Over and Over Again
Group Activities
Sermon Title: "Over and Over Again"
Scripture Reading:Matthew 18:21-35
"FORGIVENESS" SQUIGGLE CHART:
Children can use neon markers to write or trace FORGIVENESS on their construction paper. Then draw or trace (for younger children) "squiggles" circles all around the big word FORGIVENESS. Children can then begin to color the little squiggle circles with various crayons, while trying to count to 7 (for younger children), or 70 for a little old child, or to 490 for the older children! The picture will be colorful and will remind them of their lesson today!
70 X 7 POPCORN MUNCHING:
Let children each have a bowl and count out 70 pieces of popcorn from a big bowl , while talking about today's lesson and the 70 TIMES 7, to forgive someone! Children could be given 7 M& M's if desired too, etc.
RED CARD/YELLOW CARD FROLICK:
The teacher or another leader can stand in front of the children who are lined up on the other side of the room against the wall or behind a line. When the leader holds up a YELLOW CARD, they can hop, skip, jump, crawl, toward the leader but as SOON AS the leaders hold up the RED card, the players must STOP and wait for the YELLOW CARD AGAIN. The teacher can tell the children what "action" they can do each time until the RED CARD is held up. Children will need to keep their EYES on the leader and the cards. If they don't see and STOP at the red card, they'll be OUT! Teacher can go faster and faster until many more children are OUT! Talk about forgiveness and then let ALL the children come back in the game and play it again, if time allows!
FORGIVE ACROSTIC:
On a chalkboard or a long piece of banner paper, write FORGIVE and then let children go to the board and write a word to describe our lesson word FORGIVE today! Let children discuss the new word and how THEY can forgive someone!
FORGIVE FLOWERS:
Children can be given paper and markers and colorful "buttons" for the middle of the flowers (to glue on). Encourage children draw large flowers and then write F-O-R-G-I-V-E in each of the petals, so each flower should have 7 petals so one letter will fit on each petal! Give children some chenille wire for the stems, if desired.
BIBLE VERSE FORGIVE HUNT:
A large poster board can have the stem and leaves drawn for a flower to be formed by the children. They will hunt around the room or designated area for leaves of the big flower and each petal that they find will have a word or words from today's Bible verse on it. Then children will tape or glue the petals onto the large flower onto the poster board and try to read or memorize today's verse! Each child could be given an artificial flower if they can say the Bible verse or can say some words from the verse about forgiving each other 70 x 7!
OVER AND OVER AGAIN:
Let children line up in a long line or as teams if desired. Each player will take a turn at doing 3 things over and over again until they reach the other side of the playing area, such as "RUN, JUMP 3 TIMES AND SKIP 3 TIMES" and then do it over and over again. Let every player do 3 things over and over again, as the teacher gives them ideas.
MUSICAL CHAIRS:
Children can gather in a circle inside a circle of chairs and while the music is playing, the children will slowly walk around the circle, "over and over again" until the music stops. There will be one chair less than the number of children. When everyone quickly find a seat as the music stops, one child will be left without a chair to sit on. THAT child will say, I FORGIVE YOU, and will sit outside the circle of chairs. Play as long as time allows.
70x7=490 HUNT:
Let the class or separate teams hunt for all these numbers in the classroom. Then children will quickly put the numbers in the correct order for 70 x 7 = 490. Let the class use colorful markers and take turns writing today's Bible verse on the poster where they have taped the numbers.
PENCIL PEOPLE:
Give children supplies to make pencil people, such as a styrofoam ball for the head, yarn for the hair, cloth to hang over the end of the pencil before sticking the styrofoam ball on the top, etc. Use markers to draw the happy face.
BIBLE VERSE ERASING:
The teacher can write today's Bible verse on the chalkboard with colored chalk and with different types of handwriting or printing. Let children take turns erasing one word at a time and the class reciting the Bible verse each time a word is erased, until children can recite the verse with ALL the words erased!
BIG ERASER GIFT:
If the teacher can find a Dollar Store nearby, there may be very large erasers that say (for BIG MISTAKES). The teacher could purchase enough for the entire class, wrap the erasers in colorful paper and give one to each child as they leave the classroom.
SHARE A SNACK:
CROSSES cut out by the children for a sandwich with bread, meat and cheese cut in the shape or a cross; OR a caramel apple on the end of a pencil!
Song: "To Be Like Jesus"
Words and Music (pdf)
MP3 Accompaniment Track
Song: "Share His Love"
Words and Music (pdf)
MP3 Accompaniment Track
