God Makes Animals Grow God Makes Animals Grow • Lesson 2

25Hands-On Bible Curriculum—Toddlers & 2s

God Makes Animals Grow

Repeating the Bible Point over and over will help the children remember it and apply it to their lives. Help children learn one point that will stay with them for days and even years to come.

Bible Point God Makes Things GrowGod Makes Animals Grow • Lesson 2

Bible VerseGod makes things grow (adapted from 1 Corinthians 3:7).

Growing Closer to JesusChildren will n learn that God helps animals grow,

n act out ways that things grow, andn thank God for helping them grow.

Teacher EnrichmentBible Basisn God makes animals grow.

Children are natural animal lovers. A petting zoo is usually a sure bet for an afternoon of smiling faces and giggles. Many adults never lose that love for animals that we see in young children. In the Garden of Eden, imagine the fascination Adam must have felt when he named all the animals God had created (Genesis 2:19‑20). That experience likely made him the consummate animal lover!

Later in the Bible, animals figure prominently in the prophet Isaiah’s description of the future new creation: “In that day the wolf and the lamb will live together; the leopard will lie down with the baby goat. The calf and the yearling will be safe with the lion, and a little child will lead them all” (Isaiah 11:6). In the new heavens and new earth, there will be no hostility, no danger in the animal kingdom.

Though clearly different from humans, animals have a certain dignity as God’s creatures. We humans therefore ought to treat them accordingly.

Prayer• Read: Proverbs 12:10.• What does this text say about God’s love and care for animals? • Pray: Lord, I praise you for the awe-inspiring variety of animals you have

created. Help the children I teach become lovers of animals, and worshippers of you, who made them all.

Before the Lessonn Collect items for the activities you plan to use, referring to the Classroom Supplies

and Learning Lab Supplies listed in the chart on the next page.n Pray for the children in your class and for God’s direction in teaching the lesson.

Psalms 65:9-13;

104:14; 147:8; Matthew 6:25-30

Hands-On Bible Curriculum—Toddlers & 2s26

Lesson 2

This Lesson at a GlanceWhat Children Will Do Classroom Supplies Learning Lab Supplies

ArrivalActivities

Direct children to one or more of the

optional activities until everyone

arrives.

Welcome Time—Receive a warm welcome from the teacher and Cuddles the Lamb.

Name tags (p. 8), scissors, marker, tape or safety pins, CD player

Option 1: Animal Matchup—Match animal babies with their parents.

Animal patterns (pp. 36-37), scissors

Option 2: Barn Babies—Pretend to be baby animals that grow.

Small cardboard boxes, blankets

Pick-Up Time—Sing a song as they help clean up the room.

CD player

Bible Story Time

Bible Song—Sing about the Bible.

Bible, CD player

God Makes Things Grow—Interact with sensory items on the StoryBoard as they hear how God makes things grow.

Newsprint, wheat crackers, chow mein noodles, CD player

“God Makes Things Grow” Song—Sing a song about how God makes everything grow.

CD player

Bible Activities

Finger Faces—Use finger faces to learn that God makes animals grow.

Fine-tipped washable markers

Interactive Bible Bulletin Board—Review the Bible Point with Cuddles the Lamb as they create a bulletin board together.

Animal patterns (pp. 36-37), scissors, tape

Sing It Out—Sing a song about how God makes everything grow.

CD player

Bible Craft—Make simple animal mobiles.

Animal patterns (pp. 36-37), scissors, tape, yarn, drinking straws

Bible Game—Play a fun game and pretend to be chicks that grow into chickens.

Bowl, plastic eggs or paper wads, newsprint nests from “God Makes Things Grow” activity

Closing Good Growing—Say a prayer and have a snack.

Animal crackers, milk, napkins, paper cups

*See the end of this lesson for extra-time ideas and supplies.

Lynn

Highlight

Lynn

Highlight

Lynn

Highlight

Lynn

Highlight

Lynn

Highlight



Arrival Activitiesn Welcome TimeSUPPLIES: name tags (p. 8), scissors, marker, tape or safety pins, CD player

• Play “God Makes Things Grow” (adapted from 1 Corinthians 3:7) (track 4) from the CD as children are arriving.

• Use Cuddles the Lamb to help you greet each child by name and with a warm smile.

