Here are the links to our five complete lessons for advent and Christmas:
Lesson l: Zechariah meets the angel Gabriel
Lesson 2: Mary meets the angel Gabriel
Lesson 3: Mary meets Elisabeth
Lesson 4: The song of Zechariah
Lesson 5: Jesus is born
Lesson l: Zechariah meets the angel Gabriel
Lesson 2: Mary meets the angel Gabriel
Lesson 3: Mary meets Elisabeth
Lesson 4: The song of Zechariah
Lesson 5: Jesus is born
In our story today the angel Gabriel told Zachariah that he would have to remain silent for nine months.
It’s really hard for us to keep silent isn’t it?
It’s really hard for us to keep silent isn’t it? Today we’re going to play a game to see who can keep quiet the longest...
This idea is part of a complete Sunday school lesson on Zechariah meeting the angel Gabriel, as part of our series for advent and Christmas.
- straws
First advent Sunday – Zechariah meets the angel Gabriel who tells him that he and his wife Elisabeth are going to have a child, John.
Second advent Sunday – Mary is visited by the angel Gabriel who tells her that she will become pregnant and bear a child, who will be called the Son of God.
Third advent Sunday – Mary goes to visit Elisabeth.
Fourth advent Sunday – The birth of John the Baptist and the song of Zechariah.
Christmas Day – The birth of Jesus
What number did you throw?- a Bible game / Icebreaker
YouTube video and discussion –One Day
Experiment – The Impossible Sum
No nice gift for Zachariah? - a creative activity
Who is the angel Gabriel? - a creative activity
Who can you trust? - a creative activity
What did you say? - a Bible game
I think God is really special, because...- a Bible game
Keep that straw under your nose! -a fun Bible game
We have created an illustrated PDF booklet containing these creative ideas. Using this PDF booklet you can print all these ideas at home at your leisure: see below.
Elisabeth had been given the cold shoulder for years because she was unable to have children. People thought that she wasn’t worth anything anymore. But she is so thankful! ‘The Lord has helped me to become pregnant. He is so good to me.’
Elisabeth thought that God was really special because he had helped her to become pregnant even when she was old. Why do you think God is really special?
This idea is part of a complete Sunday school lesson on Zechariah meeting the angel Gabriel, as part of our series for advent and Christmas.
- A4 paper
- pens
- music
Zechariah is unable to speak, at least for the next few months. How is he going to communicate and let people know what he means?
This idea is part of a complete Sunday school lesson on Zechariah meeting the angel Gabriel, as part of our series for advent and Christmas.
Zechariah is in the temple. Suddenly the angel Gabriel appears and tells him that he and his wife are going to have a baby. But wait a minute! That’s not possible! They’re both much too old! Can we trust what the angel Gabriel says?
This idea is part of a complete Sunday school lesson on Zechariah meeting the angel Gabriel, as part of our series for advent and Christmas.
- an bottle of medicine or a pot of pills
In the temple in Jerusalem Zechariah is visited by the angel Gabriel. But who is he?
This idea is part of a complete Sunday school lesson on Zechariah meeting the angel Gabriel, as part of our series for advent and Christmas.
- worksheet with the various illustrations of angels - download here: Angels-worksheet.pdf
- pens
Zechariah and his wife Elisabeth had prayed for a son. But nothing happened and now it’s too late. Now they’re too old to have children.
This idea is part of a complete Sunday school lesson on Zechariah meeting the angel Gabriel, as part of our series for advent and Christmas.
- a beautifully wrapped present
Zechariah has added everything up, and he knows – he is too old to have a baby. But the angel has good news for him. God has heard his prayer, and even though he and his wife are very old, it’s going to happen! Zechariah can’t believe it.
Can you believe it when you add it all up?
This idea is part of a complete Sunday school lesson on Zechariah meeting the angel Gabriel, as part of our series for advent and Christmas.
Zechariah has added everything up, and he knows – he is too old to have a baby. But the angel has good news for him. God has heard his prayer, and even though he and his wife are very old, it’s going to happen!
Zechariah can’t believe it.
Can you believe it when you add it all up?
