Did you know that there are a lot of Bible verses that are just begging to have motions put to them?  Preschoolers are wired to wiggle, so why not give them some simple moves to help them memorize their Bible verses?  Psalm 119:28,32 is a perfect example of this. It says: “Strengthen me according to Your Word.  I run in the path of your commands for you have set my heart free.”

Here are the moves I came up with:

Strengthen me  (Have children raise up arms like they’re showing their muscles.)

According to Your Word.  (Have children put their hands together then open them up like a book.)

I run in the path of your commands   (Have the children run in place.)

For You  (Have children point up to God.)

Have set my heart free.  (Have children place both hands over their heart then push their hands upward as if their heart is being set free.)

Go over these moves several times.  After they have learned these moves you can have them play a fun activity called  “Unpin the Hearts.”

Here’s what you do:

For this activity you will need to make 5 to 10 pairs of identical paper hearts.  Let each set be a different color of paper.  Laminate these for long-term use.  Pin one set of the hearts onto a clothesline.  Place the matching set in a bag or bucket from which the children will pick.  Have the children perform the moves to this Bible verse.  After doing the moves, have one child come forward and pick a heart from the bag or bucket of hearts.  He will take the heart to the clothesline and find the matching heart.  He will unpin this heart off of the clothesline to “set it free.”  Play this Bible school activity over several times until all the hearts have been unpinned and set free.

Next, if you liked this Sunday School/Homeschooling idea, then sign up today to receive Scripture Lady’s Free Email Kid Tips packed full with creative ideas and receive 6 FREE Bible Review Games to help your kids get excited about the Bible! Just go to MyFreeBibleGames.com to receive your  6 FREE Bible Review Games today!

Kathy Vincent is the director of a performing ministry for children called The Scripture Lady and has been traveling around Southern California for the past 15 years ministering to preschoolers and elementary aged children with the Word of God through musical, thematic presentations.  She is also a regular seminar speaker, author/creator of over 30 products for the Christian children’s worker and a veteran homeschooling mom of two.

The births of my two children were two of the greatest days of my life, but their births could never compare to the amazing birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  The birth of Jesus may be the greatest story that could ever be told.  A virgin mother, the King of all kings sleeping in an animal’s feed trough, angels and terrified shepherds.  It doesn’t get much better than that.

Many, if not all of your kids, will know this story.  But pray the Lord makes it special to them somehow.  For example when I read it through this time, I was especially blown away by the fact that a whole host of angels joined the one angel who announced Jesus’’ birth.  Can you even imagine what that must have been like?!  Be sure you set the story up with a quick explanation of what a census is and why it was necessary for Joseph and Mary to travel to Bethlehem.

Here are twenty-one 5 “W” questions – who, what, when, where, why and how -  with their answers for the story of “The Birth of Jesus” found in Luke 2: 1-20.  These questions can be used with both young children and elementary children.  Just be ready to tweak them a little bit for the appropriate age.  You can also read a verse first, and then ask the question or you can read the whole passage of Scripture and then ask the questions. Your younger children might enjoy having some kind of puppet ask the questions.  Have fun!

Questions for the story “The Birth of Jesus”

1.   Who was the Roman emperor at the time of the census?

Answer: Augustus.  (Luke 2:1)

2.   Where did Joseph have to go to be counted for the census?

Answer:  Bethlehem.  (Luke 2:4)

3.   Who did Joseph take with him to Bethlehem?

Answer:  Mary.  (Luke 2:5)

4.   Where was baby Jesus born?

Answer: In Bethlehem.  (Luke 2:6)

5.   What kind of clothes did Mary wrap Jesus in?

Answer:  In strips of cloth.  (Luke 2:7)

6.   Where did baby Jesus sleep?

Answer: In a manger.  (Luke 2:7)

7.   Why did Joseph, Mary and Jesus have to sleep out in a barn?

Answer: Because there was no room in the inn.  (Luke 2:7)

8.   What were the shepherds doing out in the fields nearby?

Answer: They were guarding their sheep.  (Luke 2:8)