• Tape or pin a name tag to each child’s clothing.• Say: Today we’re going to learn that God makes

things grow.• Place Cuddles out of sight so the children won’t be distracted

by him during the next activity.

n Option 1: Animal MatchupSUPPLIES: animal patterns (pp. 36-37), scissors

Photocopy the animal patterns found at the end of this lesson. Cut out the baby animals and the matching adults.

Place the animal pictures on a table. Teach children what each animal is. Invite children to match the baby animals with the adult parents. Make comments such as “These babies are small, but see how they look when they grow up?” and “God helps animals grow.” Explain that when baby animals grow, they get bigger and look like their mommies and daddies. Tell children they’ll learn that God makes things grow and that he helps animals grow, too.

n Option 2: Barn BabiesSUPPLIES: small cardboard boxes, blankets

Before class, set up a “stable” in one corner of the classroom. Set out cardboard “feed boxes” and blankets to represent beds of hay. As children arrive, invite them to pretend they’re baby animals such as calves, lambs, puppies, and kittens. Encourage children to make baby-animal sounds. Let them crawl and pretend to eat from the feed boxes and sleep on the “hay.” After a while, encourage toddlers to become grown-up animals and make big-animal sounds. Mention that they’ll learn about how God makes things grow and how God helps baby animals grow big.

n Pick-Up TimeSUPPLIES: CD player

As Arrival Activities draw to a close, gently mention that it will soon be time to clean up. Encourage children to help you pick up things in the room as you lead them in singing “Let’s Pick Up All Our Things” (track 2). Use the CD and sing the song to the tune of “Looby Loo.”

Make a fun-center to use throughout the quarter as a reminder that God helps animals grow. Glue pictures of baby animals to the inside of a file folder. Glue an envelope on the back to store pictures of the adult animals. Have children place the grown-up animals on the pictures of the appropriate baby animals. Pull out your animal matchups whenever you have a few minutes to fill.

track 4

track 2


Lesson 2

Let’s pick up all our things.Let’s pick up all our things.Let’s pick up all our thingsAnd put them all away.

Everyone here can help.Everyone here can help.Everyone here can help.Let’s put it all away.

Let’s pick up all our things.Let’s pick up all our things.Let’s pick up all our things.It’s time to stop our play.

Bible Story Timen Bible SongSUPPLIES: Bible, CD player

Say: Who makes things grow? God makes things grow. How do we know? The Bible tells us in 1 Corinthians 3. Show children the Bible. The Bible is God’s special book. The Bible tells us about God and Jesus. Let’s sing a song about the Bible. Using the CD, lead children in singing “God’s Special Book” (track 3) to the tune of “Row, Row, Row Your Boat.”

This is God’s special book.Yes, it’s God’s book you see!I learn about all God has doneAnd his love for me!(Repeat.)

Bible!

Say: The Bible is God’s special book. In the Bible, we can read all about how God makes things grow. God helps you grow and God helps me grow.

Ask: • What are some other things that God helps grow? Pause as children respond.

Say: It’s important to learn about the Bible, because the Bible is God’s special story. Let’s sing a fun song all about the Bible! Lead children in singing “The Bible Is God’s Special Book” song (track 11) with the CD. Play the song several times. Lyrics are on page 24.

Say: God makes things grow, and we can learn all about how God does that in the Bible. Let’s learn more!

tracks 3, 11



n Bible Story: God Makes Things GrowSUPPLIES: newsprint, wheat crackers, chow mein noodles, CD player

Before class begins, please check to make sure the sensory items are still securely attached so the children can touch them without danger of pulling off the items or putting them into their mouths. Crumple a sheet of newsprint for each child, place wheat crackers in the basket on Panel 3, and have extra crackers and chow mein noodles nearby.

Panel 1Fold the StoryBoard so children see only Panel 1. Say: Let’s learn

about how God makes things grow. I’m thinking of something furry. See if you can guess what it is. Meeoow, meeoow! What am I thinking of? Pause for children to say, “A cat.” Who can find the mommy cat and her kittens? Choose a child to find the cats on Panel 1. Kittens make little noises like this: mew, mew. Let’s

sound like kittens. Mew softly with the children. But God helps kittens grow into cats. Then they sound like this: meeoow, meeoow. Let’s sound like big cats. Meow loudly a few times.

God makes things grow, and he makes animals grow. I think the cats are looking for mice in the field. Let’s touch the wheat. Let each child feel the flower.

