Explore & respond with children
Do, Make, Pray and Sing activities based on Luke 24, 13-35
Choose from these ideas to help the children make connections between the Bible reading and their lives
Do
Charades 10 mins W E
Share a story in a different way.
You will need: a list of daily activities such as brushing teeth, eating breakfast, walking to school.
- Play the game of charades. Ask for one volunteer and give them an everyday action to act out.
- Remind each child when it is their turn that they are only allowed to use their bodies to make actions, with no noise or speech allowed.
- Emphasise to the children that they need to exaggerate their actions in order to share the story well. Swap round, to ensure each child who wishes to has a turn.
- Ask: is it possible to share a story without using words?
Make
Creating a scene 15 mins E
Take time to recreate the scene of your story
You will need: scissors, sticky tape, glue, pens, and a selection of recyclable materials, e.g. toilet rolls, boxes, newspapers, yoghurt pots, bottles.
- Ask the children to work in small groups to create the three different scenes from today’s passage: the road to Emmaus, the room where they shared bread, and the disciples’ room in Jerusalem – using the recyclable materials provided. Encourage the children to take time to think of all the details they might include.
- Once they have finished, retell the story using their crafted scenes.
Walking along the road 15 mins E
Imagine journeying with Jesus
You will need: copies of the ‘Emmaus road’ template printed on card, pens, scissors, lolly sticks, glue.
- Give each child a template. Ask them first to colour the road scene and then cut it out.
- Then, while they are colouring in the three figures, pre-prepare the road scenes by cutting a long slit along the centre of each (as marked on the template).
- Ask the children to cut out the three figures as one piece.
- Invite them to put the lolly stick through the slit in the road scene and then glue the three figures to the top of the stick.
- Encourage the children to recall the story as they move their figures along the road, using the lolly stick.
Pray
Prayer acrostics 10 mins W E S
Remember that God is interested in every part of our story
You will need: paper, pens.
- Give each child a piece of paper and a pen. Ask them to write their name in large letters down the left-hand side of the paper.
- Then, using each letter of their name, encourage everyone to write something they want to thank God for, or would like his help with. Invite them to include some things that are part of the story of their life.
- Then ask the children to swap their papers with someone else in the group, and spend some time quietly praying for the person whose sheet they have. Encourage everyone to take the sheets they are holding home and pray for that person through the week.
Stories of strife 10 mins W E A
Spend time reflecting on how some Christians struggle to share their story
- Watch the video to see how Christians in other countries are sometimes unsafe if they share their story.
- Talk about how we can pray and tell other people about our faith in God safely. Some Christians across the world might be in danger for praying or going to church.
- Spend some time praying for people all over the world who do not have the freedom to share their story, or the story of Jesus, with others.
More prayers are available via the Prayers page.
KEY
Sing
Under 5s
Who put the colours in the rainbow?
Jesus is the one, Freedom kids
Under 12s
Heaven in my heart, Hillsong kids on Super strong God
12+
You are love, Rend collective experiment on Organic family hymnal
For who you are, Marty Sampson, Hillsong worship on Mighty to save