First Look 2-year-olds, June, Week 3
June 18, 2017
Basic Truth: God made me.
Key Question: Who can do what God wants you to do?
Bottom Line: I can do what God wants me to do.
Memory Verse: “God made us to do good works.” Ephesians 2:10, NCV
Bible Story Focus: I can lead others.
David Anointed King • 1 Samuel 16:1-13
Here’s an overview of what you’ll be teaching in 2s this week.
Make It Fun
(Choose one or both of these activities)
• Call to Mat
• Find David
Make It True
• Bible Story
Make It Stick
(Choose as many of these activities as you like)
• Soft to Loud
• Heart Squeeze
• Pin the Crown
June 18, 2017
Basic Truth: God made me.
Key Question: Who can do what God wants you to do?
Bottom Line: I can do what God wants me to do.
Memory Verse: “God made us to do good works.” Ephesians 2:10, NCV
Bible Story Focus: I can lead others.
David Anointed King • 1 Samuel 16:1-13
Make It Fun
Prepare to offer one or more of the following activities as your 2-year-olds arrive. Let one or two teachers lead small groups of children in activities throughout the room while another teacher greets parents and kids at the door. At this age not all children will participate, but most will want to be part of the fun.
1. Call to Mat
“Call to Mat” is an activity that teaches following directions and listening skills while introducing today’s Bible story.
What You Need: Non-slip doormat (Option: You could also use a piece of construction paper taped to the floor. Be sure it is taped very well so that the children will not slip and fall.)
What You Do:
Before the Activity: Place the mat in the middle of the activity area.
During the Activity: Call each child individually and invite them to stand on the mat. When they are on the mat, tell the child that they are going to hear about someone who was called in the Bible story today and then give them permission to go and play. Repeat the activity until every child has been called to the mat.
What You Say:
Before the Activity: “Everyone use your listening ears today! If you hear your name called, please come and see me on this mat!” (Point.)
During the Activity: (Call a child’s name and ask them to stand on the mat.) “Today in our Bible story you are going to hear about someone who was called. Great job for listening for your name to be called! You may go play now.” (Repeat with all of the other children.)
After the Activity: “You all came when I called you. Nice job! You rock! Now it is time to hear our Bible story about someone who came when they were called. I cannot wait!”
2. Find David
“Find David” is an activity that teaches problem solving and reasoning skills while introducing today’s Bible story.
What You Need: “David’s Heart” Activity Page, white cardstock, and scissors
What You Do:
Before the Activity: Copy the Activity Page onto the cardstock and cut along the dotted lines.
During the Activity: Place the three cards face down on the floor or table in the activity area. Tell the children that there is a picture of a boy named David with a HUGE heart! Turn the pictures over and asked the children to point to the picture that they think is David. The picture that is David will have a large heart on it.
After the Activity: Be sure every child is able to point to the picture of David.
What You Say:
Before the Activity: “Today we are going to hear a Bible story about a boy named David. David had a HUGE heart! That means that he loved God very much.”
During the Activity: (Point to pictures.) “On one of these cards is a picture of David. When I turn them over, see if you can find the picture of David. Remember, David has a HUGE heart and loves God very much! (Do activity.) Great job! Now can everyone point to the picture of David?”
After the Activity: “You were able to find David. You rock! David loved someone with all of his HUGE heart! Let’s get ready to hear our Bible story to find out who it was!”
Make It True
After children have participated in Make It Fun, tell the Bible story.
When sharing the Bible story, guide kids to gather around you on the floor. Some kids (especially the younger ones) may wander. That’s OK. They’re still listening and learning!
Bible Story
What You Need: Bible and plastic crown
STORYTELLER: “Hello, friends! Have a seat crisscross applesauce right here on the floor with me. I have a TRUE story from the Bible (hold up) to tell you about our friend Samuel. And in this true story, God gave Samuel a very BIG job. He told Samuel to go a man named Jesse’s house because one of Jesse’s sons was going to be the next king! (Hold up the crown.) God told Samuel to go to Jesse’s house, and God would show him which of Jesse’s sons would be the next king. Whoa. Now if you’re looking for a king, you’d want someone smart, right? Or someone strong! Or maybe someone older and wiser!
“But Samuel knew that it wasn’t up to him. He knew that God would choose the right guy to lead and be king. So Samuel went up and down the line of brothers. But God didn’t choose any of them.
“So Samuel asked Jesse, the father of the house, if there were any more brothers. Jesse said there was one brother who wasn’t home yet. He was out in the field watching over the sheep.
“‘Send for him,’ Samuel said.
“So the brothers waited and waited until finally their brother David came home. And do you know what? David was just a kid! Do you think he could be the next king?
