Prayer Can

Thursday:	Prayer Can
Elementary Lesson:	Hannah's Prayer: When we have problems, we should pray to God.
Memory Verse:	from James 5:16
Preschool Lesson:	TBA

Age Groups:

• elementary
• preschool
• teens

Supplies Needed:

• plastic frozen juice cans (or Crystal Light cans, or any other plastic cans)
• paper, with the word Pray in big bubble letters photocopied on it, the appropriate height from the bottom of the paper, so that it will be centered vertically on the can. The length of the paper should also be trimmed if necessary so that it doesn't wrap too far around and cover up the word.
• ribbon, glitter, etc.

Instructions:

First, let them color the word "prayer" and, if there's time, the background of the paper.

Next, spread glue on the outside of the can, or roll the can in glue, stand it upright, and wrap the paper around the can, with the bottom edge of the paper against the table. Spread the paper as smoothly as possible, limiting wrinkles to a minimum.

Finally, if there is time, they can glue ribbon around the top and bottom edges, add glitter, or decorate the can in some additional manner.

Sukkot Shelters

Tuesday:	Sukkot Shelters
Elementary Lesson:	Do What It Says (Ezra reading from the book of the law): We should study God's word and obey it.
Memory Verse:	James 1:22
Preschool Lesson:	TBA

Age Groups:

• elementary
• preschool
• teens

Supplies Needed:

• empty check boxes (one box or lid per child, they don't need both)
• twigs
• squares of corrugated cardboard

Instructions:

Each child gets one cardboard base (which represents the ground), and one check box or lid. (If you have enough of the boxes that you don't have to use the colored lids, that might be even better)

On the long side of the box (or lid), find the midpoint, and make a short there from the opening to the edge of the closed back. (The closed back is the top of the lid or bottom of the box). Do the same on the other long edge. Now fold the box (or lid) along the middle, to approximately a ninety-degree angle. Crease the fold, then glue the flaps together and hold or pinch them, so that that the box stays in this folded shape until the glue dries.

Now glue the box to the cardboard, open side down, with the peaked roof (crease) up, resembling a tent. Spread additional glue on the box surface and place twigs thereupon, so that it looks like the whole thing is made out of sticks. (Remind them that the Israelites did not have boxes to glue their sticks to: they had to build the entire shelter out of the sticks, big enough to live in for a week.)

Footprint Placemat

Monday:	Footsteps Placemat
Elementary Lesson:	Two Obedient Men (Caleb & Joshua): We should trust and obey God.
Memory Verse:	1st John 2:5
Preschool Lesson:	TBA

Age Groups:

• elementary
• preschool
• teens

Supplies Needed:

• heavy paper (preferably 11x17)
• writing and coloring utensils
• clear Contact paper

Instructions:

Each child gets one sheet of the paper. Show them how to center their foot on the paper so that the whole foot is on the paper. Have them get with a partner and trace one another's feet (or you can have them trace their own, especially in the older age groups; for preschool, an adult can help). Allow the older children to add toenails and other details.

Once the shape is traced, let them color in the foot shape. The older age groups should write the day's memory verse on the placemat, either around the edge or in the footprint. (Lines may need to be drawn for the younger children to write on.) If they like, and have space and time, they can also emblazon the Follow the Footsteps slogan on the placemat.

Help them laminate their placemats with the clear Contact paper. (It may be enough to laminate the front side and folder over the edges.)

Gather and Sort the Balls

Friday:	Gather & Sort the Balls
Preschool Bible Lesson:	TBA

Age Groups:

• preschool

Equipment Needed:

• plastic balls
• wading pool
• buckets, in the same colors as the balls
• weight to hold down the buckets (e.g., gravel or bags of sand)

Preparation:

Put about three inches of water in the bottom of the wading pool. Weight four buckets (red, green, yellow, and blue) enough to hold them down, and set them in the pool. Scatter 30-50 plastic balls (in the same colors) all over the yard.

Instructions:

Have the children find one ball at a time, bring it, and try to throw it into the correct bucket, without stepping into the pool. If they miss, have them go get another ball and try again. If they make it, clap and cheer, and send them for another ball. Yay!

