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Welcome Experience 1Mix It UpSupplies Needed: NoneGoal: To help kids connect and belong, while getting them to think about the Bible story for today.Quick Instructions: Assign each kid to be one of the following: sun, moon, stars. Have your group sit in a circle with one person in the middle. Tell them when you call out a word, such as “sun” whoever was assigned that has to get up and change places with someone else who was also a sun, while the person in the middle races to try and take a seat before someone sits in it. Whoever doesn’t get a seat has to sit in the middle. Tell them you will also call out “Mix it up!”, and have everyone switch seats with someone else. After the game, ask the kids how it felt when you called out “Mix it up!”, and they had to all switch places. It might have felt chaotic! Tell them our Bible story today has to do with light, chaos, and order.Expanded Instructions: Say: We are going to play a game called “Mix it up!” Each of you will be given a name. Don’t forget your name! Go around your group and assign each kid to be one of the following: sun, moon, stars. Say: Today we’re talking about a Bible story that has to do with light and chaos. Let’s play a game about both! When I call out one of the names, such as “sun,” whoever was assigned that name has to get up and change places with someone else who was also a sun, while the person in the middle races to try and take a seat before someone sits in it. Whoever doesn’t get a seat is out. You can’t trade seats with someone sitting right next to you. If you end up in the middle, it’s OK, just be ready to race and try to get a seat the next time I call a name.Have your group sit in a circle with one person in the middle. If you have a large group, split them into groups of eight-12 and have them sit in a circle with one kid in the middle.Say: Oh, and one more thing! If I call out “Mix it up!” everyone has to get up and change seats with someone, not someone sitting right next to them.Play as many rounds as time allows. Say: Our Bible story today has to do with light, chaos, and order. God is ultimately in control, no matter how crazy things may seem.Optional Discussion Questions:How did you feel when I called out “Mix it up!”?We just played a game that was somewhat crazy and chaotic. The opposite of chaos is order. Would you rather things feel chaotic or structured?What was the best and worst part of your week?Welcome Experience 2Get in OrderSupplies Needed: NoneGoal: To help kids connect and belong, while getting them to think about the Bible story for today.Quick Instructions: Today we will hear a Bible story about God putting things in order. To get ready for THE Bible Story, kids will play a game where they line up in order, based on the statements you call out. Optional: Split them into teams and make it a race. Or for an extra challenge, have the kids try to get in order without talking!Ideas for getting in order:Age order, youngest to oldestShoe size, smallest to largestBirth month, January to DecemberDistance they live from church, closest to farthestAlphabetical order, according to their first namesExpanded Instructions:Say: We are going to play a game called “Get in Order.” The goal of the game is to line up in order by the category I call out. For example, if I said line up in order from shortest to tallest, you would have to line up shortest to tallest. Have the kids line up based on the statements you call out. If your group is large, split the kids into teams of eight-12. Optional: Have the teams race to line up. Or for an extra challenge, have the kids try to get in order without talking! Ideas for getting in order:Age order, youngest to oldestShoe size, smallest to largestBirth month, January to DecemberDistance they live from church, closest to farthestAlphabetical order, according to their first namesFavorite color, in order of the rainbow (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet)Height, shortest to tallestAfter the game, gather back together. Say: Our Bible story today has to do with light, chaos, and order. God is ultimately in control, no matter how crazy things may seem.Optional Discussion Questions:Which statement was the easiest to line upt in order? The hardest?We just played a game that was somewhat crazy and chaotic, but ended with order and structure. Do you like it better when things feel chaotic or structured?What was the best and worst part of your week?Believing Experience 1Flashlight FreezeSupplies Needed: Bible, flashlight (1 per group)Goal: Have kids do this activity to become more familiar with the Bible verses so they can better remember it.Quick Instructions: Turn off enough lights so the room is dark, but not completely dark. Kids will stand in a circle with one person in the middle. The person in the middle will close their eyes and hold a flashlight. The group can walk or dance around the circle until the person in the middle, with their eyes still closed, shines the light on someone. When the light from the flashlight shines on someone the group has to freeze and the person who got “caught” by the light says the memory verses, John 1:3-4. Kids will take turns being in the middle and shining the light. Expanded Instructions:Say: We’re going to play a game, like freeze tag, to remember our memory verses. Everyone will stand in a circle. Choose one person to be “it” and stand in the center of the circle. “It” will close their eyes and hold a flashlight. Everyone will walk around