Jesus Blesses Little Children Video Lesson

Since we've all moved to online church platforms, I've been inspired to create weekly video lessons for our kids to watch at home.  Here's the first lesson.  Stay tuned for more to come! 

Click on the links below to see my original blog posts of this lesson, where you'll find songs, activities, crafts, coloring sheets and more for you to do with your children at home.  You are welcome to share this resource with others!

Jesus Blesses Little Children Lesson

Jesus Blesses Little Children Home Ideas

I pray you and your loved ones are safe and well.  I am grateful to live in a time when even though we have to stay physically apart, we have ways to stay connected, encourage one another, and proclaim the love of Jesus.  I leave you with Psalm 46:10 "Be still and know that I am God.  I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!"

Jesus Heals a Woman & a Girl

In this passage of Luke's gospel, Jesus is on His way to heal Jairus' daughter, when a desperately sick woman reaches out by faith to touch the hem of His garment, and receives her healing. The intersection of these two women's lives, and their needs, poses some striking differences and similarities. Twelve years is obviously significant for each of them. For twelve years, the woman's life slowly drained from her body. For twelve years the little girl lived a vibrant life, before she was suddenly overcome with sickness, and eventually death.

On this day, at the convergence of twelve years, they both needed a miraculous healing.  When the woman reached out to touch Jesus, the steady flow of blood that drained her of life, stopped in an instant, and she received new life.  When Jesus reached out, taking the little girl by the hand, life-giving blood instantly flowed through her lifeless body, and she opened her eyes to new life.

Both of these stories demonstrate that the life-giving power is released from Jesus to our need at the moment that His life touches ours.  I pray that Jesus touches you, and your precious children as you love them and lead them to Jesus this week.

Bible Truth: Jesus heals me.
Bible Story: Jesus healed a woman who had been sick for a very long time, and raised a little girl back to life.
Bible Study: Luke 8:40-56, 1 Peter 2:24, Psalms 103:1-3

teach

doctor, doctor

A woman who had been very sick for many years went to see many doctors, but none of them could heal her, or make her feel better again.  A first aid kit, with either real supplies, or toys, helps the children to connect their experiences at the doctor, with this woman.  I begin the lesson by bringing out a first aid kit.  I briefly talk about each item, and how doctors use these things to help us.

touching Jesus

As I considered this lesson, I wanted movable visuals that could actually reach out and touch at the very moment of the miracle.  I made extremely simple felt tunics for a few of our dollhouse figurines with movable arms, and belted them with strands of leather lacing.  You could use figurines, dolls, or even stuffed animals, in the same way.  As I read the story from a children's Bible, or narrate with my own words, I manipulate the characters.

The woman who was very,very sick, Jesus and Jairus' daughter

The woman pushed through the crowd, and got close enough to reach out and touch the edge of Jesus' clothing.
As soon as she touched Him, all of the sickness left her body and she was healed!

Jesus told the woman that her faith made her well.  The woman said thank You to Jesus and praised God for healing her!

Jesus took the little girl by the hand and said, "My child, get up!"

The little girl got up, and Jesus told her mom and dad to give her something to eat.

Jesus did a miracle!  Only Jesus can raise somebody from the dead and bring them back to life!  

Thank God for doctors who can give us medicine or a shot when we need it.  They take care of us when we are sick or hurt, and help us to get better, but Jesus is the best doctor of all!  He doesn't need to use medicine or band-aids.  He just has to touch us, and we can be healed!

crowd participation

I'm always looking for ways for the children to participate in my lesson.  This story includes a large crowd of people following Jesus, as well as a large crowd gathered at the home of Jairus.  I give each child their own doll figurine to hold during the story so that they can participate.  They can crowd around Jesus, cry when Jairus' daughter dies, laugh when Jesus says she is only sleeping, and gasp in amazement when she is raised from the dead.

sing

Theses are great songs to sing about God's power and His love for us! 

