Did you or your children ever wonder why we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day?    I’m not sure what lies behind some of the traditions associated with the day, but the man that the holiday is named for has a story children need to hear.

Did you know Patrick isn’t Irish? About 385 years after Jesus lived, Patrick was born into a wealthy English family.  When he was 16 years old, he was kidnapped by Irish pirates and taken to Ireland as a slave where he worked as a shepherd.  During this time he was lonely and afraid; this caused him to turn to God with his whole heart and he began to experience the love of Jesus..  After about 6 years as a slave, Patrick escaped and returned to his home country where he began studying to be a priest.

However, he did not forget Ireland; he had a desire to go back one day and tell them about Jesus.  He did eventually return there as a missionary.  Isn’t that amazing that he would want to go back to the place where he had been enslaved and tell them of God’s love?  What an act of forgiveness! Eventually Patrick was called a saint by the Catholic Church because of his love and kindness to the people of Ireland.

So because Jesus loved Patrick, Patrick was able to love and forgive the people of Ireland and then he spent his life telling them about Jesus. Patrick died on March 17, 461 and now we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day each March 17.

Please make your children aware in the midst of the stories of leprechans and the various ways of observing the holiday, that the reason for the activities this week is because Jesus loved and cared for Patrick and then Patrick loved and care for the people who had wronged him.  It would be a good time to share these verses:

Ephes. 4:32     And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.
John 15:12     This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

It is believed that Patrick brought the shamrock plant to Ireland and used the three-leafed plant to illustrate the message of the Trinity. This would be a good time to teach about the Trinity.  Click here for help in sharing the concept with your children.  A good children’s book to illustrate the Trinity is 3 in 1: A Picture of God.

Go outside and look for clover and talk about the Trinity; be like St. Patrick teaching the Irish.

Order a shamrock craft at Apples for the Teacher.

Download a St. Patrick’s Day coloring page at Ministry-to-Children.com

Watch this 8 minute Veggie Tale story of St. Patrick: http://youtu.be/UociNQHztiY

Here are some ideas to help you teach your children about showing love during this week of celebrating Valentine’s Day.

Creatively work together to display each day’s verse on the fridge. (cut, color, or paint a heart and put the verse on it)

Repeat the verse often during the day as you reinforce it as you go – here a little, there a little. (Deuteronomy 6:7), (Isaiah 28:10)

Read the Bible stories yourself and then tell them in your own words. Be animated and use visuals when possible.

Have fun establishing God’s Word in your children this week!!!!

Day One

Bible Verse: Proverbs 17:17 – A friend loves at all times.

Story: David and Jonathan (1 Samuel 18 1-4)

Activity for Baby to 3: Have a friend over to play with child. Tell story of David and Jonathan. Share toys. For infant, spend time talking about and thanking God for all the baby’s friends, after reading story.

Older Activity: Have child help make cookies and then invite a friend over to share them with. Talk about ways to show love to our friends.

Day Two

Bible Verse: 1 John 4:7 – Love one another.

Story: Elisha’s Friends (2 Kings 4:8-11)

Activity for Baby to 3: Tell the story of Elisha and talk about how you prepared a room for baby to show your love for him. Point out things in baby’s room.

Older Activity: Read story. Draw a picture of the story.

Day Three

Bible Verse: Galatians 5:13 – Help one another
Story: Four Friends (Mark 2:1-12)

Activity for Baby to 3: Make Valentines for friends and pray for for their friends as you do.

Older Activity: Same as for Baby to 3

Day Four

Bible Verse: 2 Corinthians 1:24 – We are helpers.

Story: We Work Together – (Nehemiah 1:1-11, 2:1-20, 3:1-32, 6:15-16)

Activity for Baby to 3: Help fold laundry or pick up toys.

Older Activity: Play blocks together and pretend to build the wall as you tell the story. Dads, let child hammer some nails in some scrap wood while you supervise.

Day Five

Bible Verse: Ephesians 4:32 – Be kind to one another.

Story: Philip’s New Friend – (Acts 8:1-39)

Activity for Baby to 3: Do something special for baby or child like making him cookies or getting him a new inexpensive toy. Give him a hug and lead child to give someone a hug. Talk about ways he can show kindness.

