Use this secular YouTube video to hold a creative discussion with the children about the Bible story.

A robot falls in love with a doll. They even get married, but one day the doll can’t do anything anymore. Her batteries are empty. As the doll comes back to life, we see the robot sitting lifelessly next to her. He has given her his batteries so that she can come back to life.

This idea is part of a complete Sunday school lesson on the Easter Bible story in Luke 23:26-56.

This video will help the children in your Sunday school lesson, youth ministry, Bible lesson, VBS, kidmin, children’s church or children’s ministry to reflect on this powerful Bible passage.

Why is this film applicable to the story of the crucifixion of Jesus? 

In our story today Jesus gives his life for us. He died so that we can live again.

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 three steps:

Step 1: Test the battery

What do you need:

- a battery tester
- new and old batteries.

What do you do:

Do:
Give each of the children a battery

Ask:
How do you know if the battery has any energy?

Tell:
You could put the battery into a clock to see if it will work, or you could test the battery with a battery tester.

Do:
The children can take it in turns to test their battery. Is it empty, half empty or completely full?

Tell:
You can’t tell just by looking if a battery is empty. Today we’re going to watch a video in which empty batteries play an important part, and are also part of the Easter story. Shall we watch?

Step 2: Watch Toy love story: 

 
Step 3: The Easter battery

What do you need:

- two torches

What do you do:

Ask:
What does this video have to do with Easter, do you think?

Tell:
Just as the robot gave his life to the doll he was married to, Jesus gave his life for us. The example of the batteries is a lovely one.

Do:
Show the children a torch that works because its batteries are full, and a torch whose batteries are empty. Take the batteries out of the working torch and put them in the torch that was empty.

Tell:
This is just like Jesus. He knows that our batteries are empty and gives his own life giving energy to us, so that we can shine again.

Ask:
- What are the empty batteries in our lives?
- How come our batteries are empty?
- What sort of light to Jesus’s batteries give?

A fun creative activity about the Bible story of Mary's meeting with the angel Gabriel

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?!

A demonstration on how God's love and forgiveness flowed through the cross into our lives.

With this easy-to-do object lesson you can demonstrate to the children, young people and adults in your church how God's love and forgiveness flowed through Jesus death on the cross into our lives!

We at Creative Kidswork are real fans of TheDadLab Youtube Channel. Here is another of his great, short video's on easy-to-do science experiments. 

I love this simple, but powerful object lesson about Easter. It is just a short video, but once you’ve seen it, you can use it to teach kids and adults on the meaning of Easter. It is a wonderful demonstration of how the Father showed His love for us in the cross of His Son.  You can use this easy to do object lesson to illustrate  how Gods love and forgiveness flowed through the cross into our lives! A great way to explain the Gospel with just the use of a piece of cotton string and two glasses. You have to watch this...

What do you need?

- Two glasses
- Water (with added food coloring)
- Absorbent cotton string (needs to be thicker than thread).

What do you do?

- Cut a 2 foot long segment of cotton string
- Soak the string in clear water until it is soaked through
- Fill up one cup to about half way with the colored water
- Put one end of the string into the cup with water and hold the other end above the empty cup
- Hold the cup with water in it, using your finger to keep the string in place at the rim of the glass. 
- Pour the water slowly along the string.
- Be aware that some water will spill, so you may have to clean up afterwards.

An object lesson about looking at things through God's eyes

Do you know this optical illusion? It is a rabbit or a duck? Depends how you turn the picture. This optical illusion can be used as a short introduction to any Bible story in which Jesus or God acts completely different than expected!

What do you need:

A4 print out of the duck/rabbit illustration ( 6MB) download: duck_rabbit_magic_care.jpg

This illustration is special – if you hold it horizontally you’ll see a rabbit, and if you hold it vertically you’ll see a duck.

You show the kids the rabbit and ask them what they see - a rabbit!

Sometimes we can be so sure of ourselves. We think we know the truth and that we always see the truth, but sometimes God looks at things in a completely different way! 

Turn the rabbit ninety degrees and it becomes a duck! 

Today we are going to hear a Bible story in which God / Jesus acts completely different than expected! 

