesus to ask God to take care of their children. Wouldn’t it be exciting if someone had taken you to see Jesus? Show me on your faces how you would look. Have children do so.

Ask third child to hold up card 10c. But then some of Jesus’ followers thought Jesus was too busy. They tried to stop the grown-ups from taking the children to Jesus! Have everyone hold out one hand, as though signaling to stop. Now the children were sad.

Do you think Jesus was happy about this? No, He was not. He told His followers they should not stop the children. Jesus said, “Let the children come to me!” Have everyone motion with hand, “Come.” Have fourth child show card 10d. Now the children were happy again. Jesus took the children in His loving arms. He put His hands on them and asked God to care for them. We can be happy because Jesus loves children. Give yourself another hug because Jesus loves you too! Do so.

Bible Review

Supplies

Give the cards to four children. Ask them to stand in sequence and tell what is happening in their picture. Repeat until all children have had a turn.

ASK: What happened first in this story? (People liked Jesus.)
What happened second?  (Happy children came to Jesus.)
What happened third?  (Jesus’ followers tried to stop the children.)
What happened fourth?  (Jesus held the children and asked God to care for them.)
Why did Jesus want to do this?  (because Jesus loves children)

Bible Memory

Supplies

• Bible

Read 1 John 4:7, pausing between the first and second phrases. Divide the class into two groups. The first group can say the first phrase while doing its motions; then the second group can respond with the second phrase while doing its motions. Repeat several times; then reverse groups.

GROW AND GO

“I Love You” Cards

Supplies

• Blunt-tip scissors
• Washable markers (or crayons)

SAY: Jesus loves children, and we can love children too. We can love children in our families, in our neighborhoods, and at our schools. Let’s make some fun cards to give to children we love.

Give each child a card to color and add stickers to. Assist children as needed in cutting out the cards and then folding so the balloons pop up when the cards open. Help them fill out the “to” and “from” lines. Remind them to deliver the cards after class and show love to another child.

ASK: How can you use a card to show love to another child?
What else could you do to show love to children?

Tell Me How

SAY: Jesus loves children, and children love games. Let’s play a game called Tell Me How. Two of us will hold hands and raise our arms for everyone else to go underneath. When I think it’s time, we will lower our arms, catching one of you. Whoever is caught can tell one way to show love to another child.

Form a bridge with one child and sing the following words to the tune of “London Bridge” as children go under the bridge: Jesus loves children, so do you, / so do you. You love them too! / Jesus loves children, so do you. / Tell me how. Catch a child on the last word, how. After the child tells how to show love to another child, let him take the place of the child who is part of the bridge.

ASK: What are some ways to show love to children?
How has someone shown love to you?

Bible Memory Poster

Supplies

• Washable markers (or crayons)

Before class, make copies of the Bible Memory poster.

SAY: We have talked about how Jesus loves children. Can you remember our Bible Memory? Let’s say the verse together. Then we’ll make posters to help us remember the verse.

Have children repeat 1 John 4:7. Hand each child a copy of the poster. Give these step-by-step instructions: Somewhere on the page, draw a picture of yourself showing love to someone else. Next, draw a heart around the word love; it’s on the page two times. Finally, draw a cross on the word God in yellow or gold to remember God in Heaven.

ASK: Why should we love one another? (because love comes from God)
What are some other ways you can show love to children?

EXTRA HOUR

Transition Time

• Greet new arrivals, giving each a name tag.
• Gather children to play a game of charades, acting out things they like to do.
• Serve a snack. Follow your church’s policy for restroom breaks.

More! Getting Started

Use one or more of these learning centers to help children explore what children do.

Save all visuals for reuse throughout the quarter.

Quick Step

What Did You Do? 

Supplies

• Yellow and black paper
• Glue (or tape)

Before class, glue the black paper to the yellow paper, back to back.

Add pictures of common daytime and nighttime activities so children can have a prompt.

SAY: Jesus loves children, and He knows all about what they do, all day and all night. Let’s talk about what you did yesterday during the day and what you did last night.

Show children the yellow side of the paper. Tell them it stands for the daytime. Show them the black side. Tell them it stands for the nighttime.

Have children stand when you show the yellow side; then call on one child to tell you what he did yesterday during the day. Have children sit when you show the black side, calling on another child to tell you what she did last night. After children practice getting up and down, randomly show the black or yellow side, calling on a different child each time.

ASK: What do children do when it’s daytime?
What do children do when it’s nighttime?
What kinds of things are you going to do today? tomorrow?

Let’s Make Music!

Supplies

• CD track 6
• CD player
• Wooden blocks

Before class, print the motions.

SAY: One thing most children like to do is sing. Let’s listen to our Bible Memory song. We can sing with the CD, march to the song, and do motions.

Play “We Should Love Each Other.” Lead children in various ways to accompany the song: singing, marching, and doing the motions.

ASK: Do you know children who like to sing or play songs? 
What is your favorite song? 
What other kinds of things do children like to do?

Children of All Ages

Supplies

• Items used by younger children
• Items used by older children
• Grocery bag

Before class, place a variety of items in the grocery bag. Be sure you have items used by both younger and older children.

SAY: Jesus loves children, no matter how young or old they are. Children of different ages like to do different things. Let’s play a game and tell what things younger or older children do.

Call on a child to reach into the bag, choose an item, show and name it, and tell whether a younger or older child would use it. Continue in this way until all the items have been shown.

ASK: What do children who are younger than you do? 
What do children who are your age do? 
What do children who are older than you do?

More! Bible Discovery

Use all these activities to help children tell how Jesus showed love to children.

More! Sing and Pray

Supplies

• CD track 3
• CD player
• Paper
• Scissors
• Safety pin
• Marker
• Bible

Before class, cut a circle of paper to use as a name tag. Write on the circle, “Hello! I’m a follower of Jesus.” Pin the tag to your shirt.

Sing “Yes, I Know Jesus Loves Me.”

PRAY: God, You are so good to people. Thank You for telling us in Your Bible how Jesus showed love to children. In Jesus’ name, amen.

ASK: Did you see my name tag? It says, “Hello! I’m a follower of Jesus.” Let’s pretend we are with Jesus today. Listen carefully, and I’ll tell you what the Bible says (show Mark 10) happened one day with Jesus.

Bible Time—Another Way!

Supplies

• Optional: Bible-times costume

Assume the role of one of Jesus’ followers. SAY: Hello! I am one of Jesus’ followers. Today Jesus has been very busy. He has been doing things that only the Son of God can do. Jesus has been making sick people well and teaching people how they should live. Large crowds have been coming to see Jesus.

See, He’s over there in the middle of that crowd. Point into the distance. Have children stand on tiptoes and pretend to look into the distance.

Turn and look in another direction. Oh no! I see some grown-ups coming with their children. Don’t they know Jesus is too busy to be bothered with children? I’d better stop them. Take a few steps in the direction you just turned.

Abruptly turn around. Place one hand behind your ear. What’s that? I hear Jesus saying something. What, Jesus? Are You sure?

Hold arms in a surprised pose. Jesus just told me to let the children come and see Him. He told me not to stop the grown-ups from bringing the children. He wants to see the children.

Turn and call out in opposite direction. Grown-ups, come on over. Motion toward yourself. Bring the children. Jesus wants to hold them and pray for them. Jesus loves children. Bring them! Bring them all!

More! Bible Review

Supplies

Show the teaching picture and let children tell what happened first, second, and last in today’s story. Then ask yes and no questions. Children can stand if the answer is yes and sit if it’s no. Possible questions:

ASK: Is today’s story from the Bible? (yes) 
Was Jesus too busy teaching to see the children?  (no) 
Did the grown-ups tell the children to stay away from Jesus?  (no) 
Does Jesus love all children?  (yes)

More! Bible Memory

Supplies

• Bible
• Stickers

Before class, print and display the Bible Memory motions from the CD.