9.   Who appeared to the shepherds in the fields?

Answer: An angel of the Lord.   (Luke 2:9)

10.           What surrounded the shepherds of the field?

Answer:  The Lord’s glory.  (Luke 2:9)

11.           How did the shepherds feel when they saw the angel?

Answer:  They were terrified.  (Luke 2:9)

12.           Why did the angel say to the shepherds, “Do not be afraid”?

Answer:  Because he had good news for them.   (Luke 2:10)

13.           What did the angel call Jesus?

Answer:  The Savior, the Messiah and the Lord.   (Luke 2:11)

14.           How would the shepherds know who Jesus was?

Answer:  The baby Jesus will be wrapped “in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”  (Luke 2:12)

15.           Who joined the angel and praised God?

Answer: A whole army of angels.  (Luke 2:13)

16.           When did the shepherds go to find baby Jesus?

Answer: After all the angels returned to Heaven   (Luke 2:15)

17.           How fast did the shepherds go to look for baby Jesus?

Answer:  They hurried.  (Luke 2:16)

18.           When did the shepherds tell everyone about the angels and Jesus?

Answer:  After seeing Jesus.  (Luke 2:17)

19.           How many people were amazed by the story the shepherds told?

Answer:  All the people.   (Luke 2:18)

20.           What did Mary think about often and keep in her heart?

Answer:  The birth of her Son and the story of the shepherds.   (Luke 2:19)

21.           Why did the shepherds glorify and praise God after going back to their flocks?

Answer:  Because everything that the angel said was true.  (Luke 2:20)

If you liked this Sunday School/Homeschooling idea, then sign up today to receive Scripture Lady's Free Email Kid Tips packed full with creative ideas and receive 6 FREE Bible Review Games to help your kids get excited about the Bible!  Just click here: http://myfreebiblegames.com to receive your  6 FREE Bible Review Games today!

#1  - The first grade is the doorway to the child's entire education. It must be a positive experience because it will affect the rest of his life.   If he learns to love school in the first grade, he will enjoy in the rest of his school years.

#2 - Your decision to homeschool you first grader is a great responsibility. Don't panic. Don't stress out. Yes, this is an important time in the life of your child, and you may not feel prepared or capable. Relax. Have fun. Your child will learn every thing he needs if YOU enjoy school.

#3 - Make your first grader the #1 most important member of the family. Let him feel that first grade is very important. You can show it in small, simple ways.  For example, let him sit beside you when you read, even if he is not the youngest child. Let him have special school crayons or pencil for use only  when doing school work.

#4 - Don't let the preschoolers do the first grade workbooks. They see older children doing it and it looks so fun.  Make it a special part of first grade, that only those special first graders get to do.  Then when your preschooler gets to first grade, it will be new and exciting.

#4 - Play learning games like word games and letter games. Include lots of pre-school activities. But at the same time, don't let play distract form studies. Keep a good balance between work and play. Think of it as a balance.  Work is on one side, play on the other. If the work side gets too heavy, the child may end up disliking school, get grumpy about doing his work, makes your job of teaching harder, and learn almost nothing. On the other hand if the play side of the balance gets too heavy, the child learns no study skills which will be a disadvantage when he gets in higher grades.

#5 - It is important to teach the child to finish his school work in a timely manner. You need to expect work from him, and he needs to know that it is expected of him. Work is in fact a frame of mind. So using this balance of play and work, make his work pleasant so that it seems more like play.

#6 - Focus on reading. Reading is the base that the child will build his entire education on. If he learns only this one skill in first grade, he will be prepared for the rest of his school years. Center your first grade curriculum around your reading program. Of course the other subjects are important, but phonics, writing, spelling, and language can all be incorporated into the reading program. History can be taught during story time which is important to any reading program.

#7 - Math is also very important. Choose a good math course that will continue on and build through each grade.

#8 - Don't forget art. Drawing, coloring, and cutting all improve eye-hand coordination which in turn will help delve lope reading and writing skills.

