A Promise Is a Promise
Group Activities

Sermon Title: "A Promise Is a Promise"

Scripture Reading:Luke 2:22-40

NEW YEAR RESOLUTION TOY RELAY:

Divide the children into teams and time each team in putting away many scattered toys into one box. Make sure there are many toys or objects for the whole team to work in quickly getting everything on the floor into the box. If there were the exact number of toys in each scattered pile, then both teams could play at the same time, but if the teacher desires just one box of toys, then each team can enjoy watching the other children quickly putting the toys in the box. Tell children this is a great New Year's resolution.

EXERCISING RELAYS:

The children can be divided into teams. Each relay will be the same exercise for both teams and then the next time will be a different exercise. The teacher will let the teams know which exercise they will be doing each time, such as pushups, running in place 10 times, jumping jacks, etc. Each player will run to the front of the line and do their "exercise" and then run to the back of the line and sit down until all the children have done the one required exercise. When all the teams have sat down, then they will stand up again and the teacher will let them know what exercise they'll be doing next. Continue to "exercise" as time allows!

PANTOMIME PROMISES:

Children can sit in a circle and take turns acting out a "promise" that they would like to do. They cannot speak and the first person in a circle that guesses what promise the child is doing, can then get in the middle of the circle and act out a promise and continue to play as long as children are excited about playing and finding promises.

BIBLE SKIT:

As the teacher tells the Bible story again, the children can act out Mary, Joseph, Anna, Simeon, etc. Encourage children to act and look as much as they can with their character part, such as Mary and Anna with their head covered and Simeon acting old, etc. If time allows, let some of the children tell the story as other children play the characters. All children could read/recite today's closing prayer after their skit.

PAPER BAG PUPPETS:

Give each child a brown paper bag and markers and yarn to decorate to look as much like the child as possible, with the color of clothes that the child is wearing, the eyes, nose, mouth and some yarn for the hair. Encourage the children write PROMISE PUPPET and take turns using their promise puppets to tell the other boys and girls about promises and how to keep them and how GOD keeps all His promises, etc. The teacher could also use a bag puppet to talk to the children about promises as well.

POCKET PROMISES:

Children can be given construction paper to cut into two pieces. - the smaller square of paper (the pocket), can be taped to the larger piece of paper and little pieces of paper can be cut to place into the "pocket" with promises written on each slip of paper for children to be reminded of promises that we can make.

PROMISE PLATE:

Provide each child with a paper plate that they can color and write in the middle of the plate such as KEEPING OUR PROMISES or other words from today's lesson. Then have the children cut little slits around the plate to form little "fingers" around the edges that children can write promises that they would like to keep, or promises that they know that GOD has kept.

PROMISE STAR:

Let children have 5 craft sticks and a crayon to lightly color one side of each stick. Then glue the middle of the sticks together on top of each other to form a star. Before gluing the sticks together, children can write a promise on each end of all the craft sticks for promises that they would like to keep. Share promises with the class.

FELT PROMISES:

Let children work together as a class to draw and cut out big bubble-type letters to form P-R-O-M-I-S-E-S. Then glue a small amount of felt on the back side of each letter and let children take turns in putting the letters in order on a flannel board (which can be easily made with a baby receiving blanket over a piece of cardboard).

SNOWFLAKE PRAYER:

Give each child a square or round white piece of paper and fold as many times as possible. Cut little notches out on all the FOLDED edges. UNFOLD their new snowflake and let children write promises around the snowflake and hang in the classroom or on the classroom door to remind children of the importance of keeping their promises as GOD does.

SING A SONG:

GOD IS SO GOOD; MY GOD IS SO BIG

SHARE A SNACK:

Let children choose 3-5 small mini snacks/candy for the number of promises that they would like to keep for the coming week. Encourage children to remember which promises they kept and to share next week when the class gets together once again. One of the small treats could be a candy cane as a "J" for JESUS who will help them to keep their promises!

Song: "God Is So Good"

Words and Music (pdf)

MP3 Accompaniment Track

Song: "My God Is So Great"

Words and Music (pdf)

MP3 Accompaniment Track

This song is in the public domain and may be copied and reproduced for ministry purposes.