Teaching Card 1

CREATION: 6-MINUTE MASTERPIECE!

Divide students into small groups and give each group a large blank art canvas (which has been pre-painted navy or black, or a piece of black foam core will also work), glue, a sponge brush, and assorted art supplies (sequins, tissue paper, beads, popsicle sticks, feathers, coloured paper, etc.) Supplies should not include drawing or colouring supplies.

For a simplified, “less-mess” option, provide assorted colours of play dough and invite kids to work together to make representations of the various days of creation from the dough. 

Read the story of creation from Genesis 1:1-27 and 31; Genesis 2:1-3. Use the NIrV or ERV to simplify the passage for kids. 

Activity: Encourage the groups to work together to create a masterpiece representation of the story using the supplies you’ve given them as you read. You’ll want to pause after each section to allow them to work on their creation. Give them a 60-second countdown during each pause, such as this one from WorshipHouse kids, or a 60 second countdown from your Orange media files. We suggest the following breakdown of the passage by day, with 6 opportunities for masterpiece creation:

• Genesis 1:1-5
• Genesis 1:6-8
• Genesis 1:9-13
• Genesis 1:14-19
• Genesis 1:20-23
• Genesis 1:24-27 & 31
• Genesis 2:1-3

Say: Wow! Can you believe all the things that God made? We have a pretty creative God to think of all those things and then make them. Which thing that God created do you think is the most creative? (Take suggestions and offer yours as well.) Listen to what God said to the people he created about the things he created: 

Read: Genesis 1:28-30

Say: God made all of creation to provide for us, and for us to enjoy, but also for us to take care of and be responsible for! 

Allow opportunity for groups to present their depiction of the creation story, and highlight their favourite parts. 

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Teaching Card 2

CREATION: CREATE A PSALM

Activity: Ask kids to think of the best ways they can help you find the exact middle of a number of things (How could we find the exact middle of this room? Can you help me find the exact middle of these two numbers? I have a large circle cut out - what’s the best way to find the exact middle of it? How about the exact middle of this roll of toilet paper?, etc.) 

Then ask kids if they think they could find the exact middle of the Bible. Have several of them give it a try by opening it to where they think the middle is. Award a small prize to the person who gets the closest to Psalm 103:1-2. Highlight if others got close by hitting the book of Psalms at all. 

Say: The book that’s at the middle of the Bible is the book of Psalms. The word “psalms” means “songs” or “praises.” Many psalms were written by King David. When you read them you can see that David knew he could tell God anything! He wrote about being sad, lonely, and scared. He also wrote happy songs that thanked God for His goodness. 

The exact middle the Bible is Psalm 103:1-2. Listen to what it says:

I will praise the Lord. Deep down inside me, I will praise him. I will praise him because his name is holy. I will praise the Lord. I won’t forget anything he does for me.

Most of all, David knew that God is the Creator of everything. Many of David’s songs were about amazing things we can know about God by looking at the world He created.One of those psalms is Psalm 104, the Psalm that comes right after the middle point we found! David wrote about how great God is. He explained how everything God created has a place and a purpose. David celebrated God as the King of the Universe. He wrote that even the sun and moon follow God’s plan. One part of David’s psalm says: “I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.”

King David praised God constantly for his creation! When we take a look at all that God has created, we should want to praise him too!

Activity: Create your own Psalm using the template provided. Invite kids to help you choose the items for the blanks, then fill them in and read it together as a prayer!

*This activity has also been adapted in the “Family Devotions" section for families to work on together at home as a creative way to pray*

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Teaching Card 3

CREATION: A MASTERPIECE

Say: Do you remember the final thing that God created? Read Genesis 1:26-27 as a reminder:

Then God said, “Let us make humans in our image, in our likeness. Let them rule the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the domestic animals all over the earth, and all the animals that crawl on the earth.”

So God created humans in his image. In the image of God he created them.

He created a masterpiece - people! He created you and you are his work of art - a true masterpiece!

Listen to what the Bible says about this in Ephesians 2:10: “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”

God created you in his image, and has a great plan for your life! 

Activity: Give each student an art canvas, on which you’ve pre-written “IS GOD’S MASTERPIECE” in the bottom third. Provide masking tape and have them spell out their name using the tape. Using a variety of paint, have them cover over the tape, painting a masterpiece as they go. Encourage them to add their handprint to the board. 

When the paint is dry, peel off the tape, revealing their name. Go around the group taking turns holding up their painting and declaring “{NAME} is God’s Masterpiece!” Have the other kids say three kind things about that person that makes them God’s masterpiece. Write the things that were said about each one on the back of their painting. Encourage kids to hang this up in their room as a reminder every day of the truth that God has created them as a work of art!

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Teaching Card 4

ON PURPOSE: IF ONLY I HAD A GREEN NOSE!

Read the story of Punchinello in Max Lucado’s “If Only I had a Green Nose”. Select a leader to be Punchinello and use acrylic paint and a sponge brush to paint his/her nose every time a different colour nose becomes the “newest thing” for the Wemmicks. Paint layer after layer dramatically as the story unfolds. Make sure you have some facial wipes on hand for your volunteer!

Ask kids to point out some lessons that Punchinello learned in the story, or add some yourself. Here are a few ideas…

• Eli made each of them different for a reason. 
• As his maker, Eli promises he will “always help Punchinello be who he made him to be.”
• Punchinello learned a hard lesson about just how important it is to be who we were created to be, and why that matters. 
• Punchinello was not designed to be like everyone else. He was designed to be Punchinello!