Help a child open the Bible to the New Testament part of the Bible. Show 1 John 4:7. Read the verse. SAY: I have a sticker to give each child who will try to say the Bible Memory. Give a sticker to each child who says the Bible Memory. If some children are shy or new to the class, have children say the Bible Memory with partners.

More! Grow and Go

Scout The Watchdog

Supplies

• Binoculars (or magnifying glass)

Scout comes out, holding the binoculars. SAY: Scout, what are you doing with those binoculars? Scout whispers to you. You were watching your family? Scout nods. Let’s tell the children what you saw. Use Scout to act out the story as you tell it.

Scout loves his family. Yesterday Scout decided he would watch the children to see what they do during the day. Scout looks around. You didn’t even take a nap, did you? Scout falls asleep in your arms.

Whisper as you continue the story. Oh, look! Scout’s tired from all the hours he didn’t sleep! Well, I can tell you the end of the story because Scout already told it to me. Scout saw that all day long Dad and Mom showed love to their children. They woke the children, fed them breakfast, helped them brush their teeth, helped them get dressed . . . Continue with a list of typical activities a child would do during the day. Finally the parents helped the children say their prayers and get into their pajamas. Scout was happy to see what his family does to show love to the children. Scout wanted me to remind you that you can show love to children too! He wants you to do this because love comes from God.

As you say the final phrase, Scout wakes up and barks happily. Thanks, Scout!

ASK: What did Scout see the dad and mom do that showed love to children?
What can you do to show love to children?

A Giveaway Snack

Supplies

• Recipe ingredients
• Resealable plastic bags
• Washable markers (or crayons)
• Mailing labels (or paper and tape)

SAY: Jesus loves children, and He wants children to love each other. One thing that children can do to show love is share. We’re going to make a giveaway snack to share with other children. First, let’s wash our hands. Then we’ll make snacks to share to show that we love children.

Read the recipe from today’s Heart Tugs.  Help children mix the ingredients and fill bags with equal amounts of the snack items. Make “To” and “From” labels for the bags. Encourage children to give their snack bags to other children. Make extras so they can serve each other in class.

ASK: What did you just do that will show love to another child?
What are some other ways you can show love to children?

Saying Good-bye

• As children wait for parents, look through the binoculars and name specific children who have shown love to others. (Example: I saw Haley sharing a toy.)
• Be sure to say something about each child. Be sure children have projects made in class. Give parents this week’s Heart Tugs.  Point out the giveaway snack recipe and encourage them to do the activity with their children at home.

For more fun lessons like this one check out this post!

Children’s ministry has never changed at a faster pace than it is changing right now. But what hasn’t changed—and will never change—is our goal to bring God’s Word to children and families.

This guide is designed to help you use the HeartShaper curriculum you know and trust as your children’s ministry adjusts to another new normal.

We’ve provided tips and ideas to help you adapt the lessons for teaching and engaging with families—whether you’re meeting online, meeting in person, sending lessons home, or taking a hybrid approach.

Teaching—A Hybrid Approach

When we use the term “hybrid teaching,” we’re referring to combining virtual tools—tools that enable you to communicate and interact online with students and families—with physical options.

Check out this article on teaching virtually. You’ll find technical suggestions as well as tips to keep your kids engaged online!

Even when your ministry is ready to return to your church building, some of your families won’t feel comfortable coming back right away. Consider offering—or continuing to offer—an at-home Sunday school option.

Providing lessons and resources for children at home is a great way to invest in and connect with the families you serve!

We’re also creating bonus curriculum content (coming soon) that is free to David C Cook curriculum customers. It will be full of resources to help you engage the children and families you serve.

Prepare to Teach

Explore HeartShaper

HeartShaper’s teaching resources are available in print and are also included in the Digital Convenience Kit files. We encourage you to explore all the files—especially if you don’t typically order all these resources—and see what works best for your ministry.

For Each Quarter

Decide which portions of a lesson will work best for teaching in your current reality. It will vary depending on the technology you have access to, your class size, and the age group you are teaching!

Remember that activities that call for pairs or groups of kids will be more difficult to use online.

• Set a time limit for each lesson. Include time for socializing before and after the lesson.

• Organize the digital files you will be using.

• Decide how you will get activity packs to families (physical pickup/drop-off, download links, or both). Let families know how to access the lessons and the activity packs.

 Don’t forget to read the special-needs tips and helps provided in the teacher guide and Resources printable files. Plan activities that include and work for all children.

For Each Lesson

Prepare your heart with prayer and the teacher devotion in the lesson. Familiarize yourself with the lesson focus, Scripture passage, Bible Memory, and Bible background information.

• Prepare and organize your materials and digital files so you can access them easily while you teach. Consider creating a PowerPoint or Google Slides presentation for the lesson.

• Practice leading the lesson with props and visuals so you are comfortable presenting them on-screen. Ask students to gather some of the props to share at appropriate times during the lesson.

• Determine which materials you will provide to the kids for use during the lesson. Let kids and parents know ahead of time if there are additional materials they will need (Bibles, pencils, etc.).

The David C Cook Church Support Program

Imagine feeling confident that families are equipped with true discipleship materials. That’s what you’ll get with the Church Support Program. Check it out and get access to discipleship resources for leading families, children, youth, and adults—digitally or in person.

Learn More

The David C Cook Church Support Program

This program is designed to help church leaders, teachers, and volunteers continue ministry—whether virtually, in person, or a hybrid of the two.

Learn more

The David C Cook Church Support Program

This program is designed to help church leaders, teachers, and volunteers continue ministry—whether virtually, in person, or a hybrid of the two.

learn more

Teach the Lesson

Before the Lesson Starts

Begin streaming your lesson 5 to 10 minutes before the scheduled start time so kids can join in. If you know who is online, greet them by name. You can show a countdown video or use PowerPoint or Google Slides to display a welcome message.

• Show a list of items that kids will need for the lesson. Remember that less might be more during this time!

• Choose a fun icebreaker video to share on-screen and capture kids’ attention. We’ve provided dozens of icebreaker videos in our bonus curriculum content (coming soon)!

During the Lesson

Introduce kids to the lesson theme and focus. You might want to keep this part of your virtual lesson shorter so there’s plenty of time for the Bible lesson and application.

• Do one of the suggested activities, adapting it as needed to engage kids online.

• Encourage parents and siblings to participate or give help as needed. Families together at home can act as the “small groups” suggested in some activities in the teacher guide. Show crafts, activity pages, posters, and lesson images as you go. If an activity refers to a poster or printable file, be ready to hold it up or share it on-screen. You can find digital copies of these pieces in the Resources printable files. You can also share audio tracks this way!

• If you are teaching toddlers, unit mobiles can get the children jumping. Peekaboo Picture Boards will engage toddlers through an activity similar to peekaboo games they play at home. Specific lessons will include other activities that can translate well from the screen to the home.

• Ask questions and suggest fun ways for kids to answer (stand/sit, thumbs-up/thumbs-down, move to the left/right).

• Ask kids find the Bible story/lesson passage in their Bibles when age appropriate. If you are hosting a live session, share the Scripture pages on-screen and invite kids to volunteer to read verses aloud when appropriate.

• Make prayer an important part of your time together—not just a quick add-on. Encourage kids to share prayer needs. (They don’t have to give names.) Your teacher guide includes great prayer activities you can use.

Closing the Session

Remind kids and their parents of any resources you have provided to help them continue the Bible learning at home (activities pages or leaflets, take-home student magazines, project materials). And reiterate when you will contact or see them again.

For some more great activity ideas, check out this post on MinistrySpark.com: “13 Creative Bible Verse Memory Games and Activities for Kids.”

Help Families Prepare for Virtual Ministry

If you’re teaching virtually using Zoom, Facebook Live, prerecorded videos, etc., be sure to let parents know what to expect and what you need from them.

