Looking for a certain Mary Rice Hopkins song?
Listen to clips HERE.
Alphabetical listing of all songs HERE.
Scope and Sequence lists HERE.
KID'S WELCOME DESK
"COME AS LITTLE CHILDREN" - Matthew 19:14 - CHILDREN'S DAY SONG
Matthew 19:14
Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
It also makes a meaningful addition to any Children's Day program. The song can be found on Get on Board album by Mary Rice Hopkins.
HELP KIDS UNDERSTAND ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD - Romans 8:28
After children have learned Romans 8:28, have them sing “All Things Work Together for Good” from Lighthouse and Get on Board albums by Mary Rice Hopkins. (Click on song title to hear a clip.)
“When people leave and they say goodbye, don’t ever give up the will to try.
We don’t understand all the reasons why, But God sees His plan and this is His reply:
All things work together for good, even when things don’t go like they should;
When you feel sad and misunderstood, all things work together for good.”
PUT 'EM IN A BASKET -- BABY MOSES RESCUED FROM DANGER
A
favorite Bible story of young children is when baby Moses was rescued
from danger. The perfect song to accompany this story is "Put 'Em in a
Basket."
Verse 1 says:I put 'em in a basket and floated him down
The river Nile
I put 'em in a basket and hoped he'd be found
And after a while
The princess will find him cause I know it's best
My God will take care of the rest
Giving up my baby is hard I confess
But baby I love you so
Baby gotta let you go go go
Gotta let you go go go
Gotta let you go go go
Gotta let you go go go
Listen to song clip HERE.
This song is available on Dancing in the Desert album. Click HERE to order.
RECOMMENDATION: "This
is one of my daughter's favorite songs!She loves the upbeat rhythm of
the music and loves to make up motions to go along with the lyrics." (Sher R.)
1 PETER 4:10a BIBLE VERSE ACTIVITY ABOUT USING OUR GIFTS TO SERVE OTHERS
Materials Needed: White construction paper, crayons, scissors, glue, brads, and scripture verse strip which says: "Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others." 1 Peter 4:10a.)
Activity: After learning the Bible verse, let the children make self-portraits. Attach the head and arms to the body with brads so they move. Have the children draw pictures of gifts which they have to serve others and attach these to the hands.
HOW TO AVOID DISCIPLINE CHALLENGES
Lessons should be action-packed with creative, exciting presentations
2. Anticipate problems and act to prevent them.
3. Have the room prepared when that first pupil arrives.
The children must have something constructive to do immediately. Those first few minutes set the tone for the class time which follows.
4. Give choices within acceptable limits.
5. Determine how your actions and responses can be carried out in love.
When disciplining children, they should be corrected in a way that shows them they are loved. When boys and girls sense our loving concern, they’re much more willing to emulate our values and our relationship with God. The key to discipling children is to model Christ-like behavior for them while assuring them in every way possible that we truly love them.
6. Evaluate the reasons for misbehavior.
It could be a need for attention, boredom, upset emotions, insecurity, illness, hunger, or inner tension expressed by wiggles.
7. Make your children feel valued.
Use such phrases as: “I’m glad you’re a part of our class”; “You are important to me”; “How special you are”; or “Do you know that God created you one of a kind?”
8. Pray regularly.
Ask God to give you wisdom to respond, not react, to situations and that your inner attiude will always be appropriate when exercising authority.
9. Pray for each child by name and need.
God created the boys and girls in your class. He knows them better than anyone else. When your heart yells, “I don’t know what to do” — go to God and seek His wisdom. If we go to Him seeking answers, we will find them!
10. Make expectations clear by setting up a few classroom rules.
a. Follow directions
b. Keep hands, feet, and objects to yourself
c. Be respectful – that includes respecting the teacher, visitors, other students, and property
11. When giving the rules, explain reasons behind.
Children have a right to know that when we all obey the rules we are safer and have more fun. The goal of discipline is to teach children and to lead them increasingly toward self-discipline.
12. Share consequences of not following the rules.
Specific positive and negative consequences will be different at each age and stage of development. What works in the preschool class will need to be different in the middler group.
13. Once policies have been stated, allow no infringements.
Be consistent.
14. Talk less, act more.
Instead of asking children to be quiet over and over, wait for them to give you their attention. Or flip a light switch if it gets too noisy.
