Listen to “He Heareth Us.” Highlight the promise in this scripture that God hears their prayers.
Read “How I Love Your Prayers.” Pause after each page and ask the children to remember a time when they’ve prayed for someone else or themselves similar to any of the points brought out in this article’s list.
If one of your children or someone they know needs prayer for a point that is mentioned, say a prayer and again read a Bible promise from the page that supports your prayer.
Talk about how God answers our prayers, but sometimes we don’t notice immediate results because the time has to be right to receive the answer. Sometimes, He also doesn’t answer in the way we expect Him to. However, we can be assured that God is working to answer even if we don’t understand how or see the results right away.
Read “Prayer Magnets.”
Read “The Lord’s Prayer.” You can also find an audio of the prayer to listen to here.
Read “Bookend Prayers with Praise.” Point out how the Lord’s Prayer also begins and ends with praise. At the beginning, Jesus says that God’s name is hallowed, which means His name deserves great respect. The Lord’s Prayer ends with the praise, “For Yours is the kingdom and power and glory.”
Listen to “Morning Prayer.” If you like, at the end of the class you can encourage the children to sing the chorus as a prayer for the day:
Please come and walk with me today,
And guide my steps along Your way.
Help me to keep my thoughts on You,
And pray before each thing I do.
And pray before each thing I do.
If you have other suggestions of supplemental material, or additional activities in teaching this topic, please share your ideas and tips by commenting below. We look forward to hearing from you.
S&S link: Christian Life and Faith: A Personal Connection with Jesus: Prayer-1acd
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Copyright 2013 by The Family International
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Watch “Little Things.”
Read “You May Be Small, but You Matter!”
See how many things you and your child can come up with that begin as something small. Draw a picture that includes some of these things.
Read “I Can Use You!”
Discuss the ways your child helps you throughout the day, or how he shows kindness and God’s care to others.
Watch “God Specializes in Using Little Things.”
Read “Are You Small Enough?”
Watch “The Power of a Smile.”
If you have other suggestions of supplemental material, or additional activities for teaching this topic, please share your ideas and tips by commenting below. We look forward to hearing from you.
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Copyright © 2013 by The Family International
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Read “Story: Hurt by Unkindness.”
Listen to “Audio: James 3.” Discuss the kinds of conversation or speech that this chapter says to avoid (for example, gossip, foolish words, unkind words, etc.). Talk about what these things might look like in everyday life.
Watch this movie clip from Bambi.
Read “Let It Pass.” After reading this poem, name some occasions and circumstances when it might be best to say nothing at all.
Read “Is It Alright to Get Angry?”
Take “Quick Quiz: Bible Who, What, Why, and Where on Anger.” Find the answer key here.
Read “Feeling Bugged?”
Print out “Crazily Cool Card Set: The Power of the Tongue.” Have the children choose one of the verses to cut out, color, and memorize.
Watch “Say Something Nice,” Treasure Attic.
Additional material:
If you have other suggestions of supplemental material, or additional activities in teaching this topic, please share your ideas and tips by commenting below. We look forward to hearing from you.
S&S link: Character Building: Social Skills: Communication and Interaction-2d
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Read the verse, “Honor your father and your mother” (Exodus 20:12 ESV; see also Ephesians 6:2).
Read “Honor Your Parents,” and do the activity found on page 5.
For a reminder of “Great Things Fathers Do,” read parts 1 and 2. Encourage the children to discuss which of these apply to their fathers. Many will apply to their mothers as well; ask them which ones. Next the children can do the activity on page 13 of part 2.
Match these sons in the Bible with their fathers in “Faithful Fathers of the Bible.”
Read “God’s Splendid Mothers.”
Appreciate your mother with this activity. You could possibly do something with this activity every day of the week before Mother’s Day. (Note: This activity can be done for fathers too.)
You can also send an e-card to your mother (or grandmother too) for Mother’s Day! And you can send an e-card to your father for Father’s Day! (Here’s an e-card for your grandfather.)
Additional activities:
Mother’s Day Crafts, Cards, Activities, and Worksheets
Father’s Day Crafts and Activities
More active appreciation ideas that could be adapted to appreciating your father and mother.
