Each lesson in this series of lessons on the Fruit of the Spirit is presented with a caterpillar puppet named Squirmy. Your children will learn from Squirmy worm about growing fruit and growing the fruit of the Spirit. This series includes a fruit bowl Bible verse memory chart, Bible verse cards, bulletin board displays which your children can help produce, and lots of crafts and activities to reinforce the lessons.
Fruit of the Spirit Lesson 1 - Love - Children learn that Jesus showed us how to love and we should follow his example.
Crafts:
1. Scratch and Sniff Fruit of the Spirit Pictures - Children paint the the fruit with paint made with Kool-Aid. (A pattern for this craft is available to members only. Click on the lesson link to go to The Resource Room for the complete lesson.)
2. Fruit of Spirit Caterpillar Plant Stake - At the end of your lesson, you can have your children plant a tomato seed in a cup or pot to review the lesson. They can place this plant stake in the pot to remind them that love is one of the Fruits of the Spirit. (A pattern for this craft is available to members only. Click on the lesson link to go to The Resource Room for the complete lesson.)
3. Make a Bulletin Board Display - Children can help make a bulletin board display by coloring boarder patterns. During activity time they will help fill a basket with tomatoes on which you have written examples of how Jesus showed us to love.(A pattern for this craft is available to members only. Click on the lesson link to go to The Resource Room for the complete lesson.)
4. Squirmy Worm Paper Bag Puppet with a Bible Verse Fruit in his mouth. (A pattern for this craft is available to members only. Click on the lesson link to go to The Resource Room for the complete lesson.)
Activities
1. 
Play a Fruit of the Spirit Match Game to review the fruit of the Spirit. (A pattern for this craft is available to members only. Click on the lesson link to go to The Resource Room for the complete lesson.)
2. Plant a tomato plant and place the caterpillar plant stake in the pot.
3. Feed Squirmy Bible Verse Review Game - Children take turns picking a fruit and feeding it to Squirmy by placing it in his mouth. If a child picks a fruit out of order, Squirmy spits it out and the child must start try again.
Copyright Notice - While many of the crafts on this site are free, they are still copyrighted. They are for personal use only. They may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, except for local church, school, or home use only. It is illegal to publish this material on any other web site, forum, or bulletin board, even if you include the copyright notice and author, without my permission. To request permission to copy this material for any other use contact me by e-mail.
Fruit of the Spirit Lesson 2 - Joy - In this lesson your children will learn that we can be happy in all situations even when things don't go our way because we can trust God to work out his plan for us. The story of Paul and Silas in jail is used as an example of how we can praise God even when things aren't going our way.
Crafts:
1
. Fruit Loop Necklace - Children color the medallion and make a Fruit Loop necklace. (A pattern for this craft is available to members only. Click on the lesson link to go to The Resource Room for the complete lesson.)
2. Fruit Loop Picture - Children color the Bible verse picture and decorate it with Fruit Loops. (A pattern for this craft is available to members only. Click on the lesson link to go to The Resource Room for the complete lesson.)
Activities
1. Squirmy Find the Bible Verse Game - Tell your children that Squirmy wants to help them learn the memory verse. Ask Squirmy if he is ready to show your children the memory verse fruit. Have squirmy look around for them and then come up with nothing. Ask Squirmy what the problem is. Squirmy then says that he lost them. Ask the children if they will help Squirmy find them. When a child has found a fruit help him put it in the correct order to spell out the verse.
2. Love and joy beanbag pass - Make fruit beanbags out of felt before class. In class have your children pass beanbags around the circle and each time they pass a beanbag they should say what that beanbag represents. When they pass the cherry beanbag, they should say, "joy". When they pass the apple beanbag they should say, "love". Keep introducing more and more beanbags. Start passing some in the opposite direction. Soon the game will become confusing, but fun. (If your children are younger than Kindergarten age, you should just have them pass them all in the same direction but alternate apple with cherries.
3. Spread the Joy Bean Bag Toss - Prepare this game before class. Use a plate to draw circles on the construction paper. On some of the circles write some of the following:
- I can be happy when I have to go to the dentist.
- I can be happy when I have to clean my room.
- I can be happy when I loose at a game.
- I can be happy when I have to go to school.
- I can be happy when I have to do my homework.
- I can be happy when I don't get my way.
- I can be happy when I can't play with my friend.