Older Activity: Read story. Say Philip showed kindness by reading the Bible to his friend and telling him about God. Let’s be kind to our friends and tell them about God. Lead child to send a Bible verse or Bible story to one of his friends.

Children find it hard to wait and often wonder why they can’t do something when they want to do it.  Ecclesiastes 3:1 is an excellent verse to use to help them understand that there is a time for everything.

This is a lesson from Here a Little, There a Little, a compilation of Bible activities I created to use with my preschool children. It was designed to spend a week memorizing the verse and reinforcing it through Bible lessons and activities.

Read the suggested passages for Bible stories and tell them in your own words or find them in a children’s Bible storybook.  I have given you suggested things to share about each. Share the verse as you go about your day.  Do at least one of the suggested activities each day.  I am sure you can come up with better ideas on your own – this is just to get you started.

Bible Verse: Ecclesiastes 3:1  There is a time for everything

Bible Stories:

Ecclesiastes 3  God says in the Bible that there is a time for everything.  God planned it that way.  He said that He has planned for a time to plant gardens and a time to pull up the plants.  He has made a time for sickness and a time to heal.  There is a time to laugh and a time to cry.  There is a time to throw stones and a time to gather stones.  There is a time to talk and a time to be quiet.  There is a time for rain, now, sunshine, wind.  God has made a time for everything.  Ask God to help you know what is the right time for each thing – when should you be quiet and when should you talk – when should you walk and when should you run.  God will help you know the right time for everything.

Luke 10:38-42  Mary and Martha were sisters.  Jesus was their friend.  One day Jesus went to visit Mary and Martha at their house.  Martha was busy working but Mary sat quietly and listened to Jesus.  Martha wanted Mary to come help her work, but Jesus said there is a time for working and a time for listening.  He said Mary knew that while He was there it was a time for listening not working.  Which sister chose the right thing to do at the right time?

1 Samuel 1:21-24  Hannah had a little boy named Samuel.  Hannah’s husband was going on a long trip and wanted Hannah to leave Samuel for a while and go with him.  But Hannah knew there is a time for everything and she knew that it was not the right time for her to leave her little boy so she stayed with him to take care of him and to teach him the Bible.  There is a time when parents leave for a while and there is a time when they stay.  God will help them know what is the right time to do the right thing.

Matthew 21:12-13  Jesus went to church one day and there were people in the church selling things and making money for themselves.  Jesus was angry with them and told them to get out.  Jesus said that the church was to be a place of prayer not a place for selling things. There is a time for everything.  There is a time to sell things, but not at church.  The church is a time for praying and singing to God and teaching the Bible.

Mark 2:15-20  Jesus and his friends were sitting at a table eating one day and some men came and asked Him why they were eating.  They said that the preacher John and his friends did not eat for many days.  Jesus said that there is a time to eat and a time not to eat.  He said that while He was with them, it was a time to eat.  Jesus wants us to eat when it is time to eat.
Prayer:  Help us know when is the right time to do something

Activities:

Make a clock out of a paper plate and write the Bible verse on it.  If you need instructions, here’s a video showing how to make one

Divide another paper plate into 4 sections and draw or find pictures of the 4 seasons; put hands on it like on the clock.

Find pictures of different activities.  As you look at them or mention them, let children point clock hands to appropriate time of day or time of year.

Make up a tune to the Bible verse and sing it during the day

Read with expression Ecclesiastes 3 from Living Bible

Giving thanks produces contentment.  Read the suggested passages for Bible stories or thoughts and tell them in your own words.   Do one each day along with a suggested activities.  Put the Bible verse on the fridge and repeat it often.

(Choosing to be happy with what you have)

Bible Verse: In everything give thanks. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Bible Stories:
Hebrews 1:15 - God wants us to give Him thanks more than anything. He would rather us tell Him “thank you” than to give Him money. He would rather us tell Him “thank you” than give Him presents. God likes to hear “thank you”.

Psalm 119:1 - David thanked God for everything God did. He thanked him for the good things. He even thanked God for the bad things that happened. David thanked God even when he was hurt because it helped him to learn God’s Word. The bad things that happen to us can help us learn more about God when we go through the hurtful things. God wants us to thank Him when good things happen and not so good things happen.

