Flame: Creative Children's Ministry

This is an idea to help children to communicate their response to a story.  It's absolutely fascinating to find out what children really think about what they hear and, while some children can easily tell you what they think, some find it more difficult.  Knowing what children feel about a story or helping them to explore what people in the story might be feeling is a great way to open up discussion and also helps to check their understanding.  More often than not, they come up with something we adults would never have thought of! The cards are really easy to use.  Print them out (click here ) and cut them up.  When you have told a story, spread them out and let the children choose cards that show either how they feel about certain points in the story or how specific characters might feel.  I'm sure that the children will come up with even more feeling words, but hopefully this will be a starting point for discussion!

This week our 3-5s will be looking at the story of Nehemiah. Nehemiah is sad at the state Jerusalem is in and building the wall is difficult, but in the end there is great joy and he knows that God has helped his people.  Here are some of the activities we'll be doing to help the children to explore the themes of the story... Play the feelings prayer game  (looking at the emotions of happiness and sadness and how we can tell God about our feelings: Happy and sad masks (stickers for eyes and mouth which can then be decorated by the children). Play with cups and jugs to remind children of Nehemiah's job as the King's cup bearer Use Mega blocks and Duplo to build walls  Builder role play Build walls on our giant felt board- bricks and hearts to represent God's love for His people and Nehemiah's love for the city Use the umbrella and raindrops to pray that God will help people who are sad (see  praying for sad situations post ).

One of the lessons we will be doing with our 3-5s this year will be about speaking to God and telling him how we feel.  It's really important that children learn that God wants us to be honest when we speak to Him and that he cares about what we feel. This game was sparked off by an idea I found in a lesson about Nehemiah in one of the Scripture Union Tiddlywinks books.  Games are also a great way of getting children involved!   This is a game to help the children explore times that make them feel happy and sad and help them, then, to tell God about them- either thanking Him or asking for help.  Just throw the dice, move around the board and, if you land on a face, tell God about that feeling!  This is especially useful for families to use at home.  Click here  to print out the board. 

This is another simple but really thoughtful invention by one of our children... There are two plates- one sad and one happy.  Put a gem on the plate that shows how you feel.  Tell God why you are sad or happy.    Say thank you if you are happy.  Ask God to help you if you are sad.