On the rest of the circles draw sad faces. Tape the circles to the floor close together on one side of the room. Have your children stand on the other side of the room behind a piece of tape. Let them take turns throwing a beanbag and trying to avoid the sad face circles. If the beanbag lands on a circle with words, read the circle and give the child a treat like a cookie and have him sit down. If the beanbag lands on a sad face the child goes to the back of the line and tries again when it is his turn. Tell that child that he doesn't have to be sad because he gets to try again next time. Keep playing until all the children have gotten a treat and are sitting down.
4. Love or Joy? - Before class cut up an apple and some cherries, place them in plastic containers such as film canisters, and punch holes in the lids. Make the containers look different so the children can tell them apart. For instance, you can wrap red tape around one. Review the two fruit of the Spirit that they have learned so far. Place the canisters at opposite ends of the room and tell the children to smell them through the holes and decide which one they think is the apple and which the cherries. If you have a large class, make several of each type so it doesn't take too long. Tell the children not to tell each other what they think is in the canisters. When all the children have had a chance to smell the containers ask the children which container they think the apples are in and tell them to go to that side of the room. When everyone has picked a side of the room, tell them which canister contains the apples and which the cherries.
Copyright Notice - While many of the crafts on this site are free, they are still copyrighted. They are for personal use only. They may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, except for local church, school, or home use only. It is illegal to publish this material on any other web site, forum, or bulletin board, even if you include the copyright notice and author, without my permission. To request permission to copy this material for any other use contact me by e-mail.
Fruit of the Spirit Lesson 3 - Peace - Squirmy the Worm is worried about his tomato plant, but he soon learns that he doesn't have to worry. God takes care of the birds and he will take care of us. We can be at peace knowing that he loves us and provides for us. Your children will enjoy coloring a bird picture and gluing on red pompoms for cherries. They can also make bird puppets that can be used in a relay race during activity time. They will also enjoy playing a fun flash card game in which they wiggle like a worm, and make mini cheesecakes with fruit topping.
1. Bible Verse Activity Sheet - Children glue red pompoms on to the picture to make cherries. (A pattern for this craft is available to members only. Click on the lesson link to go to The Resource Room for the complete lesson.)
2. Bird Hand Puppet - This little bird can open and close his beak. It is used during activity time to play a relay race in which children pass fruit from one bird to another. (A pattern for this craft is available to members only. Click on the lesson link to go to The Resource Room for the complete lesson.)
Activities:
1. Mini cheese cakes - Children make mini cheese cakes with cherry pie filling.
2. Fruit flash card game - Use the Love, Joy, Peace, and Worm flash cards. (A pattern for this craft is available to members only. Click on the lesson link to go to The Resource Room for the complete lesson.) Hold up the cards one by one and review each fruit and the Bible verse that goes along with the fruit. Talk a little bit about each fruit.
Tell your children that you are using the lemon to represent peace. They can remember that the lemon represents peace if they think about making lemonade. Lemon juice is very sour, but you don't have to worry. You can be at peace because when you add sugar it makes a very tasty and refreshing drink.
Then tell the children you are going to play a game. They will shout out the name of each fruit and then the Bible verse. If the worm card is shown they can wiggle like a worm until the next card is shown. Once they know the verses, you can use movements instead. For instance, if you hold up the lemon, they can purse their lips like they tasted a sour lemon. For the cherry they can jump up and down and shout "hooray". For the apple, they can draw a heart in the air with both hands or cross their arm over their heart for love.
3. Make lemonade from real lemons.
4. Play Pass the Peace Lemon - Before class cut out 20 lemon shapes from yellow construction paper. In class divide your children up into two teams and have each team stand in a row side by side. Place 10 lemons on the floor in front of each team. Have the first two children pick up a lemon and place the lemon in their bird's beak (bird puppets from the opening activity). The first two children should pass the lemon to the second children in line using only their puppets. The teams keep passing lemons until all the lemons have made it to the end of the line. The team who finishes first wins. If you have older children you can add a word of the Bible verse to each lemon. Mix up the lemons before you place them on the floor. The child at the end of the line has to place the lemons in order to spell out the verse. (A pattern for this craft is available to members only. Click on the lesson link to go to The Resource Room for the complete lesson.)