John 6:1-13 – One day Jesus was teaching a lot of people and they were all hungry. Jesus took what food was given to him by a little boy and thanked God for the food. God made enough food from that to feed all the people. Jesus gave thanks for His food and so should we.

Luke 17:11-19 – One day 10 sick men came to see Jesus. They asked Jesus to help make them well. He told them how to be healed. When they obeyed him, they were healed. All 10 were healed but only 1 came back to thank Jesus.

Psalm 139:14 David thanked God for making him. He said, “I will thank God for making me wonderfully” David thanked God for making all of his body – eyes, nose, mouth, ears, hands, feet, stomach, etc. Thank God for making all of you.

Prayer: Help us focus on things we do have, not on the things we don’t have

Activities:
Thank God for someone special and make a card for them.
Make a ‘thank you box’ and find pictures of things to put in it.
Paste picture of foods (favorite and not so favorite) on a paper plate and write the Bible verse on it. (John 6:1-13)
Make paper cut outs of the 10 sick men and act out the story. (Luke 17:11-19)
Play ball together and thank God for each part of the body as you use them. (Psalm 139:14)

A Thankful Song

(This is a lesson from Here a Little, There a Little, a compilation of Bible activities I created to use with my preschool children. It was designed to spend a week memorizing the verse and reinforcing it through Bible lessons and activities.)

Trust

Bible Verse: What time I am afraid I will trust in God.  Psalm 56:3

Bible Stories:

Psalm 56 Some mean men were fighting against David.  They wanted to hurt him.  David became afraid, but he remembered that when he was afraid he could trust God.  So David said, “What time I am afraid I will trust in God..”  Then David knew that it didn’t matter what men tried to do to him because God was protecting him.

Luke 2:8-14 Remember the shepherds watching the sheep the night Jesus was born?  The Bible said that they were afraid when they saw the angel that appeared to them.  The angel said, “Don’t be afraid for I bring you good news about Jesus.”  The shepherds learned what time they were afraid to trust in God.

2 Corinthians 11 – 12:10 Paul went through many problems.  He was in prison; he was beaten; he had a wreck in a boat 3 times; some men took all he had and hurt him.  Paul had times of being hungry, thirsty, and cold.  But through all that, even though he was afraid many times, he knew to trust God to make him strong in the midst of all these problems.  Paul learned what time he was afraid to trust in God.

Genesis 14 A bad king had taken Abraham’s nephew, Lot.  Abraham knew he must do something to help Lot.  The bad king had many, many men to help him, but Abraham had only a few to help him.   However, Abraham received a promise from God that He would take care of his enemies.  Abraham didn’t have to be afraid of all those men who were going to help the bad king,  he could trust God to take care of him and his family.

Daniel 6:7-23 The king gave an order that no one was to pray to anyone but him or they would be put in the lions den.  Daniel loved God very much and he knew that the Bible said to always pray to God and only God – no one else.  So Daniel continued to pray to God and the king threw him into the lions den.  Daniel knew that when he was afraid he could trust in God, so he trusted God right there in the lions den and do you know what happened?  Instead of the lions biting Daniel like the king thought they would, God shut the mouths of the lions so they couldn’t hurt Daniel!!!

Prayer: Thank you, God,  that we can trust in You at all times in every situation.

Activities:

Make a clock face out of a paper plate and a brad to hold the clock hands on.  Write the Bible verse on the clock and hang it in a prominent place like on the refrigerator door.

Pretend together with toys, dolls, stuffed animals and that one of them is afraid. Talk about trusting in God whenever he’s afraid.

Spend time all week talking to God about a problem the child or family has. (ex. going to potty, finances, afraid of the dark, etc)  Talk about trusting God to take care of the problem.  Talk about trusting God anytime, anywhere, and with any problem.

Act out Genesis 14 with army men using many to represent king’s army and only a few for David’s.

Act out Daniel 6:7-23 in the lions den.  You could use stuffed animals for lions or make lion masks out of paper plates and yarn for the manes.