• Where and when can they access the lessons?
• Do they need to be with their children during the lesson?
• How can they keep their child engaged spiritually even if they miss a week?

Create Activity Packs

Activity packs are bundles of resources for students and families that encourage them to interact with the lesson. You could send these packs home or provide them to kids attending a family worship service.

Here are some resources you might include in the packs:

• A personal note to the student
• Ministry announcements
• Student activity pages or leaflets
• Scripture pages and Optional Bible Skill Builders (in the Resources printable files)
• Student take-home
• Music or audio tracks
• Activities that correlate to the lesson—coloring pages, crafts, puzzles, etc.—like those in our Big Books series (available in print or digital versions)

Decide when and how you will provide the activity packs to families.

• Once per quarter? Once a month? Every week?
• Will they be physical or a digital download?
• Will families need to pick them up from the church?
• Can volunteers deliver them in person?
• Are you able to mail them to families?

These answers will be specific to the needs of your ministry and are likely to change as the needs of your ministry change.

Creating a Plan for Your Ministry Post-COVID-19

This guide can be used as a post-COVID-19 re-entry planning tool for your entire church or for a ministry within your church body.

Download your guide

Creating a Plan for Your Ministry Post-COVID-19

This guide can be used as a post-COVID-19 re-entry planning tool for your entire church or for a ministry within your church body.

Download your guide

Creating a Plan for Your Ministry Post-COVID-19

This guide can be used as a post-COVID-19 re-entry planning tool for your entire church or for a ministry within your church body.

Download your guide

Focus In

Use one or more of these activities to help students explore how they recognize people.

Welcome

Welcome each student warmly by name.

Who Is It?

Materials

SAY: Let’s see how well you recognize your classmates by hearing only their voices. Have a volunteer stand by you, turning his back to the rest of the kids.

If desired, put a blindfold on the volunteer. One at a time, have several of the kids say in their regular voices, “Hello. Do you know who I am?” Have the volunteer guess who it is.

Give every student an opportunity to guess who several people are by listening to their voices.

ASK: How else do you recognize people? (seeing them, seeing their uniforms, hearing something about them)

How would you recognize someone you had never met or never heard? Accept responses.

SAY: In today’s lesson, two people recognize someone they had never met or heard, but they knew about Him. Let’s dig into God’s Word to find out about it.

Optional: Silhouettes

Materials

Have kids get into groups of three. Give each group three sheets of paper, a pencil, and a flashlight. Tell students that they’re going to draw silhouettes of each other. Use one group to demonstrate this.

Have one kid sit on a chair against a wall. Another kid should attach a sheet of paper on the wall behind the seated kid’s head. The last kid should stand a few feet from the seated volunteer and shine a flashlight on her head.

The kid who attached the paper to the wall will draw on the paper the outline of the seated kid’s head. Each student needs to have a silhouette drawn. Ask kids to write their names on the backs of their papers; then collect them.

After all groups are done, gather kids back together. SAY: Let’s see how well you recognize your classmates by seeing their silhouettes. One at a time, hold up a silhouette. Ask the student closest to you to guess who it is.

If that student guesses incorrectly, ask the next student to identify the person. Keep going until someone guesses correctly. Then hold up the next silhouette and do the same, letting all students have a turn guessing.

ASK: How do you usually recognize people? (hearing them, seeing them, seeing their uniforms, hearing something about them) How would you recognize someone you had never met or never heard? Accept responses.

SAY: In today’s lesson, two people recognize someone they had never
met or heard, but they knew about Him. Let’s dig into God’s Word to
find out about it.

Explore His Word

Use these activities to help students describe what happened when Simeon and Anna met Jesus, the promised Messiah.

Bible Exploration

Materials

Luke 2:21-40

Ask students to turn in their Bibles to Luke 2:21-24. Have volunteers read those verses aloud.

SAY: Eight days after Jesus was born, Mary and Joseph took Jesus and traveled to Jerusalem to do what the law of Moses required. Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus were in the temple courts when some pretty amazing events happened. Let’s find out!

Divide the class into groups of four; if possible, have both boys and girls in each group. Tell each group to choose who will portray each person in the Bible story: Mary, Joseph, Simeon, and Anna. Give each group a baby doll.

Listen closely as I read. When I say “Group pose!,” your group is to quickly stage a group pose that shows what was happening right then to Mary, Joseph, Simeon, Anna, and baby Jesus. Hold the pose until I say “Unpose.”

Before reading Luke 2:25-28 aloud, tell students that Messiah means “the expected king and deliverer of the Jews,” “the deliverer,” or “the one who saves.” Then read and encourage each group to quickly get into a group pose.

Help them as needed to know how to pose. Simeon should be holding the baby doll, and Mary and Joseph should be looking on, wondering what’s going on. Anna is not in this scene.

After you’ve looked at all the group poses, say “Unpose.” Read verses 28-32; then say “Group pose!” Groups should get into a pose and hold it until you say “Unpose.”

Read the following verses, stopping after each one for groups to pose, then unpose: verse 33; verses 34 and 35; verses 36-38; verse 39; and verse 40.

When finished, thank everyone for their participation and ask kids to sit down.

ASK: What did Joseph and Mary do after Simeon said that Jesus was the promised Messiah? (marveled)

What do Simeon’s and Anna’s stories help us know about Jesus? (He’s God’s Son. He’s the promised Messiah. He’s the one who brings salvation and redemption [makes us acceptable to God].)

SAY: Simeon and Anna were among the first to know that Jesus is the promised Messiah. But they weren’t the last! Praise God that we can also know Jesus as our Messiah and Savior!

Bible Memory

Luke 2:10, 11

Materials

Have kids turn in their Bibles to Luke 2:10, 11, and have volunteers read the verses aloud.

Then distribute a self-stick note to each student.

SAY: We don’t have to be afraid when we know the good news that Jesus came to earth for us. Write on your self-stick notes how you feel, knowing that Jesus can be your Messiah, Lord, and Savior.

Read the words kids wrote on their notes. Then lead everyone in saying the memory verses again.

Make It Real

Use one of these activities to help students understand their need to accept Jesus as their Messiah.

Our Need

Materials

Have kids stand up. Tell them to stand on one leg and see who can stand that way the longest. If this is taking too long, tell kids to also tap their heads while rubbing their tummies.

Kids are out when their other leg touches the ground or anything else. After all the kids are out, SAY: I think it would be impossible to stand on one leg forever! Ask all kids to turn in their Bibles to Romans 3:10, 23, and have volunteers read those verses aloud.

SAY: Since sin separates us from God, we need help! Have a volunteer read Romans 6:23 aloud. Do the same with Acts 2:38 and Acts 13:38.

Let’s be as wise as Simeon and Anna and recognize that Jesus is the promised Messiah. But let’s do more than recognize Him. Let’s accept Him as our Messiah and Savior and live for Him every day!

Optional: Jesus Takes Our Sins

Materials

Before class, draw a large cross on roll paper. Display it on a wall.

Give kids several slips of paper. Tell students to write a different sin on each of their papers (front and back) and then scatter the papers in an open area on the floor.

When kids are done, ask for a volunteer who would be willing to get taped up and roll on the floor. Wrap the volunteer with masking tape, sticky side out, from his waist up to his shoulders (don’t tape his arms down).

Read some of the sins listed on the papers. Have a volunteer read Romans 3:10, 23 aloud. SAY: We all sin, even after we’ve become Christians. It’s impossible for us not to sin.

Ask the volunteer to roll around on the papers, picking up as many slips of paper as possible.

People who are not Christians carry their own sins, which separates them from God. But when Christians sin, Jesus takes our sins and forgives us.

Have volunteers read Romans 6:23; Acts 2:38; and Acts 13:38 as you carefully cut the tape from the volunteer and attach it onto the paper cross.

SAY: Jesus takes our sins and forgives us. Let’s be as wise as Simeon and Anna and recognize that Jesus is the promised Messiah.