5. Love, Joy, or Peace? - Before class cut up apples, cherries, and lemons and place them in plastic containers such as film canisters, and punch holes in the lids. Make the containers look different so the children can tell them apart. For instance, you can wrap red tape around one. Review the three fruit of the Spirit that they have learned so far. Also use the apple, cherry, and lemon cards from the flash cards. Print out enough so each child will have one. Place them in the middle of the floor, picture side down. Place the canisters in different locations in your room and tell the children to smell them through the holes and decide which one they think is the apple, the cherry, and the lemon. (If you have a large class, make several of each type so it doesn't take too long.) Tell the children not to tell each other what they think is in the canisters. When all the children have had a chance to smell the containers, have the children stand in a circle around the cards on the floor. Tell your children to each pick up a card, look at it, and go stand by the canister they think matches the card in their hand. When everyone has picked a canister, tell them what is in it and ask them if they picked the correct one.
Copyright Notice - While many of the crafts on this site are free, they are still copyrighted. They are for personal use only. They may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, except for local church, school, or home use only. It is illegal to publish this material on any other web site, forum, or bulletin board, even if you include the copyright notice and author, without my permission. To request permission to copy this material for any other use contact me by e-mail.
Fruit of the Spirit Lesson 4 - Patience - Squirmy Worm learns that it is important to be patient if you want to be a good gardener. Your children will learn that God knows what is best for us and answers our prayers in his own time and in his own way. We must learn to wait and trust God to carry out his plans for our lives.
Crafts:
1. Make a paper bag pineapples to be used in a review activity - Children stuff newspapers into lunch bags, add construction paper leaves and paint the bag to look like a pineapple. This craft is used to play a Bible verse review game.
2. Make pretty pineapples to decorate the bulletin board. Cut pineapple shapes from yellow construction paper and leaves from green construction paper. Bring in all kinds of things that your children will enjoy using to decorate their pineapple shapes. You can use fun foam shapes, stickers, sequins, etc. You can make stamps using real potatoes. Cut the end off a potato and draw the shape you want on the cut end. Then cut away the potato around the shape. Dry off the end of the potato with a paper towel and then let your children dip the end onto an inkpad and then onto their pineapple shapes. (I cut out the diamond shape from a potato shown in the picture at the left.)
3. Match the Hats Activity Sheet - The pattern for this activity to available to members only. Cut out the hats. In class give each child an activity sheet and four different hats. Have them color the sheets and glue the hats to the fruit. Point out the three different fruits of the Spirit that you studied so far and introduce the new fruit that you will be studying this week. Ask your children to give examples of the different fruit. (A pattern for this craft is available to members only. Click on the lesson link to go to The Resource Room for the complete lesson.)
Activities:
1. Pineapple Bible verse review game - Before class prepare the pineapple bags in the opening activity if your children aren't going to make them. Make enough pineapples so that you have one for each word of the Bible verse. Write the Bible verse one word per card on index cards and place the cards underneath the paper bag pineapple. In class have your children take turns either trying to knock over the pineapple with a beanbag or throwing a hoop over the pineapples. When a child knocks over a pineapple or throws a hope over one, pick up the card that was under the pineapple and place it in front of the pineapple. Have all the children say the word or words on the cards that are visible. Do this each time a pineapple is knocked over. If you don't want to make the paper bag pineapples, you can use pictures of pineapples. Print out the pictures (A pattern for this craft is available to members only. Click on the lesson link to go to The Resource Room for the complete lesson.) onto heavy card stock. If your paper isn't thick enough, glue two pieces together. Cut the pineapples apart. Fold the papers at the bottom on the dotted lines so that the folded end is in front of the pineapple picture and holds up the picture. Write a word of the Bible verse on the bottom folded end. When the pineapple picture is knocked over by a beanbag the word will pop up so that the children can read it.
1. Serve pineapple - Bring in a real pineapple that hasn't been cut. In class show your children the pineapple and ask them if they have ever seen the inside of a real pineapple. Explain to them that cutting up a pineapple takes patience but it is worth the wait. Cut off the top and a slice of the pineapple. Show them how you have to cut of the rough outside part and the hard inner part. Cut up the pineapple and place a piece on a plate next to each child. Tell them that they will have to be patient and wait until every child gets a piece. If a child isn't being patient point out to him that he needs to be patient. That means to wait without complaining or whining. When all the children have a piece pray and ask God to help your class to learn patience and then eat up.