#9 - Keep a fast pace. First graders don't have a real long attention span.  Alternate between math and reading throughout the day so that the child doesn't get tired of doing one subject.

#10 - The first year of school will take more of your time than any other year. If the proper foundation is laid in the first grade, the child can almost take himself through his lessons the rest of his school years.

Lily Ann is a mother to six bright children. She has enjoyed great success in the area of homeschooling. She is always looking for ways to improve and loves to learn new things. Please visit her website.

What’s your favorite food?  Chocolate chip cookies?  Lasagna?  Bacon and eggs?  Now what’s really better?  Your favorite food or God’s Word?  I hope you said, “God’s Word.”  The psalmist thought so in Psalm 119:103, which says: “How sweet are your promises to my taste! Sweeter than honey to my mouth!“ Every word in the Bible can nourish our souls.  Here’s a fun Bible school activity that can be played much like Bingo.  But this game will introduce your kids to foods listed in the Bible and the contexts in which they’re found.  It’s called “God’s Groceries”.

Here’s what you do:

This game will take some preparation, but your kids will be blessed by your effort.  Prepare 2 identical sets of 18 different picture cards of foods found in the Bible.  (I have provided you with a list below.)  Make your cards about 2”x 2”.  Laminate them for long-term use.  Place one set of the cards in a bucket out of which the kids will pick.  Take the other set of cards and divide them into 2 sets of nine and place each set in a 3 x 3 grid on a table or in a pocket chart.  Have the list of questions ready that are found below.  You are now ready to play the game.

Here’s how you play:

Divide your class into 2 teams.  Begin by saying much of the same that I said in the opening of this article.  It’s a nice opener for the game.  Each team will get a bingo grid that they are trying to get 3 in a row on.  Let a child come forward and answer one of the Grocery List Questions.  If he gets it correct, he gets to take out a card out of the bucket and match it to one of the cards on either grid.  Hopefully, the card will match a card on his team’s grid, but it might match the other team’s grid.  This is OK.  In fact, it makes the game a little more fun and competitive.  Play alternates between the two teams.  The first team to get 3 in a row, wins.

List of Foods: (Just a sample)

Cinnamon, garlic, dates, olives, nuts, raisins, beans, cucumbers, onions, bread, corn, fish, quail, pigeon, goat, lamb, butter, cheese.

Grocery List Questions:

When asking the question, read the verse and say the word “blank” for the missing food.

We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the (________), and the garlic:  Numbers 11:5  (onions)

This verse is talking about the Israelites when they were wandering in the desert.  They were complaining about the food situation and were remembering back to days when they at least had this kind of food that looks like a ball and when people cut it, it often makes them cry.

What Bible food is it?

And it came to pass, (that) David…brought beds, and basins, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and flour, and parched corn, and (__________)…2 Samuel 17:28  (beans)

If you’ve ever gone camping, you know you must pack food for your journey.  This verse shows a time when David was camping out in the wilderness in the land of Gilead.  One of the foods they brought for their campout were these tiny little things that when cooked become kind of mushy and people love to put them in their burritos with cheese.

What Bible food is it?

Then Jacob gave Esau (________) and pottage of lentils; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright. Genesis 25:34  (bread)

Poor silly Esau!  If only he had cared more about the things God had given him, such as his birthright, than thinking about his stomach, this Bible story might have turned out differently!  Jacob gave his brother a pot of stew and this doughy food that is often used to make sandwiches.

What Bible food is it?

And he took the seven loaves and the (________), and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. Matthew 15:36  (fish)

How was Jesus going to feed all the people who came to hear him speak with only seven loaves of bread and this food that is often caught with a pole and a worm on a hook?  He fed them by a miracle!

What Bible food is it?

These are the (animals) which ye shall eat: the ox, the (________), and the goat… Deuteronomy 14:4   (sheep)

In the Old Testament, being a child of the Lord meant that you could only eat certain things.  This verse shows a partial food list of meats they were allowed to eat.  The missing meat comes from an animal that is not known for its intelligence and likes to say, “Bah” a lot.

What Bible food is it?

