3PK

March 30-31, 2013

Mark 14-16; John 13-21

Easter

Jesus is alive!

SCHEDULE for all sites: First 10 minutes of the service hour: Relationship-building time (kids get to know each other and the volunteers) Next 25 minutes: Large group teaching and worship Last 30 minutes: Story review, snack and small groups, activities/crafts If you finish early, have kids engage group games as parents arrive. Check out the end of the activities section to find an idea for this week

Be sure to check for Allergy Alert stickers before passing out snacks. Also, give kids only 1 snack option and change it up each week. Really, they will be OK if they don't get to choose exactly what they want. This will cut down on the distribution time. You can use snack time as an opportunity to review the Bible story, too.

As kids leave, tell them to retell today’s story to their parents using their story bags.

Read the story of Easter ahead of time. You can find it in Mark 14-16 or John 13-21. You may even want to watch the video kids will see during large group. It’s called “God’s Story: Easter,” and you can find it at crossroadskidsclub.net. This is a really important story, so do all you can to prepare to help kids understand it!

                                                                                                               

1

Goal: to equip kids to retell the story at home Why? This is the most exciting part of God’s Story so far; we want kids to know it and share it.

As kids eat a snack, REVIEW the story by following these steps:

1. How did Jesus rescue us? (He died on the cross) 2. What did people do after Jesus died? (they buried Him) 3. How do you think Jesus’ friends felt he died? (Sad!) 4. After Jesus died and was buried, what happened? (Hint: it’s the BEST part of this

story! Answer: He came back to life!) 5. How do you think Jesus’ friends felt when he came back to life? (Happy!) 6. Practice sign language again: “Jesus is alive!”

Then, follow these steps, so that each kid can create a STORY BAG to take home:

1. Give each kid a Ziploc bag with a sticker. Write his/her name on the sticker. Then review the story again, using the following items. Go through the whole story once with the items; then hand out the items as you go through it a second time:

a. Jesus rescued us by dying on the cross. (give each kid a cross) b. Some soldiers buried Jesus. (give each kid a closed egg, and tell them not to

open it, but to keep it closed…just like Jesus was buried inside a tomb) c. His friends were sad (give each kid a sad face image). d. But then, Jesus came back to life! (tell kids to open the egg, because Jesus

was alive and not buried anymore) e. His friends were happy! (smile face ring) f. We can be happy too, because…(do your sign language): Jesus is alive!

*When each kid has a story bag, pray together and thank Jesus for his rescue. Then ask kids to practice retelling the story to each other and to you! **If you have time, do the activity on the next page:

2

Tip: Kids learn through repetition: the more times you can go over the items in the story bag, the better!

                                                                                                               

Extra time? Try this: Freeze Dance: Play some upbeat music (use your Kids’ Club CD) and have everyone dance like crazy while the music is playing. Stop the music at random intervals and have kids freeze in place until the music plays again. Oh—and you gotta shake it some, too, or this game won’t work. Don’t worry—they won’t know you’re a horrible dancer.

                                                                                                               

Today, we’re learning sign language to help us remember the best part of Easter: Jesus is alive! Before you teach it to kids, learn how the sign is done. You can see a person modeling it at this site: http://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/ALIVE/2946/1.

Make sure you use lots of eye contact and muster as much energy as possible as you present. Kids love it when you act silly and over-the-top, so go for it. They'll love it and it will help the lesson to stick.

1

Presenter: Hi Friends! Welcome to Kid’s Club. I'm _______________ and I'm really glad you're here today. Before we get started, I want you to meet my friend, HOPS. She’s going to remind us of the kind of choices we can make today Kids’ Club. Video: HOPS 4: Share with Others (about 1 minute) REVIEW Presenter: (holding up the Bible for kids to see) …This is God’s story. Out of all the stories in the world, this story is the most important. It’s God’s Rescue plan. Remember how God made the whole world and everything was good? The world was perfect! Give me a smile and a “thumbs up!” (Let kids respond. Then change your tone): But THEN….something bad happened. Adam and Eve disobeyed God, and sadness and death came into the world… Show me your sad face. (Let kids respond.) This was really sad. But even though Adam and Eve disobeyed God…God loved them anyway! And God sent his own son, Jesus, to rescue us from all the wrong things in the world! Today, we’re talking about the story of how Jesus rescued us! INTRO: THE GREAT RESCUE Remember how just one week before Jesus rescued us, people were cheering and waving palm branches (wave your branch and cheer)? Everybody was excited!

