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C H I L D H O O D

WHAT YOU’LL NEED TODAY

BOX SUPPLIES (provided):

• Play-Doh

• Styrofoam balls

• Pipe cleaners

• Wiggles eyes

• Small pom poms

FROM YOUR HOME:

• Animal costume props (i.e. pool noodle for an elephant trunk)

• Animal Crackers or Animal cookies (snack option)

• Nature items (leaves, twigs, feathers, etc.)

• Small plastic animals

• Markers

• Glue

D A Y

ONE

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PARENT DEVOTIONAL

READ ROMANS 1:20You woke up this morning. And more than likely, each person reading this devotion started their day in the same way: you opened your eyes. Ah, but what did you see? Here’s where things begin to differ. For some of you, it may have been bright beams of sunshine bursting through your bedroom window. If you’re an early bird, you climbed out of bed to a world that looked similar to the way it did when you laird your head down last night. Maybe your eyes peeked open to the slobbery face of that sweet dog who loyally keeps you cozy each night. Or perhaps it was a peaceful toddler who finally gave way to slumber once you allowed them to crawl into bed with you in the middle of the night... again.

Regardless of how you began your day - sunny or dark, quietly or loudly, alone or surrounded by others - God faithfully gave you another day. This truth remains the same for everyone, and no one else gets the credit for giving you this. Only God has the power to set the world in motion the way He does. After all: From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised (Psalm 113:3 NIV).

I am certain God does this on purpose. Because no matter how difficult of a day you had yesterday, He lovingly gives you a new one today. And with that, He provides you with the daily evidence that He is here, and He is in control.

As you prepare to lead your child this week, ask God to use you as another piece of evidence that He is who He is. Much like us, your child began their day differently. Perhaps they woke up with a huge need for a desperate reminder that there is a God who made them and cares for them deeply. Ask Him to help you share this love and truth with your child. And pray that you will remain focused on His presence through what you see today.

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ANIMAL WALKWHAT YOU NEED: Optional animal costume props, such as: a pool noodle (to be an elephant’s trunk), three or four large feathers (to be a bird), a bowl large enough to fit on your child’s head (to be a turtle), a headband with bunny ears (or any other animal ears), etc.

WHAT YOU DO: During the Activity: Invite your child to take turns using the props and pretending to be animals along a designated path within your home. Repeat as long as time and interest allows.

WHAT YOU SAY: “We learned today about how God made all the animals. Now, we’re going to pretend to be an-imals! We can choose some animal props and walk like that animal all along this path. You might choose to be an elephant (hold up the noodle like an elephant trunk), and a bird (hold up the feath-ers like wings). (If you provide other props, explain them now.) Look at all these amazing animals! God made all of them. And, the greatest gift God gave us is Jesus.“

SNACK RECOMMENDATIONSince today we are FOCUSing on seeing God in creation, why not have some fun and serve kids animal crackers or Mother’s Circus Animal cookies.

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CREATIONS FROM CREATIONWHAT YOU NEED: Play-Doh, nature items (leaves, twigs, small pebbles, feathers, acorns, etc.), and small plastic animals (optional)

WHAT YOU DO: Before the Activity: Go outside and collect nature items with your child. After, place the items on your table along with plastic animals if you choose to use them. Then hand your child the Play-Doh.

During the Activity: Encourage your child to create the items that God has made using the Play-Doh and any of the nature items. They may even choose to use one of the plastic animals as inspiration as they shape their own animal. OR your child may use the Play-Doh and items provided to create whatever they’d like. Allow your child to be as creative as they choose.

After the Activity: Gather all Play-Doh and return to airtight containers. Set all other items aside for clean-up.

