1. family and parenting
2. children

Bright Ideas
for
Primaries
BRIGHT IDEAS FOR PRIMARIES
LESSON MURAL
Primary children will enjoy expressing themselves through drawing a mural of the lesson story.
Stretch a piece of paper several feet long on one side of the primary classroom. Fasten it to the wall
at a height for the children to reach. White butcher paper or even brown wrapping paper will work
well. Provide crayons or colored chalk to make the mural. (Crayons will not get on the children's
clothing as easily as chalk.)
When the children come into the room, they will notice the blank piece of paper. Explain that
when the lesson is finished they will draw pictures about the story. Everyone will have a part.
Encourage them to pay close attention to the lesson so they will know how to draw their pictures.
Then discuss the lesson, bringing out the important points they will draw. At the conclusion,
assign each child a portion of the story. The paper can be divided into sections and each one can
draw a part, or one child can make the sky, another, the grass, etc., for the entire picture. When the
mural is finished have each child tell his part of the story and explain his drawing. Use the mural for
review the following week.
Since this project will take more time than is ordinarily allowed for handwork, be brief in other
activities. Make this the main teaching method for the day's lesson. We are all aware that we learn
more through participation than by any other means.
VERSE PLACEMATS
There are many ways parents can help their children learn and memorize verses of Scripture.
Recitation and rehearsal are basic skills but there are ways that add variety and interest to make
memorizing a family adventure. One method for you might be the verse placemats. It is quite easy
for children to make placemats for family use. Use a 12" x 18" cardboard covered with colorful
plastic-coated paper. You will find clear Contact paper excellent for this purpose. Use paints or
colored pencils to print on the week's Bible verse.
Add pictures cut from magazines or sprigs of plants and flowers for additional decoration. Use
the placemats during the week the verse is being memorized.
SILENT QUIZ
Why not try a silent quiz? In a class where you are not completely secluded and where any noise
is heard by other classes, use the silent review quiz occasionally. Make a list of questions for the
lessons of the past several weeks, all of which can be answered with "Yes" or "No." Instruct the
children that no words are to be said during the quiz. If the answer is "Yes," the children are to raise
their hands, if it is "No," they will put their hands behind their backs. Such a quiz will give the boys
and girls a little exercise while they are learning. The fact that it is conducted in a different manner
will add a bit of spice to the class session.
MEMORY VERSE ENCOURAGEMENT
Hopefully, your primaries read their Sunday school lesson and learn the memory verse at home.
To encourage them to develop this habit, give a surprise reward to those who can say the verse and
have read their lesson. Of course, they will have had no advance notice of your plan. Just begin with,
"Who will say the verse today? Did you read your lesson?"
2
PAPER PLATE ATTENDANCE CHART
Here's an idea for attendance. On the first Sunday of the quarter, give each child a paper plate.
With a felt pen, write his name across the plate right above the center. In the exact center, punch a
hole. Put notebook reinforcements over the hole, front and back. Cut two hands like those on a clock,
one long and one short, from heavy paper or cardboard, using bright colors. Punch holes in the ends
of each of the hands and place reinforcements over the holes. Attach the hands to the plate with
brass brad fasteners. Each time the child is present, put a number on his clock. These can be pasted
on or written on with a felt tip pen. If a child comes each of the Sundays in the quarter, he will have
all of the numbers on his clock. Since the children are at the age when they are becoming interested
in telling the time, they will enjoy making their own clock.
PERSONALIZED DOLLS
Perhaps you may find some extra time on your hands at the close of the lesson some Sunday.
The primary child loves to hear a story, and is impressed when it is illustrated with pictures or
objects. Although you may not have "die-cut, colored visual aids," a simple do-it-yourself project can
provide cutout dolls personalized with a photo for the head of each. The cutout doll pattern can be
traced from any paper doll cutout book or coloring book and colored for this purpose.
When you tell the story, delight your students by using their names, as much as possible, as
individuals in the story. Be sure the names used correspond with the picture head mounted on the
cutout doll. You can use a different doll each week, or you may use several for one story. Use stories
that concern things the primary pupil is familiar with, such as the family circle and his close friends.
You will find appropriate stories of various lengths from your local Christian bookstore or any sources
you may already have available.
