toddler group Bible story Archives - Let their light shine!

Our feet craft and song ideas for toddler groups

Our feet craft and song ideas for toddlers to enjoy in your church toddler group. In our amazing body series at our Toddler Group we have been learning about our feet. Our focus Bible verse is Psalm 139:14.

Our feet are amazing story time for toddler group

In the story time we used our feet to jump, stand, run on the spot, walk and stand as tall as we could on tiptoe. It was a very active few minutes. Then we sat down and we counted our feet and wriggled our toes. You could count toes depending on whether you want everyone to take their shoes off!

How to tell the story

Always begin toddler group story time the same way – with the same rhyme or song to get everyone settled on the Bible story mat.
Begin with saying hello!
Your opening sentence, ‘ Today we are finding out more about our amazing bodies!’
Can you find your feet. Let’s count them – 1,2
Feet are amazing. Let’s see what they can do..
Let’s all stand up
Let’s jump
Can you stand on one leg? That’s quite difficult to do
Can you stand on tip toe and reach up high?
Let’s sit down and count our feet and our toes together
God made us – he has given us amazing bodies!

You can end your toddler story time with a simple toddler friendly prayer, ‘Thank you God for our feet. Thank you that we are wonderfully made. Amen’

An easy feet craft for toddlers

The craft is super easy and fun.

Materials needed

Feet printable (included below) – print as many as you need for your group
Glue sticks – we use these
Tissue paper squares in assorted colours
Collage materials – these can be paper scraps, fabric pieces, yarn. Provide a choice of colours, textures and shapes in different containers. Make it inviting.
Wax crayons

Step by step

Set up the craft table with a washable cover
Set out the collage materials in shallow bowls
Remove lids from the glue sticks and set aside (we do this at our group because they are small and we don’t want toddlers putting them in their mouths)
Put out the wax crayons in a shallow bowl. Remove any that are broken.
Make a proto-type craft – and display it near your craft table to give some inspiration.
Place some of your feet printables on the table (keep most nearby – but if you put them all out at one you run the risk of a few toddlers using them all and you’ll run out)
Encourage the toddler group adults to sit with their toddler as they make
Have a place where the finished craft can be placed to dry ready to be taken home.

our feet craft collage toddler group — our feet craft for toddler group

Our feet Song time for toddler group

‘Head, shoulders, knees and toes’, – which is the theme song for this series about our amazing bodies.

Rhyme, ‘I wiggle my fingers, I wiggle my toes. I wiggle my shoulders, I wiggle my nose. There are no wiggles left in me, and I’m as still, as still can be.’

‘The Grand Old Duke of York’ has lots of marching on the spot.

A great rhyme for a parent/carer to with with their young child/baby is ‘This little piggy’. Here’s a link to the rhyme.

What children can learn from our feet toddler story

God made our amazing feet
Gratitude for their amazing body

Our feet craft printable for toddler groups and families

Thank-you-God-for-my-FEET-1 Download

FAQ’S

How do I keep toddlers engaged with the Bible Story in Toddler Group?

This story about our feet is very interactive rather than a straight forward narrative the toddlers have activities to do that make the most of learning through movement.

How do I encourage gratitude in a toddler?

By focusing on our bodies and what they can do this story encourages toddlers to be thankful for their body which is wonderfully made.

Links to Bible Stories about feet

Thank you God for my feet – the Bible Story about the Lame man who is healed.

Toddler Group Bible Stories about our bodies

Thank you God for my hands – a Toddler Bible Story and activity about Tabitha

Thank you God for my nose – A Toddler Group Bible Story about Mary anointing Jesus

Thank you God for my mouth

Have a look at our Thank you God Book post that is full of ideas about our bodies. This is a great series of stories for Church Toddler Group. The post is full of free prinables to make a large book that you add to over several weeks.

Bartimaeus – a Toddler Bible Story all about being able to see – this is one of my favourite Bible Stories that I tell in our Church Toddler Group. This post has a little video of me telling the story.

Links to toddler crafts and songs about our bodies

I am wonderfully made crafts for toddlers (with ideas for song time at toddler group)

Jesus goes back to heaven

Jesus goes back to heaven is the retelling of the ascension. After Easter it’s good to continue the story to explain what happened next. There are several stories that you could tell; The Road to Emmaus, Thomas and/or Breakfast on the Beach but you can also go straight on to the Ascension.