WHAT YOU SAY: Before the Activity: “One of the amazing things that God created is YOU! And He made you to be creative, too. Let’s use our Play-Doh to create something fun. You can either shape your Play-Doh to create something you love that God has made, OR you can create something totally new. Do you see the items from nature here on the table? What do you see (Pause.) Great job! You may use any of these items in your creation, too.“

After the Activity: “Look at all these creative creations! God made so many wonderful things for us to enjoy and to show us how much He loves us. But the best gift God gave us is Jesus. God gave us Jesus to be our friend forever. Who wants to be your friend forever? [Bottom Line] Jesus wants to be my friend forever.“

PRAYER:“Dear God, we want to tell You how amazing and powerful and creative and loving You are. Even though we can’t see You, we know You are real because we see ALL the things You made. And I es-pecially want to thank You for making (say your child’s name). They are SO special. And I know You love all of us with a super big love because You gave us Jesus to be our friend forever. WOW! Jesus is the best! Thanks again for today. We love You,God. In Jesus’ name, amen. “

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FOCUS EYE PUPPETWHAT YOU NEED: Styrofoam balls, markers, pipe cleaners, wiggle eyes, glue, scissors, and small pom poms

WHAT YOU DO: During the Activity: • Encourage your child to color the Styrofoam balls before putting their puppet together. • Cut a three-inch piece out of one of the pipe cleaners. (Or have your child cut it themselves)• Give your child the three-inch pipe cleaner, and gude them to shape the piece into a U. • Tell them to dip both ends of the stem into glue and insert each end into a Styrofoam ball. The U

shape will slip under your child’s middle finger while the two balls sit on top of the hand to form the puppet’s eyes.

• Hand your child two wiggle eyes and have them stick one on each Styrofoam ball. • Encourage your child to get creative with the extra pipe cleaners and the small pom poms to

create eyelashes, eyelide, ears, hair, antennae, etc.

WHAT YOU SAY: [Make It Personal] (Tell a story about a puppet show you saw as a child or if you had a favorite kid’s TV show with puppets.) “Look at your puppet’s eyes. Our eyes help us see the world around us. Did you know that everything we see in creation points us to God? What are some things you see in the world that point to God? (Pause for responses.) We are reminded of God when we see the trees, animals, mointains, oceans, and people He made! You can use your puppets to tell others about God and how you can SEE the things He made all around us.”

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WHAT YOU’LL NEED TODAY

BOX SUPPLIES (provided):

• Movement Cards

• Play-Doh

• Popsicle sticks

• Long cardboard tube

• Short cardboard tube

• Frosted plastic circle

• Cardboard circle with hole

• Clear plastic circle

• Silver acetate sheet

• Assorted beads

• Day 2 memory verse label

FROM YOUR HOME:

• Bucket or bin

• Graham crackers (snack option)

• Frosting (snack option)

• Paper plate

• Tape

• Scissors

• Pencil

• Ruler

• Markers

• Stickers (optional)

D A Y

TWO

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PARENT DEVOTIONAL

READ MATTHEW 7:24-27

We can probably all agree that life is hard. Whether you are plowing through parenting, paying bills, navigating tricky relationships, or other things, IT’S HARD.

And I haven’t even mentioned the storms. Because those happen, too, unfortunately. And they always seem to pop up at the most inconvenient times, don’t they? Your car breaks down when you have a million places you need to go. The air conditioning in your house goes out when your bank account is already in the red. Or your boyfriend breaks up with you when you especially needed the companionship.

Life is hard for kids, too. Many of them are dealing with situations that are far too complicated for them to sort out. Perhaps all they see is chaos swirling around them, and they’re searching for something steady and solid. It’s vital that we show kids they can trust God no matter what, even in the storms.

Let’s do all we can to help kids understand that God gave us His Word because He wants to be with us through the chaos. God wants us to hear from Him and know that He’s here. He didn’t just create us and leave us to flounder in a world full of trouble He knew things would be hard, so He lovingly provided us with His own words to guide us through it all.

D A Y

TWO

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LET’S GET MOVINGWHAT YOU NEED: Bucket or bin; and movememnt cards

WHAT YOU DO: Before the Activity: Put the movement cards in the bucket or bin.

During the Activity: Invite your child to take turns choosing a card from the bucket. When they choose a card, they will do the activity on the card and then put the card back in the bucket. Continue as long as there is interest.

WHAT YOU SAY: Before the Activity: “This is our bucket. Inside our bucket, there are cards that will tell us what to do. When it’s your turn, reach into the bucket and choose a card. Then do what the card says. The number on the card tells you how many times to do it. Then put the card back in the bucket for the next turn.”

After the Activity: “That game was really fun! We read the cards and did what they said. We can read the Bible and do what Jesus says. In our story today, there was a wise man and a foolish man. We want to be like the wise man who built his house on the rock. We are wise when we follow what Jesus says in the Bible!”