2. Make "Yummy Pineapple Salad" - Have your children help you make this delicious salad. Go to Home and Hearth web site for the recipe.
3. Patient Pineapple snack game - Pineapples can remind us to be patient. Cut out the pictures of the pineapples. (The pattern is available to members only.) The cards say, receive a snack, take another turn, or be patient. Place the cards in a bag and shake them up. Have your children each take a turn pulling a pineapple out of the bag. If a child picks the pineapple that says, "Receive a snack", he gets to go to the table and eat his snack. If it says, "Take another turn", he gets to pick another card out of the bag. If it says, "Be patient", he has to wait until his turn comes around before he can pick another card. Keep playing until all the children have had a snack. Remind your children during the game to be patient. (A pattern for this craft is available to members only. Click on the lesson link to go to The Resource Room for the complete lesson.)
4. Play a balloon Bible verse review game - Before class prepare balloons to look like pineapples. Blow up yellow balloons and tape green streamers or crepe paper to the top for the leaves. Write one word of the Bible verse on each pineapple balloon. Make newspaper bats by rolling up three sheets of newspapers from corner to corner and tape in the center. Make two or three. Divide your children up into teams of two or three children. Give the first team the bats. Show your children the balloons and the words written on them. Go over the Bible verse. Write it on the board for younger children who cannot read. Throw the balloons into the center of the room and have the first team see how fast they can line up the balloons next to a wall in order to spell out the verse. They cannot use their hands or feet, just the newspaper bat.
Copyright Notice - While many of the crafts on this site are free, they are still copyrighted. They are for personal use only. They may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, except for local church, school, or home use only. It is illegal to publish this material on any other web site, forum, or bulletin board, even if you include the copyright notice and author, without my permission. To request permission to copy this material for any other use contact me by e-mail.
Fruit of the Spirit Lesson 5 - Gentleness - In this lesson Squirmy Worms learns about gentleness. He isn't careful with his tomato plant and it breaks. Children learn how Paul became a gentle person after he met Jesus on the Road to Damascus.
1. "Gentleness and Love Go Hand in Hand" color sheet - This color sheet has the following words:
Gentleness and Love go hand in hand.
Against hate and lies they take a stand.
They take care not to hurt.
They never push or pull someone's shirt.
They speak softly and don't yell
when things don't go so well.
They don't call mean names
or ever lay the blame.
They keep control when they are mad.
They look for the good and not the bad.
Yes, they go together, hand and hand,
Spreading hope across the land.
©2004 Carolyn Warvel
Copyright Notice - While many of the crafts on this site are free, they are still copyrighted. They are for personal use only. They may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, except for local church, school, or home use only. It is illegal to publish this material on any other web site, forum, or bulletin board, even if you include the copyright notice and author, without my permission. To request permission to copy this material for any other use contact me by e-mail.
The color sheet comes with a picture of two children holding hands or you can use the poem without the picture and have your children use their handprints to make a picture to go along with the poem. Have your children dip each hand into different colors of paint and then press them on the paper. When the handprints are dry write the word "Love" on one handprint and "Gentleness" on the other.
2. Tomato Balloons - Child tape eyes, mouths pattern, noses and feet onto a balloon. (This craft will be used for an activity below.) (A pattern for this craft is available to members only. Click on the lesson link to go to The Resource Room for the complete lesson.)
3. Taste tomatoes - Bring in cut up pieces of tomatoes and let the children taste them. You may also want to bring in some sugar and let the children dip their piece of tomato in the sugar. Talk about tomatoes, how soft they are and how you have to be very gentle and careful handling tomatoes because they bruise easily. You can bring in some apples, pears and other firmer fruits and compare them to the tomatoes. The idea is to show the children that they have take more care when they are handling the tomatoes.
4. Tomato Paper Weight Craft
What you will need: Round, and oblong smooth rocks that lay fairly flat on one side, and red and green paint
What to do:
1. Have your children paint the rock red with a green leaf at the top. When the paint is completely dry paint on the eyes, nose, mouth, and hair. If you don’t want to paint on the features, you can use the face features from the balloon project and just reduce the size.
2. Tomato Stress Balls
What you will need: Heavy duty Use the strongest balloons you can find) red balloons, flour, a funnel, green fun foam, and a permanent marker.
What to do:
1. Cut tomato leaf shapes from green fun foam and punch a hole in the middle and write the Bible verse or the word "gentleness" on the leaf with a permanent marker.