Songs:

Put the verse to music for easy memorizing.  Compose your own tune or use a familiar one.  Here’s mine to the tune of  ’Mary Had a Little Lamb’: What Time I Am Afraid

You can find cd’s of scripture put to music.  Steve Green has some especially for children:
Hide ‘em in Your Heart Vol. 1 (This volume has Psalm 56:3 on it)
Hide ‘em in Your Heart Vol. 2
Steve Green: Hide ‘em in Your Heart: 13 Bible Memory Music Videos for Children of All Ages [VHS]

Books:

Find these stories in a children’s Bible.  If you don’t have one, check here or here for some good ones.  Below are two of my favorites:
The Bible in Pictures for Little Eyes
Read and Share Bible

Arch Books has a book about many, many Bible stories.  Begin building your library with these colorfully illustrated paperbacks
Daniel in the Lions Den: Daniel 6 for Children (Arch Books)

(This is another lesson from Here a Little, There a Little, a compilation of Bible activities I created to use with my preschool children. It was designed to spend a week memorizing the verse and reinforcing it through Bible lessons and activities.)

“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.” (William Arthur Ward)  Share this quote with your children and teach them that since everything comes from God, we need to express thanks to Him for everything.  We should also express thanks to those God leads to give to us.

Gratefulness

Bible Verse: James 1:17  Every good present and every perfect gift comes from above, from the Father who made the sun, moon, and stars.

Bible Stories:

1. Psalm 127:3 The Bible says that children are a gift from the Lord.  Every good gift comes from God. God gave Mom & Dad a very special gift (age of your child) ago.  We are so thankful God gave us the special, special gift.  Do you know what that gift was? – It was (child’s name)!

2. Psalm 68:19 Praise God who daily loads us with benefits The Bible says God daily loads us up with blessings.  Blessings are anything God gives us just because He loves us.  Can you name something God gives us every day? (Jesus, food, sleep, sunshine, happy times, smiles, hugs, water, love, friends, air to breath, etc)

3. Genesis 1 In the beginning of the world God made everything.  He made the animals, trees, blue sky, water, stars, sun, clouds, birds, plants, etc.  After He made His beautiful world, He made Adam and Eve.  He gave all He had made to them to enjoy.  God also gives all He has made to us to enjoy.  Thank you God, for your good gift of your beautiful world.

4. Philippians 4:10-19 Paul had need of something.  He was locked up in jail for preaching about Jesus.  The people in the church in the city called Philippi decided to send some gifts to Paul.  They loved him and wanted to help him.  Paul knew that it was God who had helped them to give the gift.   Paul knew that every good gift comes from God.

5. Philippians 1:1-5 Paul wrote a thank you letter to his friends in Philippi while he was in prison.  He told them that he thanked God for them every time he thought of them.  His friends cared about him and Paul was grateful for their friendship.  He knew they were a gift from God to him.  We need to thank God for our friends and those who help us.  We need to tell others we are thankful for them.

Prayer: Thank you God for all the gifts you have given us.  Help us to always be thankful to you and to others.

Activities:

1. Look at baby pictures  and express your gratefulness to God for giving you your children.

2. Cut out pictures of things that God gives us.  Put them in a a ‘thankful box’ and pull them out regularly and thank God for them

3. Play out in God’s beautiful world and sing one of these thankful songs.

4. Find or draw a picture of Paul in jail and talk about what gifts God might have led his friends to send him.  Do you know of someone that has a need that God could be leading your family to give to like the Philippians gave to Paul?

5. Train your children even now to always be quick to thank those who give to them.  This should also be those who give of their time to them. Help them write a thank you, complete with art work, to someone God has used to bless them (grandparent, pastor, s/s teacher, waitress, sales clerk, doctor, mailman, etc).

(This is another lesson from Here a Little, There a Little, a compilation of Bible activities I created to use with my preschool children. It was designed to spend a week memorizing the verse and reinforcing it through Bible lessons and activities.)

Security

(Structuring my life around what is eternal and cannot be destroyed or taken away)
God can never be taken away from you!!

Bible Verse: Joshua 1:9 I command you be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Bible Stories:

Joshua 1 God told Joshua he was to lead his people into the land that God had promised them.  He told Joshua to be strong and not to be afraid.  He said to go where He told him to but not to be afraid because He would go with him everywhere He told him to go.  Joshua obeyed God and God kept His promise to Joshua to be with Him.

