Younger Blessings Lesson154d08b83123592aeebd-8d843fb834210a267bd8e4d2a55e3599.r65.cf2.rackc… · Younger Blessings Lesson 4 Wow! That was great! Now, everyone, take a seat— Let’s

December 5-6, 2015 Younger Blessings Lesson

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Younger Blessings Lesson Angel with Mary and Joseph

Luke 1:26–56; Matthew 1:18–25

Week 1

REMEMBER VERSE

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son. John 3:16

Ponder Point:

God Keeps His Promise

SERVICE SCHEDULE

Opening Activity Stations

20–25 minutes

Explore

Welcome & Engage

5–10 minutes

Discover Large Group

15–20 minutes

Small Group Respond Review/Bless/Connect

20–25 minutes

From the moment that man first fell into sin, God promised to send a Redeemer to save us. God sent

prophets to prepare people for the promised Savior. Many years later, an angel appeared to a young

woman named Mary and told her that she would have a baby whom she would name Jesus. Mary was

betrothed to a man named Joseph. God told Joseph in a dream about the baby that Mary would have.

Jesus was the fulfillment of the promise God had made so long ago.


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Lesson Overview: Luke 1:26-56; Matthew 1:18-25

Experience Time Summary Supplies/Prepare

EXPLORE Welcome & Engage

10–15 min.

Exploration stations create space intended to transition children – to lead them from the external world into an environment where they can commune with God, just as they are with all that they are.

Activity 1: Glitter, Glitter Dough

Supplies

• plastic tray

• child-sized rolling pins

• play dough

• glitter

• Christmas cookie cutters

DISCOVER

Large Group

20–25 min.

Facilitate interactive games, songs, and large muscle activities, allowing children to participate in discovering God’s Word.

Worship songs The Big God Story (Optional) Hamilton the Hedgehog (Optional prop: baby doll) Mail Time/Remember Verse Large muscle activity

RESPOND: Review/ Bless/Connect

Hamilton’s Box of Fun

15–20 min.

Storytelling, discussion and interaction with others, and a time to respond to God in worship through creative expression. Bless the children that they may experience God fully and be a blessing to others.

This is a recurring activity that

can be utilized at the end of

the service until parents arrive

for pick up.

Snack/Big God Story Review/Blessing Connect:

Activity 1: Angel Handiwork • angel shapes pattern

• white paper

• blue construction paper

• glue sticks

• small die cut hand shapes, coffee filters cut into

triangles, or doilies

• glitter glue (optional)

Activity 2: Christmas books, activity and

coloring pages

Hamilton’s Box of Fun: Family First Parent Resource


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Activity Stations: 20-25 min.

Clean up:

A CD with clean up music will be played. At this time, please encourage and assist the kids with clean up. Once the kids

are finished, please guide them to their color blanket or Explore table.

Explore: 5-10 min.

Activity 1: Glitter, Glitter Dough

SUPPLIES

• plastic tray

• child-sized rolling pins

• play dough

• glitter

• Christmas cookie cutters

PREPARE

Knead the play dough and glitter together with your hands, or you may choose not to use glitter dough and use a

different form of dough.

ENGAGE

Today in The Big God Story we’re going to hear how God sent an angel to give some very exciting news. This

news is getting us ready for Christmas, when Jesus was born! Today we’re going to use the play dough to

make some shapes that remind us of Christmas. First, we have to make our dough very flat. Allow the children to

flatten their dough. What should we do next? Encourage the children to make the next step of cutting out the shapes

with the cookie cutter. Affirm their progress.

Move to Large Group:

Be sure to model for the kid’s large group behavior. Please participate in all aspects of today’s large group time

Large Group Discover: 15-20 min.

Children move into a large group setting and participate in reciting God’s Word, corporate worship, and large muscle activities.

Ponder Point

God Keeps His Promise – Week 1

Hi, kids! Welcome! I am so excited to be here with you today. Let’s all celebrate God by singing and dancing

together! (Play the “wiggles song” or another intro song as kids join you in large group.)


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Wow! That was great! Now, everyone, take a seat— Let’s go over today’s rules so we can have fun and be safe

as we celebrate God!

Be kind and be safe! –

Here is our special line, the teacher stays on this side of the line and the kids stay on that side of the

line.

Jesus made our hands to be kind to our friends, show me your hands (have kids wave their hands).

Remember we can use our hands to clap and have fun, but never to hit or hurt our friends. Show me

your feet (have kids stomp their feet). We can use our feet to dance and have fun, but we never use our

feet to kick or hurt our friends or our church.

Another way we can be kind is when teacher “___” is speaking, you are listening. Show me your ears

(have kids wiggle their ears). We can listen with our ears and zip our lips when I’m talking.

Add any other rules that specifically work for your room. Preschoolers do better when they know their

expectations.

