1 Christmas Eve Basic Truth: Jesus wants to be my friend forever. Key Question: Why is Jesus special? Bottom Line:. Social (3:15, 4:30, 5:45, 7:00) 3:13 & 5:45 Birthday Bash 4:30 & 7:00 Happy Birthday Baby Jesus Playground/Centers (3:25, 4:40, 5:55, 7:10) If the weather allows, travel to the playground for 10 minutes of playtime outside. Journaling (3:35, 4:50, 6:05, 7:20) All Service Times Small Group Time Prayer Bible (3:45, 5:00, 6:15, 7:30) All Service Times Bible History Presentation in the Sandbox Groups (4:00, 4:15, 6:30, 7:45) 3:13 & 5:45 Birthday Bash Hats 4:30 & 7:00 Memory Verse Gifting All Service Times Dismiss Parent CUE (4:15, 5:30, 6:45, 8:00)
2 Christmas Eve Basic Truth: Jesus wants to be my friend forever. Key Question: Why is Jesus special? Bottom Line:. Social (Introductory Activities, 10 minutes) Let one teacher lead activities in different areas of the room while another teacher greets parents and kids at the door. 3:13 & 5:45 Birthday Bash Made to Explore: An activity that channels a preschooler s innate curiosity into a discussion of the week s crucial concepts What You Need: Streamers, birthday decorations, and wall tape What You Do: Before the Activity: Lay all of the decorations and streamers in the activity area. During the Activity: Encourage the children to use the decorations to decorate the activity area. Be sure to have an adult nearby to help with tape and any other frustrations. Be sure every child has a turn to help decorate. What You Say: Before the Activity: Christmas is Jesus birthday! And Christmas is tomorrow. I say, let s celebrate today! During the Activity: We have really cool decorations for our Birthday Bash. (Point.) Let s work together to decorate for the celebration! After the Activity: Nice work! It looks great! We are ready for our BIRTHDAY BASH. We are going to hear the history of Christmas from the Bible today. Merry Christmas Eve! Transition: Move to Large Group by telling everyone that they see, Merry Christmas Eve! as they walk to the Large Group area
3 4:30 & 7:00 Happy Birthday Baby Jesus Happy Birthday Baby Jesus is an activity that uses imagination and role-play. What You Need: Baby dolls, baby blankets, play food, and party hats What You Do: Before the Activity: Lay all of the supplies out in the activity area. During the Activity: Encourage the children to have a birthday party for the baby dolls. Encourage the children to feed the babies a birthday meal and place the party hats on the dolls. After the Activity: Allow the children to free play with the baby dolls. What You Say: Before the Activity: Tomorrow is baby Jesus birthday! I think we should throw a birthday party for these babies! During the Activity: You can use the play food and party hats to have a party with the babies. Can you make a birthday dinner for them? (Pause.) That looks yummy! After the Activity: That was a great birthday party! It s fun to celebrate Jesus birthday. I cannot wait to hear more about Christmas today! Let s go! Playground/Centers (9:10, 10:25, 11:40) If the weather allows, use this time to travel outside for 10 minutes of playtime. Place your We are on the Playground sign on the door as you leave. This will allow parents who are late to find you.