But let’s do more than recognize Him. Let’s accept Him as our Messiah and Savior and live for Him every day!

Live It Out

Use one of these activities to help students talk with Jesus about His being their Messiah.

In Your Own Words

Materials

SAY: Simeon recognized Jesus as the promised Messiah and praised God. Anna recognized Jesus as the promised Messiah and thanked God.

Now it’s your turn to praise and thank God that Jesus is the promised Messiah. Give each student a half sheet of paper.

On your papers, use your own words to praise God that He sent Jesus as your Messiah, your deliverer. Thank God that Jesus is your Messiah, your Savior. Give kids time to do this.

When students are finished, encourage them to silently pray their praises and thanks to God. After a short time of silence, close in prayer.

PRAY: Heavenly Father, we praise You for sending Jesus as the promised Messiah, our deliverer. We thank You that Jesus is the promised Messiah, our Savior.

God, I’m thankful that I know You as my Messiah and Savior. I pray that all these students, if they haven’t already, will come to know You as their Messiah and Savior too. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Check out more awesome grab-and-go lessons for your children’s ministry here!

And discover how HeartShaper could help your church!

Did you enjoy this lesson? It was adapted from HeartShaper Children’s Curriculum, Middle Elementary. To learn more about this age level, check out the video below or visit HeartShaper.com.

Editor’s Note: This lesson was adapted from HeartShaper, middle elementary.

Bible Basis: Matthew 28:16-20; Acts 1:6-11

Bible Memory: Matthew 28:19, 20

Supplies:

Bible Background

The disciples were to meet Jesus in Galilee. Much of Jesus’ ministry had occurred in that region, and the mountain was probably familiar to the disciples.

Judas was not with them, since by this time he had hanged himself (Matthew 27:5). The doubts of some reflect their questions about the meaning, not the fact, of Jesus’ resurrection.

Their question in Acts 1:6 shows that their uncertainty stemmed from questions about the establishment of a political kingdom.

Jesus’ claim of authority is significant. Because of His authority, His instructions to His disciples are nonnegotiable.

The word translated “make disciples” is an imperative and is the primary focus of the command.

The words “go,” “baptizing,” and “teaching” derive their force from the command to “make disciples” and describe how the disciples are to do it.

“In the name of” means that, in baptism, new disciples identify themselves with the person, character, and purpose of God.

Disciples of Jesus make every effort possible to go and tell friends, neighbors, and strangers the good news about Jesus; to baptize; and to teach them about living for Christ.

Jesus promised His continuing presence with the disciples as they went to do what would sometimes be difficult work.

In Acts, Jesus reveals that the Holy Spirit would be the agent for His continued presence, empowering them to go and make disciples in Jerusalem and throughout the entire world.

After giving His final instructions, Jesus was taken up into Heaven. As a cloud obscured Him from view, the men continued to stare up into the sky. The appearance of the “two men” leaves no doubt that they were angels.

Their question to the disciples is meant as a reminder that Jesus had given them, and us, work to do.

Opening Activities

Use one or more of these activities to help students explore what a disciple of Jesus does.

Activity 1: What Do Disciples Do?

Supplies:

Raise your hand if you know something that a disciple of Jesus does. Let those with their hands up share their ideas.

Distribute the What Do Disciples Do? activity sheet.

Ask volunteers to read the stories.

ASK:

• What does Anthony do that shows he’s a disciple of Jesus? (practices to do his best, prays, invites friends to church services, gives of his time to help a boy read better, gave a Bible to the kid)
• What does Isabella do that shows she’s a disciple of Jesus? (uses her time and musical ability to bring joy to others, prays, spends time talking with the woman)
• What else do disciples of Jesus do? Accept responses.

Sometimes we think disciples of Jesus have to go to different countries to tell about Jesus or they have to risk their lives doing something great for Jesus. But disciples of Jesus are people who believe that He’s God’s Son, obey His commands, and follow Him.

Read 1 John 5:1-3.

Let’s dig into God’s Word to see what it says about disciples

Activity 2: A Disciple or Not?

Supplies:

Have kids pair up, and have candy ready to hand out.

I’m going to read you some situations. If you think the kid in the situation is a disciple of Jesus, make a capital D with your fingers. Have kids try that.

If you think the person is not a disciple of Jesus, make an X with your fingers. Have kids try that.

Tell kids to work together in pairs because when the correct answer is a D and both of them make that letter, they each get a piece of candy.

Situations:

1. Landon made friends with the new kid in class and invited him to church services. Pause for kids to make a D; give them candy.
2. Gabriella gossiped about her best friend. Pause for kids to make an X.
3. Isaac told a lie. He then told his mom about it, asked her to forgive him, and asked God to forgive him. (D)
4. Allison chose to share some of her toys and clothes with some kids who don’t have as much. (D)
5. Luke forgot to study for the test, so he looked on a friend’s paper. (X)
6. Destiny loves to draw pictures. Every week she and her mom take her drawings to people who live in a nursing home. (D)

Disciples of Jesus are people who believe that He’s God’s Son, obey His commands, and follow Him.

Read 1 John 5:1-3.

Let’s dig into God’s Word to see what it says about disciples.

Bible Exploration

Use these activities to help students tell about Jesus’ last day on earth.

Supplies:

Bible Passage: Matthew 28:16-20; Acts 1:6-11

Tell kids that today’s Bible story takes place somewhere in Galilee.

After His resurrection, Jesus appeared to many people, including the two men on the road to Emmaus. This is where we pick up God’s story.

ASK:

• What New Testament books tell us about Jesus? (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John)

Ask students to turn in their Bibles to Matthew 28:16-20, and have volunteers read the verses aloud.

This story is about Jesus’ last day on earth. Jesus had told His 11 disciples to meet Him in Galilee. Let’s pretend that we’re part of that group of disciples and go to the mountain. We’ll imagine that we actually see Jesus. React as you think you might have if you had been one of the 11 disciples that day.

Ask kids to stand and move to another part of the room.

We’re here at the mountain Jesus asked us to come to. Look, there’s Jesus! We worship You, Jesus.

Encourage kids to worship Jesus by lifting their hands to Him, bowing, or saying something like “We praise You, Jesus!”

Read Matthew 28: 16-20 aloud.

Look at the kids and SAY: We now know for sure that Jesus is God’s Son, the Savior. He wants us to go everywhere and tell everyone that message. And it’s so great that Jesus promises to always be with us!

Pretend to look at Jesus as you SAY: “Lord, are You at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”

Read Acts 1: 6-9

Jesus wants us to go everywhere and tell about Him. Look! Look up! Jesus is leaving! A cloud is hiding Him. Pause briefly. Who’s that?

Read Acts 1: 10-11

The angels are right. We need to get busy making disciples! After Jesus went back to Heaven, the disciples did go back to Jerusalem. From there, they went into all the world, taking the good news of Jesus with them.

ASK:

• If you had been one of Jesus’ 11 disciples, how do you think you would have felt, or what would you have thought, after Jesus gave you those final instructions and then you watched Him go up into Heaven? Accept responses.

Have students return to their seats.

Pass out the Great Commission and Ascension Activity Page to each student.

Read the instructions. Assign each student or pair of students one of the sentences to rewrite to make it true.

When kids are ready, let them read their sentences and tell how to make them true.

(Answers: 1=cross out “30” and write “11”; 2=cross out “were afraid of” and write “worshipped”; 3=cross out “enemies” and write “disciples”; cross out “cookies” and write “disciples”; 4=cross out “share” and write “baptize”; 5=cross out “never” and write “always”; 6=cross out “money” and write “power”; 7=cross out “New York” and write “Jerusalem”; 8=cross out “rainbow” and write “cloud”; 9=cross out “purple” and write “white”; 10=cross out “Moses” and write “Jesus”)

We call Jesus’ last words the Great Commission. It’s a command, or instruction. This command, though, wasn’t just for those 11 disciples. Jesus commands His disciples—all His disciples—to go and make disciples. And that includes us!