Read Psalm 139:13-14: “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”

Read: Ephesians 2:10: “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”

Point out some things that we can remember this week from this story and our Bible passages:

• You were made uniquely by God for a reason - just the way you are!
• Your creator will always help you be you―wonderfully you!
• You can have confidence that God has a plan and a purpose for your life!

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Teaching Card 5

ON PURPOSE: A SWEET SORT!

Hold up a bag of M&Ms and tell the group that you are wanting to sort them into their colours. Tell them you have an idea for a quick way you can do this. Dramatically and randomly dump them onto a table and say “ta-daaaaa!” as if you really expect them to sort themselves into colours. Act surprised and disappointed when they don’t and tell the group you might need to try it just one more time. Repeat a few times, reacting the same way each time. 

Ask: Why didn't this work? Lead kids to the conclusion that of course this didn’t work, things don’t randomly sort themselves out accidentally. You would have to carefully and intentionally sort them out one by one into their colours.

Remind the kids that God made US on purpose, in the image of God, and out of God’s perfect imagination. Not accidentally, not thrown together randomly, but designed, planned out, carefully crafted, and meticulously assembled. Every single thing about you is intentional and just how God designed it to be.

Ask the kids to help you try again to sort out the M&Ms, this time on purpose, carefully placing each one where you plan it to go.

Activity: Break the kids into small groups and give a cup of M&Ms to each group. Have 6 leaders stand around the room and have each hold a cup that corresponds to a colour of an M&M. On your go, kids should work together to sort the M&Ms into the correct cup, one at a time, running to the proper cup with one candy, and then sending the next person. First team to correctly sort all their M&Ms is the winner!

You were created like that - ON PURPOSE! With each thing about you placed exactly how God had designed it. Listen to this from Psalm 139:

“You made my whole being. You formed me in my mother’s body. I praise you because you made me in an amazing and wonderful way. What you have done is wonderful. I know this very well.

You could see my bones grow as my body took shape, hidden in my mother’s womb. You could see my body grow each passing day. You listed all my parts, and not one of them was missing. All the days you planned for me were written in your book before I was one day old.”

Amazing! God made you ON purpose and FOR a purpose!

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Teaching Card 6

ON PURPOSE: MADE FOR A PURPOSE!

Gather a number of “random” items that your kids probably wouldn’t know the purpose of. Check a dollar store for random items, look around your house, or call a senior from a congregation to see if they might have older items that are less recognizable today. Tools, kitchen supplies, car accessories are often helpful. Be creative! 

Divide kids into small groups and give each group the letters A, B & C each written on its own piece of card stock. Hold each of your items up and give kids three possible purposes/uses for this item, only one of which is the actual purpose for the item. Groups “vote” for their answer by holding up one of the letters. Every correct answer scores a point. Say: That was tough, wasn’t it? It was hard to believe some of those items had any purpose at all, but they did!

YOU have a purpose, too! Remember our verse from Ephesians 2:10? “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”

Here’s another Bible verse that can help us understand a little more about our purpose: Matthew 5:14-16

“Let me tell you why you’re here. You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colours in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.”

Our purpose is to point others to Jesus by shining our lights for him! What are some ways we can do that this week? 

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Teaching Card 7

TO REFLECT: A MIRROR IMAGE!

Set up a mirror in the meeting space (preferably a free standing one). You’ll need mirror writer markers as well. Liquid chalk markers work best. 

Say: The Bible says that when God created people, he created us in his own image! Let’s look at Genesis 1:26-27 where it tells us just that!

Then God said, “Let us make humans in our image, in our likeness. Let them rule the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the domestic animals all over the earth, and all the animals that crawl on the earth.” So God created humans in his image. In the image of God he created them.”

That means we’re a reflection of God’s image in the world. Kind of like a mirror… except we reflect Jesus, not ourselves. When people look at us, they should see Jesus!

The Bible also tells us how to do that! In Ephesians 5:1-2 it says: “Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ.”

If we are going to reflect or imitate someone, we need to know what they look like and how they act, don’t we? The Bible tells us what God looks like and how Jesus acts, too so that we have an example we can follow. 

Activity: Have kids look up the following verses in their Bibles. This is a good opportunity to show kids how to use the Bible book index, talk about where we find things in the Bible, etc. Take the time to help them look up the verses for themselves rather than just reading the verses to them. In each verse, have them search for a characteristic of God or Jesus that we should reflect. What is God like? What is Jesus like? Write on the mirror the characteristics of God and Jesus that we should reflect… What is God like? What is Jesus like? Write the characteristics on the mirror. 

PSALM 36:7  “Nothing is more precious than your loving kindness, God”. (Kind & Loving)

1 JOHN 1:9  “But God is faithful and fair. If we confess our sins, he will forgive our sins.” (Faithful + Fair + Forgiving)

PSALM 86:15  “But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and merciful God.You are patient, always faithful and ready to forgive.” (Compassionate  + Merciful + Patient)

MATTHEW 1:29 “Jesus said  - accept my teaching. Learn from me. I am gentle and humble in spirit." (Gentle + Humble)

PSALM 119:7  “God is always honest and fair” (Honest)

We were created in God’s image, to reflect all of these characteristics! Challenge kids to think of these every time they look in a mirror this week and remember to reflect Jesus to the world!

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Teaching Card 8

TO REFLECT: S.P.A.R.K.