4 Christmas Eve Basic Truth: Jesus wants to be my friend forever. Key Question: Why is Jesus special? Bottom Line:. Journaling (Small Groups, 10 minutes) Give each child a cup of Chex cereal to snack on while you take them through the following exercise. What you Need: Paperclip Memory Verse Card in your Bible at John 3:16. Journal and a fun-shaped pen. Reward stamps. SMALL GROUP LEADER (SGL): I can t think of a better way to begin small group time than with telling Jesus happy birthday, even if it is tomorrow. When I count to three, I want all of us to say, Happy birthday, Jesus! Ready? One, two, three! CHILDREN and SGL: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JESUS! SGL: Yay for Christmas! Yay for Jesus birthday! Tomorrow is the BIG day! The day we ve been waiting for! The day when we celebrate how special Jesus is! And why is Jesus special? CHILDREN and SGL: [Bottom Line]! SGL: YES! [Bottom Line]! And that s what Christmas is all about. The events of Christmas are special because Jesus is special. One more time: Why is Jesus special? CHILDREN and SGL: [Bottom Line]! (Open Bible to memory verse card.) SGL: Okay, who wants to try and say our Bible verse for a sticker/hand stamp? (Pause for response.) Let s say it together one time with the motions and then anyone who wants to try and say it by yourself will get one of my stickers/hand stamps. Sound good? Here we go! (Lay Bible down.) CHILDREN and SGL: CHILDREN and SGL: God (point up) loved (hug yourself) the world (raise arms overhead to form a circle) so much (stretch arms out as far as possible) that he gave (place hands together with palms up in front as if offering
5 something) his only (point up) Son (hold arms as if cradling and rocking a baby), John 3:16. (Hold hands open like a book.) (Give each child the opportunity to say the verse on his own. Have your hand stamp ready to give when they say it.) SGL: I am so proud of you! Now you can teach that verse to your family and friends! And don t forget to tell them what the good news is. The good news is [Bottom Line] and He wants to be your friend forever. Who wants to be your friend forever? CHILDREN and SGL: [Basic Truth] Jesus wants to be my friend forever! (Open prayer journal and hold your fun pen.) SGL: You got it! Now come sit with me because it s time to write in our prayer journal. Today we re going to do something really special since Jesus is special and tomorrow is His birthday. See these birthday stickers? (Hold up stickers.) When I say your name, you get to pick a birthday sticker and put it beside where I write your name in our journal. After you put your sticker in our journal, I want you to say, Happy birthday, Jesus, and then sit down. (Say each child s name as you write it in the journal. Let them pick a sticker and put it by their name. Prompt them to say, Happy birthday, Jesus after they put their sticker by their name.) SGL: I love this! Look what we made! It s like a birthday card for Jesus, from all of us! I ll use it when we talk to God, but before I do, would anyone else like to talk to God? (Give each child who wants to pray the opportunity to do so.) SGL: Now I will pray. Prayer SGL: Merry Christmas Eve, God! Wow! What a special time of year! Thank You for a church that helps us celebrate Your Son, Jesus. Thank You for all of my friends who came today, even if it is a Monday. (Name all the children) and I all want to wish Jesus the happiest birthday and tell Him thank You for wanting to be our friend forever. Thank You for sending Your Son so long ago, God. He is the best gift ever! We love You. In Jesus name, amen. Bible (Large Group, 15 minutes) After children have participated in Social, gather them for a large group time that includes interactive worship, introductory sketch and Bible Truth. Place your We are in The Sandbox sign on the door as you leave. Travel to the Sandbox.
6 Christmas Eve Basic Truth: Jesus wants to be my friend forever. Key Question: Why is Jesus special? Bottom Line:. Groups (Application Activities, 15 minutes) These activities are designed to help preschoolers understand and remember today s Bible Truth and Bottom Line. 3:13 & 5:45 Birthday Bash Hats What You Need: Birthday Bash Party Hat Activity Page, Party Hat Labels, sentence strips (one per child), stickers, washable markers, a stapler, and glue sticks What You Do: Before the Activity: Set out the supplies so the children can reach them. During the Activity: Pass out a sentence strip hat to each child to decorate. Encourage the children to add a label to the sentence strip. After the Activity: Help each child wrap the sentence strip around his/her head so you can size it appropriately. Then staple the ends of the sentence strip together and hand the hat back to the child. What You Say: During the Activity: We re going to create a special birthday hat to help us celebrate Jesus birthday. After the Activity: Let s all put on our special party hats and say, Happy birthday, Jesus! (Pause as children follow directions.) What a fun Birthday Bash. I ve had so much fun celebrating Jesus birthday with you. Why is Jesus special? [Bottom Line].