“God told Samuel that yes, David should be the new king—not because of the way David looked on the outside, but because of his heart on the inside. David loved God with all his heart, and that’s what God wanted for the new king.
“Samuel anointed David with oil and told him God wanted him to be king one day.
(Hold up the crown.)
“Wow! David, the kid, is going to be in charge one day. He’s going to be the next king. That is awesome.
“God knows that kids can do great things! God made you and knows that you can do what He asks you to do! Who can do what God wants you to do?”
CHILDREN and STORYTELLER: [Bottom Line] “I can do what God wants me to do.”
STORYTELLER: “Yes, you can! Now let’s pray. Heavenly Father, thank You so much for this true story from Your Word, the Bible. We learned that David did what You wanted him to do and that he became a great leader. Help us to do what You want us to do too. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.”
Make It Stick
Choose two or more of the following activities to help make the Bottom Line stick. Lead the activities with small groups of children. Encourage children to play on their own if they do not wish to take part in an activity.
1. Soft to Loud
“Soft to Loud” is an activity that teaches the memory verse in a fun way that also teaches voice control and following directions.
What You Need: No supplies needed
What You Do:
Before the Activity: Say the memory verse with the children.
During the Activity: Say the verse again, but this time say it in a whisper. Continue saying the verse and each time you say it, say it louder and louder.
After the Activity: End the activity by saying the verse while shouting it with the children.
What You Say:
Before the Activity: “Let’s practice our memory verse together. God made us to do good works, Ephesians 2:10. Awesome. You rock!”
During the Activity: “Now let’s say our verse in a very low voice, like a whisper. Are you ready? ‘God made us to do good works, Ephesians 2:10. Great! Say it again just a tiny bit louder. (Say it louder.) Yay! Now just a little bit louder! (Say it even louder.) Perfect!” (Keep going with the activity until the children are shouting.)
After the Activity: “God made us to do great things! Even kids like you can listen to God and do what He wants you to do, because you ROCK! Who can do what God wants you to do? [Bottom Line] I can do what God wants me to do!”
2. Heart Squeeze
“Heart Squeeze” is an activity that gives the child an active role in the retelling of today’s Bible story.
What You Need: Heart pillow
What You Do:
Before the Activity: Have the children stand in front of you.
During the Activity: Retell the Bible story.
After the Activity: Walk up to each child and hand them the heart. Ask the child who has the heart, “Who had the biggest heart in our Bible story today?” Praise the children when they say, “David.”
What You Say:
Before the Activity: “We heard an AMAZING story today!”
During the Activity: “God asked Samuel to find the next king. God already knew who He wanted to be the king. Samuel went to a man named Jesse’s house and he saw that Jesse had many sons. He had sons that were smart, sons that were strong, and sons that were older. Samuel knew that God would pick the perfect king. God did not pick any of those sons. There was one son that was not there. They waited for the son named David to come back from the fields. When Samuel saw him he was surprised. He was just a kid! God wanted David to be the next king and Samuel knew that God was always right. God picked Samuel because he might not be big and strong on the outside, but God knew that he had a HUGE heart and that he loved God with his whole heart. David was king!”
After the Activity: (Walk up to a child.) “Can you give the heart a hug? (Pause.) Who had the biggest heart in our story today? (Pause.) Yes! David! Great job! (Allow each child to hug the heart and answer the question.) God made us to do great things, just like David! Who can do what God wants you to do? [Bottom Line] I can do what God wants me to do!”
3. Pin the Crown
“Pin the Crown” is an activity that teaches fine motor skills and concentration while reinforcing today’s Bible story.
What You Need: Large piece of butcher paper, wall tape, marker, scissors, and bulletin board border (Option: Instead of the border, you could also use pictures of a crown or crown die-cuts.)
What You Do:
Before the Activity: Use the marker to draw an outline of a person on the butcher paper. Be sure to include facial features and hair. This drawing will represent David. Hang the butcher paper on a wall low enough for a child to reach the head. Cut the border into four-inch pieces. These pieces will be crowns. Every child will need a crown.
During the Activity: Attach a loop of tape to the back of each crown and encourage each child to walk over to the picture of David and place the crown on his head. Make sure each child gets a turn to place a crown on David’s head.
What You Say:
Before the Activity: “I drew a picture of David from our story today. (Point.) He is the king, but he is missing his crown! Can you help me give him a crown?”
During the Activity: (Give each child a crown.) “We’re going to place the crown on top of David’s head one at a time. (Do activity.) Great job!”
After the Activity: “God chose David to be king because of his HUGE heart and because he loved God with all of his heart. God made all of us for great things! We can do what God wants us to do! Who can do what God wants you to do? [Bottom Line] I can do what God wants me to do!”
Curriculum Materials for 2-year-olds • ©2017 The reThink Group. All rights reserved. • www.ThinkOrange.com 1