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Welcome Experience 1My Masterpiece Supplies Needed: Any craft supplies you have on hand (such as paper, tape, modeling clay, pipe cleaners, straws, rubber bands, craft sticks, scissors, paper plates)Goal: To help kids connect and belong, while also getting them to think about the Bible story for today.Quick Instructions: Place a variety of craft supplies in the middle of your group. Tell the kids they’re going to be inventors/artists, and they get to use their imaginations and any of the supplies in front of them to create a masterpiece! Optional: Split the kids into teams and give each team specific supplies to work with. Allow them to share and talk about their finished creations. End by telling the kids that today we’re going to hear a Bible story about God and how He created the world out of nothing.Expanded Instructions: Say: Today we are going to be inventors and artists. You get to use your imagination to create a masterpiece using these supplies. (Optional: Split the kids into teams and give each team specific supplies to use.)Set out any craft supplies you have on hand (such as paper, tape, modeling clay, pipe cleaners, straws, rubber bands, craft sticks, scissors, paper plates).Instruct the kids to create whatever comes to mind! As the kids create, ask them about their masterpiece and encourage their creativity! After the kids have finished creating, or when time is up, bring your group back together and allow them to show off their masterpieces. Say: We got to create something new using craft supplies. Today we’re going to hear a Bible story about God and how He created the world out of nothing.Optional Discussion Questions:Was it easy or hard to create something new from the supplies you were given? Why or why not?How would you feel if you were in charge of creating things? What was the best and worst part of your week?Welcome Experience 2Guess What?Supplies Needed: Printable (Guess What cards – cut out; 1 set per group up to 12 kids)Goal: To help kids connect and belong, while also getting them to think about the Bible story for today.Quick Instructions: Place the cards face down in the middle of your group. Each kid will take a turn drawing a card (without looking at the image!) and holding the card up against their forehead so the rest of the group can see the image. The person holding the card will have to guess what the image is on their card by asking the other group members “yes” or “no” questions. Hint: all of the images are some sort of creation. Take turns going around the circle until every child has had a turn. After the game, tell the kids that today we’re going to hear a Bible story about God and when He created the world. Expanded Instructions:Print enough of the printables for each kid to have one card, and cut out the cards. Say: We are going to play a guessing game, like Heads Up. Each person will get a card with a picture of something God has created. It can be anything ― an animal, a plant, anything in creation! When it’s your turn, you will hold up the card to your forehead so you can’t see the image, but the rest of the group can. You can ask “yes” or “no” questions to try to guess what the image is. Your turn is over when you guess what it is! Place the cards face down in the middle of your group.Take turns going around the circle until every child has had a turn to guess the image on their card.Say: Today we’re going to hear a Bible story about God and when He first created the world. Optional Discussion Questions:What is your favorite part of creation? If you could create anything new, what would it be? What was the best and worst part of your week?Believing Experience 1Around the World Memory VersesSupplies Needed: Bible, a ball (or passable object)Goal: Have kids do this activity to become more familiar with the Bible verse so they can better remember it.Quick Instructions: Put a ball on the floor in the middle of your group, and have the kids stand up in a circle around it. Choose two kids in the circle and have them race to see who can say the memory verses, John 1:3-4, first. Whoever wins, gets to move on around the circle. Have that person stand next to the next person and race to say the verses. Continue sending the winner around the circle until you’ve gone all the way around the world (the ball). Then discuss the meaning of the verses and how amazing it is to know God created the world.Expanded Instructions:Say: We are going to play a game called Around the World Memory Verses to practice our memory verses. Instruct your group to stand up and make a large circle. Put a ball on the floor in the middle of the circle. Say: This ball represents the world. We’re going to practice saying the verses together.Choose two kids in the circle and have them race to see who can say the memory verses, John 1:3-4, first. Whoever wins, gets to move on around the circle. Continue sending the winner around the circle until you’ve gone all the way around the world (the ball).Ask: Where is the most interesting or memorable place you’ve ever been in the world?Say: God created the world ― everything in nature, every place, everything that exists. It is amazing to know that He created everything on purpose. Optional Discussion Questions:How do I look up a Bible verse? Let’s work together to find it in the Bible. What do these verses