Gift Baskets

Friday:	Gift Baskets
Elementary Lesson:	Footsteps of Service: Epaphroditus and the Shunnemite
Memory Verse:	Philippians 2:4

Age Groups:

• elementary
• teens

Supplies Needed:

• baskets
• greeting cards (The preschool group can make these.)
• card stock and ribbon for the bookmarks
• left-over pencil can and cross necklace materials
• trail mix ingredients and plastic bags
• flowers or plants
• pots, pot paint, and potting soil
• aprons or canvas tote bags
• fabric paint
• molds, soap and scents (or wax and wicks)

Note:

This is a more difficult and more expensive craft than usual. In addition to the extra materials, you will also need extra help, to oversee the various tables.

Overview:

The children will be assembling gift baskets for people in the church (sick people, the pastor, the elderly, widows, whoever). This is a service to the church, which correlates with the Bible lesson. You can send them out along with the greeting cards that the preschool children make.

Preparation:

Print on the cardstock a basic (outline drawing) pattern for the bookmarks.

Explain to the children what they are doing, and why, then divide them into groups and assign each group to a table. Each table will make one or two items for the baskets. Each basket will get one of each thing.

Instructions: Bookmark & Trail Mix Table (Elementary)

Set out the ingredients for the trail mix (select from items such as Chex cereal, pretzels, M&Ms, peanuts, raisins, walnuts, cheese crackers, wheat/snack crackers, etc.) and a large bowl. Let the kids open the packages, mix the ingredients together in the bowl, stir, and scoop some into each bag. Let them tie off the bags with ribbon (or seal them if you are using Ziploc bags) and place one bag in each basket.

See the bookmark craft instructions from the God's Sheep materials. Have the kids make and place one bookmark in each basket.

Instructions: Cross Necklace Table (Elementary or Teens)

Let them make cross necklaces like the ones they made earlier in the week and place one in each basket.

Instructions: Pencil Can Table (Elementary)

Let them make pencil cans like the ones they made earlier in the week and place one in each basket.

Instructions: Potted Plant Table (Teens)

Let them paint the pots, then have them gently transplant the plant into the pot and surround it with the potting soil. When they are finished, place it somewhere to dry, and it can be added to the baskets later.

Instructions: Soap Table (Teens)

Use the Soap Molding instructions from the God's Sheep materials. Let them mold one or two pieces of soap for each basket. Alternately, if you prefer, you can have them do candles instead.

Instructions: Apron (or Tote Bag) Table (Teens)

Have them take the special paint for writing on cloth and, after carefully planning what they're going to write, they can go ahead and decorate. Give them suggestions for what to write, like VBS 2010 and a small footprint.

Finishing Up

If there's extra time, they can sign all the cards. When each basket has one of everything, make arrangements for the baskets to be delivered to their intended recipients.