15. Follow a set plan for desirable behavior.
a. Deal with the problem individually.
b. Have the child tell what he did and share “What rule was broken?”
c. Ask what rule was broken.
d. Be sure child understands why the behavior is not acceptable.
e. Let the child experience the consequences of his behavior.
f. Give love and reassurance.
3-D FATHER'S DAY CARD
Materials Needed: Construction paper, glue, tape, markers, crayons, craft wire, moveable eyes, buttons, and other add-on’s which you may have on hand.
Activity: Children create an outer space creature which holds two signs: “Happy Father’s Day” and “You are out of this world.” Inside they may write any message they wish.
4 GOALS FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS
Pray daily for my students.
Present the plan of salvation to
each child in my class.
Promote spiritual growth through
creatively teaching biblical truth and helping children apply it to life.
Participate in their lives and
show how much I care.
8 WAYS TO SHOW CHILDREN YOU LOVE THEM - by Betty B. Robertson
The need for love is the greatest of all human needs. Children who don't receive love cannot fulfill their God-given potential for a fulfilling, contributing life. While children's workers at church spend relatively brief amounts of time with children, our effect on boys and girls must not be minimized. Small tokens of love from a child's teacher can sometimes have an impact way out of proportion to the significance of the event. Here are 8 simple ways to show your children you love them.
1. Get down on their level. The unspoken gesture of getting on your knees so you can communicate eye-to-eye with kids speaks volumes.
2. Be a patient listener. Let's face it. Children's narratives can sometimes be tedious, filled with long pauses, repeated words, and more details than anyone really cares to hear. However, really LISTENING to a child says, "I care. I'm interested in you." To show that you are listening, it sometimes helps to interject a question or comment in the narrative. For example, "That must have been a lot of fun," or "How did you feel when your brother did that?"
3. Remember birthdays and other special events. Recognize birthdays in your classroom. Take photos of the children during activities and display these in the classroom or give them copies. Send a birthday card or e-mail.
4. Occasionally attend something of importance to the child: sports events, musical recitals, school events.
5. Welcome children warmly when they come to class, and give them time to share the events of their week. Possible questions are: "How was your week--good, bad, or average? What was the best thing that happened all week? What was the worst thing that happened?" As children respond, rejoice or commiserate with them as appropriate.
6. Remember the children who always come. Absentees are usually contacted urging them to return to class. By contrast, regular attendees can sometimes be overlooked. Occasionally call or e-mail these children to express your appreciation for their regular attendance and participation.
7. Notice things about your children. Is Jessica wearing a particularly attractive dress? Tell her so. Has Nathan lost a tooth? Let him tell about it. Is Corbin sporting new shoes? Admire the special features he points out. This attentiveness tells children they are important to you.
8. Praise good work, good behavior, and good effort. According to some specialists, it takes several positive remarks to undo the effect of one negative comment. Some children hear mostly commands and negatives: "Sit up straight." "Why can't you . . .?" "You never . . . ." or " You always . . . ." Help to balance these with honest praise of the good things you notice: "You're doing a great job on that picture," "Thanks for waiting so patiently." "You're really improving in raising your hand before you talk." When praising a child, ALWAYS be sincere, and be SPECIFIC about what you praise.
8 THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN PLAYING GAMES WITH KIDS
1. Organize extensively.
Be sure you know how to play each game and what the rules are. Think about the location where the game will be played and imagine your group being there. What problems might be encountered?
2. Be prepared with creative alternatives.
Be ready at a moment’s notice to meet the needs and mood of your group. Always have several games “up your sleeve” just in case what was planned will not work.
3. Keep it simple.
Spend as little time as possible in organizing the game or dividing into teams. It’s during this time children become restless and problems begin.
4. Be quick to recognize teaching opportunities.
Children constantly learn. Playing games provides numerous opportunities for teaching Christ-like attitudes and proper behavior responses.
5. Plan games where all pupils can participate.
Except for physical reasons, everyone should be involved.
6. Be creative.
Use a variety of games, rather than letting even a favorite monopolize each play time.
7. Watch for lagging interest.
If interest lags in a game, another one should be started immediately. If not, pupils will want to begin to drop out.