2. Help your children fill up red balloons with flour using a funnel.
3. Stick the top of the balloon through the hole in the leaf. Tie the balloon. Let your children draw faces on the balloon with a permanent marker. Tell your children that when we are under stress we sometimes aren't as gentle as we should be. When things are going their way or they are very frustrated they can squeeze the balloons and ask God to help them not to loose control.
1. Play a Bible Verse Review game - This game uses a die with the words from the Bible verse on it. There are two different patterns. One is for younger children with the words already on the worm The other pattern is for older children who know how to read and write (There are no words on the older children's patterns.) Your children will write the words in the appropriate space. In class go over the Bible verse. Write it on a sheet of paper or on the board to help younger children. Give each child one of the worm patterns. Children take turns throwing the die. Older children write in the word they rolled in the appropriate space on their worms. Younger child can just make a check in the appropriate space under that word. If a child rolls the same word twice, he doesn't do anything on his turn. Keep playing until one of the children have completed the whole verse or checked off all the words in the verse. (A pattern for this craft is available to members only. Click on the lesson link to go to The Resource Room for the complete lesson.)
2. Gentle Relay Race - Place your children into teams. Have a relay race between the teams. Each child places his tomato balloon down in front of himself on the floor and uses a newspaper bat to gently push the balloon across the floor. If the balloon falls over the child has to start again. Emphasize that they have to be gentle with the balloon or they will fall over.
3. Hot Tomato - Play like "Hot Potato" except use a tomato. Tell the children that they will have to be gentle because tomatoes are a lot softer then potatoes.
4. Gentle Balloon Toss - Have your children throw red water balloons (tomatoes) into a bucket or other object. Remind them that they have to be gentle with the balloons or they will break. If a child's balloon breaks, he has to say the Bible verse. After all the children have had a chance to throw their balloon, move the bucket farther away from the throw line. Keep playing until all the balloons have broken except one. The last child holding an unbroken balloon wins. Discuss times when it is hard to be gentle.
5. Make Gentleness Soup - We added something the kids really enjoyed. One of our helpers dresses up as "Chef Jellybean" about once a month and we tie in some part of the lesson to his character. This week, he made "gentleness soup" with a pot, spoon, and some spices. He would pick up a spice and say something like this, "Ok boys and girls, this spice is called 'calling names'. Do I need to put this in my gentleness soup." Do this with several bad spices and be sure to put in some good ones too. The kids love it. Sent in by Mr. Ricky
Copyright Notice - While many of the crafts on this site are free, they are still copyrighted. They are for personal use only. They may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, except for local church, school, or home use only. It is illegal to publish this material on any other web site, forum, or bulletin board, even if you include the copyright notice and author, without my permission. To request permission to copy this material for any other use contact me by e-mail.
Fruit of the Spirit Lesson 6 - Goodness - Squirmy the worm uses the Fruit of the Spirit, goodness, when he shares his tomato with the class. Your children learn how Dorcas showed goodness and kindness to other.
1. Make a shiny picture - Children color the Bible verse picture and then add glitter glue to really make them shine. (A pattern for this craft is available to members only. Click on the lesson link to go to The Resource Room for the complete lesson.)
2. Make a Goodness Guy - This Goodness Guy helps children remember their Bible verse. His hands are reaching out to remind children that they can practice goodness by helping others. (A pattern for this craft is available to members only. Click on the lesson link to go to The Resource Room for the complete lesson.)
3. Sharing Great Gobs of Goodness Cookies - Before class prepare gob cookies and the filling. In class have your children find two cookies that are about the same size and shape. Show them how to spread the filling on the bottom of one cookie and then place the bottom of the other cookie on the filling to make a sandwich cookie. Then show them how to wrap Saran wrap around the cookies. Have them decorate a lunch bag and then place the cookies inside. Tell them that the cookies will help them learn goodness and kindness. They should think about someone, outside of the class, that they can give their cookies to. Suggest giving them to someone in the neighborhood or someone who is poor.
Save some for snack time. Serve with orange juice. Children will also enjoy making their orange juice. Bring in oranges and a juicer and let your children try to extract some juice from some oranges. Tell them that we used an orange to represent the fruit of the Spirit goodness because oranges taste so good.