SCRIPTURE EGG HUNT
If you have an Easter egg hunt for your children, make it meaningful by planning it as a Scripture
egg hunt. Give each child a hard cooked egg and a felt pen. Tell him to choose a Scripture reference
and write it on his egg. Then hide the eggs and let the class hunt for them. After all the eggs are
found, the students should look up the references on their eggs and read the verses aloud to the
class. A variation of this idea is to write half of the verse on one egg and half on another and allow
the children to put the parts together. Then, the children could find the other half of their verse.
BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION
A child loves to have the "Happy Birthday" chorus sung to him when he has a birthday, but he is
even more impressed if he has a birthday cake to light. This may not always be possible in your
Sunday school class, so why not try this idea? Make a cake from a round hatbox or similar shaped
box. Cover the top and sides with Dannon soap flakes or wet paper pulp and spray the top with
snow-flog or another type of artificial snow used to decorate at Christmas. For candles use
Christmas lights that burn independently of each other. Put as many bulbs in sockets as are needed
through the top of the box. Have the bulbs screwed only part way in. When a child has a birthday, let
him screw in as many bulbs as he is years old. All the children can count as the bulbs are lighted.
This type of candle is much safer than lighting wax candles with matches.
It may be fun also to have a quarterly birthday party or celebration for the members of the class
who had a birthday during the past quarter. This will allow you to have a birthday cake or cupcakes
for each member of the class. It would be far less expensive and take up less time than trying
something like this for each birthday, and you would be able to make it just as special for the
children.
3
"GET-WELL" BOOK
Do you have a Sunday school student who has been sick and absent from class? Have your
students prepare a "get-well" book. They can fill a scrapbook with appropriate pictures or poems.
These can be found in old magazines or left over Sunday school material. They can use their
imaginations and write their own poems and drawings. Let the children find, paste and color, and
then encourage them to write their own get-well message. When the book is completed, have the
class pray for the sick child. This creative project can enforce the importance of showing concern for
others to your class, as well as brighten a sick child's day. (Submitted by Sherry Turner)
“MARCHING TO SUNDAY SCHOOL" ATTENDANCE ACTIVITY
Special attendance activities are lots of fun with this age group. Why not try this idea used
several years ago by a Primary teacher? Your theme might be "Marching to Sunday School;" it could
be carried out by a picture of a toy soldier for each child. The uniform could be made of red, blue,
and gold construction paper. The children could receive these when they come each Sunday.
Buttons could he punched with a paper punch from gold metallic paper or gold gummed seals.
White cotton makes the toy soldier's hat look realistic.
If colored felt is available, make the uniform of that material. Use gold metallic braid and real
buttons dipped in gold paint. A picture such as this would be suitable for framing. The children who
have earned all their buttons could receive the gold metal on the hat.
CHRISTMAS CARD INVITATIONS
Use old Christmas cards to invite parents and friends of Primaries to the annual Christmas
program. Choose only the most attractive cards, those with appropriate pictures; discard cards with
Santa pictures or other more commercial scenes. Cut out the inside page which contains the
message and signature so that only the colorful front and blank back page are left. Be sure to cut
carefully so that there is a straight edge along the top. Prepare a small stencil with the invitation and
then mimeograph your folders. The lines of wording should be centered if possible. With your
invitation include the date, time, place, and theme for the program.
If time permits, rather than copying the inside, have the teachers write a personal invitation to
each family or have pupils write the invitations, copying from the words, which the teacher has
written on the chalkboard or a large sheet of paper.
LESSON REVIEW
After the lesson is taught, review it with the class by retelling it in condensed form. Tell the pupils
that every so often, at an important place, you are going to stop and have a member of the class fill
in the next word or phrase. If the class knows the plan before the lesson is begun, they will listen
closely for details of the story. During the retelling activity, the pupils will wait in suspense wondering
where the teacher will pause next to let them give words or phrases. This might be used in the form
of a contest, each person having a turn to answer or each team gaining points for correct responses.
MEMORY VERSE WHEEL
Have you ever tried a memory verse wheel? Cut a large sheet of heavy paper to measure about
14 x 18 inches. Fold it in half as a greeting card. Cut a disk of heavy white paper about seven inches
in diameter. Attach the wheel with a brad to the inside front of the card. The wheel should extend
about a quarter of an inch from the right side of the card so that it may be turned. With crayons or
4
watercolors, draw a lighted candle on the front of the card. Cut a window in the flame. Write the
words of the memory verse on the wheel so only one word at a time will show through the window.