It’s important that we teach that The Lord Jesus didn’t die again. He lives forever! And he will come back again. The story is based on Luke 24:50-53 and Acts 1:6-11

Jesus goes back to heaven – story idea

We have used a set of pictures from Lamp Bible Pictures to help tell the story. They are a powerpoint but we print the pictures onto card and add a lollipop stick so they can be held easily when telling the story. I put them in a story bag/basket and take them out when I need them. We have also used the set of disciple pictures (omit Judas) also from Lamp Bible Pictures. These can be used for lots of stories so worth having. If you can have someone to help hold the pictures do.

Story basket with pictures of Jesus goes back to heaven

Jesus had died but was alive again! His friends saw him and spoke to him. Lots of people saw him. He wasn’t a ghost. He could eat food! He was really alive again.

He had a job for his friends to do, ‘I want you to tell other people all about me. Tell them about the things that I said and the things that I did. Tell them how I died for them and came alive again.’

Jesus told his friends to tell everyone the Good News that he was the Saviour. They were to tell everyone in all the world starting right where they were. Jesus was going to send The Holy Spirit to help them.

When Jesus had spent time with his friends they went for a walk together. Then something very special happened. As they were standing Jesus blessed them. And as he was blessing them Jesus began to go up, up, up and Jesus was taken back to heaven. He went up, up, up and into the sky and was gone. They couldn’t see him anymore.

While they were looking up into the sky two angels came and spoke to them, ‘Why are you looking up into the sky? This same Jesus who has gone up to heaven will come back again. ‘

Jesus is still alive. He is the King over everything and is seated on his throne in heaven. But one day Jesus will come back to earth again. He won’t come as a baby. He will come as the King of everyone.

Ascension craft ideas

Eve Bible Story for Toddlers: Creation & Family Craft Idea

Welcome to our first lesson in a new series exploring women in the Bible for toddlers. Because Eve was the very first woman, starting with her story is a natural fit.

In this lesson, we cover two main truths that are simple for toddlers to understand:

God made Eve

God made Adam

The Bible Story is based on Genesis 2: 4 -24

Let’s say hello to Eve Bible (Toddler Story Script)

Story Bag Prep: Place puppets or dolls representing Adam and Eve inside your story bag before starting.

Say hello to Adam! Adam was a real person who lived a long, long, long time ago. He was very special because he was the very first person ever! He wasn’t ever a baby! He wasn’t ever a toddler! So how did he get to be the first person ever?

The Bible tells us that God made Adam. God had already made the birds and the fish, the sun, moon and stars. God had already made all the trees, plants and flowers. He had already made the elephants, tigers, lions and all the other animals. Everything in God’s new world was beautiful. It was all very good! God had made all these things by just speaking.

But then God did something different. He made Adam out of the dust. And God breathed life into him.

Now Adam needed somewhere to live so God made a beautiful garden for Adam. He gave Adam a job to do, ‘Look after the garden,’ God said. He gave Adam one rule to keep,’ Don’t eat the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden,’ God said.

But when God looked at Adam in the garden there was something that wasn’t good! ‘It isn’t good for Adam to be alone’, God said. There were lots of beautiful plants and amazing animals but they weren’t enough.

So God made Eve, the very first woman to be Adam’s best friend. Are you ready to say hello to Eve? Hello Eve!

Adam and Eve weren’t just the very first man and the very first woman, they were the very first family. God loved them and gave them the very best place to live. And they were happy!

If you want to tell the next part of the story then there is an idea in this post that covers Genesis 3.

Craft idea – make a family collage

All you need for making a family collage

People shapes – either buy or cut out your own
Tissue paper
Fabric scraps if you have any
Crayons
Yarn for hair – try to have a variety of colours
Glue
Backing paper

Step-by-Step Instructions:

Set out a variety of collage materials where children can reach them.
Have the children select their paper people shapes and glue them to the backing paper.
Let them decorate the shapes using tissue paper, yarn, and fabric.

Tip for Toddlers: Allow room for creativity! It is fine if they put yarn on the body for clothes or glue tissue paper where the hair goes. The goal is to let them express how they want their picture to look.

