Guaranteed Forever
Group Activities

Sermon Title: "Guaranteed Forever"

Scripture Reading: John 10:27-29

ETERNAL LIFE BALLOONS:

Have enough balloons inflated for each child to have one with the words ETERNAL LIFE written on a small slip of paper inside the balloon. When the teacher says, "Go," the children will try to POP their balloon and find what the paper inside says.

FINGER PAINTED CROSS:

Provide the children with paper and finger paints to draw a large cloud and with a contrasting color to draw a cross. Finally, using a brush, have the children write JESUS GIVES ETERNAL LIFE.

GIFT WRAPPING:

Provide each child with a small box and paper and ribbon to gift wrap the boxes. After the children wrap the box, have them write "Eternal Life" on the side of the gift.

IN THE PALM OF YOUR HAND RELAY:

Divide the children into teams. The first team member will run to the line, pick up a small ball, and run back to the next team member while carrying the ball IN THE PALM OF HIS HAND. The next team member will then take the ball, place it IN THE PALM OF HIS HAND, run to the line and back to the next teammate. Continue the game until everyone on the team has had a turn. If a player drops the ball, he must stop, pick it up, and place it back in the palm and continue to run!

SECRET COIN PASS:

Have the children form a circle with one child in the middle. Place a coin in the hand of one of the children in the circle and children will begin to pass the coin very secretively, and sometimes only pretending to pass the coin. The child in the middle will try to guess who's palm the coin is in when he thinks he knows where it is. IF the coin is in that palm, then the child in the middle will change places with the child who had the coin and then continue to play the game as time allows.

SHEPHERD AND SHEEP FOLLOWING:

Divide the children into small groups. One child of each group will be designated to be the Shepherd. The shepherd will take their sheep to a designated place in the room and will say, "baa, baa, baa" to their group. When the teacher tells the sheep to scatter — all the sheep will move away from their shepherd to a different part of the room. Then all of the sheep will put on a blindfold. When the teacher tells the shepherds to CALL YOUR SHEEP, the shepherds of each group of sheep will begin to call out, "baa, baa, baa" and the blindfolded sheep will try to find their way to their own Shepherd by the sound of his voice.

SNATCH FROM MY HAND:

Have the children form a big circle sitting on the floor. While one child holds a coin in their hand in front of another child sitting in the circle, the sitting child tries to snatch the coin from their hand. The child who is holding the coin will try to QUICKLY close his hand around the coin. If he succeeds in closing his hand before the coin is snatched away, then he may go to another player and continue the game. IF a child is successful in snatching the coin, then that child will become the one to hold the coin for another child.

PALM HOLDING:

Give each child a small toy or some other item to place in the palm of their hand. Next, give the children a piece of paper and a marker and tell them to draw a picture or write words representing today's lesson without allowing the small item in their other hand to fall out while doing their art project. If a child can hold their item for the whole length of the art project, they can keep the item when they are finished.

HAND AND HEART DRAWING:

Provide the children with art supplies to trace their own hand on a piece of paper and then have them draw a large red heart around the hand. Let children color and decorate their hand and heart drawing and hang it with a ribbon around the classroom. Children may wish to write on the hearts - JESUS HOLDS US SAFELY IN THE PALM OF HIS HAND.

HAND VERSE:

Let the children trace another child's hand. Then the children will write today's Bible verse up and down and around on the fingers of the traced hand. Lightly color the hands and let the children display their Bible Verse hands on a large poster board to hang in the classroom!

PALM PRINTS:

Attach a large sheet of butcher paper to a classroom wall. Let the children place their hands in finger paints and place their hand on the butcher paper to create their hand print. Write in large letters below the children's hand prints, NOTHING CAN TAKE US OUT OF JESUS' HAND.

SNACK TIME:

Let the children reach into a brown paper bag and take a mystery treat out of the bag but keeping it hidden in their closed hand. When all of the children have a treat in hand, the teacher will tell them to open their hands and see what they have grabbed from the bag. Enjoy your treats!

Song: "He's Got the Whole World in His Hand"

Words and Music (pdf)

MP3 Piano Accompaniment - Right click and save to your computer. (Two measures introduction and sing twice.)

Song: "I Know Whom I Have Believed"

Words and Music (pdf)

MP3 Piano Accompaniment - Right click and save to your computer. (Two measures introduction and sing twice.

These songs may be freely downloaded and reproduced for religious or educational use by churches, schools, home schoolers, and other non-profit organizations.