Ask: • How does the wheat feel? (Pokey; it tickles.)Say: God makes crops grow in order to feed us. Animals like to eat plants,

too. God helps us grow by giving us good things to eat, like fruit. Let’s smell some delicious fruit. Allow children to scratch and sniff the fruit stickers on Panel 1. God makes good food grow. Then we eat it, and we grow, too. Let see what else grows.

Panel 2Hold the StoryBoard on your lap so children see Panels 1 and 2.

Say: Let’s play a little game. We’ll hear an animal sound. Then you’ll find that animal in the picture. Play the “Animal Sounds” segment (track 5) of the CD. Be sure to pause the CD after each animal sound to allow children to find and touch the animal on the StoryBoard. The following animal sounds are included on the CD:

• cat and kittens• cow• chickens• pigsWhen you’ve listened to the animal sounds and found the animals on the

StoryBoard, stop the CD. Say: That was fun, and you’re good animal finders. God makes cows and cats and chickens grow. Let’s find the cow again and ring her bell. Have children touch the cow and ring the cowbell.

track 5


Lesson 2

Ask: • How do cows feel? (Soft; nice.)Say: Let’s walk like cows and moo. We’ll pretend we’re looking for good

hay. Eating hay helps cows grow. Allow children to crawl and moo for a few moments. Then say: Come home, cows! You can eat pretend hay. Hand each child a small handful of chow mein noodles.

Ask: • How does the pretend hay taste? (Good; icky.)Say: Cows eat hay to help them grow. God makes hay grow in order to

feed animals.Point to the chicken on Panel 2. Say: Chickens make nests for their little

chicks. Let’s make nests and pretend we’re chicks. Hand each child a sheet of crumpled newsprint. Let’s sit on our pretend nests. Pause. Our nests are nice, but, oh…we’re hungry chicks! Let’s peep and ask for our dinners! Food helps us grow. Peep, peep, peep! Please feed us so we’ll grow! Pause. Let’s pretend to eat corn and hay. Peck, peck, peck! Pretend to peck corn from your cupped hands. Peck, peck. Oh, we’re beginning to grow! Stand up and stretch your feathers. Ooh, that feels good. I’m so glad that God makes things grow. Let’s see what else grows.

Panel 3Fold the StoryBoard so children see only Panel 3. Say: Here’s a

family in their kitchen. Ask: • Who’s at the table? (A mommy; a daddy; a baby; a cat.)Say: God makes things grow, and he makes people grow,

too. God helps people grow by giving them good food to eat. I think the people in this family are ready to eat dinner. Let’s help

them say a prayer to thank God for their food. Fold your hands and bow your heads. Pray: Dear God, thank you for our food. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Now let’s peek in the basket and see what they’re eating. Let each child peek in the basket; then give each child a wheat cracker to eat. Then ask:

• How do the crackers taste? (Good; yummy; icky.)Say: Little babies are too small to eat crackers. Ask: • What do babies eat? (Milk; they have bottles.)Say: Babies need milk to help them grow. Let’s feed the baby pretend milk

to help the baby grow big and strong. Let children take turns “feeding” the baby with the baby bottle from Sensory Packet 1. Encourage them to give the baby a gentle pat and say, “I love you.” Then ask:

• Who can find the cat and give it a nice pat? Let children pat the cat.• How does the cat feel? (Soft; nice.)Say: God helps kittens grow into cats by giving them milk to drink. They

lap milk with their little tongues. Let’s pretend we’re lapping milk. Let children pretend to lap like a cat.



Important: Put the StoryBoard away and out of reach of children.

Babies grow, and kittens grow. You’re growing, too! And every step of the way, God loves you! In fact, God loves you so much that he sent his Son, Jesus, to be your forever friend. Isn’t that wonderful? If you believe in Jesus, you can live with him in heaven someday. I’m so glad that God sent Jesus! Remember as you’re growing every day that Jesus loves you!

Right now, let’s sing a song about how God makes things grow.

Set the paper nests aside for the Bible Game.

n “God Makes Things Grow” SongSUPPLIES: CD player

Using the CD, lead children in singing “God Makes Things Grow” (adapted from 1 Corinthians 3:7) (track 4) to the tune of “Jesus Loves Me.” For extra fun, do the motions in parentheses as you sing.