Footsteps of Service Game

Friday:	Footsteps of Service
Elementary Bible Lesson:	Footsteps of Service: we should serve God by serving others.
Memory Verse:	Philippians 2:4

Age Groups:

• elementary
• teens

Equipment Needed:

• clothesline
• clothespins
• 3x5 cards with service activities written on them, in two categories
• buckets (labeled)
• chairs
• blindfolds
• extra shoes (decoys)

Preparation:

Hang the service cards on a line with clothespins, near where the kids will be. Set up two sets of buckets or containers for them to sort the cards into, with the labels facing the kids. These can be arbitrarily far apart, depending on how far you want to make the kids run. Set up the chairs in a circle, with one chair for each pair of kids, with the chairs facing inward. Place some decoy shoes in the middle. Place a blindfold on each chair.

Instructions:

Explain that the goal of this game is to get service cards for your team, and sort them into the correct bucket. Show each team their pair of buckets, and explain the sorting criteria. (There are two options here: you can either have them sort activities that are services from activities that are not services; or you can have them sort services that involve donating your time from services that involve donating money and goods.)

Then tell them how to get the cards: each team will be split up into pairs, and from each pair one person will sit on a chair, and the partner will be blindfolded and stand in front of their partner inside the circle. The seated partner will remove one shoe and toss it into the middle of the circle. The leader then scrambles the shoes.

When the whistle is blown, the blindfolded partners must attempt to locate the seated partners' shoes and replace them on their feet. (Tying is not required, unless you want to make things hard for the teens.) The seated partner can give instructions and suggestions to help the blindfolded partner locate the shoe, but the seated partner must remain in the chair at all times and may not use their hands to help. (Blindfolded people are not permitted to throw any shoes outside the circle.)

As soon as each pair of kids has finished putting the shoe back on, the blindfold may be removed, and they may choose a service card from the line and proceed to decide which bucket it goes in, run to that bucket, and drop it in. While running, they must both hold on to the card the whole time. When they finish, they return to the circle and switch places, and put on the blindfold. Once the first person is back and has the blindfold on, the whistle is blown and everyone who doesn't have a card yet must stop, so that you can go to the next round. (Those who have a card can finish sorting it.) Once everyone has the blindfolds on, the new seated partners take off a shoe and the next round starts. When time is nearly up, check the sorted buckets, and discard any that are sorted incorrectly. The team with the most correctly-sorted cards wins.

Pile-Up Game

Thursday:	Pile-Up Game
Elementary Bible Lesson:	Hannah's Prayer: When we have problems, we should pray to God.
Memory Verse:	James 5:16

Age Groups:

• elementary
• teens

Equipment Needed:

• chairs

Preparation:

Place one chair for each participant in a circle facing outward.

Instructions:

Have each person sit on a chair. Start reading instruction lines (below), one at a time, giving them time to follow the instructions. (Note that if the person beneath you moves, you don't necessarily move with them, unless the instruction applies to you too. If someone is much larger than the person beneath, they may have to squat and hold their own weight to avoid squishing someone.)

If things get too out of hand, have everyone sit in an otherwise empty seat again and start over. If you run out of instruction lines, you can start repeating them, or just make some up.

Example Instruction Lines:

