Free Children's Ministry Curriculum Written by Sheryl Coats
Bugs Bugs and More Bugs
Hillbilly Days
Wonderfair
The Wacky Worship Workshop
The Celebration Medical Centre
The Celebration City Courthouse
Growing in God's Garden
The Armour of God
The Wild Wild West
Lesson Three
Our new theme takes us into the meadow to discover mysteries about bugs. At the same time we will discover mysteries about our relationship with Christ. The puppet stage will be decorated with grass and flowers and bugs and anything else that gives the appearance of a meadow...a few fake trees and some artificial turf can really add to the effect.
To teach the children that:
Maintaining order is important. It is important to review the rules on a weekly basis, both for the sake of new children and to remind the other children what is expected of them.
1. No illegal movement: Stay in your seat and keep hands and feet to yourself 2. No interference: Don't interrupt the lesson 3. Go for the touch down: Lets have fun!
Prayer is the key to our ministry. If we fail to prepare with prayer we have failed! As prayer sets the tone for our preparation, it also sets the stage for our program. It sets the kids off on the right step knowing they are in the presence of God.
The prof runs in searching for something (but trying not to let on that he is looking for something).
Ms. Hello professor. My you look a little frazzled this morning.
Piggy penny: Are you feeling all right prof Knowitall? Maybe this ishy squishy worm would make you feel better (stuffing her hand into her pocket as if getting ready to pull out a worm)
Prof: Uuggghh..(sounding scared and grossed out)
Piggy : (pulling out a gummy worm) Don't you like worms professor?
Prof: I am not scared of anything. I am far superior to all life form. You bratty kid didn't scare me and no I don't want your slimy worm.
Ms. Are you all right? You aren't looking for something are you?
Prof: Uh..boo....uggs. I mean insects.
Piggy: You aren't looking for those books are you?
Prof: OH my books! Why I knew they were there. Not that I need them or anything. I am the most brilliant person in the universe you know. I was just worried because they are library books and I didn't want to have to pay for them.
Ms. I have a question for you today prof.
Prof: Yes, go ahead.
Ms. I heard that dragon flies are the best flyers of all insects. Is that true?
Prof: (reading his book...shuffling pages) UMMMM.. Yes, dragon flies do fly that is why they are called dragon flies of course.
Piggy: But are they the best fliers?
Prof: (trying to hide the fact that he doesn't know and is trying to find the answer in the books) dragons...yes lets seeeee, Large fire breathing reptiles..
Ms. A reptile?? We are talking about insects not reptiles.
Prof: (acting indignant) Of course. You simply didn't make yourself understood. Next time be more specific. Now where were we (flipping through pages searching for the right page)
Piggy: the question was " Is the dragon fly the best flyer?"
Prof: Ahh yes, dragon flies are the fastest flying insects.
Ms. How fast can they fly?
Piggy: ( begins to fly across stage.) I bet they can't fly this fast.
Prof: (attempting to follow her around but not being very successful) Some dragon flies can fly 25 miles an hour with bursts of up to 40 miles an hour. They also have great manoeuvring skills.
Ms. You mean like driving skills?
Prof: (still reading) Yes, they can make quick turns up and down and even hover. No other insect can match their flying ability. And little girl would you please stand still? You are making me dizzy!
Piggy: I was just seeing what it was like to be a dragonfly.
Prof: Well, dragonflies can even fly backwards and upside down. Lets see you try that!
Piggy: (stopping her flight) Whoooaa. Just like a helicopter!
Ms. It sure sounds like all of this flying ability is a great benefit to the dragonfly.
Prof: Yes, it helps it flee from danger.
Ms. That is incredible. It reminds me of how as Christians we are to flee from sin.
Piggy: What does flee mean? I thought that a flee was something that made a dog itch.
Prof: Everyone knows that flee means to run away from something. Hummmfff!! I don't have time for all this nonsense. I have things to do. (Takes off in a hurry with all of his books and drops them all half way back)
Ms. Wait prof. Don't you want to stay and worship the Lord with us?
Prof: Nahh. I have better things to do with my time like sneaking some of those cookies my mommy baked (he collects his books and takes off)
Ms. That is too bad. It appears to me that the prof is giving into temptation.
Piggy: What do you mean Ms. D?
Ms. Well you see, the devil wants people to do bad stuff instead of doing good stuff like God wants us to do. Worshiping the Lord is a good thing that God wants us to do and stealing cookies is a bad thing to do.
Piggy: OH I see. He needs to stop listening to the devil and try not to do bad stuff.
Ms. That is right! We need to stay as far away from sin as possible. If we are busy spending time with God we won't give into the devil so easily.