Bigger Than Big - great song for kids to join in for worship

My God is So Big - one of our favorites

play

touch Jesus relay

This relay game gives kids the chance to let our some energy as they race to touch Jesus, and cheer each other on!  Choose a child to be "Jesus" and have them stand at one end of the room, with their hands down at their sides, palms facing out.  Divide the rest of the children into two teams, and line them up at the opposite end of the room.  At your signal, direct one child from each team to run across the room, touch the hand of "Jesus", shout "Jesus healed me!" and run back to their team.  The next children in each line then runs across the room in the same way until all the children from both teams have run the race.  Continue playing, giving as many children as time allows the opportunity to be "Jesus".

craft

miracle sequence

You will need:

• this activity page
• scissors
• construction paper
• glue sticks
• crayons

To prepare, cut out a set of pictures as three separate pieces, and the scripture for each child.

In class provide a glue stick, and a piece of construction paper for each child.  After they color their set of pictures, help them glue the scripture and each of the three pictures, onto their piece of construction paper, in the correct order.  As you are discussing the series of events in the story, use sequencing language (beginning, middle and end) to encourage vocabulary development, while you reinforce today's lesson!

*the typo on the page for you to print is corrected*

2020 Scope & Sequence

Happy New Year!  Click the link below to print your own copy.  I appreciate everyone who took the time to drop me a note of encouragement last year.  I pray that you are all blessed and inspired as you teach your little ones wherever you are!

2020 Scope & Sequence

happy new year!

Here's something to celebrate... the 2019 scope and sequence is completed and posted!!  As I reflect on this past year, I am grateful that God has graciously given me this platform to support and bless so many of you in your own places of ministry.  I hear from many of you throughout the year, and each time, I am encouraged and blessed to know that we are partnering together to lead little ones to Jesus. 

As much as we love Jesus and the children we serve, the truth is that at times we feel discouraged.  There are hard days, when the children seemed interested in talking about everything else except the lesson you've prepared.  Or when a child has an accident, so your plans get derailed because you take the time to clean up the child and the mess on the floor.  Or when a child throws a fit at clean-up time, then makes for an escape, so you chase after him, and he kicks you in the process.  (That happened to me just this Sunday!) 

Even on the hard days, remember that beyond our lessons and our plans, we are the hands of feet of Jesus to every child who enters our classrooms each week.  Our Savior takes notice of us, and He promises to reward us, because however small the act of service may seem, we are serving as His disciples, in His name, for His glory.  "And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward" (Matthew 10:42). 

Be encouraged!  Know that you are not alone.  There are literally thousands of us, serving in our corner of the world, doing a great work in the place that God has planted us.  "And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up" (Galatians 6:9). I pray that you are refreshed and strengthened for every good work in the year ahead. Blessings to you all!

2018 scope & sequence

Just dropping in to make a little PSA to let you know that my 2018 Scope & Sequence has been posted!  Click the tab above.  May God continue to bless and inspire you all as you teach those who are precious and dear to His heart. 💙

Basket of Blessing

I love Thanksgiving!  I think of it as a pure holiday, in the sense that it is still centered on gathering with those we love around a table of thanks.  It's not as commercialized, and it's not about receiving anything, but rather giving thanks for what we have.  However, gratitude and thanksgiving are virtues that children learn through modelling and practice, which is precisely the goal of this lesson!

teach

A Basket of Blessing makes gratitude a tangible, concrete concept for young children.  I fill a basket with a variety of objects found around my home or classroom, representing things to be thankful for.  I cover the basket with a nice cloth and place it in front of the class for the children to see as we do praise and worship.  They literally beg me to start the lesson because they are so anxious to see what is in the basket!

I pull out each item, and briefly discuss what it is and why I am thankful for it.  If I have the right item to child ratio, I like to hand each item to a child to hold for the duration of the lesson, adding a bit more interest, and motivation for the children to stay engaged, because of course they may only hold an item if they are sitting quietly on the carpet. 😉

Here is what I typically include in my Basket of Blessing.  I'm sure you will have other ideas of your own!

• family picture - of me with my family when I was a little girl, and of my husband and I now
• house - small doll house (a Lego house is another suggestion)
• food - a box of snacks, which I share with children who were sitting "criss-cross applesauce on your bottom" (This gets everyone sitting quietly very quickly, so I make sure to pull it out when I can see that they are starting to get antsy!)
• clothing - an accessory or article of clothing
• picture book - representing toys and books
• car - a toy car or car keys
• beautiful picture of the desert - since that is our environment here in Tucson
• small pillow - to represent my bed
• pets - animal figurines or stuffed animals
• Bible
• small wooden cross
• picture of Jesus in Heaven
• white (clean) heart - forgiveness of sins
• picture of our church

As I put each item back into the basket, I invite the children to say with me, "Thank You Jesus for my family!"  "Thank You Jesus for my house!", and so on. 

craft

This is a fun craft, with minimal prep, to cultivate a spirit of gratitude in your littles!

