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!