Be sure to include the reference. As the wheel is moved to the left, the verse will be seen.
The wheel may be turned over and a second verse added. New wheels may be made for
additional verses.
On the front of the card, write, "Today's Memory Verse," or "Light for Today." Suggest that the
children try to think of the next word before coming to it. Then they may turn the wheel to see if they
were right. You may also want to adapt these wheels so the children may work in pairs. This is easily
done by putting the verse in the same order on both sides of the wheel. Your students may then
divide into pairs with one working through the verse while the other checks the appropriate words on
the wheel. It will simply mean cutting another slit on the back of the card.
TEACH USING SIGN
Children this age enjoy codes and signals. The language of the deaf is particularly fascinating to
them. If possible, invite an individual who knows sign language to teach a memory verse to your
class using signs. Omit phrases if they are too difficult.
You can be sure these memory verses will never be forgotten. It may be that you would like to
memorize a series of verses on the same subject and perhaps present these to the entire Sunday
school, along with a song that you have learned in sign. Remember in all our doing that
communication is the name of the game!
PAPER DOLL ATTENDANCE CHART
Here is an idea for an attendance emphasis for girls. Buy several books of paper dolls. Make
sure there are at least twelve articles of clothing and accessories for each doll. The first Sunday, give
each girl a paper doll in a large business envelope. Every Sunday following, she will receive a piece
of clothing to add to the collection if she is present. On the back of each new item have them write
their memory verse of the day. You may wish to keep the envelopes until the end of the quarter and
then let the girls take home their collection, or you may let them take the new pieces home every
week.
A GIFT FOR THE SICK
Here is a suggestion for a gift for your children to make for someone who is ill. A gaily-decorated
basket can be fastened to the side of a bed to serve as a wastebasket, a place to hold letters, or
quiet-time activities.
Give each child a heavy paper bag or large manila envelope. A simple scalloped edge may be
cut across the top with the smooth side (not the one with the seam), which will be the front,
somewhat lower.
The front may be colorfully decorated with crayons, or with pictures cut from magazines. Across
the lower edge print a simple message, such as, "Jesus loves me," or "Jesus cares for me." Insert a
large safety pin or other fastener for fastening it to the bed.
Let the children take their gifts to someone who is ill, or collect them to take to the children's
ward at a local hospital.
5
CHRISTMAS IN JULY
"Christmas in July" is often talked about by many merchants or others in special promotions.
Why not try this idea in your Sunday school? Your primary class or department might need a special
attendance incentive during the months when many people are on vacations or involved in various
other activities.
Prepare a lighted tree for use during the months of June and July. Cut the tree from tag board,
making holes in which to put independently burning Christmas tree lights. Cover the tree with green
foil (NOTE: Care should be taken when preparing this tree to avoid any contact with the foil and the
base of the bulb. Get someone at the church who has experience in working with wiring to help
prepare this tree.) Insert one bulb for each child in your class or department; then, tape the name of
a child under each light. Reinforce the back of the tree with small pieces of board placed at intervals
and tape the wires to the back with masking tape. Display the tree on the first Sunday of the
attendance incentive campaign. Place small wrapped gifts under it. Light the tree each Sunday
morning and call the roll. If a child is absent, his light is turned off and remains off. At the end of the
emphasis, those whose lights are still on are given the opportunity to choose one of the gifts from
under the tree.
This particular attendance incentive might be further encouraged by using a theme Scripture
verse regarding each one being responsible to be a light to others, and thus, they must keep their
lights burning.
USE MATERIALS RESOURCEFULLY
Children are often wasteful with materials in Sunday school. A teacher can be the key to this
problem. Tell the story of the loaves and fishes. Use a small basket for illustration and point out that
nothing was wasted.
Next, show the children handwork materials. Point out to the children that this is our class.
Handwork materials are for us to use. Demonstrate what would happen if everyone squeezed a large
amount of glue from the little tube. Take a crayon and break it before the class. As it is broken into
several pieces, tell how we would not have crayons to use if we destroyed them in such a way. Use a
positive approach in application: "I know all in my class will use only a small amount of glue."
Demonstrate with a picture and tiny droplets of glue on it to fasten it to a piece of art paper.
