Samuel: God Chooses a King
Group Activities

Sermon Title: "God Chooses a King"

Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 16:1-13

SPORTS RELAY:

The teacher can choose 4 sports for the relay. Kids will enjoy going from one sport to another during the relay. One sport can be basketball and each team member can dribble the ball or even try to shoot a basket if one is available. The next sport could be a football and each team member could toss the football across a team line. Another sport could be a soccer ball and each team member can take a kick at the soccer ball and then a volleyball could be thrown over a net.

CIRCLE CHOOSING:

Let children sit in a circle. The teacher or leader can say, "I choose everyone wearing red to run around the circle" and all those children wearing red will jump up and run around the circle one time and sit down. The teacher can continue to CHOOSE during this game, saying children with brown eyes are chosen, or children that have traveled out of the state, or children with a 2 story house, or children have brothers.. or sisters, etc. Each time those children who are chosen will run around the circle.

KING CROWNS:

Let children cut out and decorate king crowns with bright colored markers and stickers. Tell children to listen to the Bible story and see what happens in our story today when God decides to choose a new KING.

PEOPLE COLLAGE:

Give children magazines to find and cut or tear out people of all kinds and types, shapes and sizes. Glue to a piece of construction paper and then cut out a large red heart and tape over the top of the completed collage. The children can write letters on the heart from our lesson today, that GOD looks only on the heart, not on the outside appearance.

HEART ART:

Provide supplies for children to tear or cut out a large heart to decorate with ribbon, glitter, markers and stickers. The children can write words on the heart to say, GOD JUDGES A PERSON BY WHAT IS IN THEIR HEART.

FINGER PAINTING:

Children can be given finger painting paper and paints, after putting on aprons and having wet wipes or wet clothes available for clean up. Children can add colors to swirl around on the paper and then use fingers or q tips, etc to draw a large heart on their paper. If children can spell, they can write, GOD LOOKS ON THE HEART!

FINGER PRINT PEOPLE:

Let children use an ink stamp pad and press their fingers into the ink and firmly place on a piece of construction paper. Children can use their imaginations, whether to form many finger ink prints in the form and shape of a heart, or to make the finger prints into people by adding arms and legs, hair and a tiny red heart to remind them that GOD looks at the heart.

HEART WREATH:

Each child can be given a paper plate to color and to decorate with today's Bible story words or the final prayer.. and draw or glue hearts around the edges and hang by a ribbon.

HEART BADGE:

Give children materials to cut out a heart and sprinkle with glitter and write GOD LOOKS ON THE HEART... Children can pin their hearts to their shirts and wear out of class, to share today's story with others.

SING A SONG:

JESUS LOVES ME; JESUS LOVES THE LITTLE CHILDREN; INTO MY HEART

SHARE A SNACK:

Heart shaped chocolate candies or heart shaped cookies that the children can decorate with frosting and sprinkles... and enjoy eating!

Song: "Jesus Loves the Little Children"

Words and Music (pdf)

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

Song: "Into My Heart"

Words and Music (pdf)

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

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