Any children’s worker can tell the parable of the Prodigal Son using  the Gospel magic trick of the Dean’s Box

For this you can use the Dean’s box magic trick. I bought mine very cheaply through Alibaba Express. The only problem was that it didn’t come with any explanation as to how the trick works. If you choose yours through Alibaba Express you can send me an email and I will send you a video in which I explain how the trick works. It looks great and it is very easy to do!

Ask two children to come forward as volunteers. Give them each a coloured rope to inspect. The yellow rope symbolises the father The red rope symbolises the son The red wooden box symbolises the house of the father.

The father reconciles himself with his son and they are united! The ropes are stuck together.

But how is this possible?

To explain this you need an energy stick from idea 198. You ask your two volunteers to take hold of the silver ending on the energy stick with one hand. Ask if you are allowed to touch their noses and when you do the energy stick will come alive. This will give a laugh. Especially when they are allowed to touch your nose with their other hand. You explain how the energy stick works with a small current of electricity that we cannot see or feel, but flows through us. It connects us. This is the same with Jesus. You cannot see or feel him, but he connects us with God.

Put the ropes back in the box, tie them on the top to the energy stick, pull the ropes and they are back together again. Amazing!

Make sure your two volunteers get a big round of applause before they leave the stage.

Watch the demonstration video

You can see me doing a full demonstration of this story and magic trick in the video below.

A fun final act that will make people leave with a smile on their faces

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!

Any children’s worker can tell this story using the Gospel magic trick of the Joker Tube / Stratosphere

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

Watch the demonstration video

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!

Living life to the full, because Jesus restores the balance in your life

In John chapter 4 Jesus meets the Samaritan woman near the well. This woman was like a empty Coke can - totally empty, lying on its side, blown over by life. A woman who knows what it is to be judged by all the full Coke cans in her village. The men and women who live such nobles lives, who pour shame on this broken and emptied woman.

But then something amazing happens. Jesus offers her life to the full. He offers her living water. And the woman drinks it in. A miracle happens. The woman is filled with water and suddenly there is a restored balance in her life.

Pet a sheep - a creative prayer idea

In this corner of the prayer room  you can find a soft cuddly sheep and a love letter from the Heavenly Father.

Take the sheep on your lap, pet it and remember that the Heavenly Father wants to take you on his lap like this. 

Read the love letter and believe that these words count for you.

This idea is part of a complete Sunday school lesson on Psalm 23 and the Bible passage in John 10: 11-18 on Jesus being the Good Shepherd.

This creative activity will help the children in your Sunday school lesson, youth ministry, Bible lesson, VBS, kidmin, children’s church or children’s ministry to reflect on this powerful Bible passage.

Themes:

Jesus is the Good Shepherd, the church as a flock, God's love

What you'll need:

-  a soft cuddly sheep
-  a love letter from the Father (you can laminate it to make it last longer)

Demonstrating the love of God through a melting heart of ice

How can we demonstrate the power of Gods love to our children in the church or within our family? How can we make something so beyond our understanding visual and tactile during a Sunday school lesson or as visual aid during a sermon? God's love is so amazing. Can we help our children and teenagers to experience a little bit of it?

Maybe you can use the melting heart of ice.

Discover more below...

It is very easy to do. You take a large silicone heart mould, fill it with chicken wire, add water and leave it in the freezer for 48 hours. After two days you take it out of the freezer and you got yourself an heart of ice.  You attach a wire to it, hang it from the ceiling and place a container underneath. 

During a Sunday school lesson, a sermon or during family meeting at home a you create a moment of silence. Hopefully the only thing you'll hear is the water dripping down from the heart of ice into the container.

This melting heart of ice is a brilliantly simple illustration to show that God’s love can melt the hardest of hearts. His love can break through to the hardest hearts. And God's tears are like the drops of water  that flow from this heart. 

Use it as a creative prayer opportunity

It is important not only to show this melting heart of ice, but also to give everyone the opportunity to feel this melting heart for themselves. We all know someone who is in great need of God's love. As you touch this melting heart of ice and as you feel the drops of water you can pray for this person. Maybe it is you. Then you can pray for yourself or ask someone else to pray for you.  

How can you introduce the theme of 'the law' to children and teenagers? 

