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
Welcome to the Celebration City Municipal Court System.
The set: set up the room like a court room.
This week: We will discover that stealing is a sin
To teach the kids that:
Write up the rules on parchment paper to look like a legal document. Have the bailiff read the rules at the beginning of the session.
Prayer is the key to effective ministry!!!!
Characters needed: a judge, a defendant, witnesses (could use puppets for this), lawyers, bailiff (the kids will serve as the jury)
Kids will participate if they see the leaders participating. Be sure to worship the Lord and actively participate in worship...the kids will be watching you.
(In this case, Jeanne decided she wanted a gigapet, but didn't have money to buy one. Jenny had a dozen of them so she took one of Jennies figuring Jenny would never notice. When Jenny discovered she was missing a gigapet, Jeanne hid it so she wouldn't be discovered as the thief.
The bailiff will welcome the members of the jury and explain to them what they will be doing and then ask all to rise as the judge enters. The judge will then announce the case and ask the defendant to stand. Then the attorneys will begin trying their case with opening statements, calling of witnesses, etc. The members of the jury will then be asked to go into deliberations and come back with a verdict.
Members needed for this case are the Judge, Bailiff, two attorneys or one who changes his hat to play the role of both attorneys, Jeanne the defendant, and three witnesses (Jenny- her best friend, George-her brother, and Bobo--two of whom will be puppets and can be worked by the bailiff if necessary). Jeanne tries to justify her actions by bringing up that Jenny didn't need that one because she had so many. She tries to make it sound like it was ok to steal it because Jenny didn't need it. She should be argumentative. George should be non committal. He should answer everything in vague generalities.
Bobo should testify that he saw Jeanne take it.
Questions to ask the witnesses:
Witnesses should be ready to adlib and answer any other questions the lawyer asks.
Once the witnesses have been called and the attorney makes closing statements allow the children to gather and decide on a verdict.
You will need 2 large clear bowls such as punch bowls and food coloring. Fill the bowls with water. Begin by talking about stealing with the children. Explain that the food coloring represents stealing. Tell the kids a story about someone who stole something big like a diamond ring from a jewellery store worth half a million dollars. At this point pour in a whole bottle of food coloring into one of the bowls of water, after all it is a big sin. Now begin by describing someone stealing something very small, like a quarter from moms purse for a soda without asking. Drop a very small drop of food coloring in the second bowl...there that's not too bad. It just has a little color. What? You mean it is still bad? I need clear water? After you make the point that even a little sin makes you impure then begin to show how stealing starts out small. Most prisoners who are in jail for theft did not start out by stealing a diamond ring or a car. They started stealing little things as young kids. They would steal a piece of bubble gum or some small change from mom's purse. However, once you start stealing small things it gets easier to steal bigger things. (Add food coloring drop by drop as you speak until the water is as dark as the first bowl) Stealing is wrong regardless of whether it is stealing something small or stealing something big. God hates both.
Play steal the bacon. One child is it. They stand in the middle with a bean bag at their feet. The other children form a circle around it. The object of the game is for the kids to steal the bacon from it. It must try to stop them by tagging the kids.
You shall not steal. Exodus 20:15 Use a rebus for the memory verse ( a sheep (ewe), a shawl, a knot, st + an eel)
Bobo should sneeze and cough throughout the skit.
Bobo: (is sneezing and coughing up a storm back stage)
Leader: Bobo is that you back there?
Bobo: (trying to mask his voice) No it's little red riding hood.
Leader: That's funny, you sound a whole lot more like the big bad wolf to me.
Bobo: (coughing and sneezing again) I AM NOT A BIG BAD WOLF!!!! Ooops, I mean (voice sounding disguised again) I am not a big bad wolf. I am a sweet little girl.
Leader: Why don't you come up so we can meet you.
Bobo: (comes up wearing a red cape and hood still using sweet girly voice) Helloooo, I am little red riding hood. I am a good little girl.
Leader: My what funny skin color you have little red.
Bobo: Well, I have this rare disease that makes my skin yellow, yes that's it, I am sick.
Leader: Well, what furry skin you have for a little girl.
Bobo: ummm, well, ummm, oh, it must be that disease I have that makes my skin look furry.
Leader: But, what broad shoulders you have for being such a little girl.
Bobo: Oh boo hoo hooo, You hurt my feelings. You don't think I am a pretty little girl.
Leader: As a matter of fact, I don't think you are a little girl at all. I think you are BOBO!!
Bobo: (back to his usual voice and still coughing and sneezing) how'd you know?!?!?
Leader: Well, bobo I think it was the yellow fur that gave you away. Bobo, why were you wearing a disguise?
Bobo: Would you believe I was going to a costume party?