Josiah reads God’s Book

Josiah reads God’s book bible story. Josiah was King in Judah at a very difficult time. The temple was in need of repair and God’s people were not following God’s law. This Bible Story tells of how God’s Book was found and how Josiah read God’s Book to the people. It’s taken from 2 Kings 22:1 – 23:2. As this story is intended for toddlers a lot of detail has been left out. There are some fun actions to do during the story so that everyone can join in.

Josiah reads God’s Book – story idea

Bible Truth for Toddlers – God’s Book is for Everyone

In the Story Bag – King Josiah puppet/doll, a toy hammer, a brush, a Bible (Take these from the story bag as you need them)

Before you begin – explain to everyone that there are some things to join in with during the story; some sweeping, hammering and saying ‘no’.

‘Let’s say hello to King Josiah! Josiah was King a long time ago. He was very upset that the Temple, where people went to worship God, was really messy and untidy. Parts of it needed cleaning. Parts of it needed mending. Josiah said, ‘Let’s fix and tidy the Temple,’ and so work began.

There was sweeping!

There was hammering!

Everyone was busy!

But then they stopped…… Everything went quiet…..They had found something.

What could it be?

Was it silver? NO!

Was it Gold? NO!

Was it lots of money? NO!

It was even better than those things.

They had found God’s Book. (It didn’t look exactly like this Bible but the words inside are the same)

Josiah read God’s Book. ‘This is so important that everyone should hear it’, he said

All the people came to the Temple – the important people, the ordinary everyday people, the old people, the young people. People just like you. People just like me. And King Josiah read God’s Book to everyone.

God’s Book is for everyone!

Story bag props for Josiah Reads God's Book

Here’s a blog post all about making Pringle people. Josiah is made from a Pringle tube – you could use a bread stick tube too. The advantage of using a pringle tube is that it is fairly solid so a pringle person will stand up easily leaving your hands free for storytelling actions.

The Good Samaritan – Stories Jesus Told

The Good Samaritan is one of the stories that Jesus told and is from Luke 10. It teaches one simple truth about how we treat other people. Here is a simple storytelling idea for young children..

Knitted toys to tell the story of The Good Samaritan

Characters for telling the good Samaritan story

The Good Samaritan Story Idea

To tell the story I had several of the characters (the man who was hurt and the three men who were walking on the road) and a donkey in the story bag. You can make the sounds of the men walking and the donkey going clippity-clop when you tell the story. Get everyone to join in with ‘Oh No!’ when it appears in the story.

‘One day a man asked Jesus a question – ‘how can I get to heaven?’ Jesus said to the man, ‘what do you think you need to do?’

‘I need to love God and love my neighbour. But who is my neighbour?’ The man was hoping that he had been good enough and that he really only needed to love the people that he liked. So Jesus told this made up story…

Once upon a time a man went on a journey and was hurt. He needed help but there was no one to help him. Oh No! (get the children and adults to join in with ‘Oh no’ each time you say it)

Then he heard footsteps. Someone was coming! A man was coming along the road. He looked, he saw that someone needed help but he kept on walking! Oh No!

Then he heard more footsteps. Someone was coming! Another man was walking along the road. He looked, he saw that someone needed help but he kept on walking! Oh No!

But then he heard something a bit different – it was clippity clop. A donkey was coming along the road and a man. The man looked, he saw that someone needed help and he stopped. Now this man was from far away and from a different place. But he was happy to help the man and he put him on the donkey and took him to a place to stay and gave him medicine until he was better.

Jesus has finished telling the story. ‘Who was a good neighbour?’ Jesus asked. ‘The person who helped’, said the man. And he knew he hadn’t loved other people like that.

We all find it hard to be a good neighbour to everyone. No one can never be good enough to earn a place in heaven. We need Jesus to help us.

Craft Idea

Collage of peoples faces. A craft to go with the Good Samaritan bible story that Jesus told

Lots of photos of people to make an ‘everyone is my neighbour’ collage. Use magazines and catalogues to find photos and cut them out beforehand. Try to provide a wide variety of people from different cultures, backgrounds and ages. The Good Samaritan is a great story to teach children to love others!

The children can select pictures and glue them onto A4 Sugar Paper/Construction Paper. Here’s a link to some recycled paper that’s great for the background.

