Sky Bridge: Making the New Theme Work

Here are a couple pointers/changes we are going to make to help the kids understand the video better and make sure we are helping the kids understand the Bible story.

After the Intro and welcoming the kids (before starting the Skit and Bible Lesson part of the video) review with the kids following:
What is it that Newton and his friends are building? A sky bridge.
Why do they need to build the sky bridge? The people in the buildings need a way to get

from one building to the next building.
How will the build the bridge? They will build one part at a time. Each week they will need

our help to finish each part of the bridge till it is all done.
Who is the Builder that keeps calling and helping Newton and his friends? God.

We will watch the Skit part of the video first rather than the Bible Story first. The Skit part is where the puppets and characters are building the Sky Bridge.

After viewing the Skit part of the video and singing the 2nd Worship Song the Worship Leader should discuss with the kids the following:
What is the problem that Newton and/or his friends had?
Who helped them with their problem? The Builder.
Who is the Builder? God
Then remind the kids how Moses had something great that God wanted him to do. God was

going to use Moses to help the Israelites go free. So God starting working on Moses just like

Newton and his friends are working on the bridge.
Ask the kids what they have learned so far about Moses – do a quick review and then ask

them if they are ready to see what God is doing today to help Moses become the person God

needs.

During your class time when you teach the Bible story to the class remind the kids that just like Newton and his friends are building the bridge one section at a time and it takes a long time but when it’s done it will helps lots of people that God is working on making them be who He wants them to be. And while it takes us a long time to grow up God is always there and He is going to us to help lots of other people too. Just like God worked with Moses and helped him become a man that God could use.

Week 2: God Hears the Israelites Cries

Pharaoh Says (Simon Says)

Play the child's game Simon Says but instead of saying "Simon says ...", say "Pharaoh says ..." Explain to the kids that the Pharaoh was the King of Egypt. And he had made the Israelites slaves. A slave had to do whatever the King and the King's people said to do. The King and the King's people could work them all day and really fast and could be mean. Invite the kids to play Pharaoh Says with you explaining that you will be the Pharaoh and they will be the slaves who must do whatever the Pharaoh says.

Musical Prayers (in your Lesson, page 27, also a Check-In Activity)

This is a game we are scheduled to play during Check-In but is also a neat activity to do in class after you have taught the story. You can review with the children through this game what they can do when they are sad.

When we are sad it is human nature to withdraw, feel sorry for ourselves, get mad, lash out at others, hoard our resources, etc. Encourage the kids that when they have a problem, God is there to help and they can cry (talk) out to Him just like the Israelites did.

Good Point Reminder: Remind the kids as you teach the lesson that God saved Moses when he was just a little baby. And now the Israelites are crying out to God to save them and God asks Moses to go and free the people. Remind the kids that if Moses had not been saved, he wouldn't have been able to help the Israelites get free. God knew that Moses would do this even when he was just a tiny baby. God knows us and knows what we can do for Him even when we are little and He promises to help us just like He helped Moses as a baby.

Ask the kids what they think will happen next week. How will God uses Moses to save the Israelites? Do they think Moses will be scared?

Week 1: Baby Moses

Our Main Point this weekend is God Has a Plan For Me. Take a few minutes this week to read Psalm 139 and Matthew 10:29-31. Thank God that He is involved in your life. He was present in your birth even before you knew of Him, He knew of you. And Christ has the very hairs on our head numbered. God desires a relationship with us and this is why He sent His Son, Jesus. This desire is why God set the Israelites free because He knew that through them redemption and restoration could come to all people. That means me and you! Moses life was used by God to bring us a Savior that would set us free. You and me we are part of that story. Isn't that amazing!

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After telling the kids the story of Baby Moses play this game with them:

Hide a special item in the room before class. Just like Moses' mother had something very special that you do too. Ask the kids what did Moses' mother have that was so special? (A baby named Moses). Encourage the kids to guess what you have that is so special. After you tell the kids what you have hidden explain that you will be taking turns pretending to be Moses' mother and the Pharaoh's daughter. Pick a child to be Pharaoh's daughter and go searching for the item. When they have found the item pick another child to be Pharaoh's daughter. Have them turn their back to the class and close their eyes. Then have the child pretend to be Moses' mother and hide the special item in the room. Once it is hidden, have the child who is Pharaoh's daughter search for the the item.

Remind kids each time the item is found that just like that item is special to you and Moses was special to his mother and to God, that they are special to God. God cares about them. He knows who they are and where they are and has promised that He will always be with them. He will take care of them and just like Moses' mother had to trust God when she put Moses in the basket in the water, they can trust God too.

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Bring a baby doll and a basket to class. Put the basket in the middle of the floor and have the children sit around the basket in a circle. Explain that the basket is in the middle of the water.

Pass the baby around and talk with the children about what babies do and what they can't do. Ask the children what they baby might do in the basket. Ask them if they think the baby might be scared. Talk with the children about how Moses' mother was probably scared to put him in the basket and put him in the water.

Then place the baby in the basket and talk to the children about how Moses' mother trusted God. God took care of baby Moses and sent the Pharaoh's daughter to find him. He was able to grow up and learn and become healthy and strong. Because Moses' mother trusted God her son was saved and Moses grew up to one day save all of the Israelites from the mean Pharaoh.

Talk to the children about how God knew that Moses was the right person to do the job and help the Israelites escape. God took care of Moses and helped him do good things for God.

Remind the children that God knows them and has good things that He wants them to do for Him too. He will take care of them and help them do good things for God too.

Week 7: David Thanking God

This week's lesson is about David who thanked God for all He had given him. In our culture it is easy to thank God for things: toys, clothes, houses, food. While everything we have comes from God we also have to remember that there are many reasons to thank God other than what we have or own. If not, how else do we describe the joy and gratitude that many in poorer countries are able to still praise God. To help the kids expand their idea of what they can thank God for try one of these activities:

Body Parts

Grab a pack of sticky notes or a roll of tape. You can either place the tape or sticky notes on the following body parts or you can ask the kids to take turns putting the tape or sticky notes on these parts:

head
eyes
ears
hands
mouth
nose
feet
legs
knees
hands
fingers
arms

Then as you take a piece of tape or sticky note off (you can involve the kids here by asking them one at a time to choose one piece to tear off) and have the kids list things that they are able to do or experience because they have the body God gave them.

They can:

think/read/ see/watch TV/run/jump/eat/hear/sing/listen to music/talk to their friends/listen to their mom sing them to sleep/let their dad read them a book/they can crawl/they can pick up things/ throw the ball - lots of things!!!

Inside/Outside

Place Velcro tape halfway down the room (we have Velcro tape available in the main room. See Jessica if you want to use it.). Explain to the kids that one side represents the Inside and what side represents the Outside. Explain that the kids are going to have to listen closely and jump or run back and forth to whatever side you call out.

Have the kids "practice" by calling out Inside. All the kids should run to that side. Then call Outside and they should run to the other side. Do this 2-3 times.

Then explain that now they have to name something they are thankful for that is either Inside or Outside.

Call out Inside or Outside and let the kids run to the correct side. Then have them holler out something that is either Inside (toys, couch, bed, stove, toys, TV, clothes) or Outside (sun, rain, grass, moon, stars, snow, hills, etc.).