Fill the basket with pencils and crayons and place it in the middle of the table. Occasionally
remind the children of the story and that Jesus does not want us to be wasteful. After a few weeks of
training, the class will have come a long way in being careful with supplies.
EGG HUNT REVIEW
The "Egg Hunt Review" could be a fun way to plan a review around Easter time. Type or print
different questions pertaining to the lessons studied during the quarter on pastel construction paper
that has been cut into the shape of eggs and hide these in your classroom. At a given signal, let the
"egg hunt" begin. It should last no more than three minutes. Pupils should then take turns reading
and answering the questions on the eggs they have found. If a pupil cannot answer the question, he
must forfeit the egg to the first person that can answer it. The pupil with the most eggs at the end of
the question period is the winner.
6
WEATHER ATTENDANCE BOARD
Make a "raindrop and flower" display for your bulletin board. From construction paper, prepare
nine gray clouds backed with light blue. Arrange them to form one large gray cloud. (The clouds will
be turned over one at a time to form a blue sky.) Prepare nine big blue raindrops and nine colorful
flowers. Daisies and tulips are easy to make. Cut a strip of green grass for the lower edge of the
board.
When all the members of your class are present, a gray cloud is turned over to make a patch of
blue sky. One raindrop is taken away, and a flower is inserted in the grass strip.
With good attendance, in nine weeks you will have no rain or clouds. Instead, the sky will be blue
and there will be a row of colorful flowers in bloom.
EXCITING ROLL CALL
Keeping records is essential if we are to properly keep track of people and important information
regarding them. However, roll calls are usually anything but exciting. Is there a way to call roll so that
each pupil gets the initial recognition he desires from the teacher? Why not try this: ask each pupil to
answer roll call by stating his favorite sport, color, game, or food. Or, as you call the roll, describe
each pupil in a humorous fashion. For example, "Tall and strong, brown shirt, tan pants, and brown
shoes." You will thus call attention to each of your class members and their response will be a hearty
acknowledgment of your interest in them.
Brief but sincere recognition takes the chill out of the first few classroom minutes and calms the
pupil, who then is able to say to himself, "I know that today will be another fun time with my favorite
teacher!"
REGULAR ATTENTANCE PROMOTION
To promote regular attendance and memorization in a boy's class, use shelf paper as a highway
along one wall. Mark off the paper into twenty-six blocks. Give each boy a piece of colored paper and
let him draw a car of whatever model he desires. Cut these out and fasten them to the highway with
Plasti-tak so the cars can be moved and again fastened to the road. (Instead of having the boys draw
the cars, you may wish to have them cut cars from advertising booklets, which can be picked up at a
local car dealership.) Each Sunday the boy is present, let him move his car one block. He will go
another block for the memorization of the verse of Scripture for the day. The boys who reach the end
of the road first are the winners. Be sure to plan some type of appropriate recognition for all the boys.
GIVING WITH EXCITEMENT
Why not try changing the ho-hum routine of receiving the Sunday school offering? Giving is
important—make it exciting! If possible, secure an old cash register or buy a toy model that works
well. Watch children eagerly punch the keys and place their coins in the pop-out drawer. The sound
of the bell is cheerful, as we should be when we give.
DISCIPLINE CANDLE
A lit candle can convey several different things: (1) you are welcome in this house, (2) it gives a
room a warm atmosphere, (3) considered by many to be the symbol of Jesus being the Light of the
world, and (4) it can serve as conduct reminder for all your primary boys and girls.
Why not try this idea at the beginning of each class? Light a candle, if there is no conduct
problem, the candle is blown out and is not lit until the following Sunday. When the candle is burnt
down completely, you might plan a special activity of some kind as a treat for your class members.
7
A SCRIPTURE CLOTHESLINE
A Scripture clothesline provides a novel way for your pupils to memorize Bible verses. You will
need a piece of clothesline or other readily available light rope approximately six feet long,
clothespins, an old sheet that can be torn into appropriate sized pieces, a small laundry basket, and
a felt tipped marker.
Carefully cut up or tear a sheet into the appropriate number of pieces according to the length of
the verse being used. (Keep in mind that your Primaries need a challenge, but not an impossible
task.) Then with a felt tip marker, print the verse clearly. Leave a three-inch space between the top of
the cloth and the first line of the verse. Leave a two-inch space between each line. Capital letters
should be at least three inches high; small letters should be two inches high. Several different verses
may be made in this way.