This story is one of several in a series for toddler groups ‘Stories Jesus Told‘ – the others are linked for you below

It’s a lovely set of stories to tell and fits nicely in a six week half term.

Some of the links in this post are affiliate links which means if you click on the link and purchase the item I will receive commission at no extra cost to you.

Jonah and the One Great Big Fish – A Bible Number Story

Jonah and the One Great Big Fish – A Bible Number Story. We are thinking about counting in toddler group. So we have some Bible Stories with numbers. First up is Jonah. The Bible truth for toddlers in this story is ‘God always knows where we are’. The story is from the book of Jonah.

To tell the Story you need –

Jonah (we used a figure from happyland),

a big fish (the one pictured is VERY big – made over a tent) and

a toy boat.

Jonah and the One Great Big Fish story

God said to Jonah, ‘go to the big city called Ninevah (can you say that? repeat the name together) and tell everyone there about me.’

Jonah listened to God.

But Jonah didn’t like the people in the big city of Ninevah.

‘I don’t want to! I’m not going to go!’ He said (have you ever said that?)

Jonah thought to himself, ‘I will go far away – so far away that God won’t know where I am.’ He went and got on a boat and sailed away, far, far away from Ninevah.

But then the rain came and the wind blew – and out of the boat came Jonah – and splash into the sea!

Down, down, down he went. ‘Please God, help me!’ he prayed.

God knew exactly where Jonah was, God always knows where we are; and he sent something to help. It wasn’t a boat – it was one great big fish. The one great big fish opened up it’s mouth and swallowed Jonah. He was safe!

The one great big fish took Jonah back to land. God said, ‘Jonah, go to Ninevah’. And this time Jonah did exactly what God said.

Jonah craft idea

Decorate the big fish! It’s a free download.

number-1-big-fish Download

The other stories in this Bible Number Story Series

On the Way to Easter…Mary

The story is from John 12:1-8

Jesus had almost arrived at Jerusalem! He had travelled a long way. How lovely that he was able to go to his friends house. Lazarus and his sisters Mary and Martha were good friends of Jesus. They wanted to do something special for him so they had a dinner for him. Martha served the food and everyone enjoyed what she had made and they ate everything! Lazarus sat at the table with Jesus. But where was Mary?

Mary wanted to show everyone how special Jesus was. In those days when you went to someone’s house they always gave you some water to wash your feet. The roads were very dusty and people got their feet dirty.

But Mary wanted to do more than just give Jesus water to wash his feet. She had some very expensive ointment that she poured onto the feet of Jesus. The Bible tells us that the perfume from the anointment filled the whole house.

Mary was right to do this special thing for Jesus because he is God’s Son who would soon die to save us.

Paper plate picture to add to the others

Craft Idea – a perfume bottle made from a paper plate. Spray the bottle shape with perfume and allow to saok in and dry. Then decorate!

On the Way to Easter…Zacchaeus

Jesus is now in Jericho on his way to Jerusalem. Last time he met Bartimaeus. Now he meets Zacchaeus. Two very different people!

To tell the story… from Luke 19:1-10

Have a tree – you can make one from a pringle container or draw one – and a person to represent Zacchaeus. Place Zacchaeus in a story bag.

Jesus was now getting nearer to Jerusalem. Lots of people wanted to see Jesus as he walked through their town. They had heard a lot about all the amazing things that he had done.

One man really wanted to see Jesus. His name was Zacchaeus (can you say that name?) Let’s say hello to Zacchaeus as he comes out of the story bag.

Now Zacchaeus was very, very rich. He had loads of money. Some of his money he had by taking what wasn’t his! So people didn’t like Zacchaeus.

But that wasn’t all. Zacchaeus was a short man. So when Jesus was coming to his town he had a problem! He couldn’t see past the crowds! The crowds of people didn’t like Zacchaeus so they weren’t going to let him get to the front. Standing on tip toe didn’t help either. So Zacchaeus began to run. He ran to a tree. Then he did something that he hadn’t done for a long, long time. He climbed the tree. Now he could see Jesus.

And there Jesus was, walking along the road. And then Jesus stopped! Right under the tree. ‘Zacchaeus, come down. I’m coming to your house today!’ said Jesus.

