The Bible lesson they should start learning as early as possible, as exemplified through the journey, is that God uses normal people to do extraordinary things. Moses thought of himself as “just another man” who had actually done some bad things. But God looked at his willingness and his heart, and not at his appearance or his flaws. Therefore, we should feel confident that God cares about normal people like us. He watches over us and gives us messages, too.

Ask your students if any of them ever think it would be very cool to do something BIG for God someday? We don’t have any slaves in Egypt to lead away these days. But how about if God told you that you could feed a whole starving country or develop a cure for a terrible disease when you grew up? How would you feel about that?

Activity:
Give each child  three sheets of construction paper: orange and red and green. Have them place the red sheet directly under the orange sheet. Either draw for them or have them draw a giant flame. The flame should be big enough to take up most of the sheet. They should cut both sheets at the same time in the shape of the flame.
The green sheet should be a bush or treetop shape, which they can cut out.

You can use an orange juice lid to create the circles. The treetop should be big enough to take up most of the sheet. Put one flame sheet on either side of the treetop sheet. Using glue sticks, glue them together at the bottom.

Take two popsicle sticks and run glue down one side of each. Then place the sticky sides on either side of the flame/bush so that approximately two inches of the stick is pasted to the construction paper sheets, and the rest is pasted to the other stick.

Allow the students to fan themselves with the burning bush to let them know that God’s fires didn’t burn the bush, and it won’t burn them. They should put the burning bush in their rooms at home to remind them that God likes to speak to them in prayer, too.

Technorati Tags: Sunday school, Bible study for children, Moses, Bible lesson

For some children Sunday means that their parents will be scheduled to work, while for others it means homework for Monday. For some it still means the traditional dinner at Grandma’s house, but these students seem to be in the minority more and more often. For all lifestyles and schedules, there are still ways to keep the Sabbath holy—special, restful, and a day to look forward to in our week for rejuvenation of our faith. The Sabbath is a special day for our relationship with the Lord.

Gratitude Picture
This is an activity for your younger Sunday school students. One of the ways to keep Sunday as God’s special day is to be thankful for all they have. Have them draw a picture of something they are thankful for.

Have crayons ready and a half-sheet of construction paper for each child so that kids can draw. When all have arrived and finished a picture, have them share what’s in their gratitude picture.The half-sheet size is important because later they will frame these with a whole sheet.

Next have students
• take their original gratitude picture
• run stick glue across the back
• Center it on a whole sheet of paper on which you have written the words, “I am grateful on the Sabbath for…”

They can also opt to draw some things onto the construction paper.
They can take their picture home and  put in their room where they can see it. This will remind them to be greatful all week and of the special way they honored the Sabbath.

Technorati Tags: Fourth Commandment, Sunday school crafts, The Sabbath, Sunday school

If we want to show our moms and dads we love them, we can hug them. We can’t do that with God yet, can we? So we pray to Him instead! He hears everything we say and is very happy when we speak to him!

Give each student a sheet of yellow or brown or pink construction paper. Have them put their left hand on the left side of the sheet and trace around it. Then, have them put their right hand down and either
trace around it, or have a friend trace around it (when tracing with the opposite hand they use in writing, they may find it too hard.) MOST IMPORTANT: Have them trace so that their thumbs are overlapping.

When they have cut out the hands, they should open up as one cutout.
Have them fold in half where the thumbs meet to make praying hands.
One on hand, they can paste the little message that says, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” –
Exodus 20:3
On the other hand, they can paste the little message that says, “With God all things are possible.” –
Matthew 19:26

Technorati Tags: Ten commandments, kids Sunday school crafts, Sunday school

It can be used to impress children with the message that God will be with them, not matter where they are, no matter how big they get.

Needed:
•Aluminum pie tins, one for each child.
•Homemade play dough (see recipe at beginning of the text), enough for each child to fill a pie tin
•Craft paint
•Crayons, sharpened

Before Class:
•Make homemade play dough, using this recipe (may have to double for class size):
o 2 cups flour
o 2 cups warm water
o 4 teaspoons cream of tartar
o 2 teaspoons oil
o 1/2 cup salt
o Mix all ingredients, adding food coloring last. Stir over medium heat until smooth. Remove from pan and knead until blended smooth. Place in plastic bag or airtight container when cooled. Will last for a long time.
•Keep play dough in a giant craft bucket to stay moist until it’s time to use it.

Instructions:  Give each child a pie tin and enough play dough to fill it.  Have each child

1.Fill the pie tin and flatten the play dough until it is evenly distributed
2.Take a crayon and write to leave an impression in the play dough:  “God Made Me”  across the top.
3.Across the bottom, write his name and his age.
4.Press his hand down in the middle leaving an even print.
5.Paint the play dough with the colors of his choosing
6.Use paint sparingly so it won’t clog writing.

