Preparing our Hearts for Ressurection Sunday
As we are preparing our hearts for Easter/ Ressurection Sunday, we are Reading “The Easter Story: 40 Bible stories Showing who Jesus Really is” Each day we are exploring Jesus’s life and what he did while he was here on earth, as well as his purpose for coming by reading from the book, songs, crafts (when we can!)
Today’s reading, Luke 15:4-7 & John 10:1-21; “The Good Shepherd,” beautifully illustrated God’s boundless grace and love. The message that God seeks each one of us, regardless of how many are already found, truly resonated with the children. They connected deeply with the idea of losing something precious, much like their favorite cuddly toys or a stash of candy, they will always look for the one missing. The image of the shepherd searching tirelessly for the one lost sheep brought the story to life for them. This week, we took our Bible lesson outdoors, combining physical activity with a powerful message about the Good Shepherd.
God searches for each one of us, regardless of how many are already found .
THE LESSON:
- Reading: We started off reading the story from “The Easter Story: 40 Bible Lessons Showing Who Jesus Really Is” and passage from the Bible Luke 15:4-7 and also John 10:1-21 (although the lesson was mostly focused on Luke 15:4-7 I still thought this was good to read as well). We emphasized the shepherd’s joy upon finding the missing sheep, mirroring God’s joy when we turn to Him.
- We talked about: God’s love is personal. He is like a shepherd guiding us through life and if we stray, he will tirelessly look for us. Think of it like your collection or cars or stuffies, if one is missing you will search for it, they’re all your favorite!
- We sang: “I am a little lamb” English version ; Russian version .
- We summarized and emphasized: God pursues us: He doesn’t give up on us when we wander away. He and all of heaven rejoice in finding the lost: when one sinner repents.
- Activity “Sheep Round up!” : To make the lesson interactive and more memorable I planned a fun and active game ⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️
The Activity: Sheep Round up!
Here’s how we did it:
- Preparation: I blew up several (15) white balloons and drew Sheep Faces using a permanent marker. We chose a “pasture” or “pen” which was our sandbox. And then with the help of the wind scattered sheep around our yard. (This can be done indoors as well)
- The Challenge: The children had to run around, collect all the balloon sheep, and count them to ensure they had every single one.
- The Missing Sheep: I secretly hid one balloon sheep in the trees, making it a little more challenging.
- The Big Find: after some searching the children found the last sheep, we celebrated the finding of the lost sheep.
This Activity was a hit!
This Activity was a hit! It kept kids moving, engaged, and reinforced the concept of The Good Shepherd tending to His flock and searching for the lost no matter how many are found. The deep connection of losing just ONE stuffy or ONE car from their collection worked, and they connected with the search they went through to find the missing one. The suspense of looking for the lost sheep really clicked and locked this lesson in for them!
WHY THIS LESSON WORKED
- Kinesthetic learning: Not only did they get up and move they were able to internalize the message.
- Visual Representation: The sheep balloons offered a tangible representation of the parable.
- Physical Activity: They were able to get up and move, get some fresh air which is key in focus, concentration, and learning but also makes it more memorable.
- Counting and solving skills: They had to count their sheep making sure they got them all. After counting they had to figure out how many more were missing. How to gather the “sheep” so they don’t fly away, and a divide and conquer method to gather “sheep” quickly
This simple yet effective activity turned a Bible lesson into an unforgettable experience and hit so many skill levels! Its a reminder that learning Biblical lessons can be fun, engaging, and deeply meaningful. What are some ways you have been able to bring a Bible lesson to life? please share in the comments below.
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