Help With A Heavy Load Group
Group Activities

BURDEN BEARING: Divide the children into teams and run a relay carrying a BURDEN box back and forth, from their team players to the finish line. The teacher/leader can have various ways of carrying their BURDEN box, if desired, such as on their heads, on their backs, walking backwards, etc.

PARACHUTE BURDENS: IF a parachute is available, have the children divide into teams and spread out around the parachute and TOSS a BURDEN BOX (any light weight box that has BURDENS written on it in big letters) high into the air while saying "TAKE MY BURDEN." See which team can toss that BURDEN highest into the air and off of the parachute. IF a parachute is not available, use an old sheet stretched out to bounce the burden box high into the air.

FROG HOPPING: Run FROG HOPPING relays back and forth before the Bible story is told today and end with the F.R.O.G (Fully Rely on God) craft and explanation!

F.R.O.G. BANNER: F-R-O-G stands for FULLY RELY ON GOD. The children will make each of these letters in bright NEON COLORED construction paper at the top of their banner and then write each word out, down the side of the banner. Decorate with stickers of frogs and GREEN borders!

BURDEN BOX: Children can be given a box to wrap with brown paper and decorate with our Bible verse and the words BURDEN BOX in bright letters. Encourage children to cut a slit in the box and use small cards to write some examples of burdens on the cards and place them inside the box! PRAY together to give all of our burdens to Jesus!

BURDEN BOARD: A large poster board can be on an easel for the children to write BURDENS as they discuss today's lesson. Each burden can be in a different colored marker. Children could take turns adding stickers to their Burden Board - such as hearts, crosses, etc. PRAY together to thank Jesus for taking ALL of our burdens!

BIBLE VERSE BOOK MARK: Provide each child with supplies to make a book mark with today's Bible verse and some stickers and a ribbon to add to their art.

FIND THE WORD: Place a poster board on the wall with words from today's Bible verse, but with many words missing. They are the words that are hidden around a designated area and after quoting today's verse and saying it together, as well as listening to today's story, the children will be encouraged to find the missing words around the room. As they find a word (one at a time), they will bring it to the Bible verse poster board and tape it in the proper space. Children can read the Bible verse board each time a missing word is added until all the words are in place.

BIBLE VERSE ENCOURAGEMENT CARD: Give the children several pieces of construction paper to fold and staple to make a small card to encourage them on days when they are having troubles and struggles. Each page can have Bible verses or encouraging phrases on them. The teacher can have these ideas taped on the walls around the room to help the children to get ideas. Examples: DON'T BE AFRAID, I AM WITH YOU (GEN. 26:24); or I WILL GIVE YOU STRENGTH (PSALM 28:7); GOD ENCOURAGES US; GOD LIGHTENS OUR LOAD; MATTHEW 11:28-30; GOD GIVES US CONFIDENCE TO OVERCOME OUR OBSTACLES; JESUS BEARS OUR BURDENS.

D.O.G. PAWS: Children will be given paper to draw and cut out dog paws. D.O.G. letters can be written in dark bold letters and DEPEND ON GOD around the edges of the paw print, for children to pin to their shirts and show others that JESUS takes our burdens when we rely and depend on HIM!

SING A SONG: I MUST TELL JESUS; WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS

SHARE A SNACK: The children might enjoy HUNTING for their snacks today as they search for a snack for each letter of BURDEN... B could be a snack in a balloon or bubblegum; U could be a snack UNDER the table, R could be a RED snack such as a strawberry or an apple, D could be a life saver on a DIME or something more simple would be a "dum dum sucker", E could be snacks that are EVERYWHERE around the room and N could be bag of nuts, or a Nutter Butter cookie. (This snack idea is just for those who like do wild and crazy things to enforce the lesson!)

Song:  "I Must Tell Jesus"

Words and music (pdf)

MP3 Piano Accompaniment - Right click to download to your computer.

This song is Copyright 1992, Ralph Merrifield New Hope Music, PO Box 1612, Westboro MA 01581 and is used by permission.

Song:  "What a Friend We Have in Jesus"

Words and music (pdf)

MP3 Piano Accompaniment - Right click to download to your computer.