Bible Memory: Matthew 28:19, 20

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Supplies:

Have kids turn in their Bibles to Matthew 28:18-20, and have a volunteer read the verses aloud.

Ask kids to stand in a circle. Hold the ball.

Let’s toss the ball from one person to the next to remind us that Jesus commands His disciples to go and make disciples, from person to person to person. When you get the ball, say the next word of the Bible Memory verse.

Tell kids that if they need help, they can look at their Bibles. After a few rounds, invite all the kids to say the Bible Memory verse together.

Application Activities

Use one of these activities to help students tell why everyone needs to be a disciple of Jesus.

Activity 1: It’s Easy to Mess Up!

Supplies:

Tongue Twisters:

• Selfish shellfish
• Six sharp smart sharks
• Friendly Fran flips fine flapjacks

Write the tongue twisters on the board. Ask each kid to choose a tongue twister and say it out loud five times, all at the same time.

How did you do? Did your tongue get caught and twisted in the words?

Then let kids choose another one and try it again.

It’s pretty easy to mess up tongue twisters!

ASK:

• How do you think tongue twisters might be like sins? (It’s easy to mess up tongue twisters, and it’s easy to mess up and sin. Tongue twisters can trip us up, and so do sins.)
• Who sins? Accept responses.

Then have kids turn in their Bibles to Romans 3:23, and have a volunteer read it aloud.

Have students turn to Acts 2:38 and Romans 6:23, and have volunteers read those verses aloud.

When you accept Christ as your Savior and become one of His disciples, your sins are forgiven and you receive the Holy Spirit. Without forgiveness of sins, a person would receive death. But when you’re a disciple, you’ll have eternal life in Heaven. That’s why Jesus commands His disciples to go and make disciples.

ASK:

• Why does everyone need to be a disciple of Jesus? (People who are not disciples of Jesus are not guaranteed of going to Heaven. The Bible says that only those people whose sins are forgiven will have eternal life in Heaven.)

Activity 2: When You’re a Disciple

Before class, purchase 2 helium-filled balloons with ribbons. Fill two regular balloons with air and tie a length of ribbon to each balloon. Hold the balloons so kids can’t tell that some are filled with air and some are filled with helium.

Consider the kids in your class when talking about being in Heaven for eternity. Some kids with separation anxiety may be frightened by this concept. Rephrasing and simply saying that we will always be with Jesus may be more reassuring to them.

ASK:

• Why does everyone need to be a disciple of Jesus? Accept responses.

When Jesus told His disciples to go and make disciples of all nations, it wasn’t a suggestion; it was a command.

Have students turn in their Bibles to Acts 2:38 and Romans 6:23, and have volunteers read those verses aloud.

When you accept Christ as your Savior and become one of His disciples, your sins are forgiven and you receive the Holy Spirit. Without forgiveness of sins, a person would receive death.

Release the balloons filled with air.

But when you’re a disciple, you’ll have eternal life in Heaven.

Release the balloons filled with helium.

That’s why Jesus commands His disciples to go and make disciples. He wants everyone to spend eternity with Him in Heaven!

Closing Activities

Use one of these activities to help students plan to go and make disciples.

Activity 1: Making Plans

Supplies:

Pass out Make Disciples for Jesus activity sheet. Ask kids to look at the ways listed of making disciples.

Think about a few people who don’t know God or know much about God, people whom you could serve. Write their names on the lines by the word “serve.” Maybe those people will become disciples of Jesus because of how you served them. That would be so exciting!

Tell kids to do the same for the others. As they work, discuss these questions:

• How could praying help others become disciples of Jesus?
• Who could you teach about Jesus? Help students think into the future a little too.
• How could showing kindness or offering friendship help others become disciples of Jesus?

When kids are finished, encourage them to follow through on their plans.

Then pray:

Dear God, we are so glad to know You. Thank You for what Jesus did for us so that our sins could be forgiven and that one day we can live with You in Heaven. God, we want all our friends and family members to be in Heaven too. Help us to do all we can to help others become disciples of yours. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Activity 2: I Can

Supplies:

Before class, prepare a long length of roll paper. Title it, “I Can.” Put the following words and phrases in different places on the paper: pray, invite friends to church services, give of my time to help others, share, use my abilities for Jesus, offer friendship, give money, show kindness, teach about Jesus, serve God and others, and tell about Jesus.

Provide large self-adhesive notes for students to affix to the mural. Using the notes will allow for mistakes and do-overs and can lessen frustration for students who struggle with writing and drawing.

Since Jesus commands His disciples to go and make disciples, let’s plan some ways to do that.

Show students the prepared roll paper. Put it where all the kids can work on it.

Listed on this paper are some ways that we can make disciples for Jesus. Most of these are things we can do at school, home, church, and in our neighborhoods and communities. Look at the list and decide which ones you could do in the next several weeks. When you’ve decided on some, put your name beside those things.

Give kids time to think and work. Encourage them to think about whom they could serve, pray for, show kindness to, and so forth.

When they are done, display the paper on a wall, and have students gather around it. Invite kids to silently pray and ask for God’s help in doing the things they put their names beside.

After a brief time of silence, close in prayer.

Did you enjoy this lesson? It was adapted from HeartShaper Children’s Curriculum, Middle Elementary. To learn more about this age level, check out the video below or visit HeartShaper.com.

Looking for more lessons? Try these!

Parable of the Lost Sheep

Parable of the Sower

The Fruit of the Spirit

Bible Basis: Luke 8:4-8, 11-15

Bible Memory: Hebrews 11:1, 6

Materials:

Parable of the Sower: Bible Background

Jesus told this parable as a large crowd was gathering (Luke 8:4). Jesus knew, however, that popularity could be fickle.

The parable He was about to give would illustrate that very point! Jesus’ disciples needed to understand that not everyone would be open to the gospel message.

The seed represents God’s Word. The seed lands on four different types of soil: hard, shallow, weedy, and good.

There is nothing wrong with the farmer or with his seed. Everything is dependent on the soil. Some seed “fell along the path” (v. 5). Hard-packed dirt walking paths divided fields.

This represents hard hearts that hear but refuse to believe.

“Some fell on rocky ground” (v. 6). Sheets of solid rock covered by thin layers of dirt caused seeds to sprout quickly, only to wither and die from the roots’ inability to reach water.

Those represented by this kind of soil “believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away” (v. 13). Perhaps they believed all their problems would disappear when they accepted Christ.

“Other seed fell among thorns” (v. 7). Peer pressure, being with the wrong crowd, and not maturing spiritually can all become weeds that choke the life out of faith.

Those surrounded by thorns need to be transplanted to better surroundings whenever possible.

Despite the discouragement of many seeds falling on unproductive soil, some seed fell on good soil, producing a crop “a hundred times more than was sown” (v. 8). These are people who hear Jesus’ message, take it to heart, and live by it.

The Parable of the Sower Opening Activities

Use one or more of these activities to help students explore how things and people can grow.

Activity 1: How They Grow!

Materials:

ASK:

• How many inches taller are you now than you were a year ago? Let kids respond.
• How many inches taller are you now than when you were 2 years old?
• In what ways have you grown, other than getting taller? (gained weight, know lots more, care more about others)

Distribute the leaflets and pencils. Read the instructions aloud and do the How They Grow! activity together. (Answers: 1=c; 2=a; 3=d; 4=f; 5=b; 6=e)

SAY: It’s fun to see how things and people look as babies, compared to
how they look as adults.

ASK:

• What do dogs need in order to grow? (fresh water, balanced diet, exercise)
• What do trees need in order to grow? (soil, water, sunlight)
• What do people need in order to grow? (clean water, balanced diet, sunlight, care, love)

SAY: Let’s keep thinking about growing as we discover what the Bible says about it.