the circle, until “it” says “freeze!” If you get “caught” by the light you have to say the memory verses, and then you are “it.” Turn off enough lights so the room is dark, but not completely dark. Choose one kid to be “it” and hand them the flashlight. Instruct them to shine the light up at the ceiling and close their eyes.Say: OK, time to start moving! Walk or dance around the circle, until “it” says “freeze!” “It” can decide when they want to try to “catch” someone with their light by shining the flashlight in front of them, with their eyes still closed, and saying the word “freeze!” If the light misses, repeat steps 4 and 5 until someone has been “caught.” The person who has been “caught” says the verses from memory, or reads it from the Bible, then stands in the middle to be “it.” Continue playing until time is up, or until every person has had a chance to review the memory verses. Say: In our game, we had no light until the flashlight came on. In our Bible story, we learned about how God created light from nothing. It shows us He is powerful and He cares about us. Optional Discussion Questions:The memory verse says, In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. (ESV) What do you think that part of the verse means? What does this verse tell us about God? How does it make you feel knowing God made you with purpose and had a plan for you from the beginning?Believing Experience 2Out of OrderSupplies Needed: Printable (Out Of Order cards; cut out; 1 set per group), tapeGoal: Have kids do this activity to become more familiar with the Bible story so they can better remember it.Quick Instructions: Choose six kids to play, and tape a card to each of their backs, without showing them what’s on the card. Tell the other kids to help them get in the correct order, but the other kids can’t talk or touch them – they can only use their hands to motion. When they’re finished, have them tell the Bible story using the cards. Discuss the importance of putting the story cards in the correct order so the story made sense, and remind them God created everything in order and with purpose.Expanded Instructions:Say: We are going to play a game to review the Bible story. I need six volunteers! Choose six kids, and tape a card to each of their backs, without showing them what’s on the card. Say: On each of these cards there is a part of our Bible story,but they are out of order! The rest of you can help them get in the correct order, but there’s a catch! You can’t speak to them or touch them. You can only help by pointing your fingers! Let’s work together and see if we can get these six in order! Allow the kids to try to help their teammates line up in order of the Bible story. This is the correct order:In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.The earth was formless, empty and dark.God said, Let there be light, and there was light.God separated light from darkness and called them “day” and “night.”God created the sun, moon, and stars.God saw that everything was good.When they have successfully finished, have them tell the Bible story using the cards.Optional: If time allows, reshuffle the cards, choose six new volunteers, and try again! Say: The story didn’t make sense when it was out of order. It was important for us to put the cardsin order. God created order when He made light, and He did it all on purpose!Optional Discussion Questions:What do you imagine it was like when God spoke light into existence? What kind of questions would you have for God about how or why He created light?What does this Bible story tell us about God?Becoming Experience 1Make a ShapeSupplies Needed: NoneGoal: To help provide kids with an active way of applying what they have learned from the Bible story and help them apply it. Quick Instructions: Tell the kids that you will call out a shape, and the whole group of kids must work together to make that shape using their bodies. They can stand up and form the shape, or lay down on the ground. Give them a 20 second time limit for each shape. If your group is large, split them into a group of fouor-six kids. Call out shapes, such as: circle, square, heart. Then start calling out difficult shapes, such as: airplane, elephant, bicycle. When they finish, discuss how it was hard for them to work together in order, and it became chaotic. Remind them that God created order from chaos in creation, and He still brings order to chaos today. Expanded Instructions: Tell the kids that you will call out a shape, and the whole group of kids must work together to make that shape using their bodies.Give them 20 seconds to make each shape. They can stand up and form the shape, or lay down on the ground. If the group is large, split them into teams of four-six kids. Optional: Let the teams race to see who can make the shape first.Call out shapes, such as: circle, square, heart. Then start calling out difficult shapes, such as: airplane, elephant, bicycle.Ask: Was it easy or hard to work together to make those shapes? Say: It was hard to work together when making the shapes were difficult, and it probably felt chaotic. Your group probably didn’t have very good form or shape. That reminds us of what it may have been like before God created order in the world. Ask: How do you feel when things are chaotic or out of order? Allow the kids to respond. Make sure that you echo or restate the experiences they share as a way to affirm that you hear and understand what they are describing.Ask: What can we remember from our Bible story about God when life