8. Exhibit enthusiasm.
Enthusiasm is contagious!
7 WAYS HAND PUPPETS CAN BE USED IN SUNDAY SCHOOL
Puppets are still an effective teaching tools. In fact, they are the #2 teaching tool. Here are some ways they can be used in the classroom:
1. Presenting stories
a. Read the story carefully, picking out the important parts.
b. Keep the play short. Attention span is one minute beyond age.
2. Teaching Scripture verse
a. A puppet could be named Detective Dan. His purpose would be to search through Scripture to
find verses for the boys and girls to learn.
b. A hound dog could actually look like he's searching for a verse and then dialogue with the
children to help them learn it.
3. Reviewing previous lessons
A Question Kid puppet can be created. Attach a question mark to your stage. Children take turns
pushing the question mark circle which is the "doorbell" to bring up the Question Kid who, in turn, asks review questions.
4. Making announcements
5. Involving with music
a. Those who normally don't like music will become involved when they use a puppet.
b. Creative way to learn new songs.
6. Reinforcing a biblical principle or providing information
7. Teaching behavior
A church mouse named CM could be used in a non-threatening way to help children learn proper behavior at church, because a church mouse sees all and knows all!
6 PRINCIPLES FOR EFFECTIVE CHILDREN'S MINISTRY RECRUITMENT
1. Know why people are reluctant to serve in a
children’s ministry position.
a.
Feel unqualified.
b.
Think someone else can do the job better than they can.
c. Do
not want to be tied down with responsibilities. Are content to worship, but not
serve.
d.
Afraid they will fail. Fear of the unknown is a vital drawback of volunteers.
e.
Lack of confidence. o not understand what is involved in the specific
assignment.
f.
Worker fatigue. Often too few people are called upon to carry too many
responsibilities.
g.
Poor enlistment techniques. Out of desperation, we often grab anyone and then
beg: “There’s no
one else who will do it.”
2. Assess present and future needs.
To obtain an overview of the personnel needs in your
children’s division, list all the positions - those which are filled and the
ones which need to be staffed.
3. Spend thirty days in prayer, asking God to lead you
to just the right persons for just the right jobs.
It’s amazing how responsive people are when God places
a ministry on their heart.
4. Recruit through personal contact.
60% of the people in any congregation do NOT respond
to general announcements! One-on-one recruitment is always the most effective,
and also eliminates the possibility of people responding for a position who are
not qualified.
5. Set a time limit on assignments, and honor your
commitment.
Sometimes when a person accepts a job, it becomes a
lifetime assignment. Staff members may need short respites or different
ministry assignments to remain challenged.
BIBLE TEACHING IDEAS THAT WORK - Betty B. Robertson
Add new life to your classroom and discover unlimited possibilities for creative teaching in the pages of this book!
Click HERE to order.
USE "HOW" QUESTIONS WHEN REVIEWING BIBLE LESSONS
When asking review questions for your Bible story lesson,
think of “how” ones. These require more
mental activity on the part of pupils than “who” or “what” questions. “How” questions help pupils imagine how the
person felt rather than just recalling facts.
Instead of asking, “Who watched Baby Moses when he was
placed on the river?” ask, “How do you think Miriam felt when she was left
alone with the baby?”
PASS THE HEART - Bible Verse Memorization Activity
Bible Verse: “A friend loves at all times.” (Proverbs 17:17)
Directions: Cut a large red heart from construction paper. Write the verse on the heart.
Activity: Show the heart and have the class repeat the verse 3 times together. Ask the boys and girls to sit in a circle. As you clap, the children pass the heart to their right from person to person. When you stop clapping, that child and the ones sitting to the right and left of that child, all stand and say the verse with the teacher.
"LOVING BY HELPING" - Bible Story & Lesson (Good Samaritan)
BIBLE STORY (based on Luke 10:30-37):
(Every time the children hear the word “walking” in the story, they stand and walk in place. Tell the boys and girls that when you put your hand in the stop position, they are to be seated.)
A man was walking from Jerusalem to Jericho. Suddenly, robbers attacked him. They beat him up, took his clothes, and left him there.
A priest came walking down the same road. The man thought, “Great! Someone will help me.” But the priest was in a hurry and didn’t take the time to stop and help the injured man.
