Ideas to use

Samson 1

Outline ideas for a special focus on the story of Samson - Judges Chapters 13-16

Nehemiah

Outline ideas for a special focus on the story of Nehemiah

Paul - a holiday club or activity day

Outline ideas for a special focus on St. Paul's adventures at sea - Acts 27-28

Choice circus - a dramatic activity

A drama game useful for exploring the two sides of an argument or dilemma

Drama groups

The why and how to start of drama groups

Prayer pots

A fun way to encourage children to pray for other people - there's a mild surprise element that adds a little fillip to praying.

Calling the disciples

A way-in to the story of Jesus choosing his followers (Mark 3:13-19). Possible links could be a series about the 12 disciples, building teams ready for activities in groups or working together as a supportive community.

Samuel and Eli

A way-in to the story of God calling Samuel as a young boy (1 Samuel chapter 3) with possible links to the topic of hearing God in prayer, other Bible stories where God spoke directly to people or how God speaks today.

Jesus calms the storm

A way-in to the story of Jesus calming the storm on the Sea of Galilee with possible links to stories that made people think Jesus was special, stories where Jesus showed his power over nature or discussion about fear, disasters and prayer

Once a term fun clubs

You may not have the time or people to run a weekly club, but you still want to reach out to the children in your community. One idea is a once-a-term fun club, held perhaps on a weekday afternoon, after school for 2 hours. Manageable, staffable, exciting in its novelty - it could be great!

Psalm 139 - our specialness to God

A way in to talking about how special each one of us is to God with links to Psalm 139.

David and Samuel

A way-in to talking about how the inside part of our lives (our character) is more important to God than what we look like on the outside eith links to the story of Samuel choosing David as King - 1 Samuel 16 verses 1-13

Beatitudes

A way-in to talking about how things are in God's amazing Kingdom With links to the Beatitudes in Matthew 5: 1-12

Prayer activity on talking to God

An introduction to prayer and into understanding the different ways in which we can approach God with links to Jesus' teaching on prayer in Matthew chapter 6

Prayer using the image of armour

An introduction to praying, using objects around a room. Link this to how Paul used what he could see of the Roman armour worn by his guards as a way of praying for the things he and his friends needed to make them strong for God - see Ephesians 6:14-18.

Prayer using hand movements

An introduction to prayer, using different hand positions to help us with different sorts of prayers with a link to Psalm 141: 2b

Pass Round Prayer

A very easy way of encouraging a group to pray

Puppets - easy human glove puppets

Simple instructions for how to make human glove puppets - all in less than an hour!

Puppets - mouth puppets

Simple instructions for how to make a Snape Puppet and Sock Puppet

The Bible Library

A starter activity to give an overview of God's special book, with possible links to Bible Sunday, or introducing the idea of regular Bible Reading, or the beginning of a series of sessions on the world's bestseller.

The Bible as God's Story

A starter session on how to get about the Bible and work out what is where? Possible links to Bible Sunday, how to use the Bible to grow as a Christian or encouraging children to use their Bibles regularly

How God speaks through the Bible stories - a presentation

An introduction to the idea of the Bible as the place to find story answers (and more questions!) to life's big questions. With possible links to Bible Sunday, or looking at some special stories in the Bible or a series of what the Bible means to people today.

Ribbons in church

Ribbons attached to a short handle can be used during worship. They can look very beautiful in movement. Read some simple instructions on how to make and advice on how to use.

Ruth 2

If you're looking story for harvest, why not use a harvest-time tale from the Bible as told in the book of Ruth? There are many elements of this harvest romance, which you could develop in conversation with the children or as part of a talk.

Pass the Bible

The Bible has been faithfully passed down to us through the generations. This icebreaker game picks up on this idea and could be a way into a session on how we can pass the Bible story on in our day.

Bible Headlines

This icebreaker puzzle of 'Bible Bites' is a guessing game based on characters and stories from the Old Testament and could be used to kick off a Bible-based event with the children and adults at your church.

Bible anagrams

Hot seating

A well-known drama game for exploring character.

Improvised scenes - a dramatic activity

It's great fun to go into a group and have five minutes to prepare a short play springing from a theme or story. This idea provides guidelines to help to get a crisper, more watchable, less straggly result.

Freeze-frames - a dramatic activity

Freeze-frames, also known as tableaux or snapshots, are a useful well-known drama technique for showing a moment in the middle of the action or for showing an abstract concept in a concrete way.

Living statues - a dramatic activity

A simple activity to explore feelings or actions. This activity is silent, does not require anyone to express themselves articulately unless they want to, and builds groups as people work closely together.

Crossing the Reed Sea

Here's a simple retelling of some of the Exodus story as an example of participative storytelling. It would be great down the main aisle of a church (if you have one) for an all-age service.

In and out - a dramatic activity

Here's a simple, multipurpose drama game to help introduce or explore your theme. It's all-inclusive, encourages the use of imagination and is fun.

Describing the Bible

The following icebreaker activity is an adaptation of a party game which can be just good fun on its own for all ages but can also lead into a simple illustration of the importance of God's special book for Christians.

The Bible Workout

Warm-up exercise workout based on the books of the Bible. It would be an ideal way to lead in to a piece of drama or mime linked to one particular Bible story or character.

Three Bible games

Here are three games, which are each capable of adaptation in different ways to introduce various aspects of the Bible. They make ideal, simple icebreaker activities to do before a session on a particular related Bible story or character.

Big story of the Bible in mime

This is an activity which can become a presentation by a group. The aim is to have a series of 13 simple mimes for the Old Testament story and 9 for the New Testament. The hope is that as one continuous presentation, the whole can give some idea of the overall connectedness of the Bible story and show the way in which God has spoken to the world to reveal His love.

Organising a children's event

So you're planning a special event for children or maybe a holiday club. Great! Here's a few things you ought to consider before you get going to help you work more safely and responsibly.

Christmas - Presentation of Christmas message through sounds

Looking for a new, fun way to tell the Christmas story? Here is an idea involving sounds and simple visuals, which could form part of your Christmas worship this year.

Christmas - presentation of the real meaning of Christmas

Here is an idea for a Christmas presentation that can involve a number of people - children and adults - as they help the congregation to explore what Christmas is really about.

Lent - An ongoing idea for exploring the cross through

The following idea helps children's groups prepare in Lent for the six-week countdown to the mystery of Easter.

Drawing to music

Sometimes you want the children to listen to God's Word in a song, but it's not necessarily a singalong one. Here's a simple idea to help them listen actively.

Lent - Temptations

Praying the compass

It is important in all-age worship that every part of what is done together be accessible and meaningful to everyone there. However too often the prayers are left out of this and they revert to the usual adult format of someone speaking up front while everyone else just listens and adds the occasional Amen. Why not make your prayers more interactive?

Mothering Sunday - Talk on how much God values motherhood

Finding something new for the annual special services is always a challenge. It is followed by four Bible readings on the theme of motherhood, any one of which could be picked up as part of a short talk.

Easter - Good Friday

At Salisbury Cathedral about 40 children and young people led the service. Here's a rough outline of what they did.

Ascension day - A presentation

Ascension Day used to be celebrated much more than it is today. Being a weekday festival, it could prove useful material for a midweek group. The following idea could also form part of a school assembly or the all-age section of a service in church on the Sunday following Ascension Day.

Fathers' day - a prayer

Imaginative prayer

Ten commandments