SNACK RECOMMENDATION

Take graham crackers and frosting, and challenge your child to build something out of them. They can use the frosting to make the crackers stick together to make walls. This snack is to remind them that Jesus loves us and wants to be our friend forever. His teachings will keep us safe and help us build a strong foundation.

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HOUSE BUILDING WHAT YOU NEED: Play-Doh, popsicle sticks, and paper plates

WHAT YOU DO: Before the Activity: Place all of the supplies on the center of the table.

During the Activity: Give your child a paper plate. Encourage them to use the Play-Doh and popsi-cle sticks to build a house. Show them how they can ball up pieces of the Play-Doh and use that to stick the popsicle sticks together. While they are building, talk with them about today’s Bible story and why it’s important for us to listen to Jesus.

After the Activity: Gather all Play-Doh and return to airtight containers.

WHAT YOU SAY: Before the Activity: “When Jesus told the story about the two men who built houses, did they build with Play-Doh and popsicle sticks? (Pause) Nope! One built his house on the rock and one on the sand. Let’s do some house building of our own but with some sticks and Play-Doh for fun!”

After the Activity: “Great building! The wise man built his house on the rock. Jesus told this story to show us how important it is to listen to what he teaches so we can make wise choices and stand strong. He teaches us things like love one another and be a good friend. What are some other things? (Pause for response.) Those are great things. Jesus is a wise and good friend! Who wants to be your friend forever? [Bottom Line] Jesus wants to be my friend forever.“

PRAYER:“Dear God, thank You for sending Jesus to be our friend forever. He is such a good friend and teaches us the best way to live. Please help us make wise choices and do what Jesus says like (say some of the ways you talked about with your child). We love You, God. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

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FOCUS KALEIDOSCOPEWHAT YOU NEED: Long cardboard tube, short cardboard tube, frosted plastic circle, cardboard circle with hole, clear plastic circle, silver acetate sheet, assorted beads, Day 2 Memory Verse Label, tape, scissors, pencil, ruler, markers, stickers (optional)

WHAT YOU DO: • Instruct your child on how to put together the kaleidoscope: o Remove the protective coating on both sides of the silver acetate. o Using a ruler and a pencil, measure and mark two lines on the silver acetate. (See Fig. 1) o Fold the silver acetate along the two lines. Tape together the edges to meet to form a triangle. Insert the triangle into the long tube. o Tape the cardboard circle with the hole to one end of the long tube. o Using only a very short piece of tape, tape the edges of the frosted plastic circle to one end of the short tube. Place a small assortment of beads into the short tube. o Place the clear plastic circle between the open ends of both tubes. Tape the tubes together. (See Fig. 2)• Give your child a Day 2 Memory Verse Label to put on the outside of their kaleidoscope.• Encourage them to decorate the outside of their kaleidoscope by coloring or adding stickers.• Tell them to look through their kaleidoscopes and watch the colors move as they twist the end.

WHAT YOU SAY: [Make It Personal] (Tell a story about when you were a kid and looked through a kaleidoscope.) “Have you ever played with a kaleidoscope? What did you see? (Pause.) Did you know that the Bible is like a kaleidoscope? It is full of beautiful things that help us HEAR from God. When we hear from God, He helps us become wise.”

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WHAT YOU’LL NEED TODAY

BOX SUPPLIES (provided):• Play-Doh

• Jesus, Disciples, and Angry People activity pages

• Popsicle sticks

• Day 3 Memory Verse Label

• CD

• Fishing line

• Peel-and-stick gemstones

FROM YOUR HOME:

• Scarves

• Fun music

• Tape

D A Y

THREE

1

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C H I L D H O O D

PARENT DEVOTIONAL

READ MATTHEW 16:13-20

Our age tends to play a huge role in our willingness to talk to others about what we believe, don’t you think? According to my parents, my unfiltered preschool-age mouth unashamedly proclaimed anything I believed to anyone I met. There was no fear of what others might think. The need to fit in didn’t really exist. But somewhere along the line, that changed.

I vividly remember awkward conversations with friends as an elementary-age kid. Those conversa-tions went something like this: Friends: Do you go to church? Me: Uh... yes. Friend: What religion are you? Me: (uncomfortably avoiding eye contact) Uh... um ... Christian? Friend: ... Me: (roughly changing the subject) So, what’d your mom pack you for lunch?