• If your dad brought you to VBS, move 2 chairs to the right.
• If you had cereal for breakfast, move 2 chairs to the right.
• If you went swimming this week, move 2 chairs to the right.
• If your favorite Bible School activity is the memory verse, move 3 chairs to the left.
• If you are in second grade, move 2 chairs to the right.
• If you came to VBS last year, move 1 chair to the left.
• If your favorite color is yellow, move 3 chairs to the right.
• If you live close enough to walk here, move 2 chairs to the right.
• Move one chair to the right for each day you've been to Bible School so far this week.
• If you came with a friend, move 2 chairs to the right.
• If you brushed your teeth today, move 2 chairs to the left.
• If your favorite Bible School activity is the game, move 2 chairs to the right.
• If you think you're going to bring a friend tomorrow, move 1 chair to the left.
• If you read your Bible today, move 1 chair to the right.
• If you have a case or cover for your Bible, move 2 chairs to the left.
• If your birthday is in March, move 3 chairs to the right.
• If you learned your Bible verse and said it tonight at the registration table, move 2 chairs to the left.
• If you have a pet at home, move 1 chair to the right.
• If you are wearing shorts, move 1 chair to the left.
• If you are in third grade, move 3 chairs to the left.
• If your favorite Bible School activity is crafts, move 1 chairs to the left.
• If you wore your seatbelt on the way here, move 3 chairs to the left.
• If your name starts with a G, move 3 chairs to the right.
• Move one chair to the left for each sibling you have that's here tonight.
• If you ate your vegetables for dinner, move 2 chairs to the left.
• If you have a younger sister, move 1 chair to the left.
• If you like chocolate chip cookies, move 3 chairs to the left.
• If you brought a visitor tonight, move 1 chair to the right.
• If your name has an A in it, move 2 chairs to the left.
• If you are in first grade, move 1 chair to the right.
• If this is your first night here, move 1 chair to the left.
• If you arrived in a car, move 3 chairs to the left.
• If you have blond hair, move 3 chairs to the left.
• If your favorite Bible School activity is Missions, move 3 chairs to the right.
• If you are wearing flip-flops or sandals, move 1 chair to the right.
• If you are wearing green, move 1 chair to the right.
• If you are having fun at VBS, move 3 chairs to the right.
• If you have an older brother, move 2 chairs to the right.
• If you have a pony tail, move 3 chairs to the left.
• If you learned something new in today's Bible lesson, move 1 chair to the left.
• If you had pizza today, move 3 chairs to the left.
• If you came to VBS in a van, move 1 chair to the left.
• If your favorite Bible School activity is the singing, move 1 chair to the right.

Crabwalking in the Footsteps

Wednesday:	Crabwalking in the Footsteps
Elementary Bible Lesson:	Look & Live (the snake on the stick): We should look to Jesus, trusting God for our salvation.
Memory Verse:	John 3:14-15
Preschool Bible Lesson:	TBA

Age Groups:

• elementary
• preschool
• teens

Equipment Needed:

• footprint markers for the trails
• objects to balance

Preparation:

Set up the footprints in a trail, winding across the yard. Depending on the age group, the trail can have twist and crisscross and loop and so on to a greater or lesser extent. Each team's trail should be a different color of footprints, so that they can tell which is which. (For preschool, you may just want one trail.)

Instructions:

Divide them into teams, and line each team up at the starting area. The first team member must crabwalk (see below) along the trail of footprints, following the trail to the finish line. For added difficulty, older agegroups may be required to balance an object (such as a shoe, a ball, or a bowl of ice water) on their stomach the whole time. When the first team member reaches the finish area, the leader releases the next team member to follow.

Crabwalk:

The crabwalk is achieved by going on all fours, with your stomach aimed up and your back down. You must crabwalk head-first, without allowing any body parts (except the hands and feet and possibly hair) to drag on the ground. (You can let preschool children just crawl instead of crabwalking, in which case you might want to put a few extra twists and turns in their trail.)

Through the Hoop

Tuesday:	Through the Hoop
Preschool Bible Lesson:	TBA

Age Groups:

• preschool

Equipment Needed:

• hula hoops
• plastic balls

Overview:

This is basically a toned-down version of the Soak the Paper game the older kids are playing, in case your preschool kids aren't so fond of getting wet and/or don't have sufficient aim or throwing power to break through paper.

Instructions:

For the preschool, don't cover the hoop with paper. Just hold up a hoop as a target. Each child gets a hollow plastic ball to try to throw through the hoop. Yay!

Soak the Paper

Tuesday:	Soak the Paper
Elementary Bible Lesson:	Do What It Says (Ezra Reads from the Book of the Law): We should study God's word and obey it.
Memory Verse:	James 1:22

Age Groups:

• elementary
• teens

Equipment Needed:

• hula hoops
• roll paper
• buckets
• sponges

Preparation:

Cover each hula hoop with a large strip of roll paper, such as bulletin board paper. Fasten the edges of the paper in place around the hoop (either to the hoop itself, or around and to the back of the paper) with tape, staples, or whatever. Set up the buckets of water and sponges near where the group will stand.

Instructions:

Have an adult volunteer hold up the hula hoops as targets a fixed distance from the group. (Start a pretty good distance away, so that the kids can barely throw the wet sponges that far.) Divide the group into teams and hold up one hoop for each team.

