CHURCH BUILDING: Divide children into two teams if there are enough children. When the teacher says GO, children will try to build a church with their bodies in the shape of a church and a steeple -- a square and a roof or steeple. Children can watch one team and then take turns watching, or can do the church building at the same time. Another option for this game could be to to have one child at a time get in position to be a part of the church building instead of everyone piling up at the same time.

IN CHURCH-OUT OF CHURCH: The teacher can have the children line up on the right side of a long string or piece of colored tape on the floor. (A big brown church/steeple picture on a poster board could lay between the line if desired). Tell children that the right side of the line is IN church and the left side of the line is OUT OF CHURCH. As the teacher calls out the directions to go IN THE CHURCH or OUT OF THE CHURCH, the children will attempt to jump from side to side with the commands. If a child jumps to the wrong side, he is out and continue to play the game, speeding up the commands or using the same commands at a time to confuse the children, for fun.

CHURCH PLACEMAT: Give children supplies to make a place mat in the shape of a church. Decorate with markers and stickers and write DON'T MISS CHURCH, and cover as much as possible with clear contact paper.

PAPER MACHE CHURCH: Give children each a tissue box and let children put paper mache mixture (google the mache mixture) all over the box. Use a styrofoam cone, etc, to place on the church as the steeple. Spray paint the church at the end of class and let dry through the week for children to take home the following week.

CRAFT STICK CHURCH: Give children craft sticks to build a church -- paint or use markers for the craft sticks and write ideas on each craft stick for reasons to go to church, BEFORE gluing together.

CHURCH BOOKLET: Provide children with small pieces of construction paper to staple or hook together with a hole and paper brad to hold pages together. Let children write one reason for going to church on each piece of paper and make a title page for DON'T MISS CHURCH. Encourage children to lay their booklet on their dresser or a living room table to encourage all of the family to go to church each week to please Jesus!

SIDEWALK CHALK CHURCH: Let children draw a CHURCH on the sidewalk and make windows, doors and people. Have another group of children write in huge letters -- DON'T MISS CHURCH!!

WHO'S MISSING IN C-H-__-__C-H: Cut out large letters for two C's and two H's. Cut out the U and the R in another bright colored paper. Place the C and H's in the proper place with the U and R missing. Ask the children what is missing and then as they answer, place the colorful U and R in the correct place.

CHURCH HAND PLAY: Have children fold hands the opposite way than they do normally when they pray. Say, HERE'S THE CHURCH; then put pointer fingers together pointing "up" and say HERE'S THE STEEPLE; the open the thumbs up and say, OPEN THE DOOR; bring all the rest of the fingers around and pointing up and say, AND SEE ALL THE PEOPLE!!

SING A SONG: Praise Him-Praise Him-all ye little children

SNACK TIME: Tell children there is yet ONE more good reason for going to church and let them reach into a candy bag and take out a candy and tell children that "going to church is always a TREAT"!! (Cookies or cupcakes or a cake that is decorated to look like a CHURCH would be great too)

Words and Music (pdf)

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