Why does it become more difficult with age to talk to others about the Good News of Jesus? Be-cause our awareness becomes greater, th need for acceptance grows stronger, and we become more selective in the places we consider to be safe.

This week, you have an opportunity to create a safe place for the kids you lead. Remember what it was like when you were in their shoes. Make yourself available for hard questions and conversations. Pray that God would use you in order to put kids at ease. And ask Him to give you the words to encourage them and empower them to tell others about Him.

D A Y

THREE

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LET’S GET MOVINGWHAT YOU NEED: Scarves and fun music

WHAT YOU DO: During the Activity: Give your child a scarf. Show them how to gently toss their scarf in the air and catch it as it floats back down. Next, encourage them to try and toss their scarf in the air, spin around once, and then catch it. End your time with a few moments of scarf dancing as you play your favorite songs

WHAT YOU SAY: Before the Activity: “I have a super fun game for us to play! Here is a scarf. Now, wave it in the air so I can see. Great! This is how you play the game. It’s very important that you keep your eye on your scarf. That way when you toss your scarf in the air... (Demonstrate) ... you can catch it! Or when you toss it and spin... (Demonstrate) ... you can catch it. Ta-da! You try it! And remember to keep your eyes on the scarf.”

After the Activity: “We kept our eyes on our scarves to play the game, but our memory verse re-minds us to keep looking to Jesus. We keep our eyes on Jesus because He loves u and knows what is best. AND He wants to be our friend forever. Who wants to be your friend forever? [Bottom Line] Jesus wants to be my friend forever! Let’s dance with our scarves while we say the verse. All you have to do is dance to the music and say: Let us keep looking to Jesus (Hebrews 12:2). Get your scarves ready. It’s time to dance! (Continue as long as your child is having fun.)”

SNACK RECOMMENDATION

Let your child pick their favorite snack. As you enjoy snack time together, ask them why this food is their favorite. Then, tell them about your favorite food. After you have all shared, point out that just as it was simple to talk about why food is a favorite snack, talking with others about Jesus can be just as easy. Talk with them about how they can share with others that Jesus wants to be their friend forever!

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PLAY (DOH) IT AGAINWHAT YOU NEED: Play-Doh; Jesus, Disciples, and Angry People activity pages; popsicle sticks, and tape

WHAT YOU DO: During the Activity: Give your child a Jesus, Disciples, and Angry People cutout, three popsicle sticks, and some Play-Doh. Assist your child in taping each of their pictures to a craft stick. Show them how to shape a small amount of Play-Doh and then stick one of the craft sticks into the Play-Doh. The Play-Doh base will allow them to stand their story pictures on the table and more them around without falling as they retell the story.

After the Activity: Gather all Play-Doh and return to airtight containers.

WHAT YOU SAY: Before the Activity: “I am giving you three pictures and three popsicle sticks. When I am done, I’ll tell you what to do with them.“

During the Activity: (Hold up Jesus) “Look at this picture. Our story was about something amazing He did. Do you remember His name? (Pause) Yes! His name is Jesus! Tape this picture to one of your popsicle sticks.“

(Hold up Disciples) “Look at this picture. These were Jesus’ friends, the disciples. They went every-where with Jesus. Tape this picture to another one of your popsicle sticks.”

(Hold up Angry People) “Look at the faces on this picture. Are these people happy or angry? (Pause) Yes, they are angry. Tape this picture to your last popsicle stick.”

(Hold up some Play-Doh) “Now that we have all of our stick people ready, we can use this Play-Doh to help them stand. Take some Play-Doh, mold it a little like this, and now take one of your stick people and push the end of the stick into the Play-Doh. (Demonstrate) See, now it can stand. Let’s do that with all three of our stick people.“

“Now you can help me tell the story using your stick people.“

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“God sent His son, Jesus (have them hold up Jesus), to be our friend forever. Jesus did amazing things only He can do, and He loved everyone.”

“Jesus had some very close friends called the disciples (have them hold up the disciples.) The Disciples followed Jesus everywhere. They heard Him teach about God and saw Him do amazing things only He can do.”