Piggy: Well, lets worship the Lord then. That is one way to spend time with God.
Ms. Sounds good to me.
Singing is an important element of worship. Lets lead the kids into the presence of the Lord. They need to experience Gods presence. As we lead they will follow.
Take time before offering to tell the kids about the team names (such as the Amazing blazing Ants or the Yelling yellow Jackets or the Cool Crickets) and team points. Designate a helper to stay near the board to record team points as they are earned. Once the names are established take offering using the scales.
(make sure to clear an area before church begins or plan to go outside) Spider web weaving. Have kids sit in a circle. Have the kids throw a ball of yarn back and forth (each holding a piece once they throw it to someone else). This will form a web. When the whistle blows they must throw the ball in reverse attempting to unwind their web. This will get a little complicated. You can tie in the illustration that the devil is trying to trap us in sin. We need to stay as far away from sin as possible.
Water (color the water with food coloring) and oil don't mix. Christians and sin shouldn't mix either. We need to separate ourselves from sin like oil separates from water. Just like a dragonfly flees from danger we should flee from sin.
Tell the story of Sodom and Gomorrah--God sent an angel to warn them to flee from the evil cities. He told them to run and not look back. Lot's wife didn't like having to leave all of her nice things behind. She was tempted to look back. When she did she turned into salt. We need to steer clear of evil. We need to follow Jesus and not look for all the worldly pleasures.
Stop doing evil and do good Psalm 34 :14
Bobo Bumble has committed a sin. She has eaten the treat that Ms. D made for the kids. She has Oreo cookies all over her face and pudding on her hands. She is carrying a pair of running shoes.
Ms. Hello Bobo
Bobo: (as if her mouth is full) HUMfello Ms. D.
Ms. Hi Bobo. What is that you are eating? You weren't eating the treat I brought for the kids were you?
Bobo: Eating? I am not eating anything. I'm not eating the treat. UMM I was just chewing some gum. (Swallows) Oops I accidentally swallowed it.
Ms. That's odd Bobo. It smells like chocolate.
Bobo: Of course it does...it was uh chocolate flavoured gum.
Ms. Now I have heard it all. I didn't know there was such a thing as chocolate gum.
Bobo: Well, it's new. In fact today was the first day they sold it.
Ms. I would love to try it. Could I have a piece please?
Bobo: Weeelll, I already chewed it all. It was so good I chewed it all up real quick.
Ms. Oh I see. So tell me. What is all that brown stuff all over your hands?
Bobo: Brown stuff on my hands??? Oh that! That is just dirt. Yep it's dirt!
Ms. Funny, it smells like chocolate and it looks like chocolate
Bobo: Yeah it does doesn't it. You see its this cool new chocolate flavoured potting soil to plant your plants in. Plants love chocolate you know.
Ms. Bobo, are you lying to me?
Bobo: Now why would I do that?
Ms. Bobo, did you hear any of the lesson today?
Bobo: Well, I was kind of busy back here, but I did hear part of it.
Ms. What part did you hear?
Bobo: Well, I heard that when you do something bad you need to run away as fast as you can so that you don't get in trouble. That is why I brought these running shoes with me.
Ms. Oh Bobo. You weren't listening at all. We are all supposed to run away FROM bad stuff, not run away after we have done bad stuff. You see the bible tells us we are supposed to flee from evil and do good.
Bobo: (Starts to cry) I did something really bad. I was going to run away so you wouldn't find out. Oh boo hoo. I ate some of the treat you told me not to eat. I am soo bad.
Ms. Bobo, I thought that is what happened. You see Bobo, the devil is out there trying to get us to do bad stuff. But we don't have to give in. With Jesus in our lives we can be bold and courageous and run away from sin.
Bobo: But running away isn't bold and courageous. It's chicken.
Ms. Think again Bobo. It takes more guts to run from sin than it does to give in.
Bobo: Well, I guess that is true. Will you forgive me for eating some of the treat? I promise to try harder to resist the devil and run away from sin.
Ms. I forgive you Bobo. Now why don't you go clean up now.
Bobo: Ok Ms. D Thank you for teaching me about running away from sin.
Ms. You're welcome. Bye Bobo!
OBJECT LESSON that ties into alter call:
Pass out sheets of paper to a couple of volunteers. Have then crumple their paper and then tear it up. When they are done instruct them to put the pieces back together. Then allow them to tape them back together. Ask if the paper looks like it did when you gave it to them. Often times we think it is ok to sin and no one will notice or that since it is just a little sin it won't matter. Sin makes us unclean. It destroys us. We can't fix our own sins. Only God can. Talk about salvation and staying away from sin. Playing around with sin is a very dangerous thing. Even the smallest of sins can crumple our lives.