Each team member gets the same number of sponges (probably one) per round. The object is to wet and break the paper that is stretched across the hoop, by throwing wet sponges against it. When every team member has thrown their sponge, have the targets move a little closer, give everyone their sponges back, and go another round. Whichever team breaks their paper first wins the game.

You can play another game if time and the supply of prepared hoops allows. If the hoops run out before time runs out, allow the play to devolve into a wet-sponge free-for-all (if it's warm enough out).

Footsteps Memory

Substitute Indoor Game:	Footsteps Memory

Age Groups:

• elementary
• preschool

Equipment Needed:

• Sets of game cards, in matching pairs, featuring images and concepts from the week's lessons on the obverse, and identical footprint emblems on the back.

Overview:

Wikipedia has an article describing the basic game, but we're going to play it with cards that feature things from the week's Bible lessons. I'm including some small thumbnails of the card pages below. To get a version that is suitable for printing, see SVG Documents.

Preparation:

Make enough sets of the cards so that small groups of 2-4 children can share each set. Print them on card stock, with the identical footprint backs on one side and the lesson concepts and images on the other. Each set should consist of two copies of each card, so that they can be matched up. Use a paper cutter to separate the individual cards from one another on each sheet. (If you laminate the cards, you can continue to use them for a long time after Bible School is over, reminding the children of the lessons from VBS.)

For the preschool age group, remove the cards that feature words, leaving only the pictures.

Instructions:

Divide up the kids into small groups and give them the decks of footsteps memory cards (one deck per group). Instruct the kids to shuffle the cards and, without looking at the backs, lay them out in rows with the footprint up. (For preschool, remove the cards with words on them, and help them shuffle and lay out the remaining ones.) Then they take turns each turning over two cards, trying to get a match. If the two cards match, they get to keep those two cards in their pile and take another turn. If they do not get a match, they turn the cards back over and it's the next person's turn. The goal is to get the most matched cards in your pile. If time remains, shuffle and play again.

Philippians 2:4

Friday:	Philippians 2:4
Bible Lesson:	Footsteps of Service: We should serve God by serving others.
Memory Verse:	Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interest of others. Philippians 2:4

Explanation: Looking to Someone's Interests

Let's say you and your little brother are home alone while mom's at the grocery. There is enough ham for one sandwich, and you and your brother are both hungry. Somebody has to wait for mom to get home with more food. If you're looking to your own interests, what are you going to do? Swipe the ham, make the sandwich, and take a big bite. You're bigger and faster than your little brother. Problem solved, right?

But if you're looking out for the interest of your brother, you make the sandwich, put on the ketchup that he likes, and tell him that you'll wait for mom. You might even get him a glass of milk. Mom left you to look out for your little brother while she's gone: so it's your responsibility to look out for his interests. That means you're taking care of what he needs.

[Show the verse and read it aloud.]

So this verse says that you can look out for yourself, but you should also look out for others. In the church, we're supposed to take care of each other, and not just selfishly get everything we can for ourselves.

We should be memorizing verses on our own, but we can help others to learn them too. We can pray for ourselves, but we should pray for others as well. When they ask for song requests, we can ask for songs we like, but we should sing the songs other people like too.

Game: Hot Potato

Read the verse through a couple of times, as a group, then introduce an object that you call a potato. Explain that each person must say the next word of the verse, before they can pass on the hot potato. Run through the verse one time for practice, passing the potato around, then introduce the timer.

The goal for each child is to avoid having the potato when the timer goes off, but you have to say the next word of the verse before you can pass the potato on to the next person. (At the end of the verse, say the reference, and then the next person starts at the beginning again.) Use short times on the timer and run through the verse as many times this way as possible. (If the group is too large, split it up with a potato for each group; you can still have just one timer.) Leave the card with the verse displayed until you think the kids know the verse, then try removing it. If someone has trouble with a word, you can help them after a few seconds.

Announcement: Verse Points

Tomorrow, when you come to Bible School, if you can say your memory verse without looking, you can earn points for your team's score. Each person who can say the verse can earn 200 points. So, if you want to help your team win more points, go home and practice your verse a few times. Don't forget the reference! On your way out the door tonight, you will be given a slip of paper with your verse on it. Don't lose it, because if you learn your verse, your team gets 200 more points!

