Kids love going on an adventure! Adventures filled with fun activities, special friends, and amazing sights are unforgettable. The Bible invites us into the greatest adventure of all- following Jesus! Jesus is an amazing teacher, friend, and miracle worker. As kids begin on an adventure with Jesus, it is important for them to learn all that the Bible teaches about Jesus’ ministry on earth and the amazing miracles he gave to the world. Here are few ideas to teach the miracles of Jesus for kids:
Read the story
Research has shown that reading to kids is very important for all aspects of their development. Take time and read about the miracles of Jesus to kids in your life! There are so many wonderful storybook Bibles that would be great resources or even apps to interact with as you read the stories together. Discovering the stories of Jesus’ miracles with children will give opportunity for deeper conversation and learning together.
Find a theme
It can be overwhelming to find a place to begin when it comes to teaching the miracles of Jesus. Do you start with the first miracle- turning water into wine? Or what about the exciting resurrection of Lazarus from the dead?
To help filter the different miracles, try using a specific theme when teaching. Many of Jesus’ miracles took place on or with water, sharing food, and healing those who were sick. Choosing a theme for teaching will make a clear, concrete path for kids to discover and remember the different miracles. And pastors, teachers, and leaders will have a great place to start planning creatively.
Experimental Play: Games, Object Lessons, and Activities
Learning by doing is one of the best ways to commit the word of God to our long term memory. Play stimulates the mind, heart, and creativity of a child in amazing ways. Finding opportunities to offer different kinds of play options is a great way to give kids a front row seat to all that Jesus did while making strong relational connections.
As kids play and create different parts of the miracle, they will remember and experience it in a whole new way. Some ideas for play at home or church may be a hands- on science experiment, creating an art project, telling/acting out the story of the miracle, or playing games related to the miracle. Below are some helpful curriculum resources for more ideas!
Paper Boat Regatta (Game)
Scripture: Matthew 8:23-27, Jesus calms a storm
Synopsis: When Jesus calmed the storm, he showed us that he has power over any difficult thing we face. He also taught us that he wants us to trust him and not be afraid when it feels like we’re in the middle of a storm.
Objective: Kids will identify one thing that can be scary where they need to trust God to help them through.
Items Needed:
A large tub filled with water
Two paper boats (made in advance) Straws
Instructions:
Choose two kids for this game. Have the kids sit or kneel by the tub. Set one boat in front of each of them on the water. The two will blow their boats through the straws in an attempt to propel them from one side of the tub to the other. First boat to reach the other side wins. If either boat sinks, that boat is automatically the loser.
Variation:
Instead of straws, you can use personal fans, or let the kids fold and use a piece of paper as a fan to give their boat some wind.
What’s the Point?
We can trust God to calm the storms in our life. We don’t need to fear if we have Jesus. Here's some helpful links with instructions on how to build a paper boat: http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Paper-Boat https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IGLytQmdjM
Check out this activity and more ideas here from Children’s Ministry Deals!
Lunchbox Lesson (Object Lesson)
Scripture: John 6:1-15, The Feeding of the 5,000
Synopsis: Jesus had been preaching to a crowd of thousands. When it came time to eat, all they had was the lunch of a young boy. The boy offered it to Jesus, and Jesus used it to feed everyone
Objective: Kids will say, “Jesus can fix it – I can help.”
Items Needed: A lunchbox
How many of you have a parent who makes your lunch every day? How many of you are big enough to make your own or at least help your parents make lunch? That’s a big step for a kid, isn’t it? It’s a sign we are growing up, that we can help not just with making lunch, but keeping house and doing yard work. It makes us feel bigger, and it gives us a sense of accomplishment.
Sometimes when God fixes things, He uses us to get the job done. God can use us as part of the solution to our own problems, or like the boy whose lunch fed 5000 people, God can use us to fix things for other people. All it takes is a willing and generous heart that listens to God. When we’re listening and willing, we can help God fix things. Are you ready to help God? Tell Him you’re ready, and expect God to do great things through you!
Check out this activity and more ideas here from Children’s Ministry Deals!
Jesus Heals (Science Experiment)
Scripture: Luke 5:17-26, Four Friends Bring a Sick Man to Jesus
Synopsis: Four young men wanted their friend to be healed so bad, they ripped the roof off of a house just to help him reach Jesus. Jesus is the most amazing man who ever lived, and he wants us to get to know him!
Objective: Kids will state who Jesus is and why he is so amazing
Items Needed: A plastic ring, a hex nut (small enough to fit inside a soda bottle), an empty soda bottle
Directions:
- Set the bottle on a table. Balance the ring on its side on the open mouth of the bottle. Balance the hex nut on top of the plastic ring. Make sure the nut is directly above the mouth of the bottle.
- Let the kids experiment with knocking the ring out from under the hex nut. If you hit the ring on the outside to knock it off the bottle, where does the nut go? If you hit the inside of the ring, where does the nut go?
*If you hit the ring on the inside, the ring bends downward at the top and the nut should fall straight down into the bottle. If you tap the outside, the ring flexes upward at first, sending the nut in an upward direction before falling, and it will not land in the soda bottle. This experiment requires some practice so plan ahead!
An example of this experiment can be seen at this website: https://www.stevespanglerscience.com/lab/experiments/inertia-ring/
If you remove the ring from the top of the bottle by hitting the ring on the inside, the nut drops down into the bottle. You remove the thing that divides the bottle from the nut, and the nut soon finds itself at the bottom of the bottle.
Today we read about four friends who would stop at nothing to get their paralyzed friend to Jesus. They removed the roof from someone’s house and lowered their friend into the house to meet Jesus. They knew Jesus was a man of miracles, and they knew he could heal him. We’re going to do some cool science experiments in this series and see some amazing things, but the most amazing thing we want you to see is Jesus himself. Jesus is God’s son. He was more than a great teacher and a miracle worker; he is our Savior! I hope that you’ll come to see just how incredible Jesus is, and if you haven’t already, you’ll do whatever it takes to get to Jesus - just like the hex nut falling into the bottle.
Check out this activity and more ideas here from Children’s Ministry Deals!
Jesus is all powerful
The miracles of Jesus are amazing and adventurous true stories for every child. These miracles remind us that Jesus has power over everything in our lives. When life isn’t easy, kids can turn to God’s word and remember that when following Jesus, he is all powerful!