Daniel 3:12-26 The King Nebuchadnezzar told everyone to worship a statue rather than the one true God.  Three men named Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego loved God and said they would only worship and pray to Him.  The king put them in a fiery furnace to kill them.  But God was there; He didn’t let them burn.  The king looked in the furnace and saw 4 men instead of 3 men in the furnace.  It was Jesus in there with them!  God is with you wherever you go!! (see picture above)

Exodus 3:1-12 One day Moses was watching his sheep and he saw a bush burning.  When he went over to the bush, he heard God talking to him.  God told Moses He wanted him to go help people because they were being treated badly.  Moses was afraid to go, but God told him not to be concerned about going to talk to the mean king because He said, “Certainly, I will be with you.”

Jeremiah 1:1-10 God told Jeremiah that He had chosen him to be one of his preachers.  Jeremiah said, “But God, I can’t speak for I am a child”  But God told him, “Don’t be afraid for I will give you the words to say and I will be with you to help you out of any problem”

Matthew 1:23   Psalm 46:1 God loves us so much that He wants to help us in times of trouble.  He wants to be with us all the time.  He sent us Jesus to live with us here.  Jesus has another name.  He is called Emmanuel.  Do you know what Emmanuel means?  It means ‘God with us’!  I’m so glad that God is with us wherever we go!!!

Prayer: Help us remember that You are always with us to keep us safe.

Activities for younger preschooler:

Talk about God being with him while in the bedroom, living room, etc. as you go from room to room

Make up a song with the verse to the tune of  “Mary Had a Little Lamb”  Here’s an example – God is With You Wherever You Go

Share the verse in a dark room

Share the verse outside in the sunshine or during a rain storm

Share verse in the car as you are traveling somewhere

Activities for older preschoolers:

Go outside at night and talk about God being with you in the day time and in the night time

Illustrate the Bible story from Daniel about the Fiery Furnace – make a fire out of red, orange, and yellow construction paper.  Cut out 4 men.  Put 3 in as you tell the story, then add the 4^th at the end.

Go outside in the morning and talk about how God will always be with us just as the sun will always come up every morning.  Draw a picture of the sun.

Paste pictures of different places he goes – write Bible verse on paper. (See picture on a related post). Everything you do this
week be sure to include the thought of the presence of God – as playing say, “God, I’m glad you are here with us.”  As going to the grocery store say, “God, thank you that you are going with us to the store.”

Find pictures of children in other lands to color and talk about God is with them just as He is with
us here  – Look at globe or maps and share verse

Songs:

Three Good Men by Bill Gaither  This is from the album Especially for Children of All Ages.
I have only found it in vinyl - Especially for Children…of all ages

God is With You Wherever You Go

Books:

Find these stories in a children’s Bible.  If you don’t have one, check here or here for some good ones.
Arch Books has a book about many, many Bible stories.  Begin building your library with these colorfully illustrated paperbacks:

Journey to the Promised Land: Exodus 15:23-Joshua 4:24 for children (PassAlong Arch books)

The Fiery Furnace

(This is another lesson from Here a Little, There a Little, a compilation of Bible activities I created to use with my preschool children. It was designed to spend a week memorizing the verse and reinforcing it through Bible lessons and activities.)

Our Big God

God is greater than man.
Job 33:12

Bible Stories:

