• Leaders to kids
• Kids to leaders
• Kids to kids

Participate in all activities even if it is from the sideline

Be real with the kids

Set and keep good standards

2. Use action and variety
   • Be well prepared.
   • Use activities that suit the children’s age group.
   • Give the children some responsibility.

3. Create a sense of belonging

• Know their names and interests.
• Have a positive and encouraging atmosphere.
• Have a known strategy for managing your children..
• Make sure your working environment is as appealing as possible.

4. Study the Bible creatively

• Sell it by your own walk with God
• Help them to see how God wants to be in communication with them
• Broaden their horizons – social justice, current events
• Make it visual and involve them

5. Play games with them

• Always take into account the differences between boys and girls.
• Have noisy and quiet games.
• Make sure that it is fun for everyone –including those with special needs.

2. Round the World One child stands behind another child. The leader asks a question. The first to answer gets to continue round the room. Whenever the game needs to stop, the person who correctly answered the last question becomes the “champ” for the week.

3. Who am I? The teacher says “I am thinking of a Bible character, who am I?” The class asks questions only answerable with yes/no. You can count or limit the number of questions asked and have many a variation on this!

A variation: have several children out the front with a word on a headband (or hat, or held).  On each sign there is a word, title, occupation, object, food, place or Bible character. The  class can see it, the child with the sign, can’t. The child with the headband asks a question  and the class can only  reply yes/no. If  “yes” , they have another turn, if “no”, the next child gets to ask a question. First to guess their word wins.

• giving when you feel like keeping,
• praying for others when you need to be prayed for,
• feeding others when your own soul is hungry,
• living truth before people even when you can’t see results,
• hurting with other people even when your own hurt can’t be spoken,
• keeping your word even when it is not convenient,
• it is being faithful when your flesh wants to run away.

(author unknown)

For example: John 3:16, Revelation 3:20, John 14:6, Psalm 23:1, John 1:1, Romans 3:23, Isaiah 53:6, Genesis 1:1

(perhaps use a simplified translation for younger children)

Use these texts for your Snakes and Ladders as follows:

1. Have a Bible reference at the bottom of each ladder. If you land on that square you can only go up the ladder if you can quote the verse, otherwise stay where you are.

2. Have a Bible text written out a the top of each snake.If  when landing on that square you can give the correct reference for the text, you do not go down the snake. If you cannot give the reference, you do go down the snake.

The group could be divided into teams for this game and it could be played on an overhead projector electronic whiteboard or wall chart using counters or on the wall with makers which could stick on and be moved.

Why not begin by making an announcement or introduce someone to the children ? Your puppet can add interest or humour to a flat part of the program.

Practise your announcement using short sentences and appropriate language for the age-group of your hearers. Remember puppets need to move in the mood and the emotion of the words they are saying. Have a minimum of narration and a maximum of dialogue.
Try these ..

BEGINNINGS…. The puppet(s)

> Enter excitedly when they hear the leader mention a key word. e.g.

Leader: I know someone who is quite rude.

Puppet: Food, did I hear someone say food ??

> Enter shyly, disappearing when people call out.

> Introduce yourself.

> Ask for a riddle and give the answer ” toothpaste” to any riddle asked. It will set up an opportunity for some interesting dialogue.

> Enter looking for something, then look surprised when you find it. Look even more surprised when you notice the audience are there watching you!

> Come in complaining. you have a problem, or are looking for help.

MIDDLES… The puppet(s):

> Listen carefully to the leader and then ask dumb questions.

> Listen to one another.

> Make an announcement.

> Give directions to people to do things, look for something etc.,

> Make up a song (using a well known tune) , limerick or rap to advertise the event or person.

ENDS … The puppet(s)

> Excuse themselves to prepare for the announced event.

> Ask to be shown the direction to the toilet and excuse themselves with great embarrassment.

> Suggest that it’s time to go and look for another riddle, song, book etc..

>Suggest that it’s time to go and visit Grandma for afternoon tea or another food related activity (we all know how much puppets like to eat !).

Remember practise in front of a mirror or a friend to gain confidence with your movements and dialogue. Soon you’ll be improvising and ready for some simple scripts.

See also 20 ways to use a puppet.

20 ways to use a puppet to teach a memory verse.

After ten calls, the team with the most ‘lives’ left wins.

(most suitable for children aged 9-11)

This game could be used as an introduction to telling the Bible story of Elijah on Mt.Carmel and the contest with the prophets of Baal.  1 Kings 18

1. Boop - Form into hand-in-hand circles of 4-6 people. Toss a balloon into the centre of each group. The task is for the group to keep it off the ground without letting go hands. Try counting the number of hits before it drops and aiming for a high score.

2.  Touch the can – Divide into groups of 10-12 people. Give each group an empty soft drink can. Each member of the group must make contact with the can but without touching one another. At least one person must have their nose in contact with the can.

3. Blind Guide -In pairs seat the group back to back in a circle (one half facing in, the other half facing out). Give each person facing out a puzzle, tangram or Lego construction and give each person facing in the solution to the puzzle,tangram, or Lego structure. This person has to verbally explain to the other how to do the puzzle, etc. without either player turning their heads or looking at what someone else is doing (if the puzzles are the same).  The ages of your group will determine the difficulty of the puzzle.