feels crazy or chaotic? We can look at the basic order in the world, like day and night, and remember that God created order out of chaos. Optional Discussion Questions:How does knowing this true story about God creating order change the way you think about God?What is something in your life that feels chaotic right now? What does the way God created the world tell us about how God can help us in situations that feel crazy and chaotic? How can we remember to trust Him more this week?Becoming Experience 2Shadow Show Supplies Needed: Flashlight, piece of paper, 5 different-shaped objects (such as plastic water bottle, spoon, key, clothespin, apple), or the Shadow Show printable page Goal: This will help kids remember that God prepared the world just right for us to be with Him.Quick Instructions: Choose five different-shaped objects and keep them hidden from the kids, or cut out the shadow objects on the printable page. Turn the lights off and shine a flashlight at a blank wall or blank sheet of paper. Tell the kids they can only look at the wall or paper. Hold each object in front of the flashlight so it makes a shadow on the wall, or show them a shadow cutout, and tell them they have three seconds to guess what the object is, by looking at the shadow. Tell the kids it would have been hard to see the objects in complete darkness, but the light made it clear. The world started out dark and formless, and from that, God created light, and made day and night on purpose, just for us. He knew we would need light to see, and day and night to order our days, our seasons, and our years. Share one way that God shows He cares about us through creation.Expanded Instructions:Choose five different-shaped objects and keep them hidden from the kids, or cut out the shadow objects on the printable page. Turn the lights off and shine a flashlight at a blank wall, or blank sheet of paper, and tell the kids they can only look at the wall or paper, not at the flashlight or the objects. Hold each object in front of the flashlight so it makes a shadow on the wall, or show them a shadow cutout, and tell them they have three seconds to guess what the object is, by looking at the shadow.Say: It’s hard to see the objects in complete darkness. The world started out dark and formless, and from that, God created light, and made day and night on purpose, just for us. He knew we would need light to see, and day and night to order our days, our seasons, and our years. Share one way God shows He cares about us through creation.Optional Discussion Questions:Why do you think God created the sun?How do we know God cares about us from hearing this Bible story?What can you do to remember God’s power and care for us the next time you feel like life is out of control?Challenge Experience 1 Choose Your Challenge Supplies Needed: Printable (1 per kid), pencils or crayons 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 take home page 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 page 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 page. 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 Comic page. 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 the 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?Whom could you ask to do the challenge with you?Challenge Experience 2Light of the World PrayerSupplies Needed: Flashlight or battery operated candle (1 per group or 1 per kid)Goal: Kids will pray in the dark with a small light on as they thank God for creating light.Quick Instructions: Turn off enough lights so the room is dark, but not completely dark. Turn on the flashlight or battery operated candle. Optional: Give each kid their own flashlight or battery powered candle. Have them close their eyes and think about what it feels like to be in darkness. Then have them look at the light and think about how God created the light. God created light for us, and He sent Jesus to earth to be the light of the world. Lead the kids in prayer to thank God for creating order out of chaos and for sending Jesus to be the light of the world.Expanded Instructions: Say: Today we are going to pray in a different way. We are going to turn out the lights except for this flashlight or battery operated candle. Turn off enough lights so the room is dark, but not completely dark. Turn on the flashlight or battery operated candle. Optional give each kid their own flashlight or battery powered candle to hold.Say: Look at the light and think about how God created light by speaking it into existnce. God created the light for you! Say: Now, close your eyes and think about what it feels like to be in darkness. When God created light, He created order out of chaos. Say: Now open your eyes. Look at the light. Like our memory verses say, God sent Jesus to be the light of the world. Without Jesus, we live in darkness.Say: Take a minute to pray quietly on your own, thanking God for creating light and for sending Jesus to be the light of the world. Allow time for the kids to pray individually, then close in prayer.Pray: God, thank you for creating order in our world. You prepared the world just right for us to be with you. Thank you for sending Jesus to be the light of the world. Amen. Optional Discussion Questions:When is one time this week you could practice this kind of prayer?How can you remember this week that God is bigger than the craziness or chaos you are experiencing in your life? What is something that you need prayer for this week? ................
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