Say: God has placed a Spark in us (our gifts, abilities, passions, personalities, experiences and joys) which help us show him to others! We all have a unique Spark that we can use to shine for Jesus in the world!

Activity: Print and cut out a blank Spark shape for each student and give them each a pen or marker. You can find the template HERE. As you go through the different elements of their unique sparks, have them write or draw something that represents their own individual Spark. There will be 5 categories - one for each letter in the word.  

S - Spiritual Gifts: Remind (or introduce) students of the fact that they have all been given unique gifts and abilities by God. Read 1 Corinthians 12:4-11; 27

“There are different kinds of gifts. But they are all given to believers by the same Spirit. There are different ways to serve. But they all come from the same Lord. There are different ways the Spirit works. But the same God is working in all these ways and in all people. The Holy Spirit is given to each of us in a special way. That is for the good of all. To some people the Spirit gives a message of wisdom. To others the same Spirit gives a message of knowledge. To others the same Spirit gives faith. To others that one Spirit gives gifts of healing. To others he gives the power to do miracles. To others he gives the ability to prophesy. To others he gives the ability to tell the spirits apart. To others he gives the ability to speak in different kinds of languages they had not known before. And to still others he gives the ability to explain what was said in those languages.  All the gifts are produced by one and the same Spirit. He gives gifts to each person, just as he decides. You are the body of Christ. Each one of you is a part of it.”

Say: Everyone has a gift given to them for sure! But not all the gifts are the same. Some people are good at teaching in front of a crowd, and others at organizing behind the scenes. Some are very outgoing are able to easily talk to others about Jesus, others are quiet but committed to praying every day for their friends. Some are excellent helpers, and others are extra kind and compassionate, showing mercy to their friends. Some are amazing at including other people and welcoming others to their tables, their homes, etc. and others are super wise and can lead a whole team of people!

Ask: Which of these gifts do you think you have? Write or draw it on your Spark.

Say: And we also all have different

• P - Passions (the things we love, feel strongly about - i.e. justice, kindness, equality, fairness, dignity, etc)
• A - Abilities (building, solving problems, sports, tech, art, playing an instrument, etc.)
• R - Real experiences (have moved, born in another country, has siblings, new to the church, has changed schools, has travelled, has pets, etc.)  and
• K - Kinds of personalities (outgoing, shy, listener, talker, positive, cautious, friendly, likes new things, doesn’t like change, etc.)

Have kids write one thing from each category on their Sparks templates.

Say: This is what makes you YOU! And God made you that way on purpose!

Encourage kids to share their Spark with someone else.

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Teaching Card 9

TO REFLECT: SPARKING COMMITMENT

Say: Once we’ve found our God-given Sparks (our gifts, abilities, passions, personalities, experiences and joys), it’s up to us to make sure we are using them to reflect Jesus, and to show him to the world! Look at the Spark you made - what are some of the ways you can use what God has given you to be a light for him in. The world? How could he use YOUR Spark to make a difference? (Allow time for answers - there will also be more opportunity to think about this in the 4th teaching point.)

Read Romans 12:1-2 “So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him.” 

Invite kids to make a commitment to using all that God has given them (their Spark!) to live a life that reflects him every day. Invite them to place a Spark tattoo on their hand as a sign of this commitment and then to pray with a leader asking for God’s help to do this.

(As an alternative, use the Spark stickers and have kids stick these to their shirt as a sign of their commitment.)

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Teaching Card 10

HONOUR AND SERVE: CREATIVE BIBLE CHARACTERS

Remind the kids of our key verse, Ephesians 2:10

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”

Say: You were designed by a very creative God who has also placed creativity in you. Having God-given creativity doesn’t only mean having artistic ability, although this one example of creativity. There are also SO many other ways we can use the creativity God gave us.

The Bible is full of creative people who used their gifts and skills to honour God and serve others. They listened to God and used their gifts to follow him.

Read the following examples and have kids identify what creative gift is being used in each and how these Bible characters are honouring God and/or serving others with their creativity:

• Noah built an ark and gathered two of every animal to save his family.  
• Lydia made clothes for the poor to help solve the problem of poverty.  
• Four men used their creative thinking to lower their friend down through the roof of a house to move him closer to Jesus.
• David played music, danced and wrote songs.  
• Bezaleel and Aholiab used their artistic gifts to beautifully decorate the tabernacle where God’s people could worship.  
• Solomon wrote poetry.
• Ezra and Nehemiah built the walls around Jerusalem and rebuilt the temple.
• Priscilla and Aquila helped Paul make tents to sell to make money to tell others about Jesus.

Ask: Where have you seen others using their creativity to honour God and serve others? Invite kids to share.

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Teaching Card 11

HONOUR AND SERVE: GUEST OF HONOUR!

Ask: Have you ever seen someone honour someone else? What did that look like? (Maybe they got an award or a medal, perhaps someone gave a speech about them, or a picture of them was featured on a billboard or on the news, a party was thrown, or a parade was held in their honour.)

Activity: Roll out the red carpet and honour your kids one by one by having them walk the red carpet, stop for a photo, and present them with an award, thanking them for something, highlighting their great characteristics, and having the room applaud them. Throw a mini party with special snacks and drinks in their honour.

Say: We should use our gifts, our talents, our passions, experiences and personality (our Spark!) to honour God. We should thank him for all he is and does for us, and for his gifts. We should thank him for the abilities he has given us and tell him we will use them to show him to others. We should praise his awesome characteristics, applaud his creation, and thank him for his gifts of forgiveness and salvation. Our lives should be like a party that honours and celebrates God, and everyone should be able to see that He is the guest of Honour!