Trees and bees both big and small (stand up high; then bend low),God’s the one who makes them all. (Spread arms wide.)God makes things grow every day (squat down; then slowly rise up)And cares for them in lots of ways. (Place hands on heart.)God makes things grow. (Hold arms out at sides.)God makes things grow. (Raise arms higher.)God makes things grow (raise arms higher)Because he loves us so. (Place hands on heart.)

I am growing big and tall. (Stand on tiptoe.)I’m bouncing up just like a ball! (Jump in the air.)God helps us grow every day (squat down; then slowly rise up)And cares for us in lots of ways. (Place hands on heart.)God makes things grow. (Hold arms out at sides.)God makes things grow. (Raise arms higher.)God makes things grow (raise arms higher)Because he loves us so. (Place hands on heart.)

Say: God makes baby animals grow big. Let’s see what that’s like.

Bible Activitiesn Finger FacesSUPPLIES: fine-tipped washable markers

Have the animal finger puppets and washable fine‑tipped markers handy. Show the children the finger puppets on your fingers. Wiggle the animals and let the animals make their “noises” or “sounds.”

track 4


Lesson 2

Say: We’ve been learning about how God makes things grow. We’re learning that God makes the animals grow. Look at my animal finger puppets. Now, my puppets can’t really grow, can they? Of course not—they’re just puppets. But real animals grow. They start off as babies and then grow bigger and bigger until they’re all grown up.

I’m going to draw a face on your fingers so that you can have animal puppets, too. While I’m putting faces on your fingers, turn to a friend and tell your friend what your animals are going to be.

At this point, adults and helpers should draw two eyes and a mouth on each child’s index fingers. Encourage the children to tell what animals they want their finger faces to represent. After each child has two “puppets,” say: We all have animal finger puppets now! All together, let’s make our animal sounds. You make the sound of your animal, and I’ll make the sound of mine. Pause and make animal noises. Encourage all of the children to make animal noises.

Wow! It sounds like we have a whole zoo full of animals in our room! Now let’s learn a song about our animals. Wiggle your animals and sing along with me. And let’s pretend our animals are growing as we sing. Here are the words to my song:

Teach the children the words to “Finger Faces” using the tune of “Are You Sleeping?”

I am growing. (Wiggle one index finger with an animal face.)I am growing. (Wiggle the other index finger with an animal face.)Watch me grow! (Raise one index finger slowly in the air.)Watch me grow! (Raise the other index finger slowly in the air.)First I was a baby (wiggle one index finger with an animal face),Now I’m growing bigger. (Wiggle the other index finger with an animal face.)God made me (wiggle one index finger with an animal face)Grow so big. (Wiggle the other index finger with an animal face.)

Say: That was fun! Ask: • What is your favorite animal? (Dog; cat; monkey; fish.)• Who makes your favorite animal grow? (God does.)• Who makes everything grow? (God does!)Let’s add animals to our bulletin board to show that God makes things

grow.

n Interactive Bible Bulletin BoardSUPPLIES: animal patterns (pp. 36-37), scissors, tape

Before class photocopy the animal patterns found at the end of this lesson. Cut out the animals, and tape the baby animals to the bulletin board around the farmer. Set aside a picture of a grown‑up animal for each child.



Lead children to the bulletin board, and bring out Cuddles the Lamb.

Cuddles: Hi, boys and girls! Do you know what kind of animal I am? (Pause for responses.) I’m a little sheep!

Teacher: You’re a lamb, Cuddles. A lamb is a sheep before it’s grown up.

Cuddles: I’m growing. When I was really little, all I could do was walk. Now I can jump and run and do lots of things. See? (Leaps in the air.)

Teacher: You’re growing, Cuddles. We’re growing, too, because God makes things grow. Let’s see which baby animals are on our bulletin board. (Point to each baby animal. Let children identify each animal and make the appropriate sound for that animal.)

Cuddles: That was fun! You sure know your animals!

Teacher: Now we’ll see what the animals look like when they grow up.

Have Cuddles hand each child a pattern of a grown-up animal. Help children tape the grown-up animals beside the matching baby animals. Each time someone places an animal, help all the children say: God makes things grow.

Teacher: It’s fun to see how God makes plants, animals, and people grow. They start out small, and then they grow big. Let’s sing a song to remind us that

God makes things grow.

Place Cuddles out of sight.Permission to photocopy this script from Group’s Hands-On Bible Curriculum® Toddlers & 2s granted for local church use.