Double them up together in your clothes basket along with clothespins and they'll be ready for
the children to hang up and memorize. Your key verse for each lesson will definitely be a lot more
fun done in this way!
SHARE THE GOOD THINGS
Thinking ahead, Primaries will enjoy this "share the good things" project which might be an
activity for a winter party. Gather large pinecones, pieces of brightly colored string, sunflower seeds,
a jar of peanut butter, and craft sticks to prepare these bird treats. Have sheets or newspaper on
which to work.
Help the children tie pieces of string at the top of each pinecone. With the craft sticks, press
peanut butter into the spaces between the cone ridges and stick sunflower seeds into the peanut
butter like pins in a pincushion. Hang the food-filled cones on the branches of a tree or shrub that
grows by the classroom window, or in another spot where the children can watch the birds enjoy their
treat in the days ahead.
You might want to plan to make enough of these for the children to take to your shut-in
members. Remember, bird watching isn't limited to just the children. Be sure to have someone go
along who can hang these special "bird-feeders" for the shut-in.
BEE A PERFECT ATTENDER
Cut a large yellow flower from poster board and make a center for the flower from Styrofoam.
Small artificial bees can be purchased from a local hobby shop or made from those shown in pattern
books. Attach tags with the children's names to the bees. Short pieces of wire extended from the
bees would then be stuck in the Styrofoam center of the flower so all boys and girls will be
represented as being present in Sunday school.
Place a picture of a house on one side of the flower, and a picture of a suitcase on the other
side. If a pupil is absent because he stayed home, his bee would be removed from the center of the
flower and be placed in the house. If he went on a trip instead of attending Sunday school, his bee is
placed on the suitcase. (The house and suitcase should be backed with Styrofoam, also.)
Rewards can be given to all those whose bees were in the center of the flower at the close of
summer or your designated time frame. This would help keep your attendance up during a summer
slump. (Note: excuses for illness or attendance at another Sunday school while on vacation should
be recognized so that the child is not made to feel guilty for staying home while sick or for
accompanying his family on a vacation trip.)
8
LESSON REVIEW GAME
Primaries like to play games. Reviewing a number of verses gives opportunity for using the
following idea: On the last Sunday of the quarter, place around your classroom pictures relating to
the verses learned during the quarter—it would be best to use the pictures that were used for that
particular lesson. On each picture have printed in the lower corner a number large enough to be
easily seen. Prepare a piece of paper for each child containing a list of all the verses or just the
references, whichever you feel most useable with your particular group. Give a paper to each student
as he enters the classroom. Instruct him to match the verses with the pictures, putting the correct
number next to the verse for reference. After a set time, see which child has the largest number of
correct answers. Allow the other children to make corrections on their sheets. You will find an activity
like this will be very helpful in reinforcing Scripture verses that were taught at the beginning of the
quarter.
TICKER TAPE MESSAGES
Two paper nut cups fastened together with either glue or tape can turn into a ticker tape to bring
good news to the children. Be sure to leave a small area open when you are fastening the cups
together. A Bible verse could be written on a thin slip of paper and put inside before sealing the cups.
The ends could be pulled just out of this opening. It would be good to use colored paper if you are
unable to get nut cups in various colors. Before writing the Bible verse or other special message that
you might use, preface it with such words as "Extra, Extra, Good News!", and "Hear all about it!" can
also be included. The children learn by pulling the tape and reading all or part of the message to the
entire class. These special "ticker tape" messages could be used periodically in reviewing the
memory verses over the past month. (Submitted by Pauline McGinty)
PROMISE BOX
To encourage greater interest in memory work, have each child make a Promise Box to which he
will add new verses each week. Make a small box from cardboard about three and a half inches long
and about one and a half inches wide. You might cut down small boxes—perhaps those found in
individual packages of cereal. Make the box about two and a half inches deep.
Wash white egg shells with warm water and let them dry. Paint the out-side of the shells with
watercolors, allow to dry, and then crush the eggshells. Brush glue on the outside of the box and
press it into the crushed eggshells. With macaroni letters, paste the words "Bible Verses" on the box.
Carefully paint these letters with black India ink.
Each week print or type the memory verses on colorful lightweight cardboard, cutting each to the
size that will fit the boxes—approximately one by three inches. Encourage the children to review their
Promise Box verses.