1. Psalm 104 David wrote about how great God is.  He knew God was greater than man.  It was God that made the heavens, water, and earth.  He puts the mountains and valleys in place..  God walks on the wind, causes the thunder, gives water to all the animals, and causes the grass to grow.  It is God who has made darkness, feeds the animals, causes the sun to rise and set, gives the animals homes, makes the moon to rise and set.  Man could work from morning to night and not be able to do all God does and has done and will do!!  Truly God is greater than man.
2. Exodus 2:11-14; 3:1-22; 14:15-31 Moses saw one of his people being beaten by an Egyptian.  This made Moses angry and he wanted to help his friend.  Moses killed the Egyptian and buried him in order to help his friend.  The next day someone found the Egyptian that Moses had buried and knew that Moses had done it.  Moses ran away.  God followed Moses and told him that he saw how bad his people were being treated and he was going to use Moses to help them.  God lead Moses to gather the people and lead them out of Egypt.  The Egyptian army followed them.  When they got to the sea, God parted the water and let them pass to the other side.  Just when the army started to pass, God caused all the army to be buried under the water.  God showed Moses that He is greater than man.  When Moses tried to help his people, he only helped one, only destroyed one Egyptian, and then didn’t bury him very well because someone found him.  When God helped His people, He helped them all, destroyed the entire Egyptian army, and completely buried them in the sea.  God IS greater than man!
3. Isaiah 55:8-9:25-31 God is greater than man.  God said that His ways are higher than our ways.  The things God thinks and plans are greater and wiser than the things we think and plan.  That is why we should always ask God what He wants us to do because He knows what is best for us.  God is greater than we are and knows more than we know.  Always ask God to show you what to do because He is greater than you.
4. Matthew 14:25-31 Jesus’ disciples were in a boat one night and Jesus came to them walking on the water.  Peter then wanted to come to Jesus and walk on the water, but he began to sink in the water because he was afraid.  Jesus was greater than Peter.  Jesus could walk on the water but Peter couldn’t.  God is greater than man and can do things greater than men can do.
5. Philippians 2:9-11 Jesus is greater than man.  God has even given Him a name that is greater than any man’s name. God says that at the name of Jesus everyone and everything shall bow down.  Jesus’ name has power and we can use His name to help us with any problem.  When we use Jesus’ name everything and every person will have to respect His name.  God is greater than man.  Jesus is greater than man and His name is greater than man.
6. Mark 4:36-39 Jesus and His disciples were in a boat.  Jesus was taking a nap.  All of  sudden a big storm came up with strong wind that was tossing the boat back and forth.  The disciples were afraid.  When they woke Jesus, He spoke to the wind and said “Peace, be still”.  Immediately the wind stopped.  Only Jesus can stop the wind!!

Prayer: Help us to always be aware that You are greater than us and we should depend on You to handle our problems

Activities for younger preschooler:

1. Go outside and point out all God made and share the verse
2. While in the tub, tell the story of God parting the water
3. Let him look in the mirror and talk about only God can make a cute little baby like him.
4. While in the tub, tell the story of Jesus walking on water
5. Sing ‘Jesus, Jesus, There’s Something About That Name’ from Bill Gaither’s Especially for Children
6. Let him feel the wind and talk about how Jesus stopped the wind

Activities for older preschoolers:

1. Put the verse on the refrigerator.
2. Play in the pool or bath and tell the story about God parting the waters
3. Show a rock, sand, water, etc.  Tell him to try and make a rock.  Share the verse.
4. In the tub or pool, tell the story of Jesus walking on water.  Try to walk on water.
5. Print the name of Jesus in block letters and let your child color it while you sing ‘Jesus, Jesus, There’s Something About That Name’ from Bill Gaither’s Especially for Children
6. Stand in front of a fan and try to stop the wind

Songs:

“Jesus, Jesus, There’s Something About That Name“
Listen to it here
Purchase it here

“My God Is So Big”

Books:

Check your children’s Bibles for the stories mentioned above.  If you don’t have any, there are several recommended on the Train Up The Child aStore

Let’s take this week before Father’s Day to concentrate on teaching our children to be grateful for their fathers, listen to their instruction, and make Glad Dads.   If your child does not have an earthly father, emphasize his relationship with his Heavenly Father.

…children take pride in their fathers
Proverbs 17:6

My son, hear the instruction of your father…
Proverbs 1:8

A person who loves wisdom makes his father happy…
Proverbs 29:3

Bible:

Proverbs 29:3 Are you doing those things that please your Dad?  The Bible says the best way to make your dad happy is to be wise – to do and say those things that please God – to choose to do the right thing.  We can ask God to help us make our  ‘dad glad’.

John 8:26-28 Jesus said, “I do always those things that please the Father:  His Father is God.  Jesus always pleased God.  Jesus said that He only talked about the things He had heard His Father talk about.  He said He did nothing but what His Father had taught Him to do.  God is our Father too and we should always please Him.  But God, who is our Heavenly Father, has given us an earthly Father.  We please God when we listen to our dads just as Jesus listened to his Dad.

Luke 15:11-22 There was a young man who didn’t listen to his dad.  He decided he wanted to leave his dad so he asked for all the money that belonged to him and he left.  When the son got far away, he began to do bad things in bad places with bad people.  Soon he had spent all his money and had nothing to eat and no where to go but back home to his father. He went home and told his dad that he was sorry for all the bad things he had done.  His dad was glad he came home; he forgave him for everything.