Read Revelation 4:11 “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honour and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”

and Psalm 86:12 “I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever.”

Activity: Divide kids into smaller groups. Using their individual Sparks on which they have written their gifts, passions, abilities, personalities, and experiences, brainstorm in the groups with a leader and think of all the creative ways that those Sparks could be used to honour and glorify God. Invite kids to choose one or two of their ideas that they will try out this week.

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Teaching Card 12

HONOUR AND SERVE: SWEET SERVICE

Activity: Have your volunteer team serve a sweet treat to the kids that they can enjoy during the lesson. This might be an item from the snack section of this resource, or as simple as a small chocolate bar or candy, or popcorn. The main point is that the kids are served the snack. Emphasize this by having the treat served on silver platters or have the ‘waiters’ dressed in a simple costume. Play “Be Our Guest” from Beauty and the Beast while they are served their snacks.

Say: How did it feel to be served your snack today? Serving others can bring joy to both the person serving and the person being served!

The Bible has something to say about how we should use the gifts God has given us in order to serve others. Read 1 Peter 4:10

God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.

Activity: Divide kids into smaller groups. Using their individual Sparks on which they have written their gifts, passions, abilities, personalities, and experiences, brainstorm in the groups with a leader and think of all the creative ways that those Sparks could be used to serve others. Invite kids to choose one or two of their ideas that they will try out this week.

Once each group has completed their lists, come back together and share ideas, writing them on a large chart paper at the front to give everyone even more ideas they use to serve with their creativity!

SPARK BINGO!

Supplies: BINGO style cards, Crayola stamp markers.

Decide if you want students to complete a row OR see how many stamps they can get before a timer goes off.

Have students go around and see how many different stamps (no repeats) they can get on their Bingo cards or who can get a Bingo row first. Offer a small prize to the first to complete the whole card or to everyone who completes a line, etc. 

Once you gather back together, congratulate those who got the most stamps on their card and thank all of them for spending time talking to each other. Each of us are created by God, but he has given each of us different interests, skills, and abilities. I hope you’ve met someone who likes (or dislikes) some of the same things as you!

Teaching Points: 

• Each of us is created by God, and he has given each of us different interests, skills, and abilities. 
• As we work together, using all of our creative gifts, we can honour him and show his love to the world. 

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Spark Your Creativity!

Supplies: “SPARK Your Creativity” sheets and pencils.

Encourage students to give their creative brain a workout and create a drawing in each square using the line prompt that is given. 

Share the drawings with the group and see how different people came up with different items from the same prompt. 

Teaching Point:

• Our creativity allows each of us to look at things in a unique way and solve a challenge differently. Have the group brainstorm ways they could serve others with their creativity this week. 

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Dots and Stars

Supplies: Dot stickers, gold star stickers, “You Are Special” book by Max Lucado (project the pictures for each page).

Have kids stand in a circle with their eyes closed and have helpers place a coloured dot or a gold star on each child’s forehead. When you say go, students open their eyes and try to put themselves into groups of the same-coloured dot or star. The challenge? They can’t talk to each other and must complete the task in silence. The winning group is the one who has their whole team together first. Play several rounds. After the game, share Max Lucado’s story “You Are Special” with the students.

Teaching Point:

• Remind students that when we spend time with God, we begin to discover more and more how he designed us in a special way and for his special purpose for our lives. When we know how God feels about us, and we begin to trust that most of all, it doesn’t matter as much what others think.

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Paper Tower Contest!

Supplies: 20 sheets of paper and a roll of scotch tape per team.

Divide students into teams of 4-6. Each team will be given 20 sheets of paper and a roll of tape to use to build a tower. Challenge them creatively work together to see how tall a tower they can make. You may wish to set a time limit for this activity such as 15 – 20 minutes depending on your scheduling. Teams can fold the paper, stack the paper, crush the paper, but no other items will be given to them to use except teamwork.

Teaching Point:

• Point out that creativity means far more than being artistic or musical. Creativity can be used to solve a problem, or think of a new way to look at things. It can mean building, engineering, and trying again with a new idea. God gives us these creative gifts, too!

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No Hands Cup Stacking

Supplies: Each team needs 6 plastic cups, an elastic band, and a length of string per student.

Divide students into teams of 4-6. Tie a length of string to the elastic for each team member. Each team must work together to put the elastic around the cup and move it into position by pulling the strings to expand and contract the elastic band in the centre. The goal is to stack the cups on top of each other in rows of three, two, then one - like a pyramid. You can call out different directions as the students are playing, such as no talking, drop a team member, drop another team member, add a team member, or limit number of strings being used, etc. for additional challenges.

Teaching Point:

• Have kids name something that might be their spark (something they enjoy doing, brings them joy, feel they are good at, other people notice in them, etc.) for each cup they successfully place. Discuss how God gives us different gifts, talents, abilities, passions, experiences, etc. and that he designed us to work together to develop them, honour him and serve others by using our own creative sparks!

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Rube Goldberg Machine Making

Supplies: Variety of building/creating supplies such as tin foil, cardboard, water bottles, toilet paper rolls, cereal boxes, books, cans, dominos, marbles, golf balls, string, buckets, cups etc. 