When we look at Jesus in the Bible, he seems to have a knack for stretching the law beyond what the lawmakers of his time thought was appropriate. In their eyes Jesus was a lawbreaker.

Breaking the rules to bless someone else

- a short introduction to a Bible story, a Sunday school lesson, a RE lesson
- a longer reflection on certain Bible stories and /or Biblical themes

Several Biblical themes in this commercial:

Talking about the law, how far can you go?, the Good Samaritan, Jesus and the law, Jesus the lawbreaker, Jesus and the sabbath, dealing with boundaries

Probably one of the best object lessons of all time

We think that this toy is maybe one of the best object lessons of all time. You can buy it for a few dollars or pounds on Amazon.com or on Amazon.co.uk

It works very simply.

Invite a few children to come forward. Ask them to stand in a circle and hold hands. Take the energy stick in your right hand and take the hand of the child on your left. Leave the circle 'open' by not taking the hand of the child on your right. Then ask the child on your right to also take hold of the other end (the silver end) of the energy stick. When they do this, something amazing happens. Lights go on and you hear a funny noise. What's happening?

There is a small current that you don’t feel and that you can’t see. This current flows through the whole circle as long as everyone is holding hands. It connects through the circle of hands to the other side of the energy stick and then the electrical circuit is complete.

But how can use this in different ways within your kids ministry?

Multiple uses within Christian ministry

Some of the teaching points that you can make using the energy stick are...
- the importance and power of unity
- everybody belongs to the group
- everybody is important
- if one part of the body suffers, we all suffer
- the power of the Holy Spirit
- the existence of God
- God’s amazing love that flows through us

There is hope to be found in the names of God

In this video we use the rainbow of snow experiment to illustrate to children the wonderful names of God.

This video is part of a series of seven which demonstrate the different stories and themes you can illustrate with the rainbow of snow.

The complete series covers the following themes:

Idea 162.  Demonstration video with links to webshops
Idea 163.  Rainbow of snow – the promises of God
Idea 164.  Rainbow of snow – the story of the Jesus calming the storm
Idea 165.  Rainbow of snow – the names of Jesus
Idea 166.  Rainbow of snow – the diversity of the church
Idea 167.  Rainbow of snow – the fruit of the Spirit
Idea 168.  Rainbow of snow – the names of God

(This video was first recorded for the Dutch website. Therefore the audio is not in sync with the video. Our apologies for this.)

Short introduction:
An idea from the programme KrachtKanjers by Marjolein Goedegebuur & Hanneke Schuit:

The children learn how to care for something. In addition, the purpose of the plant is so the children can see that, just like the seed grows, they are also going to grow. Just as the plant hopes to become a beautiful flower, a child also can have dreams and hopes for their future.

Theme:
A child and his or her dreams.

To be used for:
Creative times during children’s work

Bible Verse:
"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future  (Jeremiah 29:11)

Ages:
4-12 years

Description:
The children can decorate their own flowerpot and plant flower seeds in it. They can take it home and care for the plant themselves.

Tip:
Explain that like them, the plant is going to grow. Tell them that just like the plant they can have the desire to grow and  have dreams and wishes for the future.

Materials needed:
- flowerpots, bowls, or cans
- Soil or cotton pads
- flower seeds

Jonah waits in vain for the destruction of Nineveh

Jonah has finally done what God asked of him. After he got spat out by the huge fish, he went to the town of Nineveh. He told the people in the city that God would destroy the city unless they repented, and then he went to sit on a hill just outside the city to watch the show. He’s quite looking forward to it - what a show it’s going to be!

In the meantime in the city of Nineveh, the inhabitants are repenting. God sees this, and spares the city.

Jonah doesn’t realise this, and waits....and waits.....and waits..
It’s getting too hot. But what’s this?

During the night God makes a large bush grow, so that Jonah can sit under it.
What a blessing! But what’s this?

During the night God sends a worm that eats the bush and causes it to die.
Jonah is furious!

And then he gets the lesson.....

Themes:

Jonah is waiting for the destruction of Nineveh, Jonah and the miracle tree, God sent a worm, Gods goodness and compassion

Video:

In the video below we show you how you can illustrate this story using the worm mix.

Before you try this yourself, it’s helpful to watch the introduction video in which we show you how to prepare the worm mix.

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