- an empty A4 to cover the numbers up.
- a worksheet with The Impossible Sum that you can download here:
An old man lives a lonely life. Sitting on a park bench he thinks back on his youth and his wife. He ends the day watching television. He wants to tell his wife something but realises she isn’t there any more. Sadly he strokes the arm of her chair.
This idea is part of a complete Sunday school lesson on Zechariah meeting the angel Gabriel, as part of our series for advent and Christmas.
Why does this film go with today’s Bible story?
This film is about sadness, loneliness and lost hope. The man in the video has lost his wife. Zachariah is also a very old man who has lost his dream. He’ll never have a son, the son for which he has waited so long and prayed so hard. Or will he? Is there still hope? But surely that’s not possible?
Important questions:
It’s important to always watch the film yourself beforehand and to ask yourself:
- do I want to show this to the children?
- does this film work in the context and age-range of the children I am working with?
If you choose to show this YouTube video, we suggest you use the following steps:
This idea is part of a complete Sunday school lesson on Zechariah meeting the angel Gabriel, as part of our series for advent and Christmas.
- a big dice
- an A4 with the name ‘Zechariah’ on it.
This idea is part of a complete Sunday School lesson on Zechariah meeting the angel Gabriel, as part of our series for advent and Christmas.
- an old fashioned rotary telephone
- a modern mobile Phone
In our story today the angel Gabriel tells Mary that Jesus will be the King of Israel and that there will be no end to his reign.
What does a king do? Is it easy or hard to obey a king?
This idea is part of a complete Sunday school lesson on Mary meeting the angel Gabriel as part of our series for advent and Christmas.
- a toy crown
This is an amended version of the well-known game ‘Simon says’.
Do:
Have the children stand in a circle, and have a leader stand in the middle of the circle.
Tell:
The leader is the king or queen, and wears the crown. The children have to obey him or her,
but only if they use the words ‘The king says’ . So if the king says ‘The king says sit down’, then they have to sit down, but if the king only says ‘Sit down’ then they have to stay standing. The children who do sit down are out.
Do:
You can also have the children take it in turns to be the ‘king’ or ‘queen’.
Ask:
In what ways is this similar to what a real king or queen would do? Why / why not?
What sort of King is Jesus do you think?
Gabriel promised that Mary’s child would be called the Son of God, and that he will reign for ever over Israel. What would you expect? A super hero, or a vulnerable baby?
God turns everything upside down, because He sees things differently to us…..
This idea is part of a complete Sunday school lesson on Mary meeting the angel Gabriel as part of our series for advent and Christmas.
What do you need:
- magazines
- scissors
- a print out of the download (face).
You can download the face here: Upside-down-face---happy-or-sad.pdf
What do to:
Give the children a mix of magazines – some celebrity/fashion magazines, and also some magazines on Christian mission. Ask them to cut out photos of people who they think are heroes. They could be heroes for different reasons, not just for being famous.
Do:
Show the children the face that you have printed out.
Ask:
Is it happy or sad?
Tell:
It all depends on how you look at it
Do:
Show it both ways.
Ask:
When is the face the right way round, and when it is upside down?
Tell:
Gabriel promised that Mary’s child would be called the Son of God, and that he will reign for ever over Israel.
Ask:
What would you expect? A super hero, or a vulnerable baby?
Tell:
We like to look at film stars, famous people, kings and queens. God likes to look at ordinary people, people like Mary and people like us.
Ask:
So who is now looking at things upside down?!
Gabriel tells Mary that she has to give her son the name ‘Jesus’. But what does that mean?
This idea is part of a complete Sunday school lesson on Mary meeting the angel Gabriel as part of our series for advent and Christmas.
- worksheet with the names of Jesus in many different languages
You can download the worksheet here: Names-of-Jesus-in-many-languages.pdf
Do:
Ask the children if they know what their name means.
Show them the worksheet with the names of Jesus in different languages.
Ask:
Which of them can we pronounce?
Which ones do you like?
Which sound a bit strange to you?
Which languages do you recognise?
Who knows why Mary had to call her son Jesus?
