Easter Story/ John 12:24

Relating to the theme of Junior Church Series of "Grow Zone" this verse was used as the basis of the Easter Story Session. Unfortunately (or maybe not) we did not cover the Easter Story in the session before Easter but a couple of the children were requesting it so we decided to axe the planned session and replace it with this session instead.

The resources availble for exploration 

The Easter Story, death and resurrection (I promise there are three crosses, and that's a cave a stone, some gave clothes and godly play people)

Tomb cakes

The children were not told the reason why we were making the cakes but as they were made a chocolate was put inside each one.

When we had finished telling the Easter Story we has snack, and reminded the children that we had put something inside the cake lets see if its still there, unlike the tomb the chocolate is still there!!! Of course this could be done with something that would melt away instead, this was however very successful and proved a great talking point about Jesus not being in the tomb.

Planting sunflower seeds (as we would use this to aid the analogy later)

Some of the planted seeds!!

Flower construction, a popular first choice activity for the littles. 

During the story session we would use the sunflower lifecycle to introduce the verse and the easter story. These cards were free downloads for the wonderful Communication 4 All. During the session the cards/ book was moved to the camp tee pee.

Soil play: before and after (well actually after several sweep ups) we have actually had this out for several session with not huge interest but this session it was utilised SOOOOOO much! It goes to show how sometimes we should offer multiple opportunities to engage in something.

Matching Plants to seeds!

Shame I haven't got a nicer photo of this (I should have snapped a shot when it was completed)

Craft Zone. We usually offer the craft resources on a high table and is usually accessed by the same grouping of children. This session a much larger group of children accessed this. As usual the resources were there for the taking without definitive prescribed creations but some possibilities.

Unfortunately I don't have a photo of all the creations we ended up with, and there were a fair few including lovely hand print lilies.

    

The stick crosses were thought of during the course of the session and we went out to find sticks in the garden.

The Story

For the story session we went through the whole life cycle of the sunflower, and then asked the children why we may be thinking about the story of a sunflower when we were thinking about the Easter Story. Answers included, because it happens in spring, it's about life, it's like when you become a Christian you have a seed planted in you that then grows, and this exact verse. Which we then said and then in "conversation style" told the story using the below props with godly play style anticipation/ awe! 

My best bit of the session was after I had carefully wrapped Jesus in grave clothes placed him in the tomb sealed it, guarded it and waited three days. I asked then asked the children to turn away so I could do something to the story because it's the only way I could do the amazing thing that happens next in the story. When they had looked back I walked the Mary figures to the tomb who looked inside and.... One of the children exclaimed loudly with a gasp "HE's gone, where's He gone?" I began to explain and opened mouth kept repeating "He wash't there he was alive?" How perfect!!!

Birth of Jesus Play

Ok so this post is copied and pasted from www.alljoinin.blogspot.com from last year, but thought it may be of interest (and since we have this stuff out again it just saves me pics)

Stable Craft

I'm not generally into pre-made craft ideas but occasionally and this one is rather adorable. Envelope with a triangle cut out of the flap to create a stable scene, children were provided with card cutout shapes to create the figures. No glue was needed to stick a star to the stable roof just a lick on the tope of the flap and hey presto.

Christmas Symbols Box

It is sometimes difficult for children to integrate the ideas of a baby being born a long time ago and the trappings of a modern Christmas celebration, well us adults too. But this little box was a nice talking point about many aspects of our current celebrations both religious and secular.

Clothes Peg Nativity

I love it when an activity/ resource serves a few purposes, so this is a lovely activity to be used creatively whilst developing finger strength. Made out of simple wooden clothes pegs and funky foam cut into appropriate shapes, of course you could use laminated nativity printouts, such a these from activity village. I just glued with pritt stick for speeds sake but for a longer lasting resource use a glue gun

God made me!

Over at All join in I have been posting a series on "God made me" with a play activity for each sense/ body part

• God made me- intro
• God made my ears
• God made my hands
• God made my nose

For God made me activities, there were several, starting with play dough to make people

• Playdough people
• Playdough people 2

We then decorated gingerbread men, and boy did some get decorated! This is the poem sheet the gingerbread men were iced on, making it easier to transport and creating a great context for talking about how wonderful God made us, even if we made the best thing in the entire world we couldn't compare. If you would like a pdf version of this, email me or comment.

If you would like a pdf version of this, email or comment with your email address and I'll send you one.

This dressing doll provides a great context for talking about lots of things children may want to be, and how God has lots of plans for our lives and we could be anything He wants us to be. Lastly I drew their attention to the superhero costume said "What sort of things do super heros do?", answers: super powers, flies, help people etc. "Well God is more amazing than any super hero and even though we won't fly He can help us to do amazing things and help lots of people, can you think of ways God may help you to help people"

I then gave them the opportunity to draw/ decorate/ colour this made, which is exactly the same shape as the doll (After hours of tracing and the transferring to digital image). The poem (adapted from dltk-bible) provide an opportunity to remind us about God's plans for us- and continue the discussion at home? Again if you would like a pdf copy let me know.

I am NOT usually one for utilising colouring sheets in this context but I think that they do provide and optional format for some children who really need/ want this. If it is the context of other more open activities and it is truly considered WHY? do I want to use this and what purpose doe it serve then I think these can have their place. As it was a few children- boys (I think) did use them to make police/ fire men etc.

Related stuff from All join in

So I thought I would start by placing a link on here for posts already posted on All join in blog

My previous posts were under the categories of Bible and Godly Play, therefore if you want to look here please do. I would also suggest that there will be other ideas on here that will be useful in any "sunday school" or Christian environment

New blog from Alljoinin

So everyone, old and new followers alike. I've been blogging at www.alljoinin.blogspot.com for some time now and the original motivation for that was to blog for www.alljoinin.net, however the blogging has somewhat taken over and additionally it is being filled with sunday school/ bible type activities. Which is fine but I have decided to separate, early years/ SEN "secular" activities and bible based/ sunday school stuff. I have mainly done this for ease of read and also, to encourage me to post other things on the alljoinin blog.

So here goes this may back fire and I end up posting nowhere but I hope not.