Surely the churning of milk brings forth (________), and the wringing of the nose brings forth blood: so the forcing of wrath brings forth strife. Proverbs 30:33  (butter)

This Bible verse uses a yellowish food that is often added to popcorn at the movie theatre.  This food is smooth, but wrath or anger is not.  It’s better that you stir up this food rather than a bad temper.

What Bible food is it?

Hast thou not poured me out as milk, and curdled me like (_________)?Job 10:10  (cheese)

Poor Job!  God allowed him to go through a lot of hardships.  No wonder he felt like God was poking him and forming him into this kind of food that is often served with crackers in many different varieties, such as cheddar and swiss.

What Bible food is it?

If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? or if he shall ask an (________), will he offer him a scorpion?  Luke 11:12  (egg)

This verse shows that God will always give His children what is best.  He is our Father.  Would a good father ever give his child a scorpion if he asked for this kind of food that is often scrambled in the morning and served with bacon?

What Bible food is it?

And John was clothed with camel's hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat (________) and wild honey… Mark 1:6  (locusts)

John the Baptist must have made an interesting dinner guest - especially if he ever requested this kind of food which is really just a green hopping insect that was also one of the plagues found in Exodus.  Do you think they were crunchy?

What Bible food is it?

And thou shall not glean thy vineyard, neither shall thou gather every (________) of thy vineyard; thou shall leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the LORD your God. Leviticus 19:10  (grape)

After the Lord led Moses and the children of Israel out of Egypt, he had a long talk with Moses and gave him a list of do’s and don’ts.  This Bible verse shows how God wanted his children to take care of the poor and stranger by leaving some of this food on the ground for them to take.  This food is often found in clusters and grows on vines.  They are usually green and purple.

What Bible food is it?

Moreover the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying, “Take thou also unto thee principal spices, of pure myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet (_________) half so much… Exodus 30:23 (cinnamon)

While the children of Israel were in the desert, God commanded Moses to build a tabernacle where God could dwell.  God gave detailed instructions of how he wanted it built.  He even wanted this sweet brown spice, which is often used with sugar to make ooey gooey rolls to be a part of His dwelling place.

What Bible food is it?

But Lot's wife looked back, and she became a pillar of (________). Genesis 19:26  (salt)

Lot’s wife had a difficult time trusting in God.  Because of her lack of trust, she turned into this white food that is often a spice on every kitchen table.  Be careful!  Don’t put too much on and don’t look back when God tells you not to!

What Bible food is it?

I grew up as a Catholic back in Kansas City, Mo.  Every Sunday after mass, my mom would take my sisters and I over to my grandma’s house for breakfast.  I loved my grandma’s house and I especially loved her breakfasts.  The table was laden with eggs, bacon, toast, orange juice and her wonderful, delicious, ooey-gooey cinnamon rolls.  You know the kind I’m talking about.  The roll cannot contain the cinnamon and sugar as it pours out the crevices.  Your mouth waters at the anticipation of enveloping a piece in your mouth and your nose deeply inhales the luscious aroma.

I treasure all those breakfasts and I am forever thankful that my grandma worked so hard at blessing her family with a lavish display of food.  She cared for us and it showed.  I know that without a shadow of a doubt, that if my grandma had simply just served us pop tarts, I would not have the same fond memories that I possess now.  Pop Tarts might feed the stomach for a little while, but they will always leave you wanting more when compared to homemade cinnamon rolls.

So, what does this all have to do with Sunday school?  A lot, in my opinion.  Being a Sunday School teacher is a chance to invest in the lives of a class of children.  It’s a chance to have a relationship with kids where you are free to share about God.  Being a Sunday School teacher is an opportunity for you to be vulnerable and human and show your students how God has changed your life and how much you love Him and His Word.  It’s really about relationships and relationships take time, love and care.  Relationships also take a lot of work.  If we really want to make a lasting impression on the children God has given us, we must be willing to put in the hard work it requires.  In other words, going back to my analogy, you need to be willing to serve your Sunday School class a feast every week.  I promise you that if you bless your kids with “cinnamon rolls”, they will remember your class, but more importantly, they will remember God and His love for them.  Your “Pop Tart” classes are never going to cut it in the long-run.  They will leave your children hungry and wanting more.  One way or another they will get their hunger filled – hopefully it will be God who fills them and not the world.