BIBLE STORY PUZZLES
Have you sometimes seen lovely Bible story pictures that you thought might be usable? Or do
you sometimes have extra pictures left from some of your Bible stories? Why not mount these on
heavy cardboard and cut them for use as jigsaw puzzles? They could be placed in separate boxes
and used as part of a learning center or during your pre-session.
When a puzzle is completed, the pupil may go to the teacher and tell the story, or some part of it,
thus serving as the review for that particular lesson. By making sure that the pupils get each of the
stories through a given period of time, the teacher has the opportunity to teach by review.
9
TRACKING VACATIONS
Vacations and holidays are inevitable and we are all for them! However, some classes come
apart at the seams when pupils are absent. Hold the tie of class loyalty firmly by mapping these
happy trips; 30 miles, 300 miles, or even 3,000 miles.
Place a large map of the country on the bulletin board. Above the map print, "Here We Go!"
Below the map print, "But We'll Be Back!" Primaries are just becoming map conscious and they enjoy
locating places. Inquire about the class' vacation plans. If pupils aren't sure, check with their parents.
With your town as a hub, use a narrow red ribbon or piece of yarn to show each one's journey. Mark
the vacation destination with a map tack. Midway along the ribbon or yarn, attach small construction
paper cars with the names of the travelers on them. Every Sunday during vacation time, call attention
to the map. "Today Johnny is at Kingston. Mary is with her grandparents on a farm near Toledo. God
is in Kingston and in Toledo, too." Vacations are happier when we include Him!
MOTHERS RECIPE BOOK
Have you been wracking your brain for a different gift that your primaries can make for their
mothers? Then try this: Ask each child to bring from home a copy of his mother's favorite cookie or
candy recipe. Then make typewritten or photocopied copies of each. You will need as many copies
as there are pupils in your class.
Have each child make a cover, using colors and designs of his own choosing. He may also
decorate the edges of the recipe pages. With pinking shears or craft scissors, cut the covers to the
size of the pages. Punch holes and fasten together with bright yarn or ribbon. Be sure each child has
a complete set of recipes.
If each mother's name and telephone number is added to her recipe, friendliness may be
promoted among the mothers of your pupils as they call each other about the new recipes they have
used.
SPECIAL GUEST SUNDAY
Do your pupils know the pastor? Does he know them? Pupils who ride to Sunday school on the
bus or attend Children's Church seldom have a good opportunity to see or talk with the pastor.
Place an adult sized chair in the classroom. Explain it is for a special person, one who is their
special friend. Then suggest that they invite the pastor to be their guest on a certain Sunday. Write a
letter of invitation and have each child sign it. For this special Sunday a colorful review or display of
pupil quarterlies and handwork, as well as other interesting features, should be arranged.
Ask each child to bring a small extra offering to purchase a token gift for the pastor. It might also
be good to make nametags for each of the pupils so that the pastor might use their names when
talking to them. All this will cement a bond of mutual respect and appreciation between the pastor
and your primaries.
HYMN-OF-THE-MONTH
The opening minutes of a Sunday school class provide an excellent opportunity for teaching your
primaries the well-known hymns of the Church, thus allowing for transition from children's church to
adult worship services.
Select a hymn-of-the-month. Sing one verse and a chorus of it every Sunday, along with the
choruses and songs your pupils enjoy. Just think, if you select a different hymn every month your
10
class will learn twelve of the well-known hymns of the Church by the end of the Sunday school year.
Keep in mind that many of these hymns have special stories behind their writing and just a little
research would give you a related story that could be used. It would probably be a good idea for you
to put the words of the hymn on the chalkboard or flip chart and leave them throughout the month if
possible. Be sure that the class understands the meaning of the words before they sing the song. It
is very important that at this young age we begin to expose our children to the meaning of the songs
we sing. This hymn time will give them a good foundation in the great music God has inspired for our
worship of Him.