Ephesians 6:1-2 God tells children to obey their parents and to honor their father and mother.  This will please God and it will please your dad.  Obeying your parents means doing what they say to do.  Honoring your parents means to have respect for them – like when your dad is talking, be quiet until he has finished – or when your dad says something, don’t argue with him.  Obeying and honoring your parents will please your dad and it will please God.

Philippians 2:13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire to obey him and the power to do what pleases him. Jesus did always those things that pleased His Father.  How can we always do those things that please God and our dad?  The Bible says that God will work in us to do those things that please Him.  Sometimes when you find it hard to do the things that please God or your dad, remember that God promises to help you do the right things if you ask Him.

Prayer: God, thank you for my dad.  Help me to listen to him and obey.
Thank you that my dad takes care of me.  God, please take care of my dad and help him with all the things he has to do.

Suggested Activities:

1. Make a poster for the fridge with one of the Bible verse and a picture of dad and pictures of some things he does.
2. Play ‘Follow the Leader’ with dad being the leader.
3. Play ‘Dad Says’ like ‘Simon Says’.
4. Show things that belong to dad. Cover the items, sneak one item away, and let child guess what is missing.
5. Make hand prints on a plaque for dad.
6. Greet Dad with hugs and kisses at the door when he comes home from work.
7. Make a thank you card for dad.  List, draw, or find pictures of things dad does and thank him for doing them.
8. Color one of these pages from Ministry-to-Children.com or one of these pages from Kaboose.com
9. Bake cookies for Dad in shapes of things he uses such as a car, tie, hat, ball, tools, etc.
10. Talk about ways to make a ‘Glad Dad’:
    1. come when he calls
    2. listen when he talks
    3. hear and obey his instructions

Songs:

God Made My Daddy (listen)
(lyrics) God made my daddy; he helps me do so many things.
I love my daddy; he takes care of me
or
God is my Father; He helps me do so many things.
I love my Father; He takes care of me.”

Glad for Dad (listen)
(lyrics)I’m glad today; I’m glad today.
For my Dad, I’m glad today.
God, please help me make my Dad glad

Books
We’re Very Good Friends, My Father and I
The Prodigal Son (Arch Books)
Just Me and My Dad (Little Critter)

Day Seven
(click for a printable pdf)

Day Seven – God Rested

On the seventh day, having finished his task, God rested from all his work.
Genesis 2:2

It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat;for God gives rest to his loved ones.
Psalm 127:2

I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.
Psalm 4:8

When you lie down, you will not be afraid; Yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet.
Proverbs 3:24

Bible:

Say:  “When God had finished making everything, He rested. The Bible says, “On the seventh day, having finished his task, God rested from all his work.“  God took a rest from His work.  He set an example for us and He planned for us to rest also.  God says it is not good to work from early morning until late at night; He wants to give us rest (Psalm 127:2).  God will keep us safe while we lie down and sleep peacefully (Psalm 4:8).  Since we are made by Him, we can trust God to take care of us, His creation, all day as we work or play and all night as we sleep.”

Activities:

Rest

Take all the pdf pictures or the pictures you made for each day and make into a Creation book .  OR cut the circles out, cover in plastic and use as a teaching aid to review what God made and in what order.

Song: Sing the following words to God Made the Whole World by His Hands

God made the whole world in six days
He made the whole wide world in six days
God saw all He had made and said ‘It is good’
Then the next day He took a rest

Download I will Lie down and Sleep in Peace by Steve Green.  It’s a good lullaby and will help in memorizing Psalm 4:8.

Note:

Remember we are laying a foundational belief as we teach our children that God made everything.  If a person does not believe that he was made by God, he then does not have to feel accountable to Him for his actions.

We want our children to realize they God made us; He made us with a purpose; we can trust Him to keep His promises; and He gives us help, peace, and hope when we yield to Him. Meditate on the following verses today and always look for ways to get the thoughts across to your children:

Psalm 121:2 My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
Psalm 146:6 He is the one who made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. He is the one who keeps every promise forever,
Jeremiah 29:11 I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord. They are plans for peace and not disaster, plans to give you a future filled with hope.

Answers in Genesis is a great resource for studying Creation.  Their mission is to equip Christians to defend the book of Genesis which is the most attacked book of the Bible.