“One day, some angry people (have them hold up the angry people) came and took Jesus away. They hurt Jesus so bad that He died. (Have them lay Jesus down.) Jesus’ friends were so very sad. They wrapped Jesus’ body and buried Him in a tomb.”

“Then, three days later - count with me: one, two, three - JESUS CAME BACK!”

(Have them stand Jesus back up.)

“When Jesus’ friends went to the tomb, it was empty, Jesus wasn’t there anymore. Later, Jesus went to visit His friends. (Have them bring Jesus and the disciples together.) He wanted them to see that He was alive and a He wanted to tell them He wanted to be their forever.”

After the Activity: “Jesus did what only He can do so we can be friend with Him forever. Jesus loves us that much! Who wants to be your friend forever? [Bottom Line] Jesus wants to be my friend for-ever.”

PRAYER:“Dear God, we want to tell You how amazing and powerful and creative and loving You are. Even though we can’t see You, we know You are real because we see ALL the things You made. And I especially want to thank You for making (say your child’s name.) They are SO special. And I know You love all of us with a super big love because You gave us Jesus to be our friend forever. Jesus is the best! Thanks again for today. We love You, God. In Jesus’ name, amen.“

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CD SUN CATCHERWHAT YOU NEED: Day 3 Memory Verse Label, CD, fishing line, and peel-and-stick gemstones

WHAT YOU DO: • Instruct your child to peel and stick their stones in whatever pattern or design they like on the

back side of the CD. Tell them to not cover up the hole in the center• Give them a Day 3 Memory Verse Label to stick on the other side of their disc.• Say the memory verse together. • Help your child thread a piece of fishing line through the middle of the disc and tie the ends

together to make a loop for hanging.

WHAT YOU SAY: “I want you to find a good place to hang your sun catcher up. Find a window with lots of sunlight where you can hang your sun catcher. When you look at the sun coming through your work of art, remember to keep looking toward Jesus and know you can tell others about Him. You can tell them all about how Jesus wants to be their friend forever.”

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C R A F T | D A Y 3

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WHAT YOU’LL NEED TODAY

BOX SUPPLIES (provided):• “Four Corners” Activity Pages

• Activity Page 1

• Activity Page 2

• Small brad

FROM YOUR HOME:

• Pretzels (snack option)

• Small journal

• Scissors

• Crayons or markers

D A Y

FOUR

1

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C H I L D H O O D

PARENT DEVOTIONAL

READ MATTHEW 6:5-13

It can be difficult to strike the right balance between reverence and relationship in our own prayer lives. Yes, when we pray, we are speaking to the God of the universe—the One who made the world and everything in it. He deserves our utmost honor, respect, and admiration.

But another matchless quality about our Father is that He is accessible all the time. And He tenderly desires for His people to have a constant line of communication with Him. He does not require eloquent words from you, but rather your authentic and unique voice. He made you, after all. He knit you together, so He understands what upsets you, what pleases you, and what makes you lie awake at night. He simply wants you to trust Him enough to talk with Him about all of it.

He wants this for your child, too. So keep in mind that most kids learn how to pray by observing the habits of the adults in their lives. You have a significant opportunity today to show kids that prayer can happen anytime or anywhere and they can talk to God about ANYTHING!

Begin your day by using this passage in Matthew as a structure for your conversation with God. But personalize it, rather than simply repeating words. Then ask God to help you remember to talk to Him throughout the day. Ask Him to use you as an example for your child.

D A Y

FOUR

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FOUR CORNERSWHAT YOU NEED: “Four Corners” Activity Pages and tape

WHAT YOU DO: Before the Activity: Tape the four images in the four corners of the room

During the Activity: Use different phrases to get your child to run to different corners of the room. I can talk to God anytime. – Clock I can talk to God about anything—whether I’m happy or sad. – Emojis I can talk to God anywhere, and the car takes me anywhere. – Car Jesus taught us. – JesusWhen they run to the Jesus corner, ask them, “Who wants to be your friend forever?” And have them answer back, “Jesus wants to be my friend forever!” Continue as long as time and interest allow.

WHAT YOU SAY: Before the Activity: “Let’s play Four Corners!”

During the Activity: “When I call out something, it will be a clue to tell you which corner to go to.