Technorati Tags: Sunday school lessons for children, Sunday school, God’s creation

Needed:
•Popsicle sticks, two for each child
•Red, yellow and green yarn—lots
•Hot glue gun or glue stick

Before Class:
1.Glue two popsicle sticks together for each child to form a square cross.  Make sure glue is dry in time for class.
2.Make little balls of yarn, three for each child of each of the three colors.  Each will need about three feet of the green, six feet of the yellow, and nine feet of the red.

Instructions:
1.Starting with the green yarn, have each child tie a knot at the center of where the popsicle sticks cross.  Then, loop the thread around a popsicle stick, pull it firmly, loop it to the next stick and go around it pulling firmly, then loop it to the third stick and go around and pull it firmly…they should keep going around and around until they have made 6-10 trips around the stick.
2.Tie off the green thread on nearest stick.
3.Do the same with the yellow yarn, then the same with the red yarn, until only an inch of popsicle stick remains showing.  Tie off the red yarn.

Technorati Tags: craft idea for Sunday school, scripture, Eye of God

Needed:
•Aluminum coffee can with plastic lid, one for each child
•2 sheets red construction paper for each child
•1 sheet tan felt for each child
•Yellow felt, several sheets
•Yellow or gold yarn, five feet for each child
•1 thick rubber band for each child, able to fit around coffee can
•Scissors
•Glue sticks
•White craft glue
•2 wooden pencils for each child, long
•2 small foam balls for each child
•Blue yarn

Before Class:
1.Cut tan felt into a circle that is four inches wider in diameter than the coffee can lid.  You can make a compass for drawing circles by using a string with a marker pen attached to it.  One for each child
2.Cut red construction paper so that it is the same height as the coffee can, with enough in width to go all the way around, plus about an inch.  One for each child
3.Cut the yellow felt into 1/2-inch-thick strips lengthwise, so the strips will be ½ x 8.  Prepare enough so that each child gets 4.

Instructions:  Note that for this craft, you will have to go around to help each child with the craft glue three times.

Give drum components to each child and have them
1.Remove the coffee can lid and lay it aside
2.Using glue stick, go all across the yellow paper, then lay it on the coffee can so it surrounds it.
**You will go around with the craft glue, and for each child, run a line of glue from top to bottom to top in a V-shape.  Do this all around the can.
3.Children will take the yellow or gold yarn and press it gently into the V-shaped glue lines all the way around the can.
4.Snip off any leftovers of the yarn
**You will go around with the craft glue again, this time applying liberally to the top of each coffee can. Children will
5.Lay down the round piece of felt and center the coffee can lid on it, pressing down hard so the glue sticks.  The felt should be around two inches longer than the lid all around.
6.Snap the lid on top of the can, pushing down hard
7.Place the rubber band around the felt to secure it
**For your last time around with the craft glue, this time run a line along the back of the yellow felt strips.  Children will
8.Press two of the strips around the coffee can on bottom, covering the turns of the yarn.  Cut of any remaining
9.Press the two remaining strips on top of the rubber band, covering it.  Cut off any remaining.
10.Press the tip of one pencil into the white foam ball, but not so deep it comes through the other end.  Remove the pencil, cover it in stick glue and re-insert.
11.Do the same with the other pencil and the other white foam ball.
12.Bang on the drum!

Technorati Tags: Psalms, Sunday school activities, Sunday School, Bible Study

Needed:
•Popsickle sticks.  Two or three for each child
•Homemade mini pompoms (see instructions below)
•Paint, varying colors
•Glue sticks
•Styrofoam bowls to use as puppet stands, one for each child
•Scraps of old fabric, 2-inches wide by 4-inches long

Before Class:
1.Make homemade mimi pompoms as follows:
a.Wrap a piece of brown or black yard around your index finger loosely
b.Remove the loops from your finger, pinching them together at the top
c.Run another piece of yarn through the loops and tie it tightly
d.Cut the loops to make twelve pieces of yarn hair   Cut it very short or keep it long
e.Keep the yarn strand long that was used to tie the loops, as children will need the lengths to tie the hair on the popsicle stick
2.Do enough mini pompoms so every child can have a couple heads of hair and a beard.
3.Lay out as many popsicle sticks as you need to supply all children with two or three
4.Paint the top inch of each stick black (that’s where the hair will go )
5.Paint the second inch pink or gold (flesh colored) to be the face
6.Leave the rest blank
7.Cut out “outfit” shapes with the squares of fabric   Make them vary in length and fabric pattern
8.Punch three slits in the bottom of styromfoam bowls, one bowl for each child

Instructions:  Give two or three popsicle sticks to each child.  Have them
1.Pick their own pompoms for hair and outfits from a box or bowl or bag in the center of the table
2.Tie a pompom over the black part of the popsicle stick to make hair.  Knot should be tight and may need teacher’s help  Stick glue used under the pompom will help hold it in place.
3.Color on eyes, nose and mouth with marker pens.
4.Tie on a beard if needed or wanted
5.Apply an “outfit” to each stick using stick glue
6.Decorate the outfit with glitter, buttons, foil, etc.
7.Turn over the styrofoam bowl and stick the bottoms of the popsicle stick into the slit.
8.Play games with puppets or have a puppet show!