You will need:

• paper plates
• scissors
• stapler
• hole punch
• chenille stems
• water colors
• this print out
• card stock
• crayons

To prepare, cut and fold a paper plate for each child as illustrated here.  I have found that the baskets hold together better with staples rather than tape. Punch two holes at opposite ends of the basket.  Place the ends of a chenille stem through each hole, twisting the stem around itself to secure it.  Print this print out on card stock, and cut out a card for each child.

In class, provide water colors for the children to paint their own Basket of Blessing.  Give each child a Thank You God card to color (or paint) and place in their basket.  As they color, discuss the pictures and other things that they are thankful for.

bring it home

To teach and/or reinforce this lesson at home why not start a new Thanksgiving tradition?!  Give each of your little ones a basket, and help them fill it with things for which they are thankful.  Your children will quickly catch on to this concept and be able to fill their baskets themselves as they focus on the blessings in their life.  Of course you may offer suggestions, but it's also fun to see what they deem as important, and add to their own basket.  Encourage them to bring their Thanksgiving Baskets to dinner to share with family and friends to keep the spirit of Thanksgiving alive and well in your family.  If you do, snap a picture and tag me @faithsprouts on Instagram.  Happy Giving Thanks!

Creation Day 2

Preschoolers love to explore, and discover the world around them.  As you explore Day Two of Creation with your class, lead them to the great love of our Creator, which reaches higher than the heavens, and beyond the depths of the sea.

Bible Truth: God created sky and water.
Bible Story: God put clouds in the sky; and gave us water to drink, clean and play.
Bible Study: Genesis 1:1,6-8

teach

You will need:

• a Bible
• small blue cloth
• clear tote
• water

Prepare for the lesson by filling a clear tote to the desired level with water.  Cover the tote with the blue cloth.  Set it out in sight of the children, to spark their curiosity in your lesson.  Begin teaching with your Bible open to introduce the memory verse.

SAY: We are learning the very first words that are written in the Bible.  They tell us how God created the whole world.  Repeat after me.  Genesis 1:1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.  

On day number one (show me one finger),  God spoke, "Let there be light!" and there was light.  There was day and night on the first day of Creation.  God looked at the light, and said, "It is good!"

On day two (show me two fingers), God spoke, "Let there be sky up above the earth.  Reach up high.  And let there be water down below.  Make wave-like motions with your hands.  

Lift the small blue cloth from the tote, holding it over the heads of the children, out of their reach.  God put the beautiful blue sky way up high above the earth.  Can you reach the sky?  No, I can't either!  Thank You God for creating the sky!  

Lightly splash the water in the tote.  God also put big oceans, and seas of water on the earth.  God gave us water to drink when we are thirsty.  He gave us water so that we can take a bath, and wash ourselves clean.  We can also go swimming and play with water!  Thank You God for creating water!

play

shaving cream rain clouds

This is a cool visual to introduce your class to a simplified version of the water cycle.  Preschoolers can begin to understand how clouds fill up with water, and rain down on the earth.  Their reactions of wonder and amazement are precisely the way we want them to view the world around them, as well as the Creator of it all!

sink or float

Fill a clear tote with water, and set it next to you in front of the class.  Gather together several small toys, and/or objects of various densities.  Some examples include, a Lego brick, a coin, a small rock, a feather, etc.  Give each child an object to hold.  Invite one child at a time to bring their object up to the tote to predict whether their object will sink of float.  Then allow them to test their prediction!

sing

• God Created - sing the first two verses
  
• Bigger Than Big

craft

You will need:

• this print out
• blue crayons
• small cotton balls
• glue

To prepare, print out this page, and pick out all the different shades of blue crayons that you have.

In class, provide blue crayons for the children to color the large number two.  When they finish coloring, help them glue cotton balls, as clouds, onto their number two.