If you liked this Sunday School/Homeschooling idea, then sign up today to receive Scripture Lady's Free Email Kid Tips packed full with creative ideas and receive 6 FREE Bible Review Games to help your kids get excited about the Bible!  Just click here: http://myfreebiblegames.com to receive your  6 FREE Bible Review Games today!

I am so proud of our military and how day in and day out they are defending our country.  These men and women are truly standing firm as they do their job with great passion and focus.  Do your kids know that God wants them to have this same kind of passion and focus while being on duty for Him?  First Corinthians 15:16 says this: “Be on your guard, stand firm in the faith, be men of courage and be strong.”  Doesn’t this verse sound like the perfect Scripture for any soldier?  Here is a Bible school activity to help your “young soldiers for the Lord” memorize this great verse while having some fun with a ball.

Here’s what you do:

Before playing this game, you will want to introduce First Corinthians 15:16 to your class.  I present this in a militaristic way.  I even wear a soldier’s hat and say things like: “You’re speaking to a commanding officer!  You will address me as Sir!”  (Have the kids say, “Yes, Sir!”)  Then I say, “I can’t hear you!”  (The kids shout louder, “Yes, Sir!”)  I think you get the idea.  I then have them recite the verse several times in a loud soldierly voice.  Once you feel like the kids are beginning to know the verse, then you can introduce the game.

Divide your class into 2 teams.  Have them stand in 2 straight lines, about 15 feet apart, facing each other.  Bring out a ball and pick one team to start.  Each child should stand with their feet wide enough apart for the ball to go through.  They should also have their hands down to their sides in a soldier’s stance.  Give a child the ball.  Say the following, “Alright, soldiers!  Here are your orders.  Each team will get a chance to try and knock the other line of soldiers off balance.  Each team should do their very best to stand firm and stay on your guard just like our Bible verse says.  If a team successfully rolls the ball through the legs of a soldier on the opposite team, that soldier must say the Bible verse correctly.  If he does so, his team gets 100 points.  If he does not say the verse correctly, the team that threw the ball will get the 100 points.  By the way, you may not use your hands or feet to stop the ball in any way.  Your job is to stand firm.  Are you ready?  (Kids say, “Yes, Sir!)

Have the teams take turns rolling the ball.  Have someone keep score and by all means, stand firm during this fun Bible school activity.

Next, if you liked this Sunday School/Homeschooling idea, then sign up today to receive Scripture Lady’s Free Email Kid Tips packed full with creative ideas and receive 6 FREE Bible Review Games to help your kids get excited about the Bible! Just click here:http://myfreebiblegames.com to receive your  6 FREE Bible Review Games today!

There are times when mom and the children all become a bit weary of “doing school”. If that is true for your family then it may be time to add a "Fun Friday" to your school schedule. For many of our homeschooling years we scheduled in some fun things on Fridays. We still worked on math or science in the morning; but every Friday afternoon we planned something educational, yet fun and different. This added a much needed break from the regular routine. It gave all of us something to look forward to and ended the week on a pleasant note.

The easiest "Fun Friday" thing to plan is an education board game (or card game). Once you’ve purchased or borrowed several games, all you need to do is haul one out and start playing. We’ve had some favorites over the years that I’d like to share with you. Because I know how busy you are, I will include links to websites where you can either purchase or read more about the games.

General Knowledge

BrainQuest Game For Grades 1 – 6 (all levels can play together) by University Games.
The object is to be the first player to finish a race around the game board, designed to mimic a school playground, by correctly answering questions from the Brain Quest cards. Each of the 256 cards contains questions and answers in categories such as math, science, social studies, English, and grab bag (a euphemism for cultural literacy). Brain Quest's folded cards prevent the I-saw-the-answer-on-the-back problem while allowing even the player asking the question to guess the answer.  Website:  BrainQuest.com

Vocabulary/Language

Rummy Roots - This is a go-fish type card game using Greek and Latin roots. The game can be played on several levels and provides a fun and easy way to learn 42 Greek and Latin roots, over 190 vocabulary words, and the ability to at least partially decipher over 2,000 words!  Rummy Roots can be purchased online at Rainbow Resource Center.

