Naaman is Healed

Naaman

II Kings 5:1-19

 

This Naaman dips in the water 7 times and then comes out clean. 

For printable instructions and pattern, click here.

Materials:

Naaman face patterns (on next page)

2 pieces of brown paper 4 x 6 inches

1 popsicle stick

Stapler

Glue

Crayons

Scissors

Instructions:

· Cut two pieces of brown paper 4 x 6 inches.

· Staple only the sides together.  Do not staple the top or the bottom.

· Cut waves at the top of the paper. 

· Draw waves on the front.

· Cut out and color the two faces of Naaman. 

· Draw leprosy on the sad face.

· Glue the two faces to a popsicle stick (back to back).

· Insert the popsicle stick with the heads on it in between the two pieces of paper showing the leprosy side first.

· Reach in the bottom and grab the popsicle stick.

· Dip Naaman in the Jordan seven times.

· On the seventh time, turn the popsicle stick over and he comes out clean.

 

 

 



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Prayer Partners

Prayer Partners

This amazing husband and wife team are prayer partners for one of our Bible classes. They are the most praying people I have ever met!

Throughout the year, we ask for volunteers who will be willing to spend time in prayer daily for a group of children.  In June when our children promote to their new Bible class, we assign a set of prayer partners for each Bible class from birth up to grade 12. (Many times these prayer partners are older Christians who feel like they cannot physically handle teaching a children's Bible class but want to be involved in the spiritual growth of young children.) 

The prayer partners take a list of children in one Bible class and commit to pray for each child on that list individually for one year.  They take a little time to get to know the children either in Bible class or out of class and finds out some specific prayer needs for those children.  Some teams write notes of encouragement periodically to the children to let them know how they have prayed for them.  Other teams call periodically to let them know they have been praying for them.

When children have reason to rejoice or have a crisis, they typically contact these prayer partners and ask them to pray for them or with them. 

Praise God for this particular group of people!  God is using them for His Glory!

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Peek a Boo Box

Peek Box for Creation

Genesis 1

This box is a fun way to teach about creation.  I like to show the children the box with the lid closed like the first picture.  I build anticipation by asking them what is in the box and then looking inside and getting excited.  I tell them that inside the box there is a picture of something that God made.  When the children look at it, they look into the hole at the end of the box marked by a red arrow in the second picture.  I open the small section of the box lid to let light in and they are thrilled to see the picture of the family or animal or plant or whatever the picture is.  I change the picture and do it again.  The children get very excited about what is in the box each time!

 Materials:

• Shoebox with removable lid
• Black spray paint
• Pictures from computer
• Clear plastic of some kind or page protector 
• Tape or hot glue
• Scissors (and possibly an exact-o knife)

Instructions:

• Spray paint the shoebox and lid black inside and out.
• Tape or glue a clear pocket on the inside of one end of the box to keep the picture in place. :eave the top of the pocket open to insert pictures. (I use leftover lamination or a page protector.)
• On the opposite end of the shoebox, cut a rectangle to be a peek hole (like the top picture). I used an exact-o knife.
• Print out a variety of really cute pictures (animals, plants, people, sun, moon, stars, clouds, etc.) small enough to fit inside the pocket in the shoebox. Laminate if desired.
• Cut a slit in both sides of the shoebox lid about 3 inches from the end.  Fold the lid up like in the middle picture.
• Put one of the computer pictures in the pocket inside the shoebox.
• Peek inside.

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Israelites Make Bricks

 

 

 

Israelites Make Bricks

Exodus 5:1-23

After reading this story, we make some small bricks.  If the children are old enough, I let them put the mold together.  Then they can get some straw that I obtained from a local rancher and some Play Doh to make their bricks.  (The bricks need several days to dry.)  Some will complain about how pokey the straw is when they were forming their bricks.  Some will take a long time to finish because they are being so careful.  All of the many things that happen while making the bricks become object lessons and further discussion for the story.

Instructions for making the brick molds:

• At a local craft store, purchase these craft sticks that have the grooves in them (like the middle picture). 
• For smaller bricks (approx. 1 inch by 1 inch), break two craft sticks in half.  Connect the four craft sticks like the first picture. 
• For larger bricks, do not break the craft sticks.  Just connect them similar to the top picture.

Instructions for making the bricks:

• I typically take the time to make (cook) homemade Play Doh using the recipe below because it works the best.  Regular Play Doh will work but tends to crack too much for me.

3 cups flour

1 1/2 cups salt

6 tsp cream of tarter

3 Tbsp oil

3 cups water

 

Place all of the ingredients in a large pot. Stir constantly over medium heat until a dough ball forms by pulling away from the sides. Knead dough until the texture matches the consistency of a soft play dough (1-2 minutes). Store in plastic container or in a Ziploc bag in the refrigerator. The play doh should last for about 3 months.

 



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Church Doll

Church Doll

 

When my girls were smaller, I made these little church dolls for them to play with because they were very quiet and small enough to fit in any bag or purse. They were well loved!

 

I also made some of these for the children in my toddler class at church when we were learning about baby Jesus and that Jesus was a real baby.  We talked about how Jesus' mother took great care of him.  We talked about how to take care of babies.  I gave them one of these babies to take care of.

 

Materials:

 

White cotton fabric (or any color you choose)

Lace

Cotton ball

Ribbon

Thread

 

Instructions:

• Cut a circle in the cotton fabric approximately 7 inches in diameter. 
• Sew lace around the perimeter (outside edge). 
• Place the cotton ball in the center and gather the fabric up around it.
• Tie a ribbon to keep the cotton ball in place.  This will look like there is a ribbon tied around the doll's neck.
• Cut a small strip of lace and hand sew it from the ribbon on the left side all the way around to the ribbon on the right side to make it look like a bonnet.
• With a fabric marker or Sharpie, draw eyes (I drew them closed.).

 



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Lost Sheep Paper Sack Book

Lost Sheep

Matthew 18: 12-24

Surprise the kids with a paper sack book that has flaps and hidden pictures.  Look for the lost sheep until you find him!

Shown here is only one page of the book. For instructions to make this simple take home, click on the top photo.

All you need is two paper sacks, some scrapbook paper (or other colored paper or discarded wallpaper samples), some computer pictures of animals, scissors, and glue.

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Basket from Paper Sack

 Jesus Feeds the 5,000 (John 6:1-24)

or

Ruth 

Materials:

Paper Sack (size depends on how big you want the basket to be)

Pen or pencil

Scissors 

Instructions:

1. Fold a paper sack in half lenghthwise.

 2.  Draw a curved line at the top corner that is NOT on the fold (the word written   in the corner says "cut".)
3.  Draw a line on the fold where you will cut the handles out as shown in the picture.

 4.  Cut on the lines you drew and open it to look like this.

 5.  Stand it up and you have a basket. The children put shredded tan colored paper for wheat or Shredded Wheat cereal in the basket for the story of Ruth.  They put loaves and fish for the story of Jesus Feeding the 5,000. Under the tab marked Jesus' Miracles, there is a craft for Jesus Feeding the 5,000 that this would work very well for.

If you want shorter handles, cut the top of the paper bag down to a smaller size before drawing and cutting the handles. 

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