Do you know who else likes to be a part of The Big God Story? That’s right! Hamilton the Hedgehog! Shall we

call him and ask him to join us? (The children will answer.) On the count of three, let’s call him together. Are you

ready? One, two, three. Hamilton, where are you? (Encourage kids to call for Hamilton.) Hmm … I wonder what he

is doing. Let’s try again. Hamilton, where are you? (“walk” the puppet out of his house.)

Hamilton’s Prop (Optional): Small baby doll

Hi, Hamilton! Hamilton, what do you have? (Have Hamilton whisper in the Storyteller’s ear.) Interact with Hamilton

about the item brought with him today (baby doll). Use Hamilton to transition to Mail Time. He can help you get the

mail, or he could choose a volunteer to help retrieve the mail.

Mail Time:

Each week children will receive mail in the mailbox placed in the large group area of your classroom. Written on the mail

is the month’s Remember Verse from the Bible. It’s important for children to associate the message written on the “mail”

as words from the Bible, so be sure to have a Bible visible for reference.

SUPPLIES • Remember Verse • Bible (your personal or a children’s Bible) • Mailbox

SET UP

Place today’s Remember Verse inside of the

mailbox. You can also use “Hamilton” to retrieve

your mail for the morning.

ENGAGE Use this time to get excited and enthusiastic about sharing God’s Word with your group of kids. Make a big deal out of going to the mailbox to open the mail and retrieve the Remember Verse. Make sure to tell the kids that this Remember Verse comes from the Bible. Realize children may not totally understand the meaning of this scripture, but they are beginning the practice of hiding God’s Word in their hearts.

Remember Verse Motions

For God: Point up to God

so loved: hug yourself

the world then spread arms out in front of yourself

He gave his only Son: rock a baby John 3:16


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Now, lead the large group in reciting the Remember Verse several times together using a variety of engaging methods (motions, high voice, low voice, squeaky voice). You might want to ask your group to stand up. Using the hand motions (above in the text box), go over the verse two or three times with the kids. Get excited! Treat this as a celebration — an exciting time of introducing your children to God’s Word. Applaud them for a job well done!

The Big God Story (Optional): The following supplies will be provided if your class will be

doing a large group story time.

Angel with Mary and Joseph – Week 1

Luke 1:26-56; Matthew 1:18-25

SUPPLIES • The Big God Story pictures #1–4 • magnets, magnetic white board

I think we are ready to ask God to help us learn today. (Lead the kids in a Prayer of Release as you prepare to

hear God’s Word.)

In The Big God Story, God promised to send us a very special person—a Savior. That special person is

Jesus! Wow. Jesus is God’s special Promise.

(Put picture #1 on the storyboard.) God sent an angel to talk to a girl named Mary. The angel’s name was

Gabriel. “Hello, Mary,” Gabriel said. “God is with you and loves you so much.” Mary was surprised and a little

scared. The angel said, “Don’t be afraid. You’re going to have a baby, and His name will be Jesus. Jesus is

God’s own Son.”

(Put picture #2 on the storyboard.) Mary went to visit her cousin, Elizabeth. When Elizabeth saw Mary, she was

so excited. Mary sang a praise song to God. Mary sang to God because He kept His promise to send Jesus to

the world to love us and save us. God always keeps His promise.

(Put picture #3 on the storyboard.) Mary was going to marry a man named Joseph. Joseph was a good man. He

loved God so much. But he didn’t know Mary was going to have a baby.

(Put picture #4 on the storyboard.) One night, while Joseph was sleeping, God sent an angel to Joseph in a

dream. The angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Joseph. You can marry Mary. God gave Mary a baby who is growing

inside of her. The baby will be a boy and you must name Him Jesus. He is going to save people from their sin.”

Joseph did everything the angel told him to do.

(Return picture #3 on the storyboard.) Joseph and Mary were married and waited for the baby to be born. They

knew the baby Jesus would be special. Jesus is God’s own Son. God sent Jesus to save us, just like He

promised.

Prayer of Release

A Prayer of Release is a prayer asking God to remove any distractions that would get in the way of hearing from and

responding to Him. As we pray, we dedicate this time to the Lord and quiet ourselves, so that we might hear specifically

from Him. In this way, we are consciously laying aside our worries, successes, and requests for the moment. We ask to

be filled with knowledge and understanding from Him, giving God His rightful role as teacher. Give the kids a few

seconds, as it feels appropriate, of silence. (A few seconds of quiet can also help settle your group.)


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Worship Songs: Choose one or two worship songs to sing during large group.

Large Muscle Activity:

Choose a large muscle activity for your classroom.

Some hints for introducing the large group activity:

Have everyone sit down and get ready to listen to the rules of the activity. (Try whispering as you sit down

to help kids concentrate.)

Before you have kids start the activity, explain and model what the kids are to do for the activity. Show the

item you will be using (scarves, bean bags, etc.)

Keep kids sitting while you pass out item, as they get the item (scarf, etc.) they can stand up.

Start activity.