Zacchaeus came down the tree. ‘I will give back all the money that isn’t mine and I will give extra money too’ he said.

Zacchaeus was a different person now that he had met Jesus.

Jesus said ‘I came to look for and to save the lost’. All of us are lost without Jesus. He is looking for us and is able to save us.

Craft Idea

The tree and Zacchaeus are available to download. The tree can be decorated with tissue paper, crepe paper and/or leaves cut from sugar paper with brown tissue paper for the tree trunk.

Tree Download

Zacchaeus-x21 Download

Our next paper plate to add to our ‘Journey to Jerusalem….’

This is what we are aiming for …..

On the Way to Easter…Bartimaeus

On the Way to Easter Bartimaeus. We are beginning to get ready for Easter at toddler group. This year we are going on the last journey that Jesus made into Jerusalem, meeting some of the people that Jesus met. Last week we met the Rich Young Man. This time on the Way to Easter we meet Bartimaeus. The Story is from Mark 10:46-52.

On the Way to Easter .. Bartimaeus Story Idea

Jesus and his friends were in a big crowd of people going to the city of Jerusalem. By now lots of people had heard about Jesus and the amazing things he said and did. (Do you remember the rich man from last time? – if you are using the paper plate visuals have this already displayed so you can refer to it briefly)

This time we are going to find out about another person that Jesus met as he travelled to Jerusalem for the last time. Say hello to Bartimaeus! (Take Bartimaeus doll or puppet from the Story Bag)

Bartimaeus wasn’t able to see and couldn’t work so each day he sat with his bowl and begged for money. He had heard about Jesus. He started to call out as loud as he could, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’

There were other people there too who wanted to see Jesus and they didn’t want to hear Bartimaeus. They said ‘Shush.’ Can we all say ‘Shush’?

But Jesus listened. He stopped. He asked to meet Bartimaeus.

‘Get up quick!’ the people said

Bartimaeus threw off his coat and jumped up and came to Jesus.

‘What do you want me to do for you?’ Jesus asked.

What would Bartimaeus say? Did he want money? No! Did he want a chat? No!

‘I want to be able to see!’ he said.

Could Jesus do that? Yes! Jesus was able to make Bartimaeus see. Bartimaeus believed in Jesus. He believed that Jesus had the power to make him see. We also need to believe in Jesus.

On the way to Easter ..Bartimaeus paper plate visual showing Bartimaeus standing by the roadside. — Our paper plate visual aid is Bartimaeus by the road that Jesus was travelling on. We will add this to the paper plate of the Rich Young Man.

On the Way to Easter...Bartimaeus paper plates showing Jesus' last journey into Jerusalem — This is all the stories put together – next time it’s all about a short man and a tree. Any guesses?!

On the Way to Easter.. the Rich Young Man

We are beginning to get ready for Easter at toddler group. This year we are going on the last journey that Jesus made into Jerusalem, meeting some of the people that Jesus met. Our first story is from Luke 18:18-23 and Mark 10:17-22. A rich young man comes to find Jesus as he is travelling to Jerusalem and asks him a question…

One day a young man came to speak to Jesus. He didn’t walk up to Jesus. He ran to Jesus. (Run on the spot) He wanted to ask a question. He thought that Jesus was important so he knelt down in front of him and asked ‘Teacher, what must I do to have eternal life?’ (kneel down)

It was a good question and the young man really wanted to know the answer.

Jesus said to him, ‘ You know what the Commandments are that God gave us, to tell us how to live to please him.’

‘I’ve kept them all since I was a young boy.’

Jesus looked at the young man. Jesus cared about him. Jesus wanted to help him. ‘Go, and sell all you have and give your money to the poor and then you will have treasure in heaven and come and follow me.’

But, oh dear, the young man had a lot of money.(Show money bag) He loved all his money very much. (Hug money bag to yourself) What a choice! Sell everything and give all his money away and follow Jesus or keep all his things and his money and go back home. What would he do?

The young man walked away from Jesus. (Walk on the spot, looking sad and dejected) He felt sad. He chose to keep his money.