Activity 2: Guess It Fast!

Materials:

Before class, make a copy of the Guess It Fast! reproducible page and cut apart the cards.

Divide the class into two teams. Tell kids they’re going to play a game called Guess It Fast!

SAY: One at a time, you will come to the board and choose a card. You will say to your team only the word that’s at the top of the card—dog, person, or tree. Then you’ll draw on the board the item that’s written on the card. Your team will try to guess what you’re drawing. You have a total of 30 seconds to draw the item and for your team to guess what it is.

Tell students that the items on the cards are things that a dog, a person, or a tree need in order to grow. When the game is over, lead a discussion about growing.

ASK:

• How many inches taller are you now than you were a year ago? Let kids respond.
• How many inches taller are you now than when you were 2 years old?
• In what ways have you grown, other than getting taller? (gained weight, know lots more, care more about others)

Option: Some kids may not know how much they have grown in the age groups listed; this might be a hard concept for them. Provide pictures of babies and toddlers to help make this activity more concrete.

SAY: Let’s keep thinking about growing as we discover what the Bible says about it.

The Parable of the Sower Bible Exploration

Use these activities to help students explain Jesus’ parable of the sower.

Bible Passage: Luke 8:4-8, 11-15

Ask kids to turn in their Bibles to Luke 8:4. Have a volunteer read the verse aloud.

SAY: Jesus is ready to tell another parable.

ASK:

• What is a parable? (a story that has deeper meaning, a story that helps people think about things in a new or different way)

Read Luke 8: 4-8 aloud.

SAY: Back in Jesus’ time, farmers would toss or scatter seeds to plant them. Of course, that meant that the seeds could go just about anywhere. In Jesus’ parable, some seeds fell along a hard path. Those seeds were eaten by birds. Other seed fell on rocky ground. Those seeds grew into plants, but the plants soon withered because they didn’t have enough water. Other seeds fell where there were thorns. Those seeds grew into plants, but the thorns choked them. The last group of seeds fell on good soil. You know what happened; the plants grew and grew! That happened because of the good soil. And that was the end of the parable. Remember, a parable is a story that has a deeper meaning.

ASK:

• Do you think the people understood the deeper meaning of Jesus’ parable? (no)
• Do you think the disciples understood the deeper meaning? (no)

SAY: The disciples asked Jesus to tell them what His parable meant. Here’s what He said.

Read Luke 8: 11-15 aloud.

SAY: Just because someone hears the Word of God, it doesn’t mean he is going to stick with it, does it?

Divide the class into four groups. Assign each group one of the four kinds of soil. Each group is to plan how to act as people who are like their kind of soil. If you have a small class, let individuals or pairs of kids represent the soils.

When groups are ready, let them do their acting.

SAY: I hope that you choose to be like the good soil, hearing and taking Jesus’ message to heart and living by it. Jesus doesn’t want us to just come to church services or just listen to God’s Word. Jesus wants us to stick to God’s Word and grow. Let’s discover how we can do that.

Bible Memory: Hebrews 11:1, 6

Materials:

“1 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”

“6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

Hebrews 11: 1,6

Have kids turn in their Bibles to Hebrews 11:1, 6, and have volunteers read the verses aloud.

ASK:

• How do we learn about faith in Jesus? (from the Bible, from other Christians)

SAY: The Bible tells about people who had a lot of faith, such as Joseph and Mary, Jesus’ parents, and Jesus’ disciples who left everything to follow Him. Jesus wants us to stick to God’s Word and grow too. And a big way that Jesus wants us to grow is in our faith. He wants us to have an amazing faith, a faith that shares God’s Word with others.

Give each student a self-stick note.

SAY: Write on your notes someone you know who sticks to God’s Word and is growing in his or her faith. This might be a parent, other relative, friend, teacher, or someone else you know.

Ask kids to put their notes on a wall or bulletin board (they don’t need to include their own names). When kids have done this, read what they’ve written.

SAY: When you know people who stick to God’s Word and are growing, those are great people to listen to and learn from to help your faith grow.

Have all the kids read or say the Bible Memory verses together.

The Parable of the Sower Application Activities

Use these activities to help students discover why and how to stick to God’s Word and grow.

What Good Is It?

Materials:

Tie a piece of ribbon around a pretzel. Ask a volunteer to sit by you in a chair. Tell the volunteer that they can have the pretzel if they can get it. But they are not allowed to get up from the chair or use their hands. Dangle the pretzel in front of them, but at a distance that they cannot reach.

ASK:

• What good is food if you can’t eat it? (none)
• What good is God’s Word if all you ever do is hear it? (none)

Give kids some pretzels to snack on. Have a volunteer read Matthew 4:4 aloud. Then have another volunteer read 2 Timothy 3:16, 17 aloud.

ASK:

• Why should we stick to God’s Word? (We need it in order to live. It’s useful for teaching, training us to live for God, and helping us do good things.)

Have a volunteer read Psalm 119:11 aloud. Then have another volunteer read 1 Timothy 4:13.

ASK:

• How can we stick to God’s Word and grow? (memorize Scriptures, listen to Scriptures, listen to teachers of God’s Word, study it, think about it)

SAY: Jesus wants us to stick to God’s Word and grow. I challenge you to be like the good soil in Jesus’ parable. Always be ready to hear, read, study, think about, and memorize Scripture.

Teaching Tip:

Be sure to tell the kids that this is a game to help them understand the lesson. This may allay frustration and help them to connect to the meaning.

Remember to check for food allergies. Try to purchase gluten free pretzels.

The Parable of the Sower Closing Activities

Use one of these activities to help students choose to stick to God’s Word and grow.

Activity 1: Choose a Challenge

Materials:

SAY: The parable Jesus told was a good story, but it wasn’t just a good story. Jesus’ parables always had deeper meanings. From this parable about the sower, we learn that Jesus wants us to stick to God’s Word and grow. Will you choose to do that?

Pass out the Choose a Challenge activity page and pencils to each kid.

SAY: Decide how you will put Jesus’ teachings into practice, how you will stick to God’s Word and grow. Choose at least one of these things to put into practice. Write on the lines what you will do.

If any volunteers want to tell what they’re choosing to do, let them share that with everyone.

Have kids gather for prayer. Ask kids if they’ve ever kneeled when they have prayed. Kneel, and ask the kids to also kneel.

SAY: Being close to the ground reminds me of today’s parable. Let’s pray and ask God to help us always be good soil, sticking to God’s Word and growing.

After a short time of silence, close in prayer.

Activity 2: Good Soil Cups

Materials:

Provide assistance to kids who may struggle with fine-motor activities, or prep some of the materials ahead of time.

SAY: The parable Jesus told was a good story, but it wasn’t just a good story. Jesus’ parables always had deeper meanings. From this parable we learn that Jesus wants us to stick to God’s Word and grow. Will you choose to do that?

Cover tables with newspapers. Give each student a foam cup.

SAY: On your cups, write at least one way that you will choose to stick to God’s Word and grow. You might also want to draw some pictures or write out some Scriptures.

When kids are done with their cups, let them put some good soil in their cups and then plant a few seeds.

SAY: Your cups are full of good soil, so those seeds will grow if you give them enough water and sunlight. I challenge you to be like the good soil in Jesus’ parable. Always be ready to hear, read, study, think about, and memorize Scripture.

Close with a time of prayer. Encourage volunteers to pray aloud, asking for God’s help to stick to His Word and grow.

Did you enjoy this lesson? It was adapted from HeartShaper Children’s Curriculum, Middle Elementary. To learn more about this age level, check out the video below or visit HeartShaper.com.

Need more parable lessons? We’ve got you covered!

• Parable of the Prodigal Son
• Parable of the Sheep and the Goats
• Parable of the Talents
• Parable of the Good Samaritan

Editor’s Note: This lesson was adapted from HeartShaper, Preschool.