Great Gobs of Goodness Cookies
(Make these cookies to practice goodness. Give more of them away to others than you keep for yourself.)
1 cup Shortening
2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
2/3 cup cocoa
4 cups sifted flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 tablespoons vanilla
Cream the shortening and then add the sugar, eggs, and vanilla; beat well. Add the dry ingredients and the milk alternately. Drop big gobs of dough onto greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes. Cool.
FILLING:
3/4 c. shortening
1 lb. powdered sugar
4 tablespoons milk
4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons vanilla
While you are waiting for the cookies to cool prepare the filling. Beat together all the ingredients until smooth. Match up the cookies by twos. Try to find cookies that are the same shape and size. Spread filling on the bottom of one cookie and place the other cookie on top of the filling so that the cookies are matched up bottom to bottom.
Copyright Notice - While many of the crafts on this site are free, they are still copyrighted. They are for personal use only. They may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, except for local church, school, or home use only. It is illegal to publish this material on any other web site, forum, or bulletin board, even if you include the copyright notice and author, without my permission. To request permission to copy this material for any other use contact me by e-mail.
4. Play Fruit of The Spirit Review Game - (A pattern for this game is available to members only. Click on the lesson link to go to The Resource Room for the complete lesson.)
The object of the game is to be the first team or player to color in all the fruits on the fruit sheet by landing on the corresponding fruit and answering questions correctly.
To play: Players set their markers on the board on any fruit picture they would like. They take turns rolling a die and moving that many spaces. The player or team must then answer a review question. If he/she/they answer the question correctly, they get to color in the corresponding picture on their fruit sheet. If they don't answer correctly, the next player/players take their turn. If a play/players have already colored in a picture that corresponds to a picture on the board, they just try to answer the question. They do not get to color in another picture. The team or player that colors in all their fruit pictures first wins.
Songs
Great Gobs of Goodness
Written by Carolyn Warvel
(Sing to the tune of "Greasy, Grimy, Gopher Guts")
Goodness gracious, great gobs of goodness,
growing inside of me,
gradually gaining ground,
Goodness gracious, great gobs of goodness
and I will share with you.
©2004 Carolyn Warvel
Copyright Notice - While many of the crafts on this site are free, they are still copyrighted. They are for personal use only. They may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, except for local church, school, or home use only. It is illegal to publish this material on any other web site, forum, or bulletin board, even if you include the copyright notice and author, without my permission. To request permission to copy this material for any other use contact me by e-mail.
Fruit of the Spirit Lesson 7 - Faithfulness Squirmy the Worm learns that you have to be faithful when taking care of a plant. Children learn from the story of Daniel that when they are faithful in the little things, they will also be faithful in the bigger things.
1. Make a faithful dog - Dogs teach us faithfulness. We have to be faithful in feeding them everyday because they can't take care of themselves. This craft can be used in several different ways. You can write words on the bones which describe ways in which we can be faithful such as: pray, read the Bible, obey, don't lie, etc. Instruct your children that when they are faithful and do one of the things written on the bones, they can feed their faithful pup the bone.
You can also use the dog as a Bible verse review game. Print one word of the verse on each bone. Instruct your children to try and find the first word of the verse. If they find the correct word, they can feed the dog. Keep playing until all the bones are gone. This craft is made using small Pringle's Potato chip cans with lids, white card stock, glue or tape, and crayons or colored pencils. (A pattern for this craft is available to members only. Click on the lesson link to go to The Resource Room for the complete lesson.)
2. Play Fruit of the Spirit Bingo - Before class write question pertaining the the Fruit of the Spirit lessons you have taught so far on pieces of paper. Fold them up and put them in a lunch bag. In class pass out out a Fruit-O card and some crayons to each child. Tell your children that you will be asking them questions about the Fruits of the Spirit that they have studied so far. When they answer a question, they should color in one of the fruits on their card that matches the answer to the question. Let your children take turns selecting pieces of paper from the paper bag. There are more than one of each fruit on the cards so they can pick which fruit they would like to color in. They can only color one fruit for each question though. The child who colors in four fruits in a row first wins. (A pattern for this craft is available to members only. Click on the lesson link to go to The Resource Room for the complete lesson.)