You can say your verse for points tomorrow when you check in at the registration table.

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Following in the Foosteps progress

I know updates were a little thin on the ground through February and March, but we are still chugging along. The last of the elementary memory verse lessons will be posted this morning, and most of the games will also be forthcoming shortly. In addition, planning for crafts is well underway, though we haven't quite finalized them all yet. Meanwhile, here's draft 1 for the logo, which is tentative and subject to change at this point. (At minimum, I need to adjust the kerning. But it is possible we will decide to make larger changes.)

James 5:16

Thursday:	James 5:16
Bible Lesson:	Hannah's Prayer: When we have problems, we should pray to God.
Memory Verse:	The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. from James 5:16

Introduction: [Needed]

[Show the poster and read through the verse once.]

Explanation: Effective

I don't know about you, but I sure want my prayers to be powerful. Let's talk about what it means to be effective. When something is effective, it works. It creates the desired effect. It does its job. If the lawn mower is effective, the grass gets cut. So if a prayer is powerful and effective, it's strong and does its job, it gets the message through: God hears it.

Explanation: Righteous

But the verse doesn't tell us that everyone's prayers are powerful and effective, just the prayers of a righteous person. So a person who doesn't believe in God, who says, "God, if you're really there, do this for me", does God listen to those prayers? Sometimes, maybe. But they're not powerful and effective prayers.

So we want to be righteous, so that we can have powerful and effective prayers. Being righteous means living according to what is right. Doing the things God wants you to do. Choosing not to sin. If we are believers in Jesus Christ, he makes us righteous. We can't be righteous by ourselves. We need God.

Explanation: Summary

So if you want your prayers to be powerful and effective, you need to choose to let Jesus forgive your sins and make you righteous.

Game: Simon

The teacher says one word (the first word of the verse), and the whole group repeats it in unison. If they get it right, the teacher repeats it again, adding one more word, and the group repeats that, in unison. Add another word each time through the verse until you have the whole verse or the children collectively miss a word. If they miss, you start over with one word again. Each time, the teacher says the words first, and the group repeats.

Announcement: Verse Points

Tomorrow, when you come to Bible School, if you can say your memory verse without looking, you can earn points for your team's score. Each person who can say the verse can earn 200 points. So, if you want to help your team win more points, go home and practice your verse a few times. Don't forget the reference! On your way out the door tonight, you will be given a slip of paper with your verse on it. Don't lose it, because if you learn your verse, your team gets 200 more points!

You can say your verse for points tomorrow when you check in at the registration table.

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Preschool Game: Floating Stuff

Monday:	Floating Stuff
Preschool Bible Lesson:	TBA

Age Groups:

• preschool

Equipment Needed:

• wading pool
• plastic balls
• other floating toys
• towels

Preparation:

Put just a couple of inches of water in the pool, just enough for stuff to float.

Instruction:

Give the kids the plastic balls and other floating toys (e.g., toy boats, rubber duckies) and let them sit around the outside of the edge of the pool and play with the floating stuff. Be sure to have a few towels on hand in case of accidental water exposure.

Wet Sponge Dodgeball

Monday:	Wet Sponge Dodgeball
Elementary Bible Lesson:	Two Obedient Men (Caleb & Joshua): We should trust and obey God.
Memory Verse:	1st John 2:5

Age Groups:

• elementary
• teens

Equipment Needed:

• sponges
• buckets
• rope

Note:

Note: if it's cold at the beginning of the week, play the fourth night's game (Pile-Up) instead for now, and come back to this one later in the week when it's warmer.

Preparation:

Use a rope or something to mark a midpoint of the playing area. Put the pool (or buckets) full of water and sponges across the rope, so it can be reached from both sides.

Instructions:

Divide the kids into two teams, and explain the rules and boundaries. Basically, the goal is to hit every member of the other team with a web sponge, before everyone on your team gets hit. You can't cross the line, but you can approach the line to get sponges and/or to dip them in the water for better throwing. If you get hit by a wet sponge, you have to go stand on the sidelines (until the next game). When one entire team is out, if there's time left, put everyone back in and repeat.