Help kids identify a task, action, or end goal for their creative machine to do/solve after they build it (i.e. turn off a light, crush a can, drop a bottle in a recycling bin, pop a balloon, etc. Then, help them decide what materials will best help them to create this machine. Keep in mind that these materials may change as they are building their machine, and as they continue to creatively problem solve. They might want to sketch out and organize the different paths that are going to be needed in order to accomplish the task.

Help kids work together to assemble the machine and keep testing it to fill in any gaps, or make any changes needed to accomplish their goal. Encourage kids to keep trying and working together to creatively solve the challenge.

Teaching Point:

• Point out that creativity can be used think of many ways to solve a problem or challenge. Think of situations in your world that you see where people need to see and experience God’s love and encouragement. Maybe someone experiencing homelessness, a family struggling financially, a senior who is lonely, a kid in school who doesn’t seem to fit in, a friend who is sad, a tired parent, etc. 
• Brainstorm ways you can think of to help that person using your own gifts and skills that God gave you! When we do this, we bring honour to God AND we serve someone else. 

Mirror Mirror 

Supplies: One hand-held mirror per child; glue – tacky glue or glue dots work best; an assortment of embellishments (pompoms, beads, sequins, glitter glue, buttons, feathers foam pieces, etc.); ribbon; window markers. 

Start adding glue to the outside frame of the mirror and add assorted embellishments. Once the top of the mirror and embellishments are completely dry, add the ribbon. Cut a 2-3 foot long piece of ribbon, long enough to wrap around the entire handle. Put a dab of glue in the centre of the ribbon, making sure it is secure, and then start wrapping the ribbon around. Using a window writer marker, write the phrase “I am made in God’s image!” on the mirror. 

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Crayon Creations 

Supplies: Broken crayons; silicone moulds (shaped in animals, flowers, insects, planets, etc.); oven; print outs of colouring sheet, extra crayons for colouring. 

Preheat oven to 275°F. Peel the paper off crayons and break them into small pieces. Add the pieces in assorted colours to the silicone moulds. Place molds in the oven for 7-8 minutes, until the crayons melt. Carefully remove the moulds from the oven and let crayons cool completely. Once cooled, pop out of moulds and have fun colouring!

Crayons can also be pre-melted in the microwave and poured into the moulds. Cooling time can be accelerated by placing the moulds in the freezer for 30 minutes.

While the crayons cool, read 1 Corinthians 5:17 and then colour the page together.

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Lite Brite

Supplies: Lite Brite sets

Work together to complete the picture templates by adding the coloured pegs. Turn on the light to reveal the picture when complete! For extra fun, use a blank template or sheet of black construction paper cut to fit the lite-brite frame and have kids work together to try and design this year’s SPARK mascot!

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Creative Science 

Supplies: Comb, access to a sink; Orange, knife, balloon; potato, pennies, copper wire, 2 zinc plated nails, light bulb.

Work together to try out these simple science experiments that use creativity to use household items for a different purpose than the one we might have always used them for! Point out how creative thinking was used to repurpose these items in this way. 

1. Use a comb to bend a stream of water!

• Run a plastic comb through your hair around 20 times.
• Turn on the faucet so only a thin stream of water is running.
• Bring the comb to the side of the water.
• The water will bend when the comb is brought near it!

2. Use an orange to pop a balloon!

• Inflate a balloon (full)
• Cut a section of orange and remove the peel
• Hold the shiny part of the orange peeling toward the inflated balloon, and squeeze hard so the oil from it sprays on the balloon.
• The balloon should pop!

3. Use a potato to light up a light bulb!

• Cut a potato in half, then cut a small slit into each half, large enough to slide a penny inside.
• Wrap some copper wire around each penny a few times. Use a different piece of wire for each penny.
• Stick the pennies in the slits you cut into the potato halves.
• Wrap some of a third copper wire around one of the zinc-plated nails and stick the nail into one of the potato halves.
• Take the wire connected to the penny in the half of potato with the nail and wrap some of it around the second nail. Stick that second nail into the other potato half.
• When you connect the two loose ends of the copper wires to the light bulb or LED, it will complete the electrical circuit and light up.

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Paper Basket

Repurpose some paper into pretty baskets kids can use at home. 

1. For a simpler template, sign up to receive free printable options for several different options HERE (simply print on card stock and go!) This site has options for a simpler colour and glue basket and also a woven basket. 
2. For a bigger challenge, with older kids, and where more time allows, consider making woven baskets with newspapers. Follow the instructions HERE.

Consider the following question as you work: What will be the purpose of your basket? What will it be used for? Will it hold school supplies on your desk? Will it make a ‘gift bag’ for a present for a friend’s birthday? Will you keep your SPARK take-home challenges in it as a reminder? So many possibilities!

Encourage kids to remember that they were made on purpose and for a purpose too! Have them write “I WAS MADE ON PURPOSE AND FOR A PURPOSE” on the handle of their basket. 

