DecemberWeek3

December16th/17th

OVERVIEW CARD

Key Question: How do we know God loves us? Bottom Line: God gave us Jesus.

Memory Verse: “God has given a son to us.” Isaiah 9:6, NCV Bible Story Focus: The wise men come to see God’s Son. The Wise Men Matthew 2:1-2, 9-11 Coloring Page: Wise men travel to find Jesus. Music: It’s Christmastime Special Delivery Best Present Ever

Bible Lesson: The Beginner’s Bible The Bright Star and Three Visitors Pages 286 to 290

Story: A Star for Jesus By Crystal Bowman

Memory Verse –

Isaiah 9:6, NCV

DecemberWeek3

December16th/17thFollow the Star Big Idea: Children will play a fun version of “Follow the Leader” doing silly movements all along the way. What You Need: Cardstock star attached to a paint stick. What You Do: Play a version of “Follow the Leader,” only the children have to follow the star. Once you have led the children around the room a few times, doing silly movements all along the way, allow the children to begin taking turns holding the star for everyone to follow. What You Say: During the activity: “Today we are going to play ‘Follow the Star.’ All you have to do is make sure you follow this special star. Ready? Here we go! We are following the star!” (Make sure to do some silly movements for the children to copy as they follow you. Allow the children to take turns being the leader and holding the star.) At the end of the activity: “Our Bible lesson today had a very special star in it. It is so special that it leads some wise men all the way to Jesus’ house. Isn’t it amazing that God would place a star in the sky for the wise men to follow? God sent Jesus to show those wise men just how much He loves them! And God sent Jesus to show us His love for us too. How do we know God loves us? God gave us Jesus.”

Memory Verse –

Isaiah 9:6, NCV

ACTIVITY 1 – 2’s/3’s only

DecemberWeek3

December16th/17thStar Bounce Big Idea: Children will play with the parachute and shake off the toy stress stars.

What You Need: Parachute and toy stress stars

What You Do: Before the Activity: Invite the children to stand around the parachute. Encourage the children to each take hold of the parachute and lift it off the ground. Place the yellow stress toys (stars) onto the parachute. During the Activity: Instruct the children to move their arms up and down to move the parachute and bounce the stars. Repeat several times. What You Say: Before the Activity: “Let’s bounce the stars back into the sky!” During the Activity: “These stars are like the ones that God put in the sky to lead the wise men to Jesus in our lesson today. Everyone pick up the parachute. (Pause.) Let’s see how high we can get the stars! (Do activity.) Way to go!” After the Activity: “WOW! We really sent the stars high! God put the star high in the sky to help the wise men find baby Jesus. God loves us so much that He gave us JESUS! Jesus is the best gift ever. How do we know God loves us? God gave us Jesus!”

Memory Verse –

Isaiah 9:6, NCV

ACTIVITY 2 – 2’s/3’s only

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DecemberWeek3

December16th/17thTrace the Stars Memory Verse Big Idea: Children will trace the stars with dry erase markers while practicing their memory verse together. What You Need: Yellow “Stars” Activity Page inserted inside clear page protectors, tissues, and different colors of dry erase markers What You Do During the Activity: Lay out the page protectors on a table in the activity area. Encourage the children to say their memory verse as they trace the laminated stars on the page protectors with the dry erase markers. When they are finished, they may use a tissue to wipe off the marker and start again. After the Activity: Make sure each child traces each size star at least one time. What You Say: Before the Activity: “Do you know how to trace something? You take your marker and follow it around the edges of the object you are tracing (demonstrate) just like I am doing with this star.” During the Activity: “Now it is your turn. Using the clear paper I have for you and a marker, carefully trace the outsides of the star. As we trace our star let’s say our memory verse together, ‘God has given a son to us, Isaiah 9:6.’ (Pause.) Great job! The cool thing about the clear paper is that you may use a tissue when you are done to wipe it off and you can do it again!” (Repeat as long as there’s interest.) After the Activity: “Great job tracing and saying your memory verse! Stars are beautiful and bright in the sky. Today in our TRUE Bible story we heard about a very special star that God made! It is so special that it leads some wise men all the way to Jesus’ house. Isn’t it amazing that God would place a star in the sky for the wise men to follow? God sent Jesus to show those wise men just how much He loves them! And God sent Jesus to show us His love for us too. How do we know God loves us? God gave us Jesus.”

ACTIVITY 3 - All

Memory Verse –

Isaiah 9:6, NCV

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DecemberWeek3

December16th/17thRing That Star Big Idea: Children will try to toss the Hula-hoop over the star cone. What You Need: Yellow star attached to 2 mini traffic cones and 6 Hula-hoops What You Do: During the Activity: Make two stations with a star cone and a Hula-hoop. Divide the children between the two stations. Make a starting line with tape on the floor to show the children where to stand when tossing the Hula-hoop. Show the children how to toss the Hula-hoop and try and ring the star cone. What You Say: During the Activity: “Watch this! I’m going to try and ring that star with this Hula-hoop! Here I go! (Demonstrate.) Now it’s your turn! Ring that star!” After the Activity: “The wise men in our Bible lesson today didn’t have to RING a star. What did they have to do? They had to FOLLOW a star! And what happened when they followed the star? Yes! They found Jesus! God gave us Jesus because He loves us. He gave us Jesus to be our friend forever. So tell me: How do we know God loves us? God gave us Jesus. And who wants to be your friend forever? [Basic Truth] Jesus wants to be my friend forever!”

