Left Out?
Group Activities

Sermon Title: "Left Out"

Scripture Reading: Luke 14:12-14

BANQUET RELAY:

Divide the children into 2 teams. Each team will have a basket at the front of their team line. On the other side of the room will be a long table full of various types of food for children to run to the table and grab ONE food item and bring back to their team's basket. The next player will do the same and continue until all the food on the table is gone. At the end of the game when all the food is gone, the teams will count how many items are in their basket. The team with the most "banquet items" will be the winner.

MUSICAL CHAIRS:

Play a game of musical chairs as time allows. At the end of the game, children can sit in a circle and ask children how they felt when they had to sit out and watch the others continue to play the game and how did they feel when they were allowed to remain in the game. Tell today's Bible story to the children.

PARTY RELAY:

You can divide the children into teams or play the activity as a group. The teacher can supply items for the children to use to dress up as a blind, lame, poor or a crippled person and then run back to their team. Provide walking sticks, crutches, bandaids, sunglasses or bandanas for the blind, torn or tattered clothes for the poor. Make sure to take a picture of the children when everyone is dressed up.

PARTY INVITATIONS:

Provide supplies such card stock, stickers, markers, ribbon, etc. for the children to use to make party invitations. Encourage the children to make a party invitation that says, "EVERYONE IS INVITED TO A PARTY AT SUNDAY SCHOOL NEXT SUNDAY. Tell the children to invite less fortunate children or older church adults to the party. NEXT SUNDAY, be sure to have some balloons, treats, and cups of juice. Decorate the room with ribbons and other party decorations. Make sure on the day of the party to make EVERYONE feel special!

REWARD RIBBON:

Provide children with a wide ribbon of any type of material. Tell the children to write words from today's Bible verse on the ribbon or suggest a phrase from our lesson today about loving and caring for others who don't have as much as we have.

PARTY BALLOONS:

Let children first use a marker to write a word on a balloon that might describe someone less fortunate than the child might be. For example: crippled, lame, blind, or poor. Then blow the balloons up and tie a string to the balloons and let children march around a designated room area to announce a PARTY FOR EVERYONE!

SPECIAL THINGS BOOKLET:

Give the children construction paper squares to staple or tie together with yarn. The title page can say LOVE OTHERS and each page in the booklet can have a word or phrase from our lesson today. The children may wish to draw pictures on some pages of the booklet as well.

SING A SONG:

JESUS LOVES THE LITTLE CHILDREN

SHARE A SNACK:

Balloon treats - The teacher will place small candies in balloons and inflate one for each child. At the end of class, let the children break their balloons and enjoy their snack.

Song: "Jesus Loves the Little Children"

Words and Music (pdf)

MP3 Piano accompaniment Track