Leader: on a Sunday morning??? Not hardly.
Bobo: well, would you believe that I was cold so I borrowed this beautiful cape?
Leader: No, I wouldn't believe that either, but I would believe that you were trying to hide from me.
Bobo: Oh really, and why would I want to hide?
Leader: Well, perhaps this would give you a clue (holds up purse).
Bobo: Ummm, a purse???
Leader: yes, a purse, my purse to be exact.
Bobo: really? That's your purse? My what fine taste in purses you have.
Leader: Bobo, do you know anything about the money that used to be in this purse?
Bobo: Well, sure, it was probably green and it was made by the government and I bet it had a picture of a president on it. How's that?
Leader: terrible!! That is not what I meant. Do you know what happened to the money that was in this purse.
Bobo: You spent it???
Leader: No I did not spend it! Someone stole it!!
Bobo: You're kiddin.
Leader: you know I am not kidding!
Bobo: I do???
Leader: Yes you do because you took the money didn't you?
Bobo: Well, ummm, now what gives you that idea?
Leader: Do you remember yesterday you came and asked me for five dollars to go get a new sled so you could go sledding with your friends?
Bobo: Do I ever!!! You were so mean and told me I couldn't go!
Leader: Didn't I tell you that it was too cold to be going sledding and I didn't want you catching a cold so I wanted you to wait until tomorrow when it is supposed to warm up?
Bobo: Yes, I do believe that is what you said. Yep Yep Yep. (Sneezing again)
Leader: and why didn't I want you to catch a cold?
Bobo: Because today we are going to go visit Grandpa at the nursing home...HURRAY!!!
Leader: Bobo, you stole that money from my purse and went sledding didn't you?
Bobo: Me??? Stealing??? I wouldn't call it stealing.
Leader: And what would you call it?
Bobo: How about borrowing?
Leader: When you take something that doesn't belong to you without permission it is stealing!!
Bobo: Well, I was going to pay you back sometime.
Leader: that doesn't change the fact that you took something that didn't belong to you when you weren't supposed to. That is stealing even if you planned to repay it sometime.
Bobo: Oh boy, don't just sit there guys (addressing the kids) do something. Can't you see I am it trouble here?!?!?!?!?
Leader: Yes, you are in trouble, but there isn't anything they can do to help you. You got yourself into this mess and now you have a cold too.
Bobo: well, it is just a little cold. It's no big deal.
Leader: It is a big deal Bobo. First of all, you are going to be punished for stealing money from my purse. No allowance for three weeks.
Bobo: For three whole weeks???? That's 7 dollars and fifty cents worth of allowance and I only stole five. Don't you think that's a little harsh?
Leader: As a matter of fact I don't. I think it is very fair. And second of all, I am afraid you won't be able to go with me to the nursing home to see grandpa today.
Bobo: Say what?!!?!!?!?!? You can't be serious.
Leader: Oh I am very serious. You have a cold now and we don't want to make grandpa sick so you will just have to stay home with the babysitter. In fact, I think you should stay in your room while I am gone and write "I will not steal" five hundred times.
Bobo: In my room??? Write five hundred times? Aw, come on, that is so mean. I'll get lonely and I'll get writers cramp.
Leader: You should have thought of that before you stole the money out of my purse.
Bobo: Well, I'll say!!! That was one costly sledding trip. I am going to go sulk somewhere.
Leader: well, while you are back there sulking why don't you listen to the Bible story. It might be of interest to you.
Bobo: oh, alright.
Tell the story of Achan stealing the things from Jericho and hiding them.
You will need a lump of white dough and some food coloring. The point you want to make here is that you can't hide your sin from God. He sees when you steal. Begin working with the dough, kneading it and stretching it as you talk. Then begin to add food coloring and work it into the dough (as you do this the food coloring will begin to stain your hands) Notice that my hands are stained now. Just like my hands become stained and I can't hide the stains, your heart becomes stained when you steal and you can't hide that from God.
You will need a cookie, a ring, a pen, a piece of candy, some homework that is complete, and a popular toy. Begin by explaining that stealing is a sin. It is wrong to take something that does not belong to you. Hold up the ring. Ask kids if it would be wrong to take a ring from your mom's dresser. Now hold up the piece of candy. Ask the kids if it would be wrong to take a piece of candy you found on the floor that you knew your friend had lost. Go through each item...to take a pen from the church pew....what about copying someone's homework...isn't it stealing to copy? It doesn't matter the value of the item. Stealing is wrong regardless of how valuable the item is. We often try to justify our stealing by saying we didn't take something expensive or that we needed it more than the person who owned it. We cannot justify stealing. It is always a sin.
Copyright 1998, Sheryl Coats
