Peace Of Mind And Heart Group
Group Activities

DARKENED ROOM HUNT: Let 2-4 children go into a dark closet with flashlights or darken the classroom as much as possible and let children go into the dark room and find as many pennies as they can find in 30 seconds. Then let 2-4 more children do the same. Ask children if they felt fear as they went into the darkened room.

INSECT RELAY: Divide the children into teams. Place a bowl of small rubber or plastic toy insects at the front of each team. (These can be found at toy stores.) The first player on each team will put a toy insect on his shoulder or head and run to the opposite wall and back. If insect falls off, the child must put the insect back on head or shoulder and run back to the next team member. The next team member must put that same rubber or plastic insect on his head or shoulder and add another insect and run to the opposite wall and back. Each child will add an insect to their head and shoulders until everyone on the team has run! When everyone on the team has run with the insects, the team will shout out NO FEAR!

INSECT OBSTACLE RUN: Make an obstacle course around tables, chairs, waste paper baskets, piles of books, toys, and plants. Tell children to pretend they are an ant or another insect and crawl through the "insect obstacle course". As children crawl through the obstacle course, tell them to look for words from today's Bible verse today and bring them back to the class with them when the race is over. When the children get to the end of the obstacle course, they can reach into a bucket and enjoy a gummie worm or insect! Have the children put the words of the Bible verse that they have collected during the obstacle course together in the proper order.

FINGERPRINT BUGS: Give each child a piece of paper and an ink pad to make finger prints on their paper. Then have the children use pens to draw legs on their bug prints. Tell children to write NO FEAR WHEN JESUS IS NEAR!

NO FEAR BULLETIN BOARD: Let children work together on a bulletin board — drawing flowers, trees, lakes, and sun. Let the children glue pictures of insects, snakes, wild animals, or other scary things. Give the children brightly colored letters to glue or tape to the bulletin board that will say NO FEAR WHEN JESUS IS NEAR, or other words to remind children of our lesson today.

BEAR GIVE A WAY: The teacher may wish to have a teddy bear give away for today's Bible Verse. The first 1 or 2 or 3 (teacher's choice) children who can say today's Bible verse, would win a teddy bear with a heart necklace that says NO FEAR WITH JESUS. (Teddy bears can be purchased for about $1 at dollar stores.

PEACE OF MIND AND HEART FLOWER POT: Provide a small flower pot for each child to paint or to decorate with stickers. Add dirt and a small flower for children to plant. Then stick a plastic fork into the dirt with the handle first. Let children write "PEACE OF HEART AND MIND WITH JESUS" or "NO FEAR WHEN JESUS IS NEAR" and stick the card into the prongs of the fork. Let children take the flower pots home to remind them that they need never to fear because the Holy Spirit gives peace of heart and mind.

FEAR CUPS: Give each child a styrofoam cup. Glue or tape strips of paper to the outside of the cup that have things written on them that might create fear. (fear of the dark; new situations; changes; storms; doctors; darkness; monster) Next, have the children write positive words from our lesson today to small strips of paper and wrap them around pieces of candy or bubble gum and place them INSIDE the cup. (Sugguestions: peace of mind; comforter; Holy Spirit; Jesus.) Let children take the FEAR cups home and every time they feel fearful of something, they can take one treat out of the cup and read the word that is wrapped around the treat to encourage them!

SNACK TIME: Give children a small bag of edible insects or gummy worms to enjoy while trying to fill in the missing parts of the story as the teacher reviews today's lesson and Bible verse.

SING A SONG: He Saves, He Keeps, He Satisfies; I've Got Peace Like a River

Song:  "He Saves, He Keeps, He Satisfies"

Words and Music

MP3 Piano Accompaniment

Song:  "I've Got Peace Like a River"

Words and Music

MP3 Piano Accompaniment