Scripture: Matthew 5:1, 2, 43, 44; 6:3, 4, 6, 26, 28, 33; 7:12

Focus: We can please God.

Materials:

• Pretend library cards; Children’s books; A rubber date stamp (or any fun stamp) and ink pad
• Materials that teach the alphabet, counting, and other skills; Writing paper; Pencils; Small chalkboards and chalk (or whiteboards and dry-erase markers)
• Puzzle pieces from Build a Mountain Resource Sheet; Reusable adhesive or tape
• Activity cards from Build a Mountain Resource Sheet; 3 jumbo craft sticks; Glue; Building blocks
• Medium-size ball

Sermon on the Mount for Preschoolers: Bible Background

Scriptures say that Jesus sat on a mountain to teach. Jesus would have sat down because Jewish rabbis usually sat to teach. Jesus was now in His home territory of Galilee.

His center of activity was in the village of Capernaum on the northwest coast of the Sea of Galilee.

Jesus helped His followers see that true believers have a personal relationship with God and they care about helping others to know God.

Opening Activities

Use one or both of the activities below to help teach the Sermon on the Mount for preschoolers.

Activity #1: A Visit to the Library

Materials:

• Pretend library cards
• Children’s books
• A rubber date stamp (or any fun stamp) and ink pad

Before class, create a pretend library card that can be as simple as a piece of paper with each child’s name on it.

SAY: Today we will learn about a time when Jesus taught a crowd of
people while sitting on a mountain.

One place where we learn is called a library. Libraries are full of books. Let’s pretend we are in a library.

Allow children to choose a few books. Explain the purpose of a library card; then stamp the back of each child’s library card with today’s date or the stamp you have chosen to use.

As children look at their books, talk about what the books are about. When finished, have children return their books and cards to you.

ASK:

• Have you ever been to a library?
• What was it like?
• Tell me about your book.

SAY: In our story today, a crowd of people learned how to please God. To please God means we do things that make Him happy. We can please God too.

Activity #2: School Days

Materials:

• Materials that teach the alphabet, counting, and other skills
• Writing paper
• Pencils
• Small chalkboards and chalk (or whiteboards and dry-erase markers)

SAY: Can you sing your ABCs? Sing the alphabet song with the children. Good job! Now let’s count to 10. Count with the children.

Today we will learn about a time when Jesus taught a crowd of people while sitting on a mountain. One place where we can go to learn is to school. Let’s pretend we are at school right now.

As children play with the materials, talk about the things children learn
and do at school.

ASK:

• What letter is that? Shape?
• How high can you count?

SAY: In our story today, a crowd of people learned how to please God. To please God means we do things that make Him happy. We can please God too.

Teach the Sermon on the Mount for Preschoolers

Teach the Sermon on the Mount for Preschoolers with these ideas.

PRAY: Dear God, help us learn how to please You. We want to obey You because we love You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

ASK: What are some things you do to make your family happy? Allow responses. The people in today’s story learned how to please God. We can read what they learned in the Bible book of Matthew.

Show where Matthew is in the Bible. We can please God too. To please God means we do things that make Him happy. Let’s find out how the people learned to please God.

Bible Time

Materials:

• Puzzle pieces from Build a Mountain Resource Sheet
• Reusable adhesive or tape

As You Teach: Attach puzzle pieces to a wall to form the shape of a mountain.

SAY:

A crowd of people had come to see Jesus. Jesus climbed a mountain and sat down. He wanted to teach the people how they could live to please God. Jesus said, “Love your neighbors and pray for people who don’t like you.”

Attach 5a. When we love others, we please God.

Jesus said, “Help others, and don’t brag about what you are doing or how much you are helping.”

Attach 5b. Helping others pleases God, and God helps us too.

Jesus said, “When you pray, don’t show off. Go where you can talk to God by yourself.”

Attach 5c. We can pray to God anywhere. We can tell God anything we are thinking. God hears us. Our prayers please God.

Jesus said, “God gives the birds and flowers everything they need. God cares for you too.”

Attach 5d. When we trust God to give us what we need, we please God.

Then Jesus said, “Treat other people the way you want them to treat you.”

Attach 5e. God wants us to love and treat everyone right.

When we do what Jesus taught, we please God.

Bible Review

Distribute the puzzle pieces to five children (or pairs of children). Ask review questions. Have the children hold up their pieces to answer the questions.

ASK:

• What did Jesus say we should do for people who don’t like us? (pray for and love them—5a)
• When we help someone, who should we brag to? (no one—5b)
• When you want to talk to God, what can you tell Him? (anything you are thinking about—5c)
• God takes care of us and gives us what we need. What else did Jesus say God cares for? (birds and flowers—5d)
• How should we treat others? (like we want to be treated—5e)

Bible Memory: John 14:23

Open the Bible and show children where the Bible Memory is found. Read the verse, having children repeat it after you.

SAY: We can please God by remembering His words from the Bible.

Closing Activities

Use one or both of these activities to help children name ways they can please God.

Activity #1: Build a Mountain

Materials:

• Activity cards from Build a Mountain Resource Sheet
• 3 jumbo craft sticks
• Glue
• Building blocks

Before class, attach the cards to craft sticks: 5f, 5h, 5j on different craft sticks and 5g, 5i, 5k on the opposite side of the craft stick.

Show 5f, 5h, and 5j. Ask how those children could please God.

Then show 5g, 5i, and 5k. Talk about how those children are pleasing God (sharing, praying for people who don’t like them, helping).

SAY: Today we are learning about a time when Jesus taught a crowd of people how they could please God. To please God means we do things that make Him happy.

We can please God too. Let’s build a mountain like the one Jesus sat on. Each time we think of a way we can please God, we’ll add a block to our mountain.

As children build the mountain, help them think of ways they can please God. Then count the blocks to find out how many ways they named.

Activity #2: Bible Memory Roll

Materials: medium-size ball

Have children sit in a circle.

SAY: Today we are learning about a time when Jesus taught a crowd of people how they could please God.

To please God means we do things that make Him happy. Let’s think of ways we can please God, while we learn our Bible Memory.

Roll the ball to a child. Have the child name a way he can please God, and then have the class say the verse (John 14:23) together. Have the child roll the ball to another child. Play continues as time permits.

Closing

As parents arrive, make sure each child has their belongings. Encourage parents to play the Bible Memory Roll game with their students throughout the week so they can remember the memory verse.

Need more lesson ideas? Try these:

• The Lord’s Prayer for Kids
• Parable of the Prodigal Son
• Parable of the Good Samaritan
• The Fruit of the Spirit for Kids

Editor’s Note: This lesson was adapted from HeartShaper Children’s Curriculum, Middle Elementary.

Scripture

Bible Memory

Focus

Materials

Teacher Prep

Devotion

“Each tree is recognized by its own fruit” (Luke 6:44).

Fortunately, we don’t have to guess what the fruit of a Christian’s life is to be, since Galatians 5:22-25 tells us. When God and others look at our trees—our lives—they should see nothing but “love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”

Model for your students what it looks like to live by the Spirit, showing and sharing with them the fruit of your life.

Bible Background

Much of Paul’s discussion in the book of Galatians focuses on opposites. He looks at the differences between the gospel of Christ and false gospels, faith and observance of the law, promise and law, freedom and slavery. One pair of opposites that he looks at in detail is living by the flesh (following human desires) and living in the Spirit (following God’s desires). The decision of which way to live makes an impact on all aspects of life. Paul is clear about the results of each way. People who choose to follow the flesh can expect their lives to hold the things that way of life produces. Ultimately, that choice means eternal separation from God.

On the other hand, the choice to follow the Spirit produces very different results for this life and for eternity. The fruit of the Spirit includes different attitudes and actions that become more and more evident in our lives as we follow God’s way. They grow in our lives just as fruit grows on a tree that is properly cared for.

