You come home after church with the best of intentions to review your 2-to-5 year olds' Bible lesson with him throughout the week. But, much like the circumstances in the parable of the seed a man scattered, things just happen to derail your good intentions. Do some fun Bible activities that you both will enjoy. Read him the story from his Sunday school paper or tell the story from the accounts in Matthew 13:1-8, Luke 8:1-8, or Mark 4:1-20. Then do some hands-on activities that help bring the story right into your home.
Unhappy or Happy Hearts
Cut three large heart shapes from brown paper and one from red paper. Have her draw a bird on one brown heart, the sun on a second and some thorny weeds on the third. Let her smear some glue in a few places onto each brown heart. Pour grass seed onto the three brown hearts. When your little Bible student picks up each heart, most of the seed will fall off. Have her draw eyes and a frown onto each of the brown 'unhappy hearts', because God's Word didn't stay inside them. Then, let her cover the entire read heart with glue, then cover it with grass seed. When she picks this one up, the seed will stick. Glue a red smile over some of the seeds to represent a happy heart filled with God's Word.
Trace his grubby little handprints onto black, yellow, brown and green paper, then cut them out. Provide wiggly craft eyes for him to glue onto the thumb of the black handprint to make a bird. Turn the yellow handprint into a sun with the fingers pointing downward like hot rays of sunshine. On the brown hand, let him wind brown yarn around the fingers like weeds. Make the green handprint look like a thriving garden with the fingers pointing upward like strong plants. Help tape the handprints onto a length of crepe paper streamer to hang where he can see it throughout the week.
Seeds and Plants
Make a big mess outdoors, or indoors if you dare. Spread some birdseed on the ground, and let your playmate walk and stomp in it. Discuss how it gets all scattered and some seeds stick to his shoes. Spread some seeds on sunny spot place in the yard. Water only part of the spot. Check it each day to see that the sun doesn't let the dry seeds grow. Encourage her to pile toys over a grassy spot, then watch to see how the toys keep the grass from growing, like the things we do instead of putting God's Word into our hearts. Plant some fast-growing seeds in a pot of soil. Water the soil and give it just enough sunlight to grow and thrive like God's Word will with the right care.
Observe Seeds Outdoors
Fill a bird feeder with seed. Make a special effort to take your curious little on outdoors each day. Discuss what happens to the seeds. The birds eat some, others fall on the ground and get destroyed and some get carried away by birds or the wind. Have him plant some of the seeds from the feeder and watch them grow into strong plants. Relate these things to the story about how God's Word does or doesn't grow in someone's heart.
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