What does the name mean?
Tell:
The name Jesus comes from the name Joshua.
Ask:
Who knows who Joshua was?
Tell:
Joshua and Jesus both mean ‘God saves’. Later in the Bible the disciples go on to tell the
people:
There is no one else through whom we can be saved, because his name is the only one on
earth that can save. (Acts 4:12)
Do:
Look together once again at the worksheet.
Ask:
Why is this name the only name that can save people?
Gabriel tells Mary that her son Jesus will be the king of Israel and that he will reign for ever. How does it feel to be a king?
This idea is part of a complete Sunday school lesson on Mary meeting the angel Gabriel as part of our series for advent and Christmas.
- a paper crown, beautifully decorated
This idea is part of a complete Sunday school lesson on Mary meeting the angel Gabriel as part of our series for advent and Christmas.
- a big bag of marshmallows
Do:
Have the children sit in a circle on the ground.
Ask:
Ask the children to introduce themselves one by one, and give three marshmallows, which they have to put in front of them.
Do:
One of the children starts as the king/queen. He or she stands in the middle of the circle. The aim is for the king to try and take the marshmallows from the children. The children can prevent this by calling out the name of another child if the king tries to take a marshmallow from them. If they say a name before the king has taken their marshmallow, the king has to then run to the child whose name has been called and take a marshmallow from them. But if that child also calls out the name of another child before their marshmallow has been taken…..then the king has to go to that child. And so on!
If the king does succeed in taking a marshmallow, they can eat it, and the child whose marshmallow was taken becomes the king.
A creative prayer idea about praising God, which can be used with the story of Mary meeting Elisabeth, and the song that Elisabeth sang.
This idea is part of a complete Sunday school lesson on Mary meeting Elisabeth as part of our series for advent and Christmas.
- bottles of bubble mix
- food colouring
- paper hearts and pens
What do you do:
A creative prayer idea about being thankful that you can use with the story of Mary meeting Elisabeth, and the song that Elisabeth sang.
This idea is part of a complete Sunday school lesson on Mary meeting Elisabeth as part of our series for advent and Christmas.
- balloons
Tell the children that everything’s going to start bubbling up in this weeks’ story. The baby in Elisabeth’s tummy jumps for joy, Elisabeth calls out that Mary is blessed, and Mary suddenly starts singing a song. Everything starts bubbling up and happening, just like the popcorn that starts jumping all over the place.
This idea is part of a complete Sunday school lesson on Mary meeting Elisabeth as part of our series for advent and Christmas.
- microwave popcorn and a microwave
- OR corn, oil, a pan. a camping stove and paper cups
In the microwave:
- make the popcorn and give each children a handful op popcorn
On the camping stove:
Be careful! This activity is not without its own risks! Prepare it well beforehand and make sure you have enough leaders. The effect can be fun and exciting.
Make sure you create a safe environment by making sure that the children are sitting in a circle around the camping stove at a good distance. Make sure the camping stove is on a sturdy surface. Heat a little oil and get the popcorn popping, but don’t put the lid on. Then you will see it fly all over the place as it starts to pop! Maybe the children will be able to catch a bit in their paper cups as it pops out of the pan! You could always have made some earlier that you can give to the children to eat at the end if they haven’t been able to catch much.
You can use this gospel illusion from Richard Lenski in your children's ministry, Sunday school or kidmin. You don't have to be a Christian magician to do this trick.
Material Needed:
Having the ropes with candy cane stripes would be helpful. You can find this rope online or make your own with a red marker and white rope. Won’t be easy, but it will look good.
You can learn how to do this gospel illusion / magic trick through this video below here:
This is an interesting Advent idea for use at home or within your kids ministry or Sunday school lesson.
Create a pile of activity cards. Each Sunday of Advent, ask a child to pick one of the activity cards – hold them so that the child can’t see which card they are choosing. This card is the coming task for the coming week. You can fulfil this task as a group or as a family.
