Kids Pay Taxes Too
Group Activities

Sermon Title: "Kids Pay Taxes Too"

Scripture Reading: Matthew 22:21

MONEY SCRAMBLE:

Scatter real or play money around a designated area. Have the children scramble to get as many coins as they can in the time alloted. Then the children will scramble to form groups with children who have similar coins. For example, all children with dimes will be in one group, those with nickels in another group, and those with pennies in another group. The group that assembles the quickest will be the winners.

BLINDFOLD MONEY GAME:

Blindfold 2 children at a time and have some coins in front of each player in a bowl or box. Tell children to quickly find a quarter and see who finds it first; then tell children to find a penny and see who finds it first, etc. Let all the children in the class have an opportunity to find coins while blindfolded.

GOD & CAESAR HUNT: Before class, the teacher will draw coins on card stock and write either GOD or CAESAR on the coins. These coins will then be cut out and placed around the room. Let the children go on a HUNT to find coins and bring them back to the tape onto a poster board with GOD written on one side and CAESAR on the other side. If desired the teacher can have CAESAR or GOD ideas for children to give to, such as our heart to GOD, or taxes to CAESAR.

MONEY TALKS:

Divide the children into two groups and give each child the same amount of play money to use to buy some items from the CHILDRENS' STORE. (Inexpensive items such as stickers, pencils, small toys, etc.) This will require two leaders for the children to give their money to and to keep track of what they spend. Let the children DECORATE A PAPER BAG for their new purchases with today's Bible verse and theme written on the bag.

CHILD TRACING:

Provide each child with a long sheet of craft paper or butcher paper so that the children can trace each others bodies on the paper. If time allows, children can cut out their body tracing or just hang the body pictures around the room and let children color the clothes, hair, and facial features on their traced body. Children will write on the shirt, I BELONG TO GOD. The child can then write their first and last names on each shoe of their tracing.

HEART BANNER:

Let each child cut out many hearts from construction paper and tape them on a piece of ribbon to hang as a banner. Write today's Bible verse on the various hearts, starting at the top, as well as today's Bible verse number.

HEART TO JESUS:

Provide the children with a piece of construction paper or a large heart cut out of construction paper to decorate with stickers, glitter, and markers. Have the children write I GIVE MY HEART TO JESUS on the heart. Hole punch the top and add a ribbon to the heart to create a doorknob hanger for the child's bedroom!

SING A SONG:

TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE

Song: "Take My Life and Let It Be"

Words and Music (pdf)

MP3 Piano accompaniment Track (right click to save to your computer)