7 4:30 & 7:00 Memory Verse Gifting What You Need: Memory Verse Strips Activity Page, small gift bags (one per child), washable markers, and stickers What You Do: Before the Activity: Place a gift bag at each child s spot at the table. Set the markers and stickers in the center of the table. During the Activity: Give each child a memory verse strip to color or decorate with stickers. Encourage the children to decorate their gift bag as well. Point out the words on the strips of paper and read the verse aloud for review. Instruct the children to place their memory verse strips inside their gift bags. If providing tattoos or other party favors, pass those out for the children to add to their bags as well. What You Say: During the Activity: Everyone hold up your strip of paper. (Pause.) This is our memory verse, which says: God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, John 3:16. Use the markers and stickers to decorate your bags and your memory verse strips any way you choose. After the Activity: Your bags are beautiful. Take these strips home as a reminder that God showed His love for you by sending Jesus. It s our BIG BIRTHDAY BASH! Happy birthday, Jesus! Why is Jesus special? [Bottom Line]! All Service Times Get Ready to Dismiss
that he gave his only Son. John 3:16, GNT that he gave his only Son. John 3:16, GNT that he gave his only Son. John 3:16, GNT that he gave his only Son. John 3:16, GNT that he gave his only Son. John 3:16, GNT that he gave his only Son. John 3:16, GNT Memory Verse Strips Memory Verse Gifting December Week 4 Copy on white cardstock and cut on dotted lines. One strip per child. CURRICULUM FOR 3- to 5- YEAR OLDS 2018 The rethink Group. All rights reserved. www.thinkorange.com
Birthday Bash Party Hat Birthday Bash Hats December Week 4 Copy on white cardstock and cut out along the dotted lines. One hat per child. CURRICULUM FOR 3- to 5- YEAR OLDS 2018 The rethink Group. All rights reserved. www.thinkorange.com
THIS ROW OF LABELS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK Party Hat Labels Birthday Bash Hats December Week 4 Copy on Avery #5160 labels or equivalent. One label per child. CURRICULUM FOR 3- to 5- YEAR OLDS 2018 The rethink Group. All rights reserved. www.thinkorange.com
DECEMBER 2018 DECEMBER 2018 MEMORY VERSE that He gave His only Son. JOHN 3:16, GNT MEMORY VERSE that He gave His only Son. JOHN 3:16, GNT DECEMBER 2018 DECEMBER 2018 MEMORY VERSE that He gave His only Son. JOHN 3:16, GNT MEMORY VERSE that He gave His only Son. JOHN 3:16, GNT
God loved (Hug yourself) the world (Raise arms overhead to form a circle) so much (Stretch arms out as far as possible) that He gave (Place hands together with palms up in front as if offering something) His only Son. (Hold arms as if cradling and rocking a baby) John 3:16 (Hold hands open like a book) God loved (Hug yourself) the world (Raise arms overhead to form a circle) so much (Stretch arms out as far as possible) that He gave (Place hands together with palms up in front as if offering something) His only Son. (Hold arms as if cradling and rocking a baby) John 3:16 (Hold hands open like a book) 2018 Orange. All rights reserved. www.thinkorange.com 2018 Orange. All rights reserved. www.thinkorange.com God loved (Hug yourself) the world (Raise arms overhead to form a circle) so much (Stretch arms out as far as possible) that He gave (Place hands together with palms up in front as if offering something) His only Son. (Hold arms as if cradling and rocking a baby) John 3:16 (Hold hands open like a book) God loved (Hug yourself) the world (Raise arms overhead to form a circle) so much (Stretch arms out as far as possible) that He gave (Place hands together with palms up in front as if offering something) His only Son. (Hold arms as if cradling and rocking a baby) John 3:16 (Hold hands open like a book) 2018 Orange. All rights reserved. www.thinkorange.com 2018 Orange. All rights reserved. www.thinkorange.com