Bethump’d With Words - This game will challenge your knowledge of everyday words and test your strategic skills. It is expressly designed for parents and children or teachers and students to play together. It enables teachers to stretch brain muscles while stimulating a fundamental interest in words, language, and, ultimately, reading. Bethump’d with Words board game comes in two editions: Discovery Edition and Senior Edition. There is also a book edition available. For 2-8 players.  This game is discontinued by the manufacturer.  Used versions can sometimes be found on Ebay.com or Amazon.com.

Link for many more grammar games

Literature/Shakespeare

The Play’s The Thing by Aristoplay  - The game presents quotes, plots and characters from one Shakespeare play at a time in a fun way. (3 different plays included with the game but you can buy more later.) As players piece together sets and perform scenes, the play begins to make sense. Soon, players are ready to go on to the next Shakespeare play... and then the next.  THis board game can be found online at Rock Solid Inc.

Math

Family Math (book); Author/Editor: V. Thompson - This is not a board game but a book that has many interesting math activities. Includes many games and reproducible charts. Comes in 3 versions: Family Math (grades 1-6) Family Math for Young Children PK-3, and Family Math: The Middle School Years Grades 5-8.  Search for Family Math on Amazon.com

Find many more math games

Science

Somebody Game by Aristoplay  - As a puzzle activity, players draw body part cards and place a body part on the body board. Level 2 teaches the locations and functions of major body parts. Learn the names, functions and locations of major body parts.

Mars 2020: A Space Exploration Game – The goal is to reach Mars by the year 2020. Along the way, players experience the science and logic of space travel, encountering challenges and malfunctions that can be handled by answering questions about space travel.

More Aristoplay Games

Geography

Where in the World by Aristoplay  - Play as a card game to learn the countries on the continents. Play with the cards and boards to learn the location of the countries as well as the capital, population, flag, major religion, languages, currency, major imports and exports, literacy rate and seacoasts.  This game can be purchased online at Rock Solid Inc.

GeoDerby/USA Board Game - Challenge your memory and learn new facts about our great country. An exciting way for the whole family to learn about the location of mountains, rivers, seaports, etc. A color-coded map is provided for players who need help in answering questions. You do NOT have to be an expert in geography to win this exceptional game.  This game can be purchased online at Rock Solid Inc.

Music

Musopoly - This fun board game for all ages turns learning music theory and reading into a creative, fun time together.  Students work together, not against each other, and everybody wins! The game comes with answers and ideas for beginning through advanced play. Includes more than a 175 cards, dictation slate & notes, dice, bright gold coins, and a very clear rule book. Use with 2 to 6 players, up to 12 in a group.  This game can be purchased at MusicMotion.com.

Logic/Thinking Skills

Set Card Game - It sounds simple; players race to see which three cards (of the twelve showing) form a “set”. There are no turns, no waiting - the quickest to deduce a logical set wins the point. There is no age advantage; your children can beat you if their visual perception in sharper than yours. Even when played alone, the game is a mental challenge. MENSA chose this game as a top mind game in 1991 - chosen for originality, intellectual challenge, aesthetics, quality and longevity (you won’t quickly tire of this game!). Grade 1- Adult.  Game can be purchased at SetGame.com.

For many more educational game ideas visit EducationalLearningGames.com.

In addition to games, you might use your "Fun Fridays" for any of the following:

• Movies/videos (the ones you wish you had time to watch but never seem to get to)
• Field trips / nature walks
• Craft and art projects
• Music time… listening to a particular composer, playing music together, dancing.

