We’re following along with the Faith in Kids podcast.
For links to all the sessions in this series and for the series in Ephesians, click here.
Travelling with Jesus #1 – A RIVER
Re-live Summer 2019 when holidays were possible! Ed and Jam travel with Jesus to a river. The River Jordan, if you’re asking. We’re in Matthew 3:13-17. Ed tells a dad joke. There’s also a new feature: FUN FACTS FIGHT OFF! And Jam invents a new kebab called The Naga Fireballs with Extra Chilli Sauce.
Planning when to do this
Hopefully you’ve getting into the swing of things now. For more thoughts on how and when to use these ideas, see the intro from a few week’s ago.
How to listen
Just click here and press play.
The Faith in kids podcast is available wherever you normally get your podcasts from, including Spotify and Apple Podcast. Click here for more details.
CRAFT IDEAS
There are five ideas below, three for over 5s and two for under 5s. Feel free to use any that you think will serve you will.
Use the crafts and colouring sheets while you listen to the podcast (make sure you’ve got the materials you need first!). And use them to reinforce the teaching ideas.
The printable sheet for over 5s this week is here.
The printable sheet for under 5s this week is here.
All the instructions below are also included on the sheet – if you’d prefer just to hit print and then stop looking at screen, go ahead!
Here are Ed’s discussion questions:
Try all the questions if you can, they get harder as you go!
Under 7s
Over 7s
Teenagers
Idea 1 – Picture Puzzle Game
Print and colour the picture of Jesus being baptised on Page 2 of the printable sheet; and then carefully cut into strips along the dotted lines and jumble them up.
Take it in turns to roll a dice. Find the strip with the number you have rolled and in turn, gradually make the picture puzzle. If you roll a number already used, then miss a go.
Who is going to be the person to complete the picture puzzle? Look at the picture – what is happening?
Read or listen to Matthew 3 verses 13-17.
Think about who the crowd of people saw and heard at Jesus’ baptism:
➢ Who was baptised in the water?
➢ Who baptised Jesus?
➢ Who did the crowd hear speaking from Heaven?
➢ What did they hear the God the Father say?
➢ Who came down out of Heaven and settled on Jesus?
That day the crowd of people saw and heard God the Father,
God the Son
and God the Holy Spirit.
Idea 2 – Craft
Print Page 4 of the printable sheet onto card or stiff paper and colour.
Carefully cut out all the pieces and cut slits in the background where the 2 vertical lines are.
Fix the figures of John the Baptist and Jesus to the background with a split-pin paper fastener, so that they can dip down into the water.
Fold the ends of the strip of water along the dotted lines and push through the slits in the backgound.
Idea 3 – Crossword
Print page 5 of the printable sheet.
Idea 1 for under 5s
Find two lego men (Jesus and John) and something blue (the Jordan River). Read out Matthew 3:13-17 and use your props as you tell the story. The Easy-to-Read version is below.
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan River. He came to John, wanting John to baptize him. 14 But John tried to stop him. John said, “Why do you come to me to be baptized? I should be baptized by you!”
15 Jesus answered, “Let it be this way for now. We should do whatever God says is right.” Then John agreed.
16 So Jesus was baptized. As soon as he came up out of the water, the sky opened, and he saw God’s Spirit coming down on him like a dove. 17 A voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, the one I love. I am very pleased with him.”