Our first paper plate to make up our journey……

This is what we are working towards…

Jesus goes back to heaven

The content narrates the ascension of Jesus after Easter, emphasizing that He lives forever and will return. It explains Jesus’ instructions for His followers to spread the Good News and includes details about visual aids used in storytelling. The narrative concludes with a promise of His eventual return as King.

It’s important that we teach that The Lord Jesus didn’t die again. He lives forever! And he will come back again. The story is based on Luke 24:50-53 and Acts 1:6-11

Jesus goes back to heaven – story idea

Jesus had died but was alive again! His friends saw him and spoke to him. Lots of people saw him. He wasn’t a ghost. He could eat food! He was really alive again.

While they were looking up into the sky two angels came and spoke to them, ‘Why are you looking up into the sky? This same Jesus who has gone up to heaven will come back again. ‘

Ascension craft ideas

Journey to Bethlehem – Adam and Eve disobey

Adam and Eve break God’s law

Journey to Bethlehem – Adam and Eve disobey. We are travelling to Bethlehem for Christmas starting at the very beginning…

Week one was creation – God made everything good and Adam and Eve were friends with God and each other.

The idea for the creation paper plates came from here – https://ithappensinablink.com/paper-plate-the-days-of-creation/

This week the story is all about how things went from being ‘very good’ (thumbs up) to very bad (thumbs down). The creation plates will be part of the large picture board and the next story will be added.

The story from Genesis 3

Bible truth for toddlers – Adam and Eve broke God’s one rule

‘God gave Adam and Eve one rule. ‘Don’t eat the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden’. They could eat from every other tree but not that one.

Then one day a serpent began to talk to Eve! ‘ Just look at the fruit on that lovely tree in the middle of the garden! It looks so deliciousssss. I’m sure God won’t mind if you take a bite. Nothing bad will happen!’

Eve looked at the tree. It did look lovely. Eve looked at the fruit. It did look yummy. She reached out her hand…. and she took the fruit. She could smell how delicious it was and then…… she took a bite. Then Adam took a bite too!

They had broken God’s one rule and everything changed. They weren’t friends with God anymore and they tried to hide.

But God found them. He still loved them and he promised to send a Saviour so that people could be friends with God again.’

In the storybag

Journey to Bethlehem – Adam and Eve disobey craft

Paper plate spiral snake for Journey to Bethlehem Adam and Eve disobey

Use a paper plate to make a spiral. Make sure the spiral is fairly wide. Decorate with squares of tissue paper. Add some string to the snakes head, an eye and a tongue.

Followers of Jesus – Tabitha

We started a new set of Bible stories at Toddler group today. Each week we are going to meet someone from the Bible who followed Jesus. Today we started with Tabitha (or Dorcas) from Acts 9. She came along in our story basket together with a few sewing related items.

We begin by saying hello to Tabitha and then I talk about how she helped others because she followed Jesus. The way she helped was by making clothes. As items are taken out of the story basket they are named. The children listened really well!

The puppet is new and was from E W Education via Amazon. They come as a set of 10 different puppets in a lovely hessian sack with several accessories.

Our craft was decorating people shapes with fabric and wool.

On a slightly different note – I will be leading a seminar/workshop about craft at toddler group at the Care for the Family Playtime Conference in September. It’s going to be all about crafts for different seasons. I am chuffed to bits to have been invited. Here’s a link to the info. There are lots of seminars and great speakers. It’s going to be a really good day 🙂

Thank you God for my feet..

Acts 3:1-10 is a great story for thanking God for our feet. The children will enjoy jumping and walking. To tell the story use actions – these are in italics. Use as many or as few as suits your group.

Bible story from Acts 3:1-10. The lame man is healed

Bible truth for toddlers – we can thank God for our feet

‘There was a man who was very sad – can you look sad?

Each day he sat outside and asked people for money so he could buy food – rub thumbs and fingers together to illustrate money

One day two of Jesus’ friends came walking by. They were called Peter and John. Tap hands on knees to make sound of walking.

They stopped and looked at the man. Everyone sit still.

‘Look at us’ they said. Ask everyone to repeat this.

The man looked and he hoped they would give him some money. Rub thumb and fingers together again.

We don’t have any money! Ask everyone to repeat this.

‘But what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus get up and walk!’

Peter held out his hand and helped the man up.

Could he walk? Yes! He could walk – can you walk? He could jump – can you jump?