When you are finished with the activity, have kids sit down again and collect items. (This will help with

kids crowding and running into each other.)

Following are suggestions for large group activities either in your classroom or in a large group programming area.

Scarves: Give each child a scarf and let them wave it to the music or a game of Slow and Fast (found on “Rhythms on Parade” by Hap Palmer).

A few other fun songs from Hap Palmer: Rock and Roll Freeze Dance, Jack in the Box (kids pretend to be a

different animal as they jump out of the jack in the box.)

Paint the walls: Preschoolers love to paint! Give kids a paintbrush and some imaginary paint and they love to

paint or clean the walls. Use sponge or large paint brushes, use a couple of buckets (no water or paint

necessary) and tell the kids that they can paint or clean the walls anywhere they want to in the large group

area.

Parachute: A variety of items can go on your parachute (often to match your curriculum).

Dismiss the kids to their groups/rooms for Small Group Respond.


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Small Group Respond: 20-25 min.

Snack/Bible Story Review Questions

SUPPLIES (per small group)

• The Big God Story Review Pages

• Hand Sanitizer, Graham crackers

Settle your kids back on the small group blanket; use hand sanitizer and pass out crackers. Say a prayer of thanks before eating. Read the Review Pages provided in your small group bin. Discuss the following questions with the children. Questions

are meant to prompt further conversation about what children have been experiencing. They also invite children to

ponder this truth and dwell with the wonder of God.

God had promised to send a Redeemer to save us. God sent prophets to prepare people for the promised Savior. Many years later, an angel appeared to a young woman named Mary and told her that she would have a baby whom she would name Jesus. Mary was betrothed to a man named Joseph. God told Joseph in a dream about the baby that Mary would have. Jesus was the fulfillment of the promise God had made so long ago.

Who visited Mary, a king or an angel?

When Mary found out she would have a baby did she cry or sing a song of praise to God?

Did the angel tell Joseph to be scared or “do not be afraid”?

Who did God promise to send, a present or a Savior-Jesus?

Does God keep his promises some of the time or all of the time?

Bless: Open a Bible and use the provided Blessing Card:

Children, may you always rejoice in God.

And Mary said:

“My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.”

Luke 1:46-47

Connect:

Activity 1: Angel Handiwork

SUPPLIES

• angel shapes pattern

• white paper

• blue construction paper

• glue sticks

• small die cut hand shapes, coffee filters cut into triangles,

or doilies

• glitter glue (optional)

When Reviewing the Story:

While using the Review pages, discuss what happened in the story with your group. Look at the pages and point out a few key sentences. Get your kids talking, too! Ask questions while you look at the pictures.


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PREPARE

Print the angel shapes pattern on white paper, one set for each child. Cut out the shapes. If using coffee filters, cut in

triangles for wings. You can also use doilies to make the wings.

SET UP

Place a sheet of blue construction paper and a set of angel shapes at each child’s seat. Set out hand shaped die cuts,

coffee filter triangles, or doilies. Put the glue sticks in the middle of the table.

ENGAGE

In The Big God Story we learned how God sent an angel to give Mary and Joseph some very important news.

Today we’re going to make our own angel. Show (and assist) the children in gluing the triangle angel body and the

circle angel face onto the blue paper. Then, help kids glue the use the die cuts, coffee filter triangles, or doilies to make

wings for the angel. Depending on the age of your kids you could use glitter glue to put on wings.

Activity 2: Christmas Books, Activity and Coloring Pages

ENGAGE

Use this extra time this month to read a Christmas book with your kids. Christmas books and activity/coloring pages will be available all month for extra activities.

Ongoing Connect Option

Hamilton’s Box of Fun Hamilton’s Box of Fun

This is a fun resource to encourage the kids to interact with each other by sharing toys and using their imagination with

different objects. This activity can be utilized at the end of the service until parents arrive for pick up. Please return these

special activities to Hamilton’s Box when you are finished for the day.

SUPPLIES

coloring page (this will match the day’s Bible story)

miscellaneous activities

special books (open the flap books, or music books)

SET UP

Put a variety of fun objects/toys in the box. Hide the box or basket somewhere in the room.

Please do not allow kids to return to playing with ALL of the toys. As parents arrive to pick up their children, be sure to

greet each one and share an encouraging word about your day. The adult in the younger preschool room must match

security tags. Our policy is NO TAG – NO KID! If someone has lost their tag, they need to go to Guest Central to get

issued a new tag. No exceptions!

Family First Look Cards Be sure to hand out this week’s Family First Look to

the parents as they pick up their child.

This resource will help parents review this week’s lesson with their child and look ahead to next week’s lesson. It also has this week’s Blessing and the

current Remember Verse their kids are learning.

Documents

Younger Blessings Lesson154d08b83123592aeebd-8d843fb834210a267bd8e4d2a55e3599.r65.cf2.rackc… · Younger Blessings Lesson 4 Wow! That was great! Now, everyone, take a seat— Let’s