A Levite came walking down the same road. The man thought, “Great! I hope this person will help me.” But this teacher in the temple did not stop and help the injured man either.
A Samaritan came walking down the same road. The injured man probably thought, “The first two people who came by didn’t help me. This person probably won’t either.”
But when the Samaritan saw the man lying there all beaten and bloody, he wanted to help him. He gave him first aid and placed bandages on the wounded man’s body. Then he carefully helped the injured man get on his donkey, took him to a place to stay for the night and continued to take care of him.
For discussion questions, suggested song, Bible verse, creative activity and snack idea to accompany this Bible story -- please click HERE.
VALENTINE'S DAY ACTIVITY: "MUSICAL HEARTS"
Have the children sit in a circle on the floor or in chairs. Give one child a large heart made from red construction paper. While music is playing, the children pass the heart to their right around the circle. Once the music stops, the pupil who has the heart will choose either the child to their left or right and say something positive about them, such as: I think you are very kind. You are a great soccer player. I like how you color. You are really nice.
Be sure something positive is said about each child in class before ending the activity.
Challenge the children to tell each of their family members something they really like about them on Valentine's Day either in person, on the phone or via e-mail.
CALLED ON JESUS
“Called on Jesus” is the perfect song to accompany
any lesson about Jesus’ healing miracles. The song specifically talks about the
woman who touched the hem of His garment and Jairus’ daugther.
The first verse of this song says:
“In the Bible days when they needed a cure
For all their aches and pains and all they endured
They didn’t know where to go or who to tell
So they called on Jesus and He made them well.”
For all their aches and pains and all they endured
They didn’t know where to go or who to tell
So they called on Jesus and He made them well.”
Listen to a song clip HERE.
Order the Miracle Mud album HERE.
BRICK AFTER BRICK - THEN OOPS! Tower of Babel Bible Story
Bible Story: Based on Genesis 11:1-9
Life Value: Humility
So brick after brick after brick, they started building their tower.
The people bragged and boasted to each other about how famous they were going to be as they laid brick after brick after brick.
“Everyone in the whole world will know about us,” they smugly said feeling SO important in their own power. “We will be better than everyone else. We are awesome, awesome, awesome!” And they continued building brick after brick after brick.
God saw their pride and said: “If they do all this, there’s no telling what these people will try next. I’m going to jumble up their language so they can’t understand each other anymore.”
Up until this point in the Bible, the whole world had one language – one common speech for all people.
After God confused their language, when the people talked, it sounded like babbling because they had different languages instead of just one. Now it was impossible to continue building brick after brick after brick because they could not understand each other anymore.
Oops! Guess they should not have been so proud. God scattered the people all over the world and that city became known as Babel.
Discussion Questions:
1. Why did God stop their plans? (The people were building a monument to themselves, to call attention to their own abilities and achievements, instead of giving glory to Him.)
2. Is there anything you have ever boasted about or tried to build yourself up, but not for the glory of God?
3. What is the opposite of pride and how can it be shown in our lives? (Have the children explain what humility is and see if they can give examples of how it can be shown in their everyday lives.)
4. What are some ways we can put God first in our lives?
Action Step: Have each child make a poster from construction paper which says: “Put God First.” Provide crayons, markers, paint and an assortment of add-ons such as glitter, colored sand, paper confetti, etc.
Bible Verse: “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom” (Proverbs 11:2).
Suggested Song: “Babbling On” (from In the Beginning album by Mary Rice Hopkins). Click on song title to hear a clip.
PRAYER IS LIKE WRITING A LETTER TO GOD
Ask, “Have any of you ever received a letter from
someone?” (Let children share who their
letters have been from.)
Show on your whiteboard the components of a letter: The
greeting is “Dear Grandma.” In the body
of the letter you might thank her for something she has done for you or given
to you. You might share with her things
which have been happening in your life.
You might even ask her for something.
The closing of the letter is when you write, “Love” and sign your name.
When we pray, it’s like writing a letter to God. Our greeting is “Dear God.” Then we can thank Him for things He has done
for us or given us. We can share with
Him things which are going on in our lives.
And we might have some things we want to ask Him for. The closing of our prayer is when we say
“Amen.”
Children will open up their hearts when praying through
writing letters, as did the child in the prayer she wrote pictured below.