Flame: Creative Children's Ministry

This prayer activity would work really well if you are looking at the Armour of God or any story involving God's protection. You will need: oranges or tangerines/ clementines (one for each child plus a couple of spare ones), permanent marker pens, a tall, clear jug or vase. Peel an orange or tangerine and put it into the water. It will sink to the bottom of the jug.  Then put an orange with the peel left on into the water. It will float. The peel is actually like armour, keeping the orange safe from sinking.  Ask children to write or draw on their oranges things that they would like protection from in life- maybe things that scare them. Float the decorated oranges in the water as a celebration of the protection and strength God can give.

We had a great time yesterday looking at the story from 1 Samuel 24 where David cuts off part of Saul's robe.  We are looking at 'feelings' at the moment and used this story in the context of choosing not to get angry but asking God to help you do the right thing. To establish the idea of 'choosing' (David CHOSE not to kill Saul) we played a game.  I put 5 red balls and 1 blue ball in a bag.  Children closed their eyes, put their hand in the bag and chose a ball.  The person who chose the blue ball won.  For some reason they wanted to play this again and again! Next we acted out the story by hiding and creeping up on the 'king' and I cut off a piece of the cloak our 'king' was wearing.  We talked about how David might have been angry at Saul for trying to kill him, but he chose to not hurt anyone.  We then discussed how we feel when we are angry and how we can ask God to help us.  I showed the children some reflection bottles (bottles contai...

I know that I'm having a bit of a phase with cubes at the moment but this is going to be quite a fun take home activity for our 3-5s this week! This week, Sparks are learning the story from 1 Samuel 24 where David cuts off part of Saul's robe when they are in the cave.  In order to recap the story and to see which bits they remember most, I've made a story cube of the main events... The story is around the outside so that parents can familiarise themselves with it and retell the story.  Simply cut out the net and make up the cube (maybe print it onto card or laminate if you want it to endure, otherwise paper is fine!) and then throw the cube.  Ask the children what part of the story the face up picture shows and/ or get them to tell the story to you using the cube.  I love hearing children retell stories because you never know which part is going to appeal to them most! To print out a cube click here .

Today we went into school to do a SEALS assembly about 'getting on and falling out'.  We decided to focus on the story of Saul and David in the cave, where David chooses not to kill Saul, but just to cut off a piece of his cloak to prove what he could have done but chose not to.  We then talked to the children about what it's like when people upset us and we get angry and want to fight back.  This is the illustration we used... You will need two jars or bottles with lids, white vinegar, water and bicarbonate of soda. Put neat vinegar in one jar and a mix of vinegar and water in another jar Talk about what it is like when people make you angry.  Add half a teaspoon of bicarb to the water/ vinegar jar.  The mixture will fizz a little but nothing more.  Put a lid on the jar.  Next, put a spoonful of bicarb in the vinegar jar and add another spoonful as well.  The mixture will fizz up and explode out  of the jar (best to keep t...