Story Sparklers

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Sunday, December 6th, 2015 .:. Room 101, 104 & 105A
Pathways Kids Weekend Small Groups 3, 4 and 5 year Olds

This Weeks Scope

Basic Truth: Jesus wants to be my friend forever.
Key Question: How do we know God loves us?
Bottom Line: God gave us Jesus.
Memory Verse: God has given a Son to us. Isaiah 9:6, NCV
Bible Story Focus: God told us He would give us Jesus.
The Angel and Mary Luke 1:26-33, 38, 46-49

Memory In Motion
What You Do:
Before the Activity: Spread out in an open area in the room.
During the Activity: Teach the kids the words and motions for this months Memory Verse.
Repeat as many times as desired.
After the Activity: Say the Bottom Line together.
What You Say:
Before the Activity: Come spread out in a circle around me. (Pause.) We have a new Memory
Verse and motions to learn today!
During the Activity: Im going to say the new verse and do the motions and then well do it
together. Watch and listen. God (point arms straight up) has given (cup both hands in front of
you like you are giving something) a son (rock your arms like youre holding a baby) to us
(point your thumbs to your chest), Isaiah 9:6. (Open your hands like a book.) Okay, this time
lets do it together. (Repeat slowly.) Super job! Sit down on the floor right where you are.
After the Activity: Today we heard a story from the Bible about how God sent an angel to Mary
to give her a special message. She was going to be a mommy and Jesus was going to be her
baby! God loves us and gave His Son, Jesus, to us. How do we know God loves us?
[Bottom Line] God gave us Jesus.

Make It Real
What You Need: Bible marked to Isaiah 9:6 and prayer journal
SMALL GROUP LEADER (SGL): I LOVE this time of year! Who wants to guess why I love it
so much? (Pause for response.) How did you know? Yes! I love this time of year because its
Christmas time! I love the decorations and the music and the food, but do you know what I love
best? I love celebrating that [Bottom Line] God gave us Jesus. Thats right! [Bottom Line]
God gave us Jesus to be our friend forever. Thats how we know God loves us!
SGL: Youll hear the question, How do we know God loves us? a lot this month because
we dont want you to ever forget that [Bottom Line] God gave us Jesus because He loves us
so much. So, every time you hear us ask: How do we know God loves us? I want you to
say, [Bottom Line] God gave us Jesus! Lets try it!
SGL: How do we know God loves us?
CHILDREN and SGL: [Bottom Line] God gave us Jesus!
SGL: Again! How do we know God loves us?
CHILDREN and SGL: [Bottom Line] God gave us Jesus.
SGL: You got it! [Bottom Line] God gave us Jesus! And that is what Christmas is all about
celebrating when [Bottom Line] God gave us Jesus, His only Son. The Bible verse were
learning this month even talks about it. It says, God has given a son to us, Isaiah 9:6. Lets
say that together and Ill show you the motions.
CHILDREN and SGL: God (point arms straight up) has given (cup both hands in front of you
like you are giving something) a son (rock your arms like youre holding a baby) to us (point
your thumbs to your chest), Isaiah 9:6. (Open your hands like a book.) (Repeat the verse a few
times together.)
SGL: Good job! Now its time to write in our prayer journal. Today were going to make a list of
some of our favorite things about Christmas. When were done we can thank God for giving
them to us and then thank Him for giving us the best part of ChristmasJESUS!
Remember to print the words so the children can recognize their names and the letters.
SGL: Wow! There is so much to love about Christmas! Thanks for helping me make this super
awesome list. Now were going to pray and thank God for all of these things AND for the very
best part of Christmas: [Bottom Line] God gave us Jesus! Would anyone like to pray before
I pray for us?
Give each child that wants to pray the opportunity to do so.

SGL: Now Ill pray.

Prayer
SGL: Dear God, this is such a special time of year. We just want to stop and say thank You for
some of the things Youve given us. Thank You for giving us (read the list the children made).
But more than anything, we want to thank You for giving us Jesus. Jesus is the best gift ever!
Help us to remember that Christmas is all about Jesus birthday. We love You, God. In Jesus
name, amen.

It All Fits
Together
Make
It Fun
Snow Angels
What You Need: Bubbles, Optional: Feel free to play kid friendly Christmas music from a
phone
What You Do:
During the Activity: Introduce the idea of making snow angels. Ask the children to lie on their
backs and pretend to make snow angels on the floor while you blow bubbles.
What You Say:
During the Activity: Raise your hand if you have ever made a snow angel. What was it like?
(Allow the children to share if they have made snow angels.) I can remember making them as
a kid. It was super fun and super COLD! We would lie on our backs in the snow like this and
move our arms and legs like this. (Demonstrate.) Hey! Lets pretend its snowing and were
making snow angels! Everyone lie down like this. Pretend theres lots of white, fluffy snow on
the ground. Now move your arms and legs like this in the snow (Start blowing bubbles). Were
making snow angels! (Continue doing this as long as the children are having fun.)
After the Activity: Whew! That was fun! Our Bible story today was about a real angel who had
a special message from God for a girl named Mary. Do you remember what the message was?
That Mary was going to be a mommy!

Make It Fun
We are continuing to work on the campaign from Compassion International called Bite Back
targeted to prevent the outbreak of Malaria in many places, specifically in Uganda.
Mosquito Tag!
What You Need: Paper Towel core

What You Do: Select one child to be it first. They will place the paper towel core on their forehead
(see picture below). This is the mosquitos stinger. The child will go around and play tag. Once another
child is tagged, they have to stop running and start itching! To stop the itching, two other children will
need to join hands around the itcher and shout stop scratching to stop the itching and then can
resume the game. Play as long as children are interested and giving other children a chance to be the
mosquito.

Need More
If you happen to finish up with these activities early feel free to use any of the activities in the
preschool game binder. If you are unsure as to where to find this binder, please contact your
service coach.

Story Cards
Be sure to fill out a story card! A drawing will occur every week for those that turn in story cards
and the winner will receive a Starbucks gift card!