MONSTER THEME TITLE: SQUISHING MOUTHY MONSTERS WITH GOD PRESCHOOL LESSON AGES 3-6 YEAR OLDS LESSON ONE MOUTHY MONSTERS RUIN LIVES PURPOSE The purpose of this lesson is to show the children how the words that come out of their mouths can ruin another person s life. God warns us about our words throughout the Bible, the results of our words and then answers our mouthy monster problems. TEACHER PREPARATION The teacher will read Proverbs 10:14, memorize, pray and ask for guidance in understanding wise men versus a foolish man. The teacher will also read and understand the story of Noah and the flood in Genesis 6-9 and how Noah withstood the foolish words of others as he and his family obeyed what God told them to do. SUPPLIES NEEDED FOR THIS LESSON Mouthy Monster Puppet Prepare storyboard pictures with magnets (see pages 5-9) Make copies of the Church/Home Activity Page (see page 10) Crayons Reward Stickers Magnetic White Board Baggie of squishy monsters as a reward for the children Copy of Mouthy Monster (see page 11 with Bible verse) ATTENDANCE Highlighter and pens MONSTER CARD with name, age, grade, address, parents and phone number Each child will color in a tooth of a Mouthy Monster as a mark for attendance that Sunday, making sure that an address, phone number and parent names are filled out.
-2- INTRODUCTION The teacher will introduce to the children the Mouthy Monster puppet. The teacher will say some mean things from Mouthy Monster to the children, like I don t like that shirt you are wearing today, etc. Make sure Mouthy Monster makes a mouthy statement about each child in the class. The teacher will ask the children how Mouthy Monster made them feel. Have a short discussion on the feelings of the children and then have Mouthy Monster tell the children that he didn t care and that he was leaving. (Put puppet away.) BIBLE LESSON (Proverbs 10:14 and Genesis 6-9) God tells us in Proverbs 10:14 WISE MEN STORE UP KNOWLEDGE, BUT THE MOUTH OF A FOOL INVITES RUIN. Who are considered wise men? Wise men are those who listen, learn and then speak about what they have learned. Who are considered foolish men? Foolish men are those who are silly, don t listen or learn and just blurt out any words that they feel like. Which kind of person are you, a wise person or a foolish person? Tell the children just to think about it and not answer, because their answer may make them wise or foolish. We are going to going to look at a wise man today. His name was Noah. God tells us in Genesis about how Noah squished the mouthy monster of foolishness and did what God told him to do being very wise. The teacher will tell the story of Noah and the Ark using the storyboard pictures on a magnetic white board. For preschoolers, the teacher may choose to tell the story in shorter, story-telling way or use God s words as follows: The Lord saw how great man s wickedness on the earth had become and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. The Lord was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. So the Lord said, I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth men and animals and creatures that move along the ground and birds of the air for I am grieved that I have made them. (storyboard picture #1) (Genesis 6:5-8) But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. He had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth. (storyboard picture #2) The teacher will ask the children, why did the Lord like Noah and his family? Noah listened to the Lord and did as He was told..he was a wise man. So, God said to Noah, I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth. So make yourself an ark of cypress wood: make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out. (Genesis 6:13-14) (storyboard picture #3)
-3- Noah and his family were wise and followed God s words. They build the ark on dry land. As other people passed them by, what words may have been said by foolish people who would not abide by God s words. What kind of comments would be said to Noah and his family? You guys are crazy to build an ark! What a waste of time! Come and party with us, we are having fun! Don t you know how silly you look building that ark? God didn t tell you to do that you are being stupid. All these comments were made by foolish people because they no longer controlled what they said or did. They had mouthy monster problems! (storyboard picture #4) Will their mouthy monster words ruin their lives? Back to the story of what Noah did. Noah did everything just as God commanded him. The Lord than said to Noah, Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation. Take with you seven