Activity Centers for Rock Solid Curriculum
Send your ideas for Activity Centers to lgomi@nyac.com
My small church uses the one-room approach for Sunday School. I chose the Middle Elementary age level material from Cokesbury's Rock Solid curriculum because my students adore the plays! (An adult whispers the lines to the non-readers as we act out the story.) I need to make a few adaptations so there's something for all ages 3 - 10, but all the students arrive needing to move and love the options of activity centers that help them make connections to the topic before we begin the day's Bible story. Here's what I've done or am going to do for some very active activity centers in January:
Session 6 Mary and Martha Activity Center: Getting the Meal on the Table Need: a tray, plastic dishes (doll size or regular), tablecloth, platic food, ect.. to set a table Prepare in advance: Hide items for setting the table around the room. Prepare a sample table setting drawing or actual set so the children know what to look for. Instructions: Children find items around the room and set the table. Expect confusion, especially if the table cloth is found last! During story time children can share experience of setting the table. Some may choose to compare activity to setting the table at home.
Session 7 A Woman at the Well Activity Center: Going to the Well for Water (adaptation of Bible Time: Get Ready p. 48) Need: heavy plastic galloon (or larger) jug with lid (Arizona Ice Tea is perfect!), large funnel, bucket with string, industial-sized sinks filled with water. Prepare in advance; permission to visit kitchen and fill sink with water, mop and mop bucket standing by for spills, sink full of water. Instructions: Take turns lowering bucket with string attached into sink and hauling up with water. Pour water into plastic jug using funnel before changing to next person. Once jug is full, take turns carrying jug . Choose a large space so it feels heavy! Experiment carrying on head and holding it in one hand. DO NOT MAKE THIS A COMPETITION. Allow each child to have his/her own experience. Have each child share own experience while the next child is taking his/her turn of carrying the jug. (Second adult should walk next to child to catch the jug should it slip when it is on top of the child's head.)
Session 8 The Rich Young Man Activity Center: Fitting A Camel through a Needle's Eye (adaptation of Faith Builders p.61) Need: objects with holes in them (disc frisbee, portable basketball hoop, foreign coin, child's toy with holes for different shapes, a puppet stage) Prepare in advance: Gather objects with holes. Instructions: Invite each child to find something they think won't fit through the hole of each object and something they think will. (Encourage tough calls. "It's hard to tell if this will fit. Would you like to try?") Give each child the chance to prove it will or won't fit through the hole. Gradually introduce items with smaller holes. Last object should be a needle (Needles for knitting/crocheting don't break skin if brushed against. Or place a piece of cork or eraser on the end of a pointy needle.)
Session 9 Peter Knows Who Jesus Is Activity Center: It Take's a While to Figure it Out Need: Several bags with draw string tops or tape the top opening so only a small hand can fit in, one odd object for each bag. (Sculpture objects are great for this.) Prepare in advance: Place object in box. Provide paper for the students to draw what they felt inside each bag. Instructions: Invite each child place his/her hand in the bag and then to make a drawing of what was learned about the object. For older children, set a time limit of 5 seconds when touching the object. Encourage the students to compare each drawing and learn something new about the object. Option: Play 20 Questions about the objects in the bag. One child looks in the bag and the other children ask questions that can be answered with a 'yes' or 'no' until the group guesses what is in the bag. Play "I Spy" One chlild chooses an object in the room and gives a hint, eg, 'I spy (with my little eye) something that's "red".' The other children guess, "Is it your shirt?" "Is it the toy fire truck?" until the object is guessed. Additinal hints may be given.