If you have other suggestions of supplemental material, or additional activities in teaching this topic, please share your ideas and tips by commenting below. We look forward to hearing from you.
S&S link: Character Building: Social Skills: Respect-1d
Compiled by My Wonder Studio Staff
Copyright 2013 by The Family International
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Read “Sunny’s Adventure.”
Read “Bright Pebbles: Jesus in Our Lives,” and pause at the end to do the activity described on the last page. Next, talk about how salvation is the greatest gift that Jesus has given to each of us. Read “John 3:16 Is for You” and talk about what it means together.
Read “Bright Pebbles: All Our Needs.” Another way Jesus cares for us is through the supply of our needs. Recall a time when Jesus supplied one of your or your child’s needs.
Read “Bright Pebbles: Looking After Us” or “Bright Pebbles: Our Awesome Protector.” Discuss how when we feel scared or sad we should think about how much God loves us and cares for us.
Watch “Forever Friend” Treasure Attic music video.
Additional material:
Crazily Cool Card Set: All My Needs
My Day (Veggie Tales storybook)
If you have other suggestions of supplemental material, or additional activities for teaching this topic, please share your ideas and tips by commenting below. We look forward to hearing from you.
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Copyright © 2013 by The Family International
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Read “Hero of the Month: Elijah.”
Listen to “An Audio Bible Adventure: Make Me a Cake” (runtime: 6:13). The widow of Zarephath had been gathering wood so she could cook one last cake of bread for herself and her son before their food ran out. But when God's prophet told her to bake him a cake first, God was testing her to see if she'd be willing to put Him first. Discuss how even if you don't have much to give, God will bless a giving heart, no matter how small the gift. Look up the story of the widow’s mite in Mark 12:41–44.
Listen to “An Audio Bible Adventure: Fire from Heaven” (runtime: 10:34). It probably wasn’t easy for Elijah to confront King Ahab and the prophets of Baal on Mount Caramel for a showdown, but Elijah expected God to do a miracle. Where do you think Elijah’s courage and conviction came from? (Through prayer and spending time with God.)
Read of some of the other miracles that Elijah performed:
Do “Hero of the Month Coloring Page: Elijah.”
Do “Hero of the Month Quiz: Elijah.”
If you have other suggestions of supplemental material, or additional activities in teaching this topic, please share your ideas and tips by commenting below. We look forward to hearing from you.
S&S link: Christian Life and Faith: Witnessing and Missionary Training: Great Men and Women of God-2a; Christian Life and Faith: A Personal Connection with Jesus: Prayer-2d
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Copyright © 2013 The Family International
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Read Psalm 23. (An audio of this Psalm can be found here.)
Learn about Psalm 23.
Read “Follow Jesus Today.”
Talk about an experience your child has had where he had to trust that Jesus was out front and going to take care of him. Perhaps it was a new situation that he had not experienced before, and worried about, but then discovered that everything turned out well.
Listen to or read “Billy and the Big ‘What If,’” and point out how Billy learned to pray and trust that Jesus was caring for him.
Listen to or read “Trudge and Zippy.”
Read Luke 15:4–7 and point out how special each individual is to Jesus.
Do the activities found in “Bible Space Trek: The Parable of the Lost Sheep.” (Find the answer key here.)
View “Jesus’ Little Lambs.”
Be the artist by tracing or copying your choice from these figures to make your own picture or story of Jesus’ care for you. You could also use these figures to draw a picture of Jesus’ care for a friend of yours, to give to him or her as a present.
Additional resources:
If you have other suggestions of supplemental material, or additional activities in teaching this topic, please share your ideas and tips by commenting below. We look forward to hearing from you.
S&S link: Christian Life and Faith: A Personal Connection with Jesus: Jesus, Your Best Friend-1ac
]]>Compiled by My Wonder Studio staff.
Copyright © 2013 by The Family International
Read “Your Praises Make Me Glad.” Discuss the reasons highlighted in this article about why praise is important. (It makes Jesus happy; it helps us count our blessings, which also makes us happy too.)
Read the story “Dunkin.”
Discuss how praise is a form of respect for God. Talk about how there are many ways to praise. Come up with some ideas, then choose one praise idea to do together.