These characteristics of Christians are quite varied. They include such all-encompassing ideas as love, joy, and peace. They deal with our behavior toward others: forbearance, kindness, and gentleness (power under control). And they describe our inner values of goodness, faithfulness, and self-control.

These characteristics identify us with Christ. Paul uses an interesting image when he stresses our need to live by the Spirit. Anyone who has watched a marching band knows how obvious it is if one person is out of step with the others. In the same way, if we are not living the way that the Spirit directs us, that fact will be immediately noticed, and the results can be disastrous.

Opening Activities

Use one or both of these activities when you teach the Fruit of the Spirit for kids. They’ll help students discover who the Holy Spirit is.

Option 1: The Right Guide

Materials: Bibles (optional: blindfolds)

Have students get in pairs. One partner should close his eyes while the other partner snaps his fingers in various locations around his partner. The student with his eyes closed should turn in the direction where he believes the sound is coming from. After a minute, have partners switch roles. Ask kids to tell what they discovered in this experiment.

Be aware that blindfolding and eye-closing can be scary for some kids and can be an opportunity for subtle bullying to occur. Consider having just one or two kids model this rather than having everyone try.

SAY: I know someone who is the right guide. He helps us to turn and keep going in the right direction. I’m talking about the Holy Spirit.

Ask students to turn in their Bibles to Acts 2:38, 39. Have volunteers read those verses aloud. Then have kids turn to John 14:15-18, and have volunteers read those verses aloud.

ASK:

• Who is promised the gift of the Holy Spirit? (those who repent of their sins and are baptized)
• What do these verses say about the Holy Spirit? (God sends the Holy Spirit. He’s the Spirit of truth. He’s a counselor. He will be with us forever. We can’t see Him. He lives with us and in us.)

SAY: When we live by the Spirit, we live a certain way. Let’s find out about that.

Option 2: The Best Guide

Materials: paper, crayons, blindfolds, Bibles

Have students pair up. Ask one student in each pair to sit down and put on a blindfold. Put paper and some crayons by each of the seated kids. The other kids should stand behind their partners; those students are the
guides. Guides will tell their partners to draw a simple object, such as a house, tree, or boat. The guides can offer advice about how to draw the objects and suggest what crayons to use. After a few minutes, let kids switch roles.

SAY: Some of you guides were helpful, while others weren’t. But I know someone who is the best guide of all—the Holy Spirit.

Ask students to turn in their Bibles to Acts 2:38, 39. Have volunteers read those verses aloud. Then have kids turn to John 14:15-18, and have volunteers read those verses aloud.

ASK:

• Who is promised the gift of the Holy Spirit? (those who repent of their sins and are baptized)
• What do these verses say about the Holy Spirit? (God sends the Holy Spirit. He’s the Spirit of truth. He’s a counselor. He will be with us forever. We can’t see Him. He lives with us and in us.)

SAY: When we live by the Spirit, we live a certain way. Let’s find out about that.

Bible Exploration

Ask students to turn in their Bibles to Galatians 1:1, 2. Have volunteers read those verses aloud.

SAY: Listen as I read some of the things Paul wrote to the churches in Galatia. Paul told them how they can live by the Spirit, the Holy Spirit. He contrasts living by the Spirit to living by the flesh, not doing right things and not living for God. (Read Galatians 5:16–26.)

SAY: Let’s say that a guy named Alex becomes a Christian and receives
the gift of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes he tries to live by the Spirit, but
he flips back and forth. Alex has to choose which life he wants to live—live for God or not; live by the Spirit or live by the flesh. The choice is his.

Ask kids to look at verses 19-21 while you read those verses again.

SAY: Did you catch what living by the flesh can look like? Hating others, being jealous and envious, being angry, and having selfish ambition—those are some of the things people might do when they live by the flesh.

Ask kids to look at verses 22 and 23 while you read those verses again.

ASK:

• What does it look like when you live by the Spirit?

Distribute the Fruit of the Spirit activity sheet and pencils. SAY: Let’s see if we can figure out what each fruit of the Spirit is. Work on the page together as a class. Ask volunteers to take turns matching a fruit of the Spirit with its definition. (Answers: 1=f; 2=d; 3=a; 4=h; 5=b; 6=i; 7=c; 8=e; 9=g)

• Which fruits of the Spirit do you think you’re doing pretty well with?
• Which fruits of the Spirit do you need to work on?

SAY: When we live by the Spirit and others look at our lives, they’ll
see nothing but love, joy, peace, forbearance (that’s patience!), kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Now that’s great
living!

Have kids turn in their Bibles to Galatians 5:22-25, and have volunteers read the verses aloud.

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”

Galatians 5:22-25

SAY: When we belong to Jesus, the Holy Spirit helps us give up living by the flesh. Now let’s help each other keep in step with the Spirit by memorizing these verses.

Memory Activity: The Fruit of the Spirit for Kids

Materials: Bibles, reusable adhesive, masking tape

Place two long strips of masking tape parallel to each other on the floor, going from wall to wall if possible. Space strips far enough apart so a student can walk on each tape line.

Have kids pair up, and make sure each student has a Bible. Ask a pair to stand, one on each tape line.

SAY: As you step on the tape lines, alternate reading the memory verses out loud to each other. Try to time it so you’ll be done reading the verses by the time you reach the end of the tape lines.

SAY: These verses are really great ones to memorize because they tell us how to live by the Spirit!

Closing Activities

Use these activities when you teach the Fruit of the Spirit for kids to help students understand why it’s important to live by the Spirit and plan to do so.

Option 1: Fruit Groups

Materials: self-stick notes, pencils

Give each kid a self-stick note. SAY: On your notes, write one of these fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, or peace. Stick it on your forehead. Then get up and find the others who chose the same fruit.

Allow kids with sensory sensitivities to hold the self-stick notes rather than putting them on their foreheads.

When kids are in groups, ask each group to come up with one reason why it’s important to have that particular fruit in their lives. After a short time, let groups share.

Then have kids cross out what they wrote on their notes. SAY: Now write on your notes one of these fruits of the Spirit: forbearance, kindness, or goodness. Stick in on your forehead, and find the others who chose the same fruit.

When kids are in groups, ask each group to come up with one reason why it’s important to have that particular fruit in their own lives. After a short time, let groups share.

Then do the same with the last group: faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

ASK: Why is it important to live by the Spirit? (Be sure to bring out this idea from Galatians 5:21—that if we don’t we won’t inherit the kingdom of God; and this idea from v. 24—that it shows we belong to Jesus. Also, we’ll treat others like we want to be treated, it pleases God, and it’s a great way to live!)

SAY: Let the Holy Spirit be your guide every day. He will help you make the best decisions, and those decisions will always please God.

Option 2: How’s Your Fruit?

Distribute the activity sheet How’s Your Fruit? SAY: Rate yourself to see how well you think your fruit of the Spirit is doing. Tell kids to take some time to think about this and be honest. Tell them that they won’t be sharing this with anyone.

When everyone is done, have kids gather in a circle for a time of prayer. Ask them to spread out a little from one another. Have volunteers take turns praying, thanking God for the Holy Spirit who guides us, asking God to help them grow in the fruit of the Spirit, and, asking for help in staying close to Jesus. After the volunteers have prayed, ask everyone to take a step toward the middle of the circle. Close by thanking God for the Holy Spirit who keeps us close to Jesus. Thank God that the Holy Spirit helps us grow and live by the Spirit every day.

Did you enjoy this lesson? It was adapted from HeartShaper Children’s Curriculum, Middle Elementary. To learn more about this age level, check out the video below or visit HeartShaper.com.

Did you know? David C Cook offers HeartShaper Children’s Curriculum, which includes special needs friendly activities that work well with all kids—each activity approved by special needs experts. Plus, HeartShaper offers free resources you can use in your ministry to kids with special needs. Check them out here!