He was happy!

We can thank God for our feet that we use for standing, walking, running and jumping.’

You could use pictures instead if you prefer – Free Bible Images have these.

This is a craft idea.

Thank you God for my mouth..

I was wondering what to do for thanking God for our mouths – a story that had food in it perhaps? But then remembered the man who came back to Jesus to say ‘thank you’. The story is from Luke 17:11-19. To tell the story I made ten men from wooden spoons. On one side of the spoon each man has a sad face and on the other a happy face. For young children there is an opportunity to practice counting to ten!

The spoons are from Ikea at 30p each.( It was very difficult to remove the labels from the spoons so in the end I left them on) I decorated the spoons with wool stuck on with PVA, tissue paper (with PVA) and sharpies. If doing this as a craft for children I wouldn’t use sharpies as I find that after a while they do give you a headache!

For telling the story the spoons were put into a block of oasis – and as the men were healed each one was turned around. You can add a bit of suspense here – ‘One man was better – was man number two – lets see! How about man number three?’ – and so on.

The main aim of the story was to thank God for our mouths that we can use for saying kind words like thank you.

Journey to Bethlehem – week 1 – God made everything good

Journey To Bethlehem is a series of Bible Stories that take us from the very beginning of the Bible up to the first Christmas. There are six stories in the series with ideas for visual aids and crafts. We have used these stories several times in the half term leading up to Christmas in our Toddler Group.

The stories are

Creation Genesis 1
The Fall Genesis 3
Noah Genesis 6 & 7
Abraham Genesis 15
Angel Gabriel visiting Mary Luke 1:26-38
The birth of Jesus Luke 2:1-7
Visit of the Shepherds Luke 2:8-20

We start with creation and everything being made good. Next week the fall and things no longer being good and then onwards to Jesus being born. God’s Saviour sent for us.

The Creation story is going to be told using an idea that I found here – It Happens in a Blink.

Creation paper plates

Here’s some of the paper plates in close up. I had a lot of fun making them. You need sturdy paper plates! I decided not to have a blank plate for day seven. I did see an idea that included lots of zzzz for resting but God didn’t go to sleep, he just stopped making because everything was complete and perfect. He doesn’t need to rest in the way that we do. He never slumbers or sleeps 🙂

Week 1 story

We are going on a journey – all the way to Bethlehem!

Let’s begin. Everything was very quiet and then God began to make things form nothing! He just spoke and things began to happen..

As I tell the story we will count the days together and name what we can see on the plates. After each day we will say ‘it was all very good’ and do a thumbs up. This will be our action for this weeks story.

We have started our journey to Bethlehem!

How to tell the series over 6 weeks

You can find all the stories in this series here on the blog with a different paper plate for each story. (You will see that the snake is not a paper plate – but if you don’t have a pre-cut spiral a paper plate would be fine. Just decorate and then cut into a spiral shape) The links to each story are with each picture.

As you go through the weeks display the paper plates until in week 6 they are all displayed 🙂

Creation paper plates — Week One – Creation

Abraham and stars picure — Week Three – Abraham

Journey to Bethlehem the angel visits Mary picture — Week Four – The Angel visits Mary

Journey to Bethlehem birth of Jesus — Week Five – Jesus is born

Angels visit the shepherds picture — Week Six – The Shepherds find Jesus

Everything you need to make the paper plates in the story series

Sturdy paper plates
Glue
Tissue paper
Pipe cleaners
Beads
Crepe paper
Cardboard tubes
Face shapes
Yarn
Cotton wool
Googly eyes

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The Prodigal Son – Stories Jesus Told

Paper plate pig craft — This little piggie went to toddler group!

This is one of the stories that Jesus told about the lost and the found. The younger son wants his money and spends the lot. He ends up feeding the pigs and comes to his senses. But when he goes home he is welcomed by his father. This son was lost but now is found!

To tell the story use some props including money, party streamers/hats, pretend pigs, new robe/coat/ring/shoes.

The Prodigal Son Story Idea

Jesus told the people a story….