tell us about God?When you think about God creating something out of nothing, what comes to mind? Believing Experience 2Creation StationSupplies Needed: Paper (6 pieces per team), markers or crayons, Bible story script or BibleGoal: Have kids do this activity to become more familiar with the Bible story so they can better remember it.Quick Instructions: Divide your group into six teams. Quietly assign each group a day of creation, without the other groups knowing their assignment. Hand out the paper and markers and instruct the groups to discreetly draw their day of creation. Collect the drawings, then read the Bible story. As you get to each day of creation in the story, pause to reveal the drawing and allow the group to try to guess who drew the picture.Expanded Instructions:Say: We’re going to review our Bible story by playing a guessing game. Each of you will be assigned one day of creation and you will get to draw it on paper – but the catch is that it’s a secret what day you have! So make sure no one sees what you are creating! Divide your group into six teams. Hand out the paper and markers and quietly assign each group a day of creation, without the other groups knowing their assignment.Day One: Light and Dark, Heavens and EarthDay Two: Sky and OceanDay Three: Land and PlantsDay Four: Sun, Moon, and StarsDay Five: Birds and FishDay Six: Animals and PeopleInstruct the kids to draw a picture to represent their day of creation. Be sure the kids write the number they were assigned on their paper. E.g.,Day 2, Day 5.)After the group has finished drawing, collect the drawings and place them face down. Take out the Bible story script and read the story. As you get to each day of creation in the story, pause to reveal the drawing and allow the group to try to guess who drew the picture.Say: The things you created are just some of the wonderful things God made. Each part of creation tells us how amazing God is and how He cares about us. Optional Discussion Questions:What do you imagine it was like when God created the world? What does this Bible story tell us about God?Why should the story of creation be important to us? Becoming Experience 1Human NeedsSupplies Needed: Paper (1 piece per group), pencil (or any writing utensil)Goal: Help kids think about how creation shows God’s care for us. Quick Instructions: Have the kids brainstorm the basic human needs (not what we want, but what we need to live). Write down their answers. When we look at how God created the world, we can see that He had a plan to have a relationship with us from the very beginning. God provided for our needs. Looking back at creation, how did God create the world with us in mind? Discuss how God provided for these basic human needs in the way He created the world. God cared for us from the very beginning when He set His plan in action.Expanded Instructions: Ask: What are the basic human needs? Not things that we want, but what are the things every human needs in order to live? Take out a piece of paper and a writing utensil and write down what the kids say.Say: When we look at how God created the world, we can see that He had a plan to have a relationship with us from the very beginning. God provided for our needs. Ask: Looking back at creation, how did God create the world with us in mind? What did we learn in the Bible story that could help us answer this question?Discuss how God provided for each basic need by what He created those first 6 days. (Suggestions include ― God provided places for us to live ― He created dry land. God provided a way for us to eat ― He created plants and ways for food to grow. God provided warmth ― He created sunlight. God provided a way for us to sleep ― He created day/night. God provided a way for us to drink ― He created rivers of fresh water.) Say: God brought order to our world so that we could live in it. He created us and placed us in the world to have a relationship with Him. God cared for us from the very beginning when He set His plan in action. Pray, thanking God for creating us and caring for us. Optional Discussion Questions:What does the world tell us about God? How does knowing this true story about how God created the world with you in mind change the way you think about God?Do you feel that this story causes you to want to act differently towards how you take care of the world God created for you? If so, what might that look like? Becoming Experience 2Zoom In Supplies Needed: Printable (Zoom In cards; 1 per group)Goal: Kids are encouraged to see how this Bible story and ideas from it could apply to their life.Quick Instructions: God created the world and everything in it with great care and detail. Take out the Zoom In cards and allow the kids to guess what the picture is by looking at the details. Then reveal the zoomed out image to see if their guess was correct. Then tell them there are 8.7 million forms of life in the world. That includes plants, animals, and, of course, humans. Discuss how amazing it is that God created each of those things on purpose; from the tiniest insect, to the largest whale in the ocean, it was all created by God.Expanded Instructions:Say: God created the world and everything in it with great care and detail. I have a couple of pictures of some items God created, but there’s a catch! The pictures are zoomed in really close so you can see all the details. Let’s