of every kind of clean animal, a male and its mate, and also seven of every kind of bird, male and female to keep their various kinds alive throughout the earth. Seven days from now I will send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights, and I will wipe from the face of the earth every living creature I have made. (Genesis 7:1-4) (storyboard picture #5) For forty days the flood kept coming on the earth, and as the waters increased they lifted the ark high above the earth. The waters rose and increased greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the surface of the water. They rose greatly on the earth and all the high mountains (have a child draw with dry erase marker a mountain and then water over the mountain on the white board) under the entire heavens were covered. The waters rose and covered the mountains to a depth of more than twenty feet. Every living thing that moved on the earth perished birds, livestock, wild animals, all the creatures that swarm over the earth, and all mankind. (storyboard picture #6) (Genesis 7:17-21) How was the foolish of mankind ruined? (they lost their lives) Why? Because of their foolishness and wickedness, their words and their actions were against God. Only Noah was left, and those with him in the ark. Then God said to Noah, Come out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and their wives. Bring out every kind of living creature that is with you the birds, the animals and all the creatures that move along the ground so they can multiply on the earth and be fruitful and increase in number upon it. (storyboard picture #7) (Genesis 8:15-17) CONCLUSION God was very sad and decided that He would never do this again...destroy all the animals and mankind. So he made a covenant (promise) with Noah and us and made a sign to remind us and Him of His promise. I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be cut off by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth. And God said, This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. (storyboard picture #8) (Genesis 9:11-13)
-4- The preschool teacher can use the Mouthy Monster puppet to help them talk about how our mouths get us into trouble. How did the mouths of the people get them into trouble? They were foolish and did not obey God s words or laws. They spoke whatever they wanted to speak, and they acted upon their words, not caring! They became wicked and said no to God s commandments. Were their lives ruined? Yes, they did not survive the flood. Who survived the flood? Noah and his family survived. Why? They were wise and followed God s word and were blessed. Can our lives be ruined by just words and actions? Yes, if we tell someone they are ugly, then they will soon begin to believe it. Can we give other examples? Have a short discussion. What Bible verse helps us to remember that God can squish those mouthy monster words and help us to be wise? Proverbs 10:14 (show page 11) PRAYER The teacher will ask the children to repeat the prayer. Dear Lord (repeat), Help each one of us (repeat) to remember (repeat) that our mouthy words (repeat) can get us into big trouble (repeat). We ask you, Lord, (repeat) to help us remember (repeat) this God s words (repeat) that tell us, (repeat) Wise men store up (repeat) knowledge, (repeat), but the mouth of a fool (repeat) invites ruin.(repeat) Proverbs 10:14 (repeat). Be with us this week (repeat), help us to remember to use wise words (repeat) so we may put a smile on your face! (repeat) Amen. CHURCH/HOME ACTIVITY PAGE (SEE PAGE 10) This is an activity page which can be used during the sermon time in church to engage the children in a quiet, learning activity. This can also be used as a take home activity for the children. After prayer, this can be handed out to each child to take to church or take home or if time, have the children start coloring. Show the children a squishy monster that will be given to them if they complete the coloring page neatly.
-5- STORYBOARD PICTURES FOR LESSON ONE (Cut out, laminate and put a magnet on back) #1 #2
-6- STORYBOARD PICTURES FOR LESSON ONE continued #3 #4
-7- STORYBOARD PICTURES FOR LESSON ONE continued #5 #6
-8- STORYBOARD PICTURES FOR LESSON ONE continued #7
-9- STORYBOARD PICTURES FOR LESSON ONE continued #8
-10CHURCH/HOME ACTIVITY PAGE FOR PRESCHOOLERS FOR LESSON ONE COLOR TO PUT UP ON OUR SUNDAY SCHOOL BOARD! BE NEAT! SQUISH THAT MOUTHY MONSTER WITH GOD! Take a squishy toy from the Mouthy Monster box to take home and put your Bible bag in the box for next week.
-11- MOUTHY MONSTER PROVERBS 10:14 WISE MEN STORE UP KNOWLEDGE, BUT THE MOUTH OF A FOOL INVITES RUIN.