3
. Play "Catch the Spirit" - You will need a large, solid-color rubber ball, large balloon, or beach ball, at least a foot wide, for this game. I bought a big ball at Wal-Mart for $3.00. (Beach balls would work better because they are easier to store when you are finished. You can buy beach balls from Oriental Trading Company any time of the year. Just type in "beach balls" in the search box at the left.)
Draw pictures of the fruits studied so far in the lessons (apples, cherries, lemons, pineapples, tomatoes, oranges, and pears) on the ball with a permanent marker. Draw lines around the fruit pictures to enclose them in different shapes and connect them to the other fruit pictures.
In class have your children stand in a circle. Start by rolling the ball to someone. When a child catches the ball tell him to look under his right thumb to see in which space his thumb is resting. He should then say what the fruit is and what fruit of the Spirit it represents. If you have older children you can just write the name of the fruit instead of drawing pictures. Or you can write Bible verse references to the Bible verses from this series of lessons and see if the children can remember the verses.
You can also have the children throw the ball to each other, bounce the ball once on the floor before catching it, etc. You can also play like musical chairs and have the children pass the ball until the music stops. The child holding the ball should check where his thumb is setting and give the fruit of the Spirit represent by that fruit.
4. Make some soul food salad-
What you will need:
Fruit such as peaches, apples, pears, and bananas
Raisins
Nuts
Miniature marshmallows
Cool whip
In class have your children help you cut of the fruit into small chunks with plastic knives and place in a bowl. Add raisins, nuts, and miniature marshmallows to taste. Stir everything together with cool whip.
Fruit of the Spirit Lesson 8 - Meekness - Children learn what it means to be meek from the Pharisee and the Publican.
1. Work on a grape activity sheet - Children paint a grape Bible verse sheet with paint made from grape Kool-Aid. (A pattern for this craft is available to members only. Click on the lesson link to go to The Resource Room for the complete lesson.)
2. Make Edible Squirmy Worms -
What you will need:
Green grapes for body, Carrot for antennas, and large toothpicks, cream cheese and marshmallow cream, and plates.
To make:
1. Before class wash and dry the grapes and cut carrots into tiny slivers for the antennas. Mix the cream cheese with some marshmallow cream to taste.
2. In class give each child a plate and for or five grapes and a glob of the cream cheese mixture. Show your children how dip a grape in the cream cheese and stick it together with another grape. Tell them to stick all the grapes together to from Squirmy worm.
3. Poke two holes in the first grape where the antennas should go. Place to slivers of carrot in the holes to form antennas.
5. Place the larger grape head in front of the row of grapes.
(The directions for the other insects are on the cooking crafts section on Danielle's Place.)
1. Balloon Bible Verse Review Game - Before class blow up some purple or green balloons and write one word of the Bible verse on each balloon. (Use only the last part of the verse for younger children.) Cut a green leaf shape from felt or construction paper. Twist a long piece of brown bulletin board paper to make it look like a vine and hang it up in the corner of your room.
A couple of days before class cut off a branch from a tomato plant or other plant. One with a tiny tomato would work great. Bring in the tomato plant and the branch that was cut off. Show the children the branch that has been cut off. Point out that the branch that is cut off is wilted and the fruit is drying up. Open your Bible to John 15:5 and read the verse and explain that we are a lot like this branch. If we are not attached to the main stem (Jesus) we can't do anything. We need Jesus to help us.
Go over the verse several times. Take out the balloons with the Bible verse written on them to the children. Play some music and have the children hit them up into the air. When the music stops tell the children to hold onto a balloon. Write the first word of the verse on the board and ask the child to check their balloons to see if they have the balloon with that word. The child who has the balloon should give it to you. Tie a string on the balloon and keep playing until you have all the balloons. Tie all the balloons together so that they look like a grape vine cluster. Tie the leaf on top and tie the whole thing to the vine on the wall.
4. Play "Pin the Grape to the Branch" - Cut out the leaves, game pieces and cluster. Also cut a strip of paper from brown construction paper for the vine. Glue the leaves, vine, and grape cluster together and display in front of your room at your children's level. Give each child a grape and a piece of tape. Blind fold them and see if they can stick their grape to the cluster of grapes on the wall. Remind them that without Jesus we can do nothing. (A pattern for this craft is available to members only. Click on the lesson link to go to The Resource Room for the complete lesson.)
Fruit of the Spirit Lesson 9 - Self-control/Temperance - Squirmy the Worm learns about self-control when he eats to many tomatoes and gets sick.