“When I say, ‘I can talk to God anytime,’ you run to the corner with the clock.“When I say, ‘I can talk to God about anything—whether I’m happy or sad,’ you run to the corner with the emojis.“When I say, ‘I can talk to God anywhere, and the car takes me anywhere,’ you run to the corner with the car.“And when I say, ‘Jesus taught us,’ you run to the corner with Jesus. When you’re in that corner, I’ll say, ‘Who wants to be your friend forever?’ Then you answer, ‘Jesus wants to be my friend forever!’”

SNACK RECOMMENDATION

Have some yummy pretzels and tell your child about how some people think that pretzels look like a child holding their hands in prayer. Then, say a quick prayer together. Thank God for this delicious snack and for knowing we can talk to Him anytime, anywhere, about anything.

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JOURNAL PRAYERWHAT YOU NEED: A small journal and a pen

WHAT YOU DO: During the Activity: Talk with your child about what they learned in today’s Bible story. Start by asking them if Jesus taught us we can talk to people other than him (use silly examples). Then, have them list off different things that they want to talk to God about, and write them in the journal.

After the Activity: Pray about all of the things that were listed.

WHAT YOU SAY: During the Activity: “Jesus taught us something very special in our Bible story today. Let’s see if you remember.“

“Did Jesus teach us how to talk to giraffes? (Pause.) Noooooo.“

“Did Jesus teach us how to talk to teddy bears? (Pause.) Noooooo.“

“Did Jesus teach us how to talk to God? (Pause.) Yes! Jesus taught us how to talk to God! Jesus said we can talk to God anytime, anywhere, about anything! That’s great news!“

“Today we are going to write down anything we want in this journal because we can talk to God about anything! So, I want you to say whatever you ant to God and I will write it down.”

“You can thank God for something. You can ask God for help. You can tell God you’re sorry for something you did. You can tell God you love Him. You can say anything you want!“

(Allow them to say whatever they want and write it down.)

“This is great! We can use this when we talk to God.“

PRAYER:“Dear God, You are so awesome! There is no one else like You. Thank You that we can talk to You anytime, anywhere, about anything. Today (say your child’s name) wants to tell you (read what they said). You are the best, God, and we love You. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

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PRAYER WHEELWHAT YOU NEED: Activity Page 1, Activity Page 2, small brad, scissors and crayons or makers

WHAT YOU DO: • Encourage your child to color each activity page with crayons or makers.• Once colored, have them cut the pages out along the dotted lines. (Or you can cut the pages

out for them• Help them to carefully poke the brad through the small circle in the middle of Activity Page 1.

Then help them to poke the brad through the small circle in the middle of Activity Page 2.• Have them open and bend flat the brad legs.• Show your child how when they spin the top page around, it reveals what they colored underneath.

WHAT YOU SAY: [Make It Personal] (Talk to your child about when and where you like to pray.) “Have you talked to God? Where do you like to pray? (Pause for responses.) God loves you so much, and He wants to hear from you anytime and anywhere. We can use this spinner to always remind us that we can PRAY anytime, anywhere, about anything.”

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WHAT YOU’LL NEED TODAY

BOX SUPPLIES (provided):

• Day 5 Bottom Line Labels

• One rock

• Copper wire

FROM YOUR HOME:

• Foam hearts or heart cut outs

• Sheet or blanket

• Heart shaped cookie cutters (snack option)

• Cookie dough (snack option)

• PB&J (snack option)

• Soft ball

• Paint, paint pens or permanent markers

• Photo of your child

D A Y

FIVE

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PARENT DEVOTIONAL

READ MATTHEW 22:36-40 & 1 CORINTHIANS 13

You’ve made it! It’s the very last day! And I have a sneaking suspicion that perhaps you may have gotten more out of this week than you originally thought you would. Were you one of those folks who thought there was no way you could lead FOCUS in your home or neighborhood without some NP Kids leaders on hand to help you? Now that the week is nearly over, aren’t you glad you did? It’s funny how that works.

You see, God doesn’t do anything accidentally. So when He orchestrated whatever details were involved in placing you where you’ve been this entire week, He knew exactly what He was doing.

So in light of what we will be discussing today, you’ve got it down! Because you have been given a priceless opportunity to live for God all week long by how you have loved others. In this case, you have loved your child.

Jesus said the most important commandment has two key elements... Love God and love others. Often, the best way we can demonstrate our love for God is by loving others.

