All Puffed Up
Group Activities

Scripture Reading: Luke 14:1-11

Sermon Title: "All Puffed Up"

PROUD/FALL GAME: Have all the children spread out in a large designated area. When the teacher shouts out.. PROUD... the children will stand tall and walk around with their noses in the air but when the teacher shouts, FALL... the children will fall to the ground. Continue as time allows, to get all the wiggles out of the children and then teach them today's Bible lesson to not think too highly of ourselves.

GIVE TALENTS 2 GOD: Let children write some of their talents that they have or would like to have on a poster. Then write in big RED LETTERS - "GIVE TO GOD"! Discuss why our talents should be given to GOD and should not PUFF us up.

BIBLE VERSE BALLOONS: Have the children or teacher (for younger children) write "PUFFED UP" on a balloon and then blow the balloon up and discuss being PUFFED UP!

WRAP A GIFT: The teacher can show a wrapped gift to each child and discuss with children that our abilities are a gift from God. Then let the children wrap a small box with a small mirror inside to remind them that God has given THEM (see themselves in the mirror) special gifts (abilities) to give back to Him.

BALLOON DRAWING MEMORY VERSE: Draw balloons on the chalkboard and let the children fill in a word on each balloon from our Bible verse. Then the teacher can erase one word at a time and have children recite the Bible verse filling in the missing words.

PUFFED UP PILLOW: The teacher will provide small (like 8 x 8 or 12 x 12) pieces of material sewn together except for a small opening for children to STUFF and then the child or teacher can sew the small opening closed. Have a discussion about being PUFFED up and God wanting us to be humble! The pillow can be a reminder of today's lesson!

BALLOON HEART: Pump up a long balloon and have children twist into the shape of a heart to remind them that GOD "loves" them and has given them special talents to use for HIM! (These balloons and a pump are sold at dollar stores and are very inexpensive.) Instructions: How to make a heart ballooon.

BIBLE VERSE POP: Write the words from today's key Bible verse one a piece of paper and place them in balloons. Then blow the balloons up for the children to pop and take the word that come out of their own balloon and place it in order on a poster board that the teacher has prepared ahead of time!

ABILITY AND GIFTS BALLOONS: This game can be played instead of or as well as the Bible Verse POP. The teacher will write abilities or gifts from God, inside many balloons. As the children leave their classroom at the end of class, the teacher can hand one or two balloons for the child to take home. Let the children know that there is a gift or ability inside their balloon that they can find after going home and popping their balloon. Slips of paper with gifts/abilities such as singing, reading, praying, helping, and encouraging others will be found inside the balloons.

SHARE A SNACK: The teacher will prepare frosted cookies decorated with picture of a balloon using gel frosting.

Song: "O Come, Let Us Adore Him" - Traditional

Sheet Music (PDF)

Accompaniment (MP3) Right click and save to your computer.

Song: "Praise Him! Praise Him!" - Traditional

Sheet Music (PDF)

Accompaniment (MP3) Right click and save to your computer.