Technorati Tags: childrens Bible study, Bible story, Sunday school, Bible

It has a particularly nice message when told with a story about caterpillars turning into butterflies and how this is one way God symbolizes our life on earth compared to our life in heaven.

Needed:
•Construction paper, one sheet for each child
•Marker pens, different colors
•Glitter or foil designs to put on wings
•Hole punches of different colors for wings
•Pipe cleaner, two for each child
•Plastic spoon, one for each child

Before Class:
1.Fold a piece of construction paper in half width wise, so that the dimension is 8.5 x 5.5
2.Draw one giant wing of a butterfly so that it edges up to the fold
3.Cut it out, open the paper, and you should have identical two wings, meeting together at the fold
4.Refold the paper, and on the fold, cut a ¼-inch slit in the center
5.Cut another ¼-inch slit an inch above it
6.On each spoon, write, “Jesus Rose for Me” in Sharpie pen
7.Do this much for each child.

Instructions:  Have each child

1.Cut out his butterfly, careful not to cut it in half by cutting down the fold
2.Decorate wings with hole punches, markers, glitter
3.Slip the plastic spoon through the two slits, back and then through the front again so that it stays in place
4.The rounded part of the spoon should be at the top of the wings, to be the butterfly face.  The handle is the body
5.Take the two pipe cleaners and gently create two circles with each end to be the antennae
6.Gently slide the other two straight ends in and behind the face of the spoon and down through both slits
7.Draw a smiling face on the spoon.

Technorati Tags: Sunday school ideas, Sunday School, heaven

However, it goes especially well with the scriptures of Psalm 119 if you are searching for an appropriate scripture for your lesson.  The long chapter deals with the Word of God being important to every heart.

Needed:
•Construction paper, light color
•Marker pens
•Flower pieces from Creation Craft (see CRAFT #1 and create these pieces if you either didn’t use the craft or don’t have enough left)
•Clear transparency sheets
•Hole punch
•Glue Sticks
•Thin craft ribbon, two colors

Before Class:
1.Trace outline of bookmark for each child, 1-inch by 5-inches, giving each child just a little bit larger a section of the construction paper, so the children can cut out their own bookmarks.
2.Trace the same way on two transparence sheets for each child, leaving the pen mark clearly visible so they can cut themselves
3.Cut craft ribbon into 9-inch lengths, two for each child (mix colors)
4.Make an example, printing the scripture verse of your choice on the book mark and pasting on the construction paper flowers and using a marker pen to decorate.

Instructions:  Have each child
1.Cut out his bookmark, then cut out the clear sheets the same size.  Don’t let them lose the clear sheets.  They are not easy to see once dropped on the floor
2.Copy the scripture using pen, pencil, or thin-tipped marker
3.Decorate around the scripture using the flower pieces and following the example
4.Put name and date on the back
5.Fit the book mark between the two transparencies and hole-punch all three.
6.Put both ribbons together and fold them in half.  Stick the loop through the hole, so the loop is on one side of the hole and the ends are on the other.
7.Lace the ends through the loop and pull tight.

Technorati Tags: craft idea for Sunday school, scripture verse, Word of God

This craft can be used for Sunday school, children’s church, or any church activity during the holidays.

Needed: •Popsicle sticks, one for each child
•Black and white craft paint
•Thin green Christmas ribbon
•Thin-tipped marker pen, black
•Black pipe cleaners
•Orange marker
•2 paperclips per child
•Elastic thread

Before class:
1.Cut Christmas ribbon into 6-inch pieces, one for each child
2.Cut pipe cleaners into 1-inch pieces, one piece for each child
3.Cut elastic thread into 6-inch pieces

Instructions:  Have children
1.Paint one inch of the popsicle stick black, starting at one end
2.Paint the rest of the popsicle stick white
3.Glue the 1-inch piece of black pipe cleaner at the base of the black part, separating the black and white paint, and it will look like the brim of a hat
4.Tie the ribbon around like a scarf an inch or two below the black in the white paint  Above the scarf will be the face
5.Using fine-tipped black marker, dot on eyes and a mouth
6.Using fine-tipped black marker below the scarf, dot on three buttons
7.Using orange marker or a little paint, dot on the carrot nose
8.Just below the ribbon, tie tightly the piece of elastic thread, and double knot it for strength
9.Straighten two paper clips to make hooks
10.Hook the first paperclip into the piece of elastic thread on the back
11.Hook the second paperclip onto the first for an extra long hook

Technorati Tags: Sunday school Christmas craft ideas, Christmas, Sunday school