D A Y

FIVE

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LOVE PARACHUTEWHAT YOU NEED: Foam hearts or cut-out paper hearts and a sheet or towel

WHAT YOU DO: During the Activity: Place the hearts in the middle of the sheet or towel. Help your child hold the edges and make the hearts fly into the air and then land on the sheet or towel again. Continue as long as there is interest. Have them say, “Jesus wants to be my friend forever“ as you bounce the hearts.

WHAT YOU SAY: During the Activity: “Jesus loves everyone all the time! We should show love to others, too! We’re going to use this parachute and hearts to help us to remember that Jesus loves us SO much and we can love others the way Jesus loves us. And that’s a lot of love like all of these hearts. Jesus loves you and wants to be your friend forever. Who wants to be your friend forever? Jesus wants to be my friend forever!”

SNACK RECOMMENDATION

Get out those heart shaped cookie cutters and use them for today’s snack. You can either bake some cookies in heart shapes, or maybe make some heart shaped PB&J. While you eat your heart snack with your child, talk about the different ways we can love people.

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G A M E & S N A C K | D A Y 5

E A R L Y

C H I L D H O O D

ON THE BALL VERSEWHAT YOU NEED: A soft ball

WHAT YOU DO: During the Activity: Lead your child to repeat this week’s memory verse as you play the following games with the ball.

1. Sit in front of each other and say one word of the verse as you pass the ball back and fourth.2. Stand in front of each other and toss or bounce the ball to each other saying one word of the

verse for each toss/bounce.

After the Activity: Put the ball away.

WHAT YOU SAY: Before the Activity: “We’ve been learning an awesome verse this week about Jesus! It says: Let us keep looking to Jesus, Hebrews 12:2. I brought a ball so we can help each other review our verse together. Let’s sit down first“

After the Activity: Tell me, should we stop looking to Jesus once this week is over? No way! We should keep looking to Jesus always. And we should look for ways to share His love with others. What are some ways you can think of? (Pause for responses) Those sound great! And why should we share His love? Because [Bottom Line] Jesus wants to be my friend forever. Isn’t that awesome? No one loves you like Jesus!

PRAYER:“Dear God, thank You for Jesus. Thank You that He wants to be our friend forever. Please help us love people the way Jesus loves us by doing things like (mention some things your child shared). We love You, God. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

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S M A L L G R O U P | D A Y 5

E A R L Y

C H I L D H O O D

ROCK PHOTO STANDWHAT YOU NEED: Day 5 Bottom Line Labels, one rock, copper wire; paint, paint pens or per-manent markers; and a photo of your child

WHAT YOU DO: • Instruct your child to decorate the rock with paint, paint pens or permanent markers.• Allow time for the paint or maker to dry.• Show them how to use the copper wire to create a photo holder. o Tightly wrap the end of the wire around a pen or marker three times to create a loop. Re move the pen. o Leave about three inches of straight wire sticking out from the loop. o At the end of that straight section, wrap the wire around the rock several times to secure it to the rock. o Set the rock down with the straight end and loop sticking straight up. • Give your child a photo of them self and a Day 5 Bottom Line Label to stick on the back of the

photo.• Show them how to stick the photo between the sections of the wire loop to hold it in place.

WHAT YOU SAY: “What did you learn about God this week? (Pause for responses.) How can you love others this week? (Pause.) Can it be hard to love others? (Pause.) Loving others is important; we all need to be loved. And we can share with others the love of Jesus. You should place your photo frame some-place you can see it as a reminder of your week experiencing FOCUS and how Jesus wants to be your friend forever.”

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C R A F T | D A Y 5

Activity Page 1

Toss Cards • B&W • Prayer Toss • Games • Focus Day 4

Copy on cardstock and cut on dotted lines. Multiple sets for activity.

CURRICULUM FOR 2- YEAR OLDS • ©2019 The reThink Group. All rights reserved. • www.OrangeVBS.com

Around the House (3 of 4) • B&W • What Time of Day Can I Pray? • Games • Focus Day 4

Copy on cardstock. One set per activity.

CURRICULUM FOR 2- YEAR OLDS • ©2019 The reThink Group. All rights reserved. • www.OrangeVBS.com

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Activity Page 2

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touch toes

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jumping jacks

reach up

bend knees