see if you can guess what the picture is by looking at the zoomed in detail. Take out the Zoom In cards and show the zoomed in image first. Allow the kids to guess what the image is. Then show them the zoomed out image to see if their guess was correct. Repeat for both images. Ask: Have you ever noticed the great detail of creation? What are some other things God has created that have amazing detail? Allow the kids to discuss and marvel at the detail and care of God’s creation. Say: There are 8.7 million forms of life in the world. That includes plants, animals, and, of course, humans. It’s amazing to know that God created each of those things on purpose; from the tiniest insect, to the largest whale in the ocean, it was all created by God.Optional Discussion Questions:Is it easy for you to believe God created the world from nothing? Why or why not?We just talked about how God created the world with great detail. What’s your favorite place or thing in the world? Why do you think God made the world so different and interesting? Do you feel that this story causes you to want to act differently towards how you take care of the world God created? If so, what might that look like? Challenge Experience 1 Choose Your Challenge Supplies Needed: Printable pages (2-sided; one per kid) on card stock, pencils (or any writing utensils)Goal: To help provide kids with an active way of applying what they have learned from the Bible story and allow them to choose real ways of practicing it during the week.Quick Instructions: Give each kid a bookmark that gives them three options to apply what they learned. Encourage them to think about which challenge they want to try this week, and have them check the box for that challenge. Have the kids tell the story through the illustrations provided.Expanded Instructions:Pass out the Choose Your Challenge bookmark to each kid and give them a writing utensil.Say: Let’s think through some of the experiences we have had today in small group. Review the different activities you did together. We all know that what we learned is not meant to stay here but to help us build God’s kingdom out there! Let’s look over our Challenge bookmark. Review the three options with your small group. Ask: Which one of these challenges do you think you could practice this week and why? Allow kids to share which challenge they are choosing to do this week.Have the kids look at the Bible story illustration. Invite the kids to help you tell the Bible story by using the illustrations.Say: I think that God is going to do something amazing in you this week through these challenges. I can’t wait to hear about how it went next week when we are together. Remember, God is always with you. Optional Discussion Questions:When could you practice one of these challenges this week? Is there one of the challenges that you find easier to do? Which one and why?Who could you ask to do the challenge with you?Challenge Experience 2Noticing PrayerSupplies Needed: NoneGoal: For kids to encounter God by imagining all the details of creation, and to pray, thanking God for being the Creator of everything.Quick Instructions: Lead the kids through a noticing prayer. Imagine you are at a beach ― what do you see, hear, feel? Then pray, thanking God for the tiniest details of our world. Allow the kids to try it once on their own, then gather back together and remind the kids that every time we see something beautiful in nature, we can thank God for being the Creator of everything.Expanded Instructions: Say: God created the world and everything in it. Today we are going to use our imaginations to notice God’s creation. Say: I want you to close your eyes and imagine you are at a beach. (pause) With your eyes still closed, imagine feeling the sand between your toes. (pause) Imagine hearing the waves crashing up on the shore. (pause) Imagine feeling the warm sunshine on your face. (pause) Now, with your eyes still closed, let’s thank God for the tiniest details of our world. Pray: Dear God, we thank you for creating the oceans with crashing waves, and for beaches with millions of grains of sand, and for warm sunshine. Your creation is beautiful, and we thank you and praise you for it! Amen. Say: I just led you in an experience of a noticing prayer, and now I want you to try it by yourself! I’ll give you a minute to sit by yourself and imagine you are at your favorite place. What do you see, hear, or feel? Who is with you? Talk to God about it! Thank God for the people and things He created in your favorite place. Give the kids time to sit and pray their own noticing prayer. Allow anywhere between 20 – 60 seconds, depending on your group’s participation. Then gather back together. Say: We can thank God for creating the world and everything in it. We can praise Him because He is creative, powerful, and loving. Every time we see something beautiful in nature, such as a sunset, the animals, or trees or flowers, we can thank God for being the Creator of everything. Optional Discussion Questions:How did you feel when you were praying today? Why do you think you felt that way?When is one time this week that you could practice this kind of prayer? What part of creation are you the most thankful for? How can you show God this week that you’re thankful He is the Creator of everything? ................
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