 

Great Things (Worship Team.tv)

Come let us worship our King
Come let us bow at His feet
He has done great things
See what our Saviour has done
See how His love overcomes
He has done great things
He has done great things

Oh, hero of Heaven
You conquered the grave
You free every captive and break every chain
Oh God, You have done great things
We dance in Your freedom, awake and alive
Oh Jesus, our Saviour, Your name lifted high
Oh God, You have done great things
You’ve been faithful through every storm
You’ll be faithful forevermore
You have done great things
And I know You will do it again
For Your promise is “Yes and amen”
You will do great things
God, You do great things

Hallelujah God, unshakable
Hallelujah, You have done great things
Hallelujah God, above it all
Hallelujah God, unshakable
Hallelujah, You have done great things
You’ve done great things

Purchase the lyric video at: www.worshiphousekids.com/wtt-great-things-108038

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Made in Your Image (Hillsong Kids)

These hands, these feet
These eyes that seek
To find their hope in You
Are made in Your image
I’m made in Your image
This heart that beats
This mouth that speaks
More and more like You
Are made in Your image
I’m made in Your image

‘Cause You are the Potter and I am the clay
You’re moulding me, shaping me every day
‘Cause You are the Potter and I am the clay
You’re moulding me, shaping me every day
I’m trusting in the Lord on the day to day
Picking up strength all along the way
You know what You’re doing in me
I’m trusting in the Lord on the day to day
Picking up strength all along the way
You know what You’re doing in me
In Your image, I am made (x3)

You made me special
You made me precious
You made me wonderful
You made me special
You made me precious
You made me wonderful
In Your image, I am made

Purchase the lyric video at: www.worshiphousekids.com/hil-made-in-your-image-78713

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So Creative! (Orange Kids)

Sometimes it’s easy to feel like
I’ve given all I’ve got
Is there anything more? 
I get down, get stuck, boxed in, locked up
I gotta get moving, moving

And all I see right in front of me
Are endless possibilities

Birds flying high and the planets in the sky
So creative! So innovative!
How the river flows and how the grass grows
So creative! So innovative!

A tiny little seed growing everything we need
So creative! So innovative!
Turning sound into a song makes me want to sing along
So creative! So innovative!

All these things they show me who you are
I’m made by you, created for you
And I’ll share you with the world!

Purchase the lyric video at: store.thinkorange.com/products/ll-so-creative-my-life-for-you

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Shine and Serve! (Yancey Ministries)

God made me
A part of His story
I will live all for His glory
Everyday and every night

God made me
A part of His story
I will live all for His glory
Everyday and every night

C’mon we’re gonna go change the world
C’mon let’s go tell every boy and girl
C’mon, get ready, let’s go

So let’s all shine and serve
Let’s all give and love
Till the whole world knows
Jesus loves them
Let’s shine and serve

We can shine and we can serve right here, right here
We can shine and we can serve all over the world, all over the world
We can shine and we can serve everywhere, everywhere
We can shine and we can serve so c’mon, get ready, let’s go

So let’s all shine and serve
Let’s all give and love
Till the whole world knows
Jesus loves them

Purchase the lyric video at: www.worshiphousekids.com/yan-shine-and-serve-64950

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Praise (Children's Ministry Deals)

Let everything that has breath
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord
Let everything, let everything that has breath
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord

I’ll praise in the valley, praise on the mountain  
I’ll praise when I’m sure, praise when I’m doubting
I’ll praise when outnumbered, praise when surrounded
‘Cause praise is the waters my enemies drown in
As long as I’m breathing
I’ve got a reason to
Praise the Lord, oh my soul
Praise the Lord, oh my soul

I’ll praise when I feel it, and I’ll praise when I don’t
I’ll praise ‘cause I know You’re still in control
‘Cause my praise is a weapon, it’s more than a sound
Oh, my praise is the shout that brings Jericho down  
As long as I’m breathing
I’ve got a reason to
Praise the Lord, oh my soul
Praise the Lord, oh my soul

I’ll praise ‘cause You’re sovereign, praise ‘cause You reign
Praise ‘cause You rose and defeated the grave
I’ll praise ‘cause You’re faithful, praise ‘cause You’re true
Praise ‘cause there’s nobody greater than You

I won’t be quiet, my God is alive
How could I keep it inside? 

Praise the Lord, oh my soul
Praise the Lord, oh my soul 

Purchase the lyric video at: www.worshiphousekids.com/hkr-praise-138038

Edible Creation Scene!

Supplies: Give each student a ‘blank canvas’ plain cookie and have a variety of edible ‘art supplies’ available (coloured icing, pretzels, jelly beans, candies, marshmallows, pretzels, chocolate chips, etc.)

Have kids use the items provided and to create something that reminds them that God is the creator of everything (if they need ideas to get started hint at a sun, flower, an animal, a person, etc.). 

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Yummy Gummy Planets!

Supplies: A supply of different coloured gummy bears, tinfoil, drinking glass, cooking spray, cookie sheets, toothpicks, icing sugar, wax paper, cupcakes with white icing, photos of the planets, access to an oven.

Cut squares of aluminum foil that will be one inch larger than the bottom of the drinking glass you are using. Gently fold the foil up the sides of the glass making sure to keep the foil as smooth as possible. Remove foil cup from the glass and spray with cooking spray. Next cut up the gummy bears into smaller pieces placing cut up pieces on plates. Preheat your oven to 275°F.

Allow students to choose the colours according to the planet they wish to create. Have them place their cut up gummies into their foil cup. Place the cups onto a cookie sheet and bake for 5 to 8 minutes (until melted). Have toothpicks available for those who wish to swirl the colours in their planets. Allow planets to cool for about 5 minutes and then remove from foil, place on a plate dusted with icing sugar and then move over to wax paper. When ready, carefully place planets on top of iced cupcakes and enjoy!

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Snack and Serve!

In 1-L Mason jars, have kids assemble “Cookies in a Jar” to share with someone else after SPARK. Encourage them to think of someone that needs some encouragement this week. This is a way we can use our creativity to serve someone else!