1. Make a fruit cup - Your children will enjoy decorating this cup that has the Bible verse on the back. (A pattern for this craft is available to members only. Click on the lesson link to go to The Resource Room for the complete lesson.)
2. Make a Fruit of the Spirit Picture with Starburst Candy - Children color a Bible verse picture and then glue Starburst candy on the picture gluing the matching flavor of candy next to the fruit. (A pattern for this craft is available to members only. Click on the lesson link to go to The Resource Room for the complete lesson.)
3. Play dough Strawberries with Listening Ears - Make play dough like you would regular play dough except add strawberry Jell-O mix to make it smell like strawberries. In class have your children form their dough into a strawberry shape. Cut leaf shapes from green play dough that has been formed into a ball and then flattened. Cut out a star shape and then press down at the base of the star to make it look more like leaves. Have your children place the leaves on their strawberries. And show your children how to stick them in the strawberries. Tell them that their strawberries will remind them to listen more this week instead of talking so much. (A pattern for this craft is available to members only. Click on the lesson link to go to The Resource Room for the complete lesson.)
4. Review the Bible verse with Squirmy Worm - Draw a large strawberry shape on red poster board and cut it out. Write the Bible verse on the strawberry using large letters ("Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry" leaving out the words quick and slow. Cut wholes large enough for Squirmy's head to fit through where the words should be. Tell the children that Squirmy is going to help us learn the Bible verse. Ask Squirmy what he did with the strawberry. Squirmy should say, "What strawberry?" And you say, "Squirmy, you remember the strawberry with the Bible verse on it." Squirmy says, "Oh, that strawberry. I forgot about that. I'm afraid I didn't have much self-control with that either." Squirmy then brings out the strawberry.
Go over the Bible verse and have Squirmy pop his head out and say "slow" or "quick" in the appropriate place. Keep reviewing until the children remember the verse.
5. Make edible strawberries - Children dip whole strawberries into colored sugar. Go to Family Fun web site for directions. Or you can dip the strawberries in melted chocolate. As you work talk to your children about self-control when eating. It is okay to eat sweets, but we must have self-control and not eat too many. We must also eat the foods that are good for us before we eat the foods that aren't as nutritious.
If strawberries are out of season, you can try this recipe:
Strawberry Shaped Cookies Recipe
1/2 c. Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk
1 pkg. dry strawberry Jell-O (minus 2 tbsp.)
1 1/2 c. Angel Flake coconut
Red food coloring
Mix all the ingredients together. Shape them to look like strawberries and then roll them in two tablespoons or Jell-O mixed with red sugar. Use green icing to make leaves.
6. Practice listening - (Older children) Pass out a sheet of paper to each child. Tell them that they are going to practice being slow to speak and quick to listen. Tell them to do exactly like you say. They have to listen carefully because you aren't going to repeat yourself. It is very important that we learn to control our mouths and our ears, to know when we should speak and when we should listen. Today we are going to practice listening.
Make the directions match your children's age. The older the children the more directions you should give at one time. Have them draw a design on their paper as you explain what to draw. For example, you can say something like this.
1. Draw a big circle in the middle of your paper.
2. Draw a line though the circle from top to bottom, cutting the circle in half but don't make the line go outside the circle.
3. Draw three small circles on the left side of the big circle, one on top of the other, but not touching each other.
4. Draw three X's on the right side of the big circle, one on top of the other but they should not be touching. The bottom one should be bigger than the middle one and the middle one should be bigger than the top one.
When the children are all done have them compare their pictures. How well did they do listening to the directions?
7. Play a Bible verse review game - This game is played like Duck, Duck, Goose except instead of the children saying "Duck, Duck, Goose, they say the Bible verse. The first child says one word of the verse each time he taps a child's head. When he comes to the last word of the verse, he runs around the circle while the child who was tapped last chases him around the circle to his space.
8. Fruit Bowl Review game - Divide your children up into two or more teams. Take turns asking the teams review questions from all the Fruit of the Spirit lessons. If they get an answer correct, place a fruit in their bowl. The team that gets all their fruit in the bowl first wins. (A pattern for this activity is available to members only. Click on the lesson link to go to The Resource Room for the complete lesson.)
9. Play Fruit of the Spirit Domino Review Game - Children play dominoes with fruit pictures to help them remember the Fruit of the Spirit. This game is available to members only.