Read and/or memorize the rhymes on “Poster: Shout for Joy” and “Poster: Father, We Thank Thee.” Coloring pages for these posters are available here.
Read the verses found on “Crazily Cool Card Set: Praise and Thankfulness,” and have your child choose one to memorize.
If you have other suggestions of supplemental material, or additional activities for teaching this topic, please share your ideas and tips by commenting below. We look forward to hearing from you.
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Copyright © 2013 by The Family International
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Read “Hero of the Month: King David.”
Read 1 Samuel 16:1–13 for the story of Samuel anointing young David to be the future king of Israel.
Listen to “An Audio Bible Adventure: A Giant’s Challenge” (runtime: 7:48).
Talk about how God likes to use people who are lowly in their own eyes to show His greatness. Can your child think of other instances in the Bible where this was shown? (Gideon and his band of three hundred, Jaal defeating a general, Mary and Joseph as Jesus’ earthly parents, Jesus’ fisherman disciples, etc.)
Listen to “An Audio Bible Adventure: To Win an Enemy” (runtime: 07:01).
Listen to “An Audio Bible Adventure: Exploits of a King-to-Be” (runtime: 6:20).
Highlight the fact that while King David was a great king, he was not perfect. In fact, at one point he committed a very bad sin (see 2 Samuel 11, 12:1–15). However, he repented with a great repentance, and accepted God’s punishment in humility. And then later, knowing that God had forgiven him for so much, it became easier for him to have compassion and forgiveness for others. King David once said of God, "Your gentleness has made me great" (Psalm 18:35).
Listen to “Psalm 34,” a Psalm of David.
Do “Hero of the Month Coloring Page: King David.”
Do “Hero of the Month Quiz: King David.”
Additional resources:
If you have other suggestions of supplemental material, or additional activities in teaching this topic, please share your ideas and tips by commenting below. We look forward to hearing from you.
S&S link: Christian Life and Faith: Witnessing and Missionary Training: Great Men and Women of God-2a; Character Building: Values and Virtues: Courage-2c
]]>Contributed by My Wonder Studio staff.
Copyright © 2013 The Family International
Part 1: Jesus Is Here for You
Listen to “Me and You.” (For those who enjoy coloring, you can download the accompanying illustration.)
Read Romans 8:38–39. (See also the “Crazily Cool Card” that accompanies this verse.)
Read “Your Best Friend Ever.” After reading pages 1 and 2, encourage the children to think about a recent experience they enjoyed, and then imagine how Jesus was there with them during that time.
After reading page 3, ask them to think of something difficult they remember facing, and to think about how Jesus was with them during that as well, helping and caring for them. Perhaps you can help them see how Jesus’ help and presence was manifested by how they were able to smile through their tears during that difficulty, or in some other way. If the difficulty was the passing of a loved one, such as a grandparent, take time to talk about how though they can’t see their loved one, he or she is alive with Jesus, and happy.
Reflect on Romans 8:38–39 and how during both good and bad times Jesus was with them (“For I am sure that neither death nor life … nor height nor depth … will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord”).
Read “Happiness Above Problems.”
Read or listen to the audio of “Lost and Found.”
View “Slidecast: The Fountain of God’s Love.”
Part 2: Talk with Jesus
Finish reading “Your Best Friend Ever,” pages 4–7.
Read “Bring Jesus into All You Do”
Read “Call Me Friend.” (Tip: This views better in PDF form.)
Read “In Our Tent.”
Read “Invisible but Here.”
Interact with Jesus: Over the next few days, encourage the children that they can talk to Jesus during activities they are engaged in, or tell Him about their day, helping them to experience Jesus as a personal friend.
Memorize a verse from “Crazily Cool Card Set: Jesus—Your Best Friend.”
Spend “A Little Time with Jesus.”
Additional listening, reading, and activities:
If you have other suggestions of supplemental material, or additional activities in teaching this topic, please share your ideas and tips by commenting below. We look forward to hearing from you.
S&S link: Christian Life and Faith: A Personal Connection with Jesus: Jesus, Your Best Friend-1abc
]]>Compiled by My Wonder Studio staff.
Copyright © 2013 by The Family International