                                                                                                               

2

But soon afterwards, people stopped cheering for Jesus. In fact, Jesus had to do something that seems pretty sad to rescue us. (Show your sad face) Let’s watch a video about Jesus’ rescue. As you watch, see if you can figure out what Jesus did to rescue us. Video: God’s Story / Easter (about 4 minutes) Did anybody see what Jesus did to rescue us? (Let kids respond.) Yes, he died on the cross! He died to take the punishment for all the wrong things in the world, all the times we are mean to people or don’t share or disobey. (Pause) But…guess what???? JESUS IS ALIVE! Jesus didn’t stay dead! He is alive! Let’s learn some sign language to help us remember the best part of this story. First, everybody point up and say “Jesus” (let kids respond). Now, point toward your tummy but keep your thumbs up, like this (model and let kids respond). Great job! Okay, now bring your hands up to point at your chin while you say “alive.” (Model and let kids respond. *See the sign here: http://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/ALIVE/2946/1) Let’s do it altogether! Ready? 1-2-3: “Jesus is alive!” (Model the signs and let kids follow) Wow, you guys are fast learners. Show me one more time: 1-2-3: “Jesus is alive!” (Model and let kids respond.) Okay, this is GREAT news, so let’s do it AS LOUD AS WE CAN. Ready? 1-2-3: “Jesus is alive!” (Model sign language and yelling.) Give me a “thumbs up” if you think you can show that to your mom or dad or grandma or somebody today. (Let kids respond.) Let’s pray together and ask God to help us tell our families the good news! (Pray, breaking it into small, repeatable phrases.) Pray: Hi God! Thanks for sending Jesus the rescuer! Thank you that Jesus is alive! Aaa-MEN. WORSHIP Alright, now it’s time to sing songs and celebrate the good news that Jesus is alive! Song: Great Day Song: Deep and Wide Dismiss kids to small groups. (Be creative as you dismiss them. Ask them to come give you a high five first, or maybe tiptoe or hop--like Hops--to their groups.)

                                                                                                               

3

 THIS  PAGE  LEFT  BLANK  INTENTIONALLY    

                                                                                                               

4

 THIS  PAGE  LEFT  BLANK  INTENTIONALLY    

                                                                                                               

                                                   

1

1. Coloring pages Per kid: Flower 2. 1 Ziploc or paper bag with sticker (Note:

please print sticker template on Avery 5264 labels. Sticker template is in curriculum folder)

3. 1 Cross: IN-36/2168)

2

4. 1 Plastic egg: IN-5/912 5. 1 Sad face image (template in

curriculum folder; please print in color and cut prior to the weekend)

6. 1 Smile face ring: IN-24/1164 7. Kids’ Club CD

1

1. 1 large palm branch (OT: IN-37/1415—can use same as last week)

2. Jesus Storybook Bible

21

1. Video: HOPS 4 Share with Others 2. Video: God’s Story / Easter 3. Song: Great Day 4. Song: Deep and Wide

21

Posters to go with the God’s Story video should be distributed at the end of each service today!

2

1

Tell me about Easter. How did Jesus rescue us?

2

The story of Easter is the most exciting part of God’s Story so far: it’s when Jesus rescued us from all the wrong things in the world! Kids have a “story bag” to help them retell the story of Easter at home. Ask them about it! And if you want, read it together in Mark 14-16 or watch a video of the story at CrossroadsKidsClub.net.