THANKSGIVING TREE

Supplies Needed:                                                                                               
brown butcher paper or poster board
fall-colored card stock or construction paper
Die cut letters or homemade sign with a scripture about giving thanks printed on it.
scissors
pencils
markers
Prepare Ahead:
Cut butcher paper or poster board to look like tree trunk and branches.  Hang on wall.  Hang Thanksgiving scripture above it.


In Class (or at Home if doing with your own kids)
Assist children in tracing their hands onto the card stock or construction paper.  Tell them that these will be the leaves on our Thanksgiving Tree.  Encourage them to write or draw as many things as they can fit on the leaves for which they are thankful, then attach them to the tree.  To really make it look like a fall tree, attach some of the leaves as if they are falling from the tree or have already fallen to the ground.  Do this each week (or each day if doing at home) between now and Thanksgiving to remind your class or family of all the blessings God freely gives us.

Do Everything Without Complaining...

Supplies Needed:

flashlights (1 per child)

Go around the circle and each student (and teacher!) must complain about something in their whiniest voice. Demonstrate in your whiniest voice by using some of the following examples or making up some of your own: “My sister ate the last Pop Tart for breakfast!  That’s not faaaiiiirrr!!!!” , “It’s soooo HOT (or COLD or RAINY, etc.) this morning!!!”, “Why do these chairs have to be soooo hard and uncomfortable???!!!”.  After everyone has had a turn, pass out the flashlights and ask students to turn them on (but not shine in each others’ eyes!).  You may want to turn off classroom lights to get the full effect.  Go around the circle, complaining and whining again, but this time as each student complains, instruct him/her to turn off his/her flashlight.  By the time everyone has had a turn, all lights should be turned off.  

Say, “In today’s Bible lesson, we will read some verses in Philippians that say, ‘Do everything without complaining or arguing.  Then you will be innocent and without anything wrong in you.  You will be God’s children without fault.  But you are living with crooked and mean people all around you.  Among them you shine like stars in the dark world...’.  When we whine, complain, and argue, we are not shining our lights in this dark world.  In fact, when we do those things, we are acting just like people who don’t know Jesus.  Instead, when we choose to be thankful and allow God’s joy to come out of us, we shine our lights (instruct students to turn their lights back on) in this dark world.  So, next time you’re tempted to complain, remember your flashlight and shine like stars!”


You could continue this illustration by going around the circle again, but this time instead of whining and complaining, each person says something for which they are thankful or a word of encouragement as they turn on their flashlight.

How do you teach the children in your ministry to choose thankfulness and joy over whining and complaining?

Teamwork Silly Story

Supplies Needed:

Bag with random objects in it

Scripture Reference:  Philippians 1:27

Say, "Paul encourages the church to work together as a team.  Our class will work together as a team to tell a silly story. The story may be as silly as you’d like, but you must avoid adding anything inappropriate or scary when it’s your turn. Remember, we are working as a team, so let’s all be encouraging of one another.” 

Instruct students to pass around bag with objects in it.  Without looking inside bag, each student must pull out the first object they touch.  Choose a student to begin the story.  He/she must begin with “Once upon a time, there was a...” and he/she must include the object in his/her portion of the story.  For example, if an apple is drawn from the bag, he/she might say, “Once upon a time, there was a boy named Jack who found a magic apple...”.  At your signal, the next student will pick up his/her portion of the story where the first student left off and will include the object he/she drew from the bag.  Story continues until all students have had a chance to add something.    


There are LOTS of ideas out there for teaching teamwork.  What are some of your favorites?