FISH NET RELAY: Divide the children into teams. Each team will get a fish net of teacher's choice and when teacher shouts GO, each team will run to the FISHY area that the teacher designates to each team. The team members will fill their net with all the cut out pictures of FISH and when all the fish from their own area have been collected, the team will run back to the teacher with their nets! Teacher can use plastic fish, cut out paper fish, etc.

POLE FISHING RELAY: Two teams will stand in a line with one pole for each team. One member from each team will run to the "fish bucket" and put their magnet at the end of the pole's fish line onto one of the metal items in the bucket and carry that item back to their team. Then each player will take their turn in fishing in the bucket and bringing back one metal item to the team until all the items in the bucket have been retrieved. Item ideas would be pen, paper clip, hair barret, money, keys, etc.

ROD AND REELS: Fill a small mini plastic pool or plastic dish pan, etc, with water. Place many plastic toys in each "pool" for each team. Put a large plastic white hook on the end of the fishing line and let children take turns "fishing for a toy" with their rod and reel! Tell children to listen carefully about who is fishing in our lesson today!

NET CHAT: Pass a small fish net around to the children sitting in a circle. Each child will take a fish out of the net (a fish that the teacher has cut out ahead of time with words on each fish about today's lesson). After all the children have a fish, give children opportunities to read what is on their fish and to share any ideas they might have about today's lesson or about fishing. The fish can have Bible verse words on them as well, if desired and the children can put the Bible verse words in order in the middle of their circle.

FISH TYING: Provide cut out fish for children to color 2 fish for each child. Then glue a small amount of cotton or tissues on one side of the fish and glue the fish together. Then hole punch holes around the outside of the fish and let children TIE the 2 pieces of fish together and write on the fish, "FOLLOWING JESUS BRINGS GREAT REWARDS".

FISHY FACE OR HAND PAINTING: Have face paints available for children to paint a fish on their hand or on another child's cheek, with the outline of a simple fish and write JESUS in the fish or on another child's hand.

FEET TO FOLLOW: Place many tracings of feet across a large open area or around corners or obstacles for children to follow. Each child could carry a stick with a string and magnet on the end of the string, as they follow the feet. When they get to the end of the FOOT PATH, the teacher can have a bucket of "fish" glued or clipped to paper clips so children can go fishing and walk the path to bring their fish home!

FISH FRY AND CRACKERS: Before class, the teacher can fry up some small pieces of fish, fish nuggets or fish sticks. Let children sit in a circle and enjoy some fried fish and some fish crackers together. Take turns telling today's story, with the teacher starting out and each child continuing the story, while they sit on a blanket and enjoy the fish picnic!

SING A SONG: I will make you Fishers of Men; I have Decided to Follow Jesus

Words and Music (pdf)

MP3 Accompaniment Track (right click to save to your computer)