‘Once upon a time there was a man who had two sons (count to two). The younger son wanted his father’s money. So the father decided to share all his things between his two sons. Now they had a lot of money. (jingle the money)

The younger son packed his bag and went far, far away. He loved spending his money! He had lots and lots of parties (show party streamers/hats) with his new friends. It was so much fun being rich! But one day, he looked in his pocket for more money and it had all gone! He looked in the other pocket – no more money! He had spent every last penny! He was in trouble.

What could he do?

He needed a job. So he went to work looking after pigs. Can you make the noise do pigs make? Oink, oink! He was so hungry that he could have eaten the food that the pigs ate. No one helped him. Can you imagine how sad he felt?

‘I will go back to my father,’ he said. ‘My father will give me a better job than sitting here with these pigs.’

So he walked and walked and walked till he could see his old home far away in the distance.

Someone saw him coming. Someone had been looking and hoping that he would come back home. Who do you think it was? It was his father. His father ran down the road to meet him and gave him a great big hug.

‘I’m sorry,’ said the son

‘I forgive you,’ said the father. ‘Now let’s celebrate that you have come back home!’

The father gave his son new clothes to wear, new shoes and a ring. (show these items) He was so happy that he had a party.

‘My son was lost,’ he said, ‘but now he is found.’

When we come back to God it is like we were lost but are now found.

Craft Idea – Paper Plate Pink Pigs.

All you need

paper plate

pink tissue paper and crepe paper cut into squares (roughly)

glue

circles from pink sugar paper for snout. Use a paper punch to cut circles

ear shapes cut from sugar paper

stickers for nostrils and eyes

pink crayons (optional)

Allow plenty of self expression when the children create their craft!

paper plate pigs made by me to give children and parents an idea of what to aim at.

frogs in the bed..!

Bible story from Exodus 8. This is part of our series of stories about animals in the Bible.

Meet the main characters – Moses, Pharoah and frogs!

Moses was the leader of God’s people. God’s people lived in Egypt. They were very sad (can you look sad). Everyday they had to make bricks. they made bricks 1,2,3,4,5,6,7, days a week. It was hot and dusty and horrible.

God told Moses to go and rescue the people. It’s always good to do what God says. ‘Moses, go and tell the King of Egypt to let all of my people go’

So Moses went to see the King of Egypt.

God says you are to let his people go

‘No’ said the king of Egypt ‘i won’t’. It’s always a bad idea to ignore God.

Moses told the king, ‘God will send something to make you change your mind!’

God sent … frogs!

Not just 1 frog, or 2 frogs or even 10 frogs but lots of frogs.

When the people wanted to cook food there were frogs in the oven, when they went to get a wash there were frogs in the water, when they went to bed there were frogs under the covers! frogs everywhere! When the king went to sit on his throne there were frogs already sitting there!

‘Take the frogs away’, said the King.

So Moses asked God to take the frogs away and God did. Now the frogs were back in the river.

After the story we sang our ‘new’ song. This went down really well.

Samson and the bumble bees.

We’ve been doing a few Bible stories at toddler group on the theme of ‘animals in the Bible’. We started with Jonah and have done the ravens feeding Elijah. Then we had a story about camels and today we thought about bees. ( I know they aren’t animals but I think it’s ok to be flexible :))

The story was very simple – this was the basic outline (Judges 14:1-20)

1.God’s people were in trouble because they had ignored God

2. God still loved them so he sent someone to help them

3 God sent Samson. (At this point Samson is taken out of the story bag and we all say ‘hello Samson!’)

4 Samson wasn’t very tall, or very small, or very young or very old – he was very strong. (and we all flex our muscles)

5. One day Samson was walking along (make walking noises by patting hands on knees) when he heard a buzz, buzz, buzz. (everyone make a buzz sound)

6. He had found some bees (take paper plate bee from story bag) inside a dead lion – and they were making honey. ( I did mention that we should leave bees alone and then they won’t bother us)

7God was going to help Samson use what he saw to rescue his people from trouble.

At the end of the story I told the children that they could find this story in Tesco, Asda etc and showed them the Lyles Golden Syrup tin.

The craft was a simple paper plate cut in half. I painted them yellow at home and the children added the stripes, head and wings. I found the idea on Pinterest – it’s from Happy Home Fairy. My bee is slightly different – I tend to steer clear of googly eyes as they are quite easy for an under three to choke on. I didn’t bother with feet either as i like to keep crafts as simple as possible.