You can think of lots of fun and interesting tasks such as:
- Make a Christmas card for someone
- Clean up the rubbish in your park
- Sweep the street
- Give food to a foodbank or to someone who needs it
- Buy a cup of coffee for a homeless person
- Make a present for someone who is lonely
- Give someone a compliment
- Create your own bird feeder
- Bake cookies and share them with neighbours and friends
You can think of twenty or more activities that you can do as a family or as a children’s group.
A fun Christmas idea on God coming to us in His son Jesus. You can use this Advent idea at home or in your children’s ministry.
Put a Lego figure into a small cup of water and put this into a freezer. Once it is frozen take it out and show it to the kids. Explain to them that when we celebrate Christmas we celebrate that God became like us. In Jesus He became a man. God is not very far away - show your hands and move them far away from the Lego figure in the ice. But through Jesus He has come very close – put your hands on the ice block.
By reading the Bible, praying and going to church we can grow closer to Him. This is what God wants for us, because He loves us so much. His love makes you warm. Shall we see if we can make this block of ice warm, so that it will melt. How can we do that?
To find out, you’ll have to watch this surprising TheDadLab video below. It is another one of his great, short videos on easy to do science experiments.
Just as the cornflake is pulled along by the magnet held above it, so the (three) wise men experience the pull of the star. It leads them towards Bethlehem, where they will worship Jesus and present their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
"They went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed." Matthew 2: 9 - 10
This is a great object lesson to illustrate the Christmas story of the wise men following the star of Bethlehem.
It is fun and easy to do with the children. They can take it in turns to try moving a cornflake over the water.
The Magi, the (three wise men, the (three) kings, the star of Bethlehem, God's direction
- a strong magnet
- fortified cornflakes (check the label to see how much iron each serving contains—the more the better!)
- a bowl of water
Is there someone pregnant in the church or someone you know. Maybe it is a fun idea to invite her to the children’s program, Sunday school lesson or kids ministry.
Maybe she can share what it feels like to be pregnant. Has she even felt her baby kicking? Or even leaping, like Elizabeth? Maybe some children can feel the tummy and see if the baby moves.
How do think this would have been for Mary and Elizabeth? (10 - 15 min)
Luke 1:41-42 (NIV)
41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!
Sunday School lesson, Sunday school class, Sunday school curriculum, children's ministry, kids time
This is probably one of my favourite magic tricks. I currently use it as an ending to two of my Christian children's theatre shows. I like it because it is so easy, but it always gives a 'wow' effect.
Take the red umbrella out of the tube. When you open the umbrella you can show that it is a normal one. You close the umbrella and put it back into the tube. Now show eight different coloured silks to the audience. Then put them into a bag, and suddenly the bag changes into the top of the umbrella and all the silks have disappeared. Pick up the tube and pull the umbrella out. Now the top has been disappeared and instead of the top, the eight silks are hanging on the umbrella.
In your Christmas show you use this trick to answer the question: Who is welcome in the stable? Who can find a place of refuge with Jesus?
Watch the video:
In the video below I will show you how you can use this amazing act during your Christmas service, school assembly or in your Sunday school lesson.
You can buy your copy of the Magic Umbrella Deluxe through the site of Dynamite Magic.
Don't forget – any children’s worker can do this! It only needs a little bit of practice. So give it a try!
The following act is all about the Magi arriving at the stable and giving their presents to Joseph and Mary. It is educational, fun and spectacular with some magic fire at the end of the act. And you know what? You can do this too. It is so easy...
The Magi arrived in Bethlehem and saw Jesus. They worshipped him and give him their presents. To demonstrate the giving of these three presents you use The Incredible Kettle and pour water in the first glass. Somewhere during the pouring the water turns red.
Who knows what the red present was? Incense!
Now you pour the second glass and to your surprise the water turns yellow. This yellow water is a symbol for the second present: gold!
And the third present?
Again you pour water in a glass. This time the water turns green: myrrh!
After pouring the water you lift off the lid, reach in and pull out a long (and bone dry) rainbow streamer! This streamer is a demonstration of the celebration in the stable.
To create a spectacular moment, take a piece of flash paper and light it! This will create a real flame in the air. The boys especially will love this!
You can finish this act with a dove pan and a large sponge cake.