Bottom Layer 1 (mixed together)

• 1½ cups flour
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp salt

Layer 2     ¼ cup rolled oats

Layer 3     ½ Cup brown sugar

Layer 4     ½ Cup granulated sugar

Layer 5     1 cup chocolate chips

Print and attach the instruction card to the jar. Encourage kids to write an encouraging message on the back of the card. 

After the jars are assembled, use a couple of jars and follow the instruction card with the group (you’ll need ½ cup butter, 1 egg and 1 tsp vanilla per jar). Have them work together to make the cookies just like the recipients of their jars will do!

Enjoy milk and cookies together!

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Creative Juices!

Get your creative juices flowing! Provide a selection of juices, fizzy clear pop, sherbet, cotton candy, etc. for a juice/float station! Let kids choose their items and have a leader mix a custom drink for them on the spot.

Purchase some fancy straws and cups to add to the fun!

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Ice Cream Cone Cupcake Microphones

1. Mix ingredients for your favourite chocolate cake recipe.
2. Place ice cream cones in a muffin pan. Fill each cone halfway with chocolate cake batter.
3. Bake according to the recipe for cupcakes.
4. Let the cupcakes cool then frost them with chocolate frosting. Dip the frosting into chocolate sprinkles.
5. Poke a small hole in the back of the cone and insert a length of black licorice rope to create the mic cord. 

While you wait for the cupcakes to bake, have a karaoke party, dance party, or a game of ‘Name That Tune’!

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A Bright Idea!

Supplies: “Fillable lightbulbs” (one per child - from Amazon.ca), candy to fill.

Order some fillable lightbulbs and have the kids fill their own bulbs with M&Ms or Skittles. As you’re working on filling them, try listing one way you can shine your light this week for each piece of candy added!

What's Your Spark? Neon Sign

If your budget allows, order a neon “What’s Your Spark?” sign for your meeting space. You can order one at amazon.ca.

Fill a gold ‘explosion balloon’, add a large set of google eyes or 5-inch white balloons as eyes with pupils drawn with a black Sharpie and add the SPARK mascot to the corner of the neon sign. 

Order these balloons at amazon.ca.

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Balloon Arch Question Mark

Make a giant balloon arch in the shape of a question mark to use in your space, along with the on-screen question slide “What’s Your Spark?” Use balloons in teal, pink, red, orange, yellow and black to match the event poster and screen templates.

Order a question mark frame on amazon.ca or create your own! 

As a simpler alternative, fill large mylar question mark balloons with helium to use in your teaching space, or to mark your small group or activity spaces throughout the room. 

Check the 2023 decor cards for some more SPARK related decor you could use this year.

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Super Mario Question Boxes

Go with a little ‘gamer’ feel and convey the “What’s Your SPARK” question with some brick and question boxes from Super Mario! 

There are lots of options for these on Amazon.ca.

Spark Celebration!

Supplies: Pre-cut/punched ¾” paper circles (multi coloured assortment - 3 or more per child), pencils, patterned scrapbooking paper, toilet roll per child, balloons, scissors, tape or glue, large piece confetti (purchased or homemade), ziplock baggies for take home.

Spend some time together helping kids brainstorm ideas of:

• How they can use their individual gifts/designs to honour God this week
• How they can use their individual gifts/designs to serve others this week

Have kids choose a couple of ideas in each category and write a word/symbol for each on the small ¾ inch circle cut outs. Make homemade confetti poppers using the instructions. Add the circles the kids wrote their ideas on to the popper. Place it in a ziplock bag for transport to home.  

Encourage kids to choose a time during the week to “set off” their confetti popper by pulling the bottom of the balloon, celebrating the creative way God made them, and the creative ideas he gives them, too!

Kids should search through the confetti for the 4 discs they wrote their ideas on and complete those ideas this week. For extra fun, put all the pieces back in each night and set the popper off again, choosing a new idea for the next day!

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Use Your Spark!

Many little sparks together make a bright light! Show your SPARK in your home and your neighbourhood by doing one or more of the following ‘good works’ in the week ahead:

• Offer to help out with a chore at home that you are pretty good at (without being asked!)
• Choose five houses on your street, and pray for the people who live inside - pray for one of them specifically each night. Drop a note into their mailbox the next day that says “Just wanted you to know that the family at (your address) prayed for you this week!”
• Offer to help a younger sibling or a younger kid from your church with some homework they might be having a hard time with. Bring some stickers to let them know they’ve done a great job!
• Work together with your family to come up with enough money for a coffee and a donut from Tims (be creative!). Go through the drive thru together and then deliver the treats to someone from your church or your neighbourhood!
• Design some cards and drop them off at a senior’s residence or nursing home in your neighbourhood. Have them say “Someone is praying for you today!” Or “Jesus loves you!”

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Sparking Creation Care

Remember that God created everything in our world for us to enjoy. Choose some ways this week that you can intentionally care for God’s creation. Make sure you also offer thanks and praise to God each day for his amazing creations! Here’s some ideas:

• Clean up garbage in your neighbourhood, plant flowers
• Make all your crafts this week out of recycled items
• Put up a bird feeder in your backyard
• Drop off food to a pet shelter
• Offer to walk a neighbour’s dog, or put a bowl of water at the end of your driveway for dogs that are on walks
• Turn off the lights when you leave a room
• Walk or ride your bikes to school/shopping instead of driving
• Take a gratefulness nature walk. Take a walk around your neighbourhood or around your backyard, and notice all the little pieces of creation around you. Thank God for each and every one.
• Plant a garden or a tree
• Buy an item of clothing you need at a thrift store instead of a mall
• Challenge your family to eat the leftovers and clean out the freezer this week to prepare meals in order to reduce food waste
• Take shorter showers and turn off the taps as you brush your teeth to conserve water
• Think of an idea or two of your own!

