Easter Sunday Kids Sermon

Ok...so here's the plan...I gave the kids the "homework" of cutting out the pictures and matching the scriptures that match of the timeline of events from Palm Sunday to Easter (see the last post).  If they bring the The True Meaning of Easter writing with picture colored and the pictures/scriptures back they get a prize.  Really all the kids will get one. I can't leave anyone out. 

I'm putting the True Meaning of Easter writings up in church at the welcome table displayed for everyone to see. 

During the service I'm going to review the pictures/scriptures match up that they did with display board and then we are going to watch the cutest video about Easter I've found.  I know we saw an animated version of the arrest and crucifixion last week, but I think this video will be better suited for all audiences including the adults...These kids reenact the Easter story in such a cute way, the videos to choose from:
Easter Story with Kids Choice #1
Easter Story with Kids Choice #2

They are both great!!!! Choose whichever one you think better suits you and your church.

For a prize today I'm giving them goody boxes with stuff to work on during Big Church...I have stressed that Easter is not really about Easter bunnies, Easter eggs, and candy. Here are the boxes I'm using...got this idea from our weekly eat-out night at Taco Bell.  I will redecorate them first though... Ours is brown cardboard...this is the only pic online I could find.

 

Here's what I'm putting in the boxes...

1.) Easter grass

2.)Coloring pages from the timeline of Easter http://jacques-mylittlehouse.blogspot.com/search/label/Bible%20coloring%20pages

3.)Easter Crossword Search http://churchhousecollection.blogspot.com/2013/03/christian-easter-word-search-for-kids.html

4.) A little craft...either cross or tomb craft

5.) Maybe I'll put a little bag of jellybeans or something small.

 

That's the plan...I may change all this before Easter Sunday! LOL.  If you guys/gals have any ideas shoot them to me!

 



Palm Sunday Kids Sermon Lesson

Palm Sunday Lesson-

So today we are observing the Lord's Supper in service and time is pretty tight.  So I'm showing the first half of a YouTube video clip (about 2 min) that leads up to Easter next week.  I've included the link below.  It is an animated version of the arrest and crucifixion from Zondervan The Beginners Bible.  It doesn't show anything too gruesome but conveys the message well for children.

http://youtu.be/wq-NhRUIejo

Last week week we talked about Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane and in Sunday school they are talking about Jesus coming in to the city on the donkey and the people waving and laying the palm branches down.  So we are building the lesson backward...I know.  But it really works.  You just keep taking the kids back one step at a time.  Then show this video and the pieces will all fall in to play.

If I had planned this better I would've talked about the Last Supper in preparation for the Lord's Supper today at church.  We live and learn. :)

Here are the packet contents that I filled for the kids today so they could work during Big Church:
1.) The Real Meaning of Easter writing with box to color (They write about what they've learned about Easter...no bunnies...candy or egg hunts allowed. I'm going to hang these up for next week.)
2.) Coloring Page of the Lord's Supper
3.) A Bible scavenger hunt with the scripture and match it to the picture (kids are to complete this during service, at home, and bring back to me before next Sunday for a prize).
4.) Two 8.5 X 17 sheets of white copy paper to paste the scavenger hunt pictures and scriptures
5.) a pack of 8 ct. crayons (Target-$0.78 each)
6.) a pair of safety scissors
7.) a glue stick

Valentine's Day Children's Sermon/Craft Idea

Our church does a children's time sermon right before our pastor gives his sermon. Since it is right before Valentine's Day...I'm having the children come forward for the "message" on 1 John 3:16-18 Let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. They are making their own Valentine's during the "big" sermon today.  I've given them a ziplock baggie with all the supplies they need to make a few valentines.  I even gave them a little print out of some people in the church who need a valentine and a suggestion to make/give a valentine to a lost friend. Here's how I did it...

I bought a tiny heart craft cutter at Hobby Lobby for $3.99. I cut construction paper and foil for the tiny hearts.  I kept the strips and they can also re-use those on their valentines as a border.

 

I even made baggies with all boy colors. 

 

I found a free printable valentine's card template at www.familyfun.com . I also put blank cards in there so they could make their own. 

I am also putting a valentine rock in their bag to give to someone special.  I modged podged a paper heart cut out on a rock...super easy...colors for both boys and girls.

 

After it was all said and done we had tons of foam heart valentines stickers left from previous years, so I added some to their bags to help with their decorating. 

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Gingerbread Houses- No kits!!!

 This was the best gingerbread making party ever!  I pre-made the gingerbread houses this time and let them dry 24 hours prior to the decorating party.  It really helped. They were rock solid! I used a small whoppers christmas carton you buy at walmart on the Christmas isle, duncan hines white tub icing, and graham crackers.  It was perfect!  Cheaper than the kits for sure!I bought all kinds of candy.  I made homemade icing and put into the empty tie-dyed color bottles you can get at walmart. This was a huge hit at church with the kids!