Be sure to involve the children in planning your "Fun Fridays". Take some time to brain storm with them; come up with all sorts of ideas… from wacky to practical. Have fun with the brainstorming process and let the imaginations run wild (a trip to the moon?). Then, once you have your "Fun Friday" wish list, choose 4 things you can schedule into the next 4 Fridays. Get them on the calendar and start having some end-of-the-school-week fun!

Charmaine Wistad has successfully homeschooled her own two children from pre-school through high school.  Now she is turning her attention toward helping other homeschool moms. Through personal coaching, Charmaine helps homeschooling moms thrive… not just survive! Visit her website to try a complimentary no-obligation telephone coaching session.

Have you ever lost something of value?  I think we all have at one time or another.  Panic sets in and we scour high and love for our missing treasure.  The feeling of relief once we find our object is not equaled by too many other emotions.  We take a deep breath and thank the good Lord for allowing us to find what was lost.

Jesus came to find what was lost.  Namely, us.  He gives 3 different parables that show the importance and priority He has when looking for all those who are truly lost without Him.  One of the stories is about a woman who has lost a precious coin.  She had 10 of them, but one went missing.  I heard a pastor once say that the coin would have represented a missing part of her dowry from her marriage.  In other words, her missing coin was kind of like us losing our wedding ring.  Yikes!  It’s not too difficult to imagine her distress.

Luke 19:10 says, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”  Your kids can learn this important truth by playing this free Bible activity called “Lost and Found.”

Here’s what you do:

For this game, arrange your kids in a circle, standing elbow to elbow.  You will need a long piece of yarn that can stretch around your circle of children inside the circle.  Slip a ring onto the yarn and then tie the ends of the yarn and have each child put both their hands on the yarn.

You will also need to prompt your kids to say Luke 19:10 in a rhythmic manner such as I describe below:

(Put the emphasis on each underlined word.)

For the Son of Man

Came to seek and save

What

Was

Lost

Luke nine-teen: ten

Here’s how to play:

Before beginning the game, you might want to talk about the parable of the lost coin. (Luke 15:8-10)  You should also introduce Luke 19:10 and share how the children are so important to God that He sent His Son, Jesus, to “find” them and save them.  He rejoices over every child He finds.

Teach the children how to say Luke 19:10 in a rhythmic manner

Now, instruct all the children, except one, to get in a circle. The chosen child who is not part of the circle will stand in the middle of the circle. Show your class the ring on the yarn.  Have all the kids hold onto the yarn.  Have the child in the middle close their eyes and point to a child and have them hide the ring inside their hand while at the same time holding onto the yarn.  Tell the group that they will begin passing the ring around the circle without it being seen.  It is up to the child in the middle to find the lost ring.  Explain that everyone should pretend like they are passing the ring to “throw off” the middle child.  While passing the ring, you should lead the class in reciting Luke 19:10.  After the verse has been said, say, “Stop!”  The child in the middle must now make a guess as to who might have the ring.  If they guess correctly, the person who was holding the ring will become the new finder.  If the guess is incorrect, you, the teacher, can pick a new finder.  Play this free Bible activity until all have had at least one turn being in the middle.

Next, if you liked this Sunday School/Homeschooling idea, then sign up today to receive Scripture Lady’s Free Email Kid Tips packed full with creative ideas and receive 6 FREE Bible Review Games to help your kids get excited about the Bible! Just go to MyFreeBibleGames.com to receive your  6 FREE Bible Review Games today!

Over the past 10 years, a number of studies have examined the connection between fine arts education and academic achievement. To this musically-trained author, the results have not been surprising.

Fine Arts are generally considered the areas of music, drama/theatre, dance and art, characterized by purely aesthetic value. While these subjects have been traditionally handled as individually taught classes, the studies referred to focused on the benefits of teaching the arts “across the curriculum”.

This isn’t a new concept. Reading and writing are easily adaptable and have become increasingly taught as part of the study of history and science. Applying fine arts in this same way has been shown to encourage creative thinking and a deeper understanding of academic learning, especially in math and the sciences. Art studies have also been shown to raise verbal and math SAT scores, when compared to those of students receiving no art education. Teaching through the arts helps students experience concepts rather than just talk about them. It also allows material to “sink in” via multiple modes and thus foster learning regardless of the student’s learning style.