Made in His Image

Supplies: Full length mirror, window writer markers, prayer station sign (download all signs, plus a blank one HERE), post-it notes, pencils or pens.

Set up a large full-length mirror and write the words “God made me uniquely in His image” at the top so it creates a banner over each student who looks at themselves. Set up the “Made in His Image” prayer station sign.  

Do: Stand in front of the mirror and take a good, long look at yourself! Say the words on the mirror out loud three times. “God made me uniquely in his image!” 

Read: Ephesians 2:10

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. 

Think: What makes you a unique creation of God’s - a masterpiece? The way you look? Your personality? A skill you have?  

Do: Take a post it note or two and write down the things you thought of that make you God’s unique creation. Stick them to the frame of the mirror.  

Pray: Thank God for creating you as his masterpiece. Tell him the things about yourself that you are most thankful for. Ask him to help you remember every day that you are a special creation, made on purpose and for a purpose. Ask him to show you the good works he has planned for you to do for him. 

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Letters To God

Supplies: Bananagram or Scrabble tiles, prayer station sign, letter template sheets. Poster board or mural paper and markers. 

Spread out the letter tiles on a table. Set up the “Letters to God” prayer station sign. Spread out the mural paper and pens. 

Reflecting God’s image to our world means knowing what He is like and imitating his character every day. 

Think: What are some characteristics of Jesus/God that you should imitate? (loving, patient, forgiving, humble, self-control, gentle, faithful, compassionate, kind, servant, etc.)

Read: Ephesians 5:2 

Imitate God in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ!

Do: Choose one or two of these characteristics and spell them out on the table with the letters provided. 

Think: What is one way you can reflect this characteristic of God this week? Write it on the mural paper. 

Pray: Thank God for being so amazing and for being the perfect example to follow. Ask for his help to be as much like him as possible every day. Pray specifically for the idea you had and wrote on the paper and ask God to help you carry that out this week.

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Build It Up!

Supplies: Assorted LEGO blocks, LEGO base, prayer station sign.

Set up the LEGO base and a container of blocks. Begin the build by attaching a few blocks together as a visual of what kids should work on at this station. Set up the “Build It Up” prayer station sign.

READ:  1 Thessalonians 5:11

So encourage one another with the hope you have. Build each other up.

THINK: Building others up is one of the purposes God designed us for! How can YOUR words and actions this week help to build someone else up?

DO: Think of the people in your life that might need some encouragement this week and then think of a way you could specifically build that person up this week. Add a block to the creation for each person and idea you think of.

PRAY: Pray, by name, for the people you thought of and added a block for. Pray that they would know that God loves and cares for them. Ask God to help you to use your word, your actions and your good ideas to reach out to others with his love this week. Specifically ask that he will help you carry out the encouragement ideas you thought of for the people you named.

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Creation Praise!

Supplies: Mural Paper, art supplies (markers, crayons, paint, etc), prayer station sign. 

Spread out the mural paper. Write Psalm 104:24-25 in the centre of the paper: 

Lord, you created so many things! With your wisdom you made them all. The earth is full of the living things you made.

Spread out the art supplies. Set up the “Creation Praise” prayer station sign. 

Read the verse on the mural paper - Psalm 104:24-25.

Think: Think of all the things you can that God created. Which one is your favourite? 

Do: Draw the creation that you thought of on the mural paper. 

Pray: As you draw, thank God for his creation. Tell him how amazing he is and what you love about the things he created for you to enjoy! Ask him to help you take care of his creation every day. 

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Finding My Spark

Supplies: A selection of some ‘Sparks’ kids might have (Found HERE - print on yellow paper. You may wish to have duplicates for kids who choose the same Spark), string, clothespins, prayer station sign.

Print and cut the Spark templates. Set them out on the table along with clothespins. Hang a string in the space. Set up the “Finding My Spark” station sign. 

Say: God created us each uniquely and placed a Spark inside us that we can use for him! By using the gifts and abilities he gave us for him, and the things we are passionate about, we can share his love with others, introduce our friends to Jesus, help out with the needs of others, and encourage people around us!

Read: Ephesians 4:10 

Why is it that he gives us these special abilities to do certain things best? It is that God’s people will be equipped to do better work for him, building up the Church, the body of Christ!

Think: Read the Spark cards on the table in front of you. Which ones best represent YOUR Spark? Maybe yours is already hung up on the string - check there too!

Do: Pick up a Spark or two and hang it/them on the string. 

Think: What are 3 ways I can use this Spark for Jesus? 

Pray: Thank God for making you so unique and for giving you special gifts, abilities and passions that he can use. Tell God that you want to use those things for HIS purposes. Ask him for help to do that every day. 

Set of 5 Family Devotions

Supplies: File for printable cards, files for two worksheets, hole punch & binder rings.

Have the cards printed two-sided, and cut in whatever quantities you need (cut the printed stack in half, then place the bottom half behind the top half - the pages will be in order). Print the worksheets, fold them in half, then attach them together with the cards as a set with a binder ring (may need to crop or fold the bottom corner so they’re not held closed). Send the devotions home with kids after SPARK, encouraging them to be used over the following week. 

Find the printable files here:

Cards

"Praise Psalm" Worksheet

"Lightbulb Memory Verse" Worksheet