In the video below I will show you how you can use this amazing act during your Christmas service, school assembly or in your Sunday school lesson.
Don't forget – any children’s worker can do this! It only needs a little bit of practice. So give it a try!
After completing the several different acts about the shepherds. take the fourth piece of the puzzle out of the folder. It's a picture of a present. You can talk about all the different presents that we hope to get at Christmas. Put this picture on the board and you are ready to start the following act: introducing the Magi.
Use the picture of the present to talk about the Magi who brought their own presents for Jesus: gold, incense and myrrh. It is important to ignore the hole in the middle of the puzzle. Just act like you haven't seen it and don't mention it yet!
You can do this too during your Christmas service, school assembly or in your Sunday school lesson
In idea 289 I demonstrate the use of the Christmas puzzle as the main story line in a Christmas show
Ask a child to come forward as a volunteer and show him/her the Joker Tube and asks if he knows what order the colours are in a traffic light. Red at the top, yellow in the middle and green at the bottom. The child gives you the coloured balls and you put them in the right order into the tube. Then you start telling the story...
"Joseph and Mary have travelled a long way from Nazareth to Bethlehem. It’s busy. Lots of people have come to register. Joseph looks at Mary. He knows that she can give birth any moment soon. It’s important for him to find an inn where they can stay.
He knocks on the door of the first inn he comes across. “Hello, do you have a place for us to stay for the night?”
You look questioningly at the child and the child says ‘no’. You lift the covering of the tube and the lights are all mixed up.
Joseph is confused. How can this happen? Mary trusted God. He trusted God and now there is no place for them to stay. No place where the son of God can be born? Joseph doesn’t understand. How is this possible?
Take the three balls out of the tube and put them back again in the right order.
Joseph starts to worry a little now. Quickly he rushes to the next inn. He knocks on the door of the second inn. “Hello, my wife is pregnant. Do you have a place for us to stay for the night?”
You look again questioningly at the child and the child says again ‘no’. You lift the covering of the tube and the lights are all mixed up again for the second time.
Joseph starts to panic. How can this happen? Will God desert them? Is God not to be trusted?
Take the three balls out of the tube and this time you put them back again in a different order: yellow first, then red and then lastly green.
Joseph knows he has one more opportunity. The last inn in Bethlehem. He runs as fast as he can and knocks at the door. “Hello, my wife can give birth any moment now. Please, please, do you have a room for us? Have mercy!”
You look questioningly at the child for the last time and the child says ‘no’ for the third time. You lift the covering of the tube and this time there are two red lights in your traffic light and the green light has disappeared. You’ll hear the amazement from your public and you use this amazement to focus on Joseph’s amazement.
How is this possible? Why has God deserted them? Why? It wasn’t easy for Joseph to marry a pregnant Mary. Everyone in the village had spoken of their shame. But he did it, because he trusted God and now this. How can it be?
And then someone, we don’t know who, shows love and compassion to Joseph and Mary. God does care for them. Someone has a place for them in a stable.
You take the three balls out of the tube and this time you put them back again in a different order: In the stable is some straw: the yellow ball. There is a small manger: the red ball and some blankets: another red ball.
That night Joseph and Mary discover that they can trust God. He does take care of them. That the night the traffic light in Bethlehem turns...
You lift the cover away from the tube.
Green!! Green for Joseph and Mary. Green for us all."
Tthank the child who helped you and make sure he/she gets a round of applause. Then go straight into the end of the Cut and Restore trick and ask the girl who took care of your rope and knot to come forward and demonstrate the birth of Jesus Christ this way. Immanuel - God coming down to earth.
To demonstrate this you keep the rope vertical and move your hand down from the top to the bottom. When you reach the knot half way down the rope you move the knot down as you keep talking about God coming down from heaven.
Ask the girl to open her hands and slowly let the knot drop into her hands. Jesus is born in the stable and I ask her to take care of Jesus. She can keep the knot as a symbol of Jesus being born. Before she leaves the stage make sure she gets a around of applause.
You can do this too during your Christmas service, school assembly or in your Sunday school lesson
You can see me doing a full demonstration of this story and magic trick in the video below.