An absolutely wonderful application of these principles and findings is the Master’s Academy of Fine Arts. This is a fine arts program designed specifically for homeschooled children aged 5-18 years old. Classes meet once a week and students study drama, art and music within a historical context. World History is broken up into the 6 time-periods that comprise a Master’s cycle, each lasting a complete year. And since it’s inception in 1992, when it opened in the Atlanta, GA area, 3 levels have been developed:

1) The Master’s Academy of Fine Arts – an exposure-level program designed to lay a foundation in arts education;

2) Building on this is the Master’s Academy of Visual and Performing Arts – geared toward junior high and high school students; and

3) Terebinth – a non-traditional, college-level program for the arts which began its pilot year in the fall of ’07.

In 1995, the administrators of MAFA decided to make the program available to homeschoolers across the US, and it has grown steadily since then. Today, MAFA satellites operate in 16 locations

Our family has been involved in The Master’s Academy for 2 years now. It has been a highlight of our kids’ week and they always finish the morning with lots of new information, ideas and projects to talk about and pursue on their own time. Master’s has developed a love and interest in both music and history for our 2 boys, and our daughter is looking forward to being a part of things next year. I eagerly anticipate what’s to come!

To find out more about MAFA, or to find a location near you, visit their homepage at www.mafa.net.

I love object lessons and using props to get my kids thinking about the Bible.  It’s great how everyday things can spark our memory of a Bible story or certain Scripture.  Here is a fun Bible school activity I think your kids will really enjoy.  I call it “The Big Great Grab Bag” or “BGGB” for short.

Here’s what you do:

Below, I have given you a list of items that you can find easily around your house and many of the items at your local “Dollar” store.  Three-dimensional objects will be the best, but if you are having a hard time locating, say a plastic toy horse, you could include a picture of that item.  You will also need a very big and gaudy bag.  I found mine at a garage sale.  It’s big and gold and fun.  If you are a man, you might want to bring in a big suitcase for a more masculine approach.  Whatever you choose, just make it fun.  You will also need to make up cards that have the Bible references written on one side of the card and the full Scripture written out on the other side of the card, listed below.  Make sure the kids cannot see the writing through the other side.  You will want to display these cards Bible reference side out on a pocket chart or table so that they can be easily seen.  You are now ready to play the game.

Divide your class into 2 teams.  Explain that in your big, great grab bag, you have several objects that match one of the Scriptures displayed on the board (or table).  Each team will have the chance to send someone to the bag and reach in to pick out an object that the OTHER team must try and make a guess as to which Scripture card matches the object picked.  A child from a team may pick one of the cards and read the verse.  If it is a match, that team earns 100 points.  If it is not a match, that card gets turned back over and play continues with the next team.  Eventually, the kids will start remembering where each of the verses are that match with their object.

Tips for Success:

After an object has been matched, it is discarded to the side.  If a match was not made, the object goes back into the bag.

To make it more difficult, you might want to add some verses to your display that do not match any object in your bag.  This makes it a little more fair once the game gets to the end and there are extra options to match the last couple of objects.

Remember, it’s always the other team that picks the object for the opposing team.

Have fun with this super duper Bible school activity!

List of Objects:

A snake – Proverbs 23:31-32

An angel – Genesis 16:7

A piece of bread – John 6:26-51

A camel – Genesis 24:1-16

A horse –Exodus 15:1

A dog – Luke 16:19-21

A fish – John 21:4-6

A spider – Isaiah 59:5

A rock – Exodus 33:21-23

Money – I Timothy 5:17-18

Perfume – John 12:1-11

A towel – John 13:3-5

A heart – I Corinthians 13

A small baby doll – Luke 2:5-7

A small Bible – Hebrews 4:12

A small gift – Ecclesiastes 5:19

A small globe – John 3:16

Garlic – Numbers 11:5

Salt – Genesis 19:26

A crown – I Peter 5:4

Honey – Matthew 3:4