Won't You Be My Neighbor?
Group Activities

Sermon Title: "Won't You Be My Neighbor?"

Scripture Reading: Luke 10:25-37

HEART SHAPED POSTER:

Large heart-shaped red poster can be at the focal point of the classroom and as children arrive, they can add the heart stickers or glue on mini hearts around the poster and color in the words LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR

HEART NOTE TO NEIGHBOR:

Cut out 3 hearts for each child. Have children write a short note to a neighbor or someone they know on the top heart. Make small short strips of paper into "accordian" folded strips and glue between each heart to give the look of a "spring" between the hearts, so the hearts will stand up. Encourage children to give their heart note to a neighbor.

NEIGHBOR HEARTS:

Cut out 3 hearts the same size. Place vertically and glue the top heart with the heart "point" facing down and the next 2 hearts upside down to look like the body. Color eyes and a smile on top heart. Print LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR or something else that Teacher will suggest and give your heart away to a neighbor. (This will look almost like a heart bookmark when glued in a vertical line with heart tips touching each other.)

NEIGHBOR SKIT:

Children could practice this in class and then do for the congregation during the church service, if desired. One child could begin the skit by putting on the tennis shoes and sweater like Mr Roger's did and say, "Won't you be my neighbor or sing the song), and then children can begin the skit of our story today about the good Samaritan. At the end of the skit, children could recite in unison - LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.... or JESUS SAID -- GO AND DO THE SAME!

HEART PLANT POKE

(can be purchased at a craft section and only about 50c each) - Children can paint their plant poke and even flick the paint bristles on the "poke" for a neat effect. Use a sharpee to write their name or our Bible verse or LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR, etc. Spray acrylic sealer on the poke and give to a neighbor for their garden. (This could be done at the beginning of class so the paint could dry, or could be completed the next Sunday)

HEART SHAPED COOKIES

to decorate would make a nice snack for the children or to take to a neighbor and share the Bible verse for today! (If time won't allow, then the teacher could just have a heart shaped and decorated cookie for each child).

THE NEIGHBOR GAME:

Have the children sit in chairs arranged in a circle with one person being "It" in the middle. The person in the middle asked someone, "How do you like your neighbors?" If the person answers, "I don't like my neighbors," the person in the middle asks, "Who would you like to be your neighbors? The person names two people and they try to exchange seats with the present neighbors while the one in the middle tries to get one of the vacated seats. The one left without a seat becomes "It." If the person answers the "How do you like your neighbors?" question with, "I like my neighbors just fine," then everyone in the circle must change seats while the one in the middle tries to get one of the vacated seats. It can get pretty wild, but it is lots of fun.

Song: "Won't You Be My Neighbor?" by Fred M. Rogers