Don't forget – any children’s worker can do this Gospel magic trick. It only needs a little bit of practice. So give it a try!
After your own act about trusting using slush powder it is time to take the second piece of the puzzle out of the folder. It's a picture of a candle.
Put the second picture on the board; you can use the candle to talk about the dark times that the people of Israel were living in. Hundreds of years ago God had made a promise that the people walking in darkness would see a great light, but they couldn’t see anything yet. God still seemed very far away. The Romans were an occupying force that used brutal force to suppress the Israelites. There was lots of poverty. It was a dark time to be living in.
This second piece of the puzzle helps you to introduce the story of Mary’s meeting with the angel.
You can do this too during your Christmas service, school assembly or in your Sunday school lesson
In idea 289 I demonstrate the use of the Christmas puzzle as the main story line in a Christmas show
You can start your Christmas show with the presentation of the Christmas Puzzle. In total the show lasts about an hour, but of course you can make the show longer or shorter if you want. You can use a sketchboard / wooden board and velcro to stick the pieces of the puzzle onto the board.
Tell the children that the postman came to bring a parcel that didn’t fit through the post box, so he had to ring on your doorbell. You don’t know what is in the parcel. That’s exciting! Let’s have a look.
Take out the first piece of the puzzle. It's a picture of a Christmas tree. Put the first picture on the board and you are ready to start with your first act on the theme of trust.
In my case this is a ventriloquist act with my puppet Harry, but I have created another easier act for you.
The five pieces of the puzzle provide the main story line within the Christmas show. It helps you to tell all the individual stories and to combine them into one big story.
You can do this too during your Christmas service, school assembly or in your Sunday school lesson
In this idea I demonstrate the use of the Christmas puzzle as the main story line in a Christmas show.
On the floor in the middle of the prayer room there is a very large candle. Next to it there’s a notice that explains that this candle is going to be used in the services in the coming year, as a symbol of Jesus’ presence. We do this to remind ourselves that Jesus is the Light of the world and that He is always with us. Next to the candle are sheets of coloured candle wax. Children and adults can use this to decorate the candle, so that it will really become ‘their’ candle in the coming year.
- a very large candle
- sheets of coloured (candle) wax
- a pair of scissors
Creative prayer, burning a candle, Christmas, Easter, light of the world
Children's Sunday School, children's ministry, children's work, kids ministry, Messy church, small churches , prayer room
1 John 5:14-16, 1 Chronicles 16:11, 2 Chronicles 6:21, 2 Chronicles 7:14, Ephesians 1:18, Ephesians 6:18, Jeremiah 29:12, Job 22:27, John 17:15, James 5:13, Mark 11:24, Matthew 5:44, Matthew 6:7, Matthew 26:41, Proverbs 15:8, Psalm 17:6, Psalm 102:17, Psalm 141:2, Romans 12:2, Romans 12:12, Psalm 4:1, Psalm 145:18, Luke 11:2-4, Proverbs 15:29, Matthew 6:9-13, Matthew 7:11, Luke 6:12, Luke 18:1, Romans 8:26, Philippians 4:6, Colossians 4:2, 1 Thessalonians 5:17, 1 Timothy 2:8, Hebrews 4:14, James 1:7, James 4:3, James 5:16, 1 John 1:9, 1 Timothy 2:1-2
Did you know that you can create the most beautiful colour effects, even a rainbow, in a bowl of milk? The only things you need for this is a bowl of milk, different colours of food colouring (liquid) and a drop of washing up liquid.
This is not just a really fun craft, it is also a cool science experiment that will appeal to both the girls and the boys in your Sunday school class or your children’s ministry.
The story of creation - creating something that is beautiful (Genesis 1)
The story of Noah and the rainbow – creating a rainbow in the milk (Genesis 9:8-17)
The story of the Bethlehem star – creating a star in the milk (Matthew 2: 1-12)|
The theme of light conquering darkness – this works really well if you use lots of dark colours in the milk.
The theme of the cross – maybe it is an accident, but most of the effects in the video below change into a cross.
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