Copyright © Group Publishing, Inc., 1515 Cascade Avenue, Loveland, CO 80538. group.com

It’s fun to see how God makes plants, animals, and people grow. They start

n Sing It OutSUPPLIES: CD player

Using the CD, lead children in singing “God Makes Things Grow” (adapted from 1 Corinthians 3:7) (track 4) to the tune of “Jesus Loves Me.” The lyrics and motions are on page 31.

Say: I’m glad that God makes things grow. Let’s make an animal mobile to see how baby animals grow into big animals.

track 4


Lesson 2

n Bible CraftSUPPLIES: 2 sets of animal patterns (pp. 36-37), 6-inch length of yarn and 2 drinking straws for each child; scissors; tape

Before class photocopy the animal patterns, and cut out the animals. Be sure you have two sets of baby and adult animals for each child. Cut a 6‑inch length of yarn for each child.

Set out tape and the lengths of yarn. Hand each child two drinking straws and two sets of animals. Help children tape two straws together in the center to form an X. Let children tape a picture of a baby animal to one end of a straw and a picture of a grown‑up animal to the other end. For example, a child could tape a cat and a kitten to the ends of one straw and a puppy and a dog to the ends of the other straw. Tape or tie a piece of yarn to the center of the straws as a hanger. Point out that baby animals grow up just as children grow into adults. Remind children that God makes things grow—even animals. Encourage children to hang up their animals at home and to tell their families that God makes everything grow.

n Bible GameSUPPLIES: bowl, plastic eggs or paper wads, newsprint nests from “God Makes Things Grow” activity

Hand each child a newsprint nest from the “God Makes Things Grow” activity. Let toddlers sit in their nests. Set a bowl of plastic eggs or paper wads at one end of the room. Say: We’ve been learning that God makes animals grow. When chickens are little, they flap their wings and peep. Let’s flap our pretend wings and peep. Lead children in flapping and peeping like chicks. When chickens are big, they lay eggs. Hold up a plastic egg or paper wad. If I say “baby chicks,” flap your pretend wings and peep. But if I say “grown-up chickens,” pretend to fly to the bowl and get an egg. Then return to your nest.

Alternate calling “baby chicks” and “grown‑up chickens.” Lead children in the appropriate responses. When you’ve finished playing, say: Let’s be clean chickens and put our nests in the recycle bin.

Closingn Good GrowingSUPPLIES: 5 animal crackers per child, milk, napkins, paper cups

After they wash their hands, gather children at the snack table. Say: We’ve learned that God makes plants and animals grow. And God gives us good food to help us grow. But before we have some good food for a snack, we’ll thank God because God makes things grow. Let’s fold our hands.

Pray: Dear God, thank you for helping us grow. In Jesus’ name, amen.Hand each child five animal crackers on a napkin and half a cup of milk. After

children have eaten their treats, encourage them to throw their napkins and paper cups in the wastebasket.

Remind children to take their animal mobiles home.



n Chicks in the EggProvide medium-sized, open boxes for children to sit in. Have them pretend they’re chicks in eggs. Act

out how chicks grow and stretch in their eggs until they peck their way out. Have children stand up in their “eggshells” and peep and flap their pretend wings. Then let children step out of their “eggs” like big chickens. Repeat the activity by having children return to their eggs as chicks again.

n Animal SafariProvide a variety of animal books for children to look at. Encourage them to point to and identify the

grown‑up animals and their babies. Invite children to imitate their favorite animals and let the others guess what animals they’re acting out.

For Extra Time If you have a long class time or want to add additional elements to your lesson, try one of the following activities.

36

PatternsCut loosely around each pattern instead of cutting exactly on the outlines.

Permission to photocopy these patterns from Group’s Hands-On Bible Curriculum® for Toddlers & 2s granted for local church use. Copyright © Group Publishing, Inc., 1515 Cascade Avenue, Loveland, CO 80538. group.com

37Permission to photocopy these patterns from Group’s Hands-On Bible Curriculum® for Toddlers & 2s granted for local church use.

Copyright © Group Publishing, Inc., 1515 Cascade Avenue, Loveland, CO 80538. group.com

PatternsCut loosely around each pattern instead of cutting exactly on the outlines.

Documents

God Makes Animals Grow God Makes Animals Grow • Lesson 2