ACTIVITY 4 – 4’s/5’s only

Memory Verse –

Isaiah 9:6, NCV

DecemberWeek3

December16th/17thFollow the Stars Big Idea: Have the children travel to the stars tapped on the wall and complete different actions. What You Need: Yellow star cutouts numbered 1-5 and wall tape What You Do: Before the activity: Tape each star in no particular order around the room, making sure the stars are at least 5-7 feet away from each other if possible. During the activity: Line the children up next to you and give them directions to go to a specific numbered star and perform an action when they get there. (Ex: Go to star number 4 and hop on one foot 4 times.) Try to make the number of times that they do the action match the number on the star. Once they have finished the action call out another star and a new action. Send the children to each star at least once. (Repeat as many times as desired.) What You Say: Before the activity: “I see stars all over the room! There are numbers on the stars. Do you see them too? Let’s look at the numbers on the stars. I see the number one (point to star one). There is star number two!” (Continue through all five stars.) During the activity: “I am going to say a number that’s on one of the stars and give you a special job to do when you get to that star. Let’s all use our listening ears and get ready to have fun! Here we go! Go to star number three and touch your toes three times. (Demonstrate.) Awesome job! Now go to star number one and turn around in a circle one time. (Demonstrate.) Perfect! Go to star number five and pat your head five times. (Demonstrate.) You all rock! Go to star number two and do two jumping jacks. (Demonstrate.) Great! Okay last one! Go to star number four and clap for yourselves four times! You did a great job!” (Repeat as many times as desired.) At the end of the activity: “That was awesome! I am so proud of you for following the stars. Our Bible lesson today was about some men who followed a star. And what happened when they followed the star? Yes! They found Jesus! God gave us Jesus because He loves us. He gave us Jesus to be our friend forever. So tell me: How do we know God loves us? God gave us Jesus.”

ACTIVITY 5 – 4’s/5’s only

Memory Verse –

Isaiah 9:6, NCV

DecemberWeek3

December16th/17thSparkly Star What You Need: “Sparkly Star” Activity Page on white cardstock, yellow tissue paper, and glue sticks

What You Do: During the Activity: Place the tissue paper in the middle of the table and give each child an Activity Page. Encourage the children to glue strips of the tissue paper onto the star. Encourage the children to continue with the activity until all of the star is covered with tissue paper. What You Say: Before the Activity: “Today we heard about a beautiful and sparkly star that God put in the sky to help the wise men find baby Jesus!” During the Activity: “We are going to make a star to remind us of our Bible lesson. (Give each child an Activity Page.) Glue the tissue paper to the star to make it bright and sparkly!” (Do activity.) After the Activity: “WOW! Your stars are so bright and sparkly. God put the star in the sky to lead the wise men to Jesus. God gave us Jesus. How do we know God loves us? God gave us Jesus!”

CRAFT

Memory Verse –

Isaiah 9:6, NCV

DecemberWeek3

December16th/17th

Small Group Time What you Need: Parent Take Home Card, Playdoh, Star Cookie Cutters, Rolling Pins, and Sticker Roll SMALL GROUP LEADER (SGL): “It’s Small Group time! I want you to follow this star (hold up yellow star), just like the wise men did in our lesson today. (Lead children to the table.) Here we are. Now let’s sit down when I count to three. One, two, three, sit down with me! (Hold up the yellow star.) “This star led us to our special spot. Where did the star in our Bible story lead the wise men? (Pause.) Yes! The star led the wise men to Jesus! The wise men wanted to worship Jesus and tell Him how special He is. They even brought gifts! The wise men knew that Jesus was very special. Who can tell me what makes Jesus so special? (Pause.) That’s right! Jesus is special because Jesus is God’s Son! And God gave us Jesus because He loves us. How do we know God loves us?” CHILDREN and SGL: “God gave us Jesus!” SGL: “Yes! And THAT is what makes Christmas so special. God gave us Jesus. “Now it’s time to pray. When I give you the star to hold, I want you to tell me something special about Jesus. Then you will pass it to the next person and they will tell me something special about Jesus. We’ll keep passing the star around until everyone has told me something special about Jesus. When we pray to tell Jesus we will tell Him how special He is, just like when the wise men went to see Jesus to tell Him how special He is. (Note: You may have to help the children think of things to say, such as: Jesus is special because He is God’s Son, Jesus wants to be our friend forever, Jesus can do anything, Jesus loves everyone, etc. Give each child the star to hold.) “Ok, it’s time to review our lesson. I am going to ask you some questions and you will get a sticker for answering them. I have some really cool stickers today. Are you ready? (Pause.) Great! (Ask the children the questions from the “Parent Take Home Cards”. You can also make up additional questions from our video lesson. Don’t forget to ask them to say their memory verse for another sticker. You can repeat the same questions over and over as repetition is good for preschoolers.) You are such great listeners!” “Now I’ll pray before it’s time to say goodbye until next week.”

SMALL GROUP