ILLUSTRATION WITH BALLOONS
Usually, when teaching a lesson on the "Fruit of the Spirit" we try to illustrate for children the
difference in each of the characteristics by using actual fruit with which they are familiar. Why don't
you try making a display large enough to be seen by all in the class during the opening moments of
Sunday school? Fill a laundry basket with balloons on which the words love, joy, peace, etc. are
printed. Make the balloons to represent various fruits. Use a round red balloon with two green felt
leaves to represent an apple; a long yellow balloon with brown streaks and a brown tip painted on to
make a banana. A pear can be made from a pear-shaped balloon to which a slender leaf is added. A
small yellow balloon with shiny green leaves can be a lemon. An orange balloon with a small star
pasted on it looks like an orange. Small blue and purple balloons might be tied together to represent
a bunch of grapes. Write on the balloons with marking pens or prepare word strips, which may be
tied to the top of the balloons. Using these special balloons as teaching aids will help to reinforce the
idea that each of the characteristics or fruit of the spirit may he different but have the same source—
the Spirit
BACKWARDS MESSAGES
Have you ever needed to communicate with your class by sending an invitation, assignment, a
verse to memorize, or making an absentee or visitor contact? Type or write the message you would
like to convey using carbon paper turned the wrong way. The message comes out backwards.
Include instructions to read the message in front of the mirror. You spark much more interest in your
"backwards" messages.
GET WELL CARD
When a Primary child is sick and thus forced to miss Sunday school, have your class make a
"teaser card."
Give each child one half of a standard sheet of paper and tell them to fold it in half. On the front
they may decorate it as they wish. Before they write inside, think up a suitable message, which is
long enough to be divided into as many parts as there are children in your class on that Sunday.
Have each child write only a certain part of the message so that when the one who is ill receives his
cards, he will have to put them together as a puzzle before he can read the complete message.
This will help make all your pupils conscious of those who are absent, and also help those who
are at home because of illness to realize that they are missed.
CHRISTMAS BOXES FOR MISSIONS
In late September or early October, designate one Sunday as “Christmas for our Missionaries”
Sunday. Have the boys and girls make small items to be included in the Christmas boxes that your
11
local church might like to send to one of the missionaries. Toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, combs,
needles, pins, stationary, and ballpoint pens might be some items that would be appreciated. They
might bring items for the Missionary children such as socks, small toys, crayons, tablets, ball games,
and hard candy.
Make this a gala occasion for your primaries. Decorate a small artificial Christmas tree; sing
Christmas carols, and have opening service such as you would when you regularly celebrate
Christmas. If possible, have a map or globe on which you can locate the place to which you will send
the gifts. You could show a picture of the missionaries to the Primary classes. (Information regarding
the use of such a project could be obtained by contacting the Global Outreach Department.)
"STAR SUNDAY"
The importance of a good self-image has been something we have become more aware of in the
Sunday school classroom during the past few years. In an effort to combat the low self-esteem of
some pupils in your class, why not try to "star" each child for a week of the Sunday school year?
Every week the bulletin board could feature a different child. For instance, the caption would read,
"This is Jason James" with pictures and information about him. The class alphabetical roll could be
used so that each pupil would know the date of his week well in advance and could assist in
rounding up snapshots and pictures, mementos of important occasions in his life—anything else he
might wish to have displayed. The cooperation of the parents might also be secured in helping to
write a brief biographical sketch of their child. This could be read by the teacher to the class on the
child's "Star Sunday."
Calling on a parent to help will create a friendly atmosphere between the home and the Sunday
school teacher. It also might prove to be valuable in that a too-busy parent might give some rare
special attention to the child.
It might seem that this project would be time consuming; however, it is worthwhile when a great
big smile crosses the face of one of the usual dower boys and girls. It would also help you as a
teacher to know each child more intimately and thus develop a genuine appreciation for each of
them.
Be sure to keep in mind the particular personality characteristics that you have noted in each
child. If a child is particularly shy you would want to be careful not to make this an embarrassing
experience for them.
LESSON IN REGULAR ATTENDANCE
Primary children may not understand lectures about the importance of their being present at
Sunday school each week, but an object lesson may help get the message across to them.
One primary teacher gave the members of her class an effective lesson in regular attendance.
She brought into the classroom a small leafless plant. Members of the class cut out green pieces of
paper and brown pieces of paper in the shape of leaves that once grew on the plant. Enough were
cut out of each color for each member of the class.
Every Sunday a chosen class member tied green paper leaves on a branch of the plant for the
persons present. A brown paper leaf was tied on for each member absent. The leaves had the
names of the persons represented on them. Members who tied on the leaves were rotated
alphabetically. (This could also he done using their birth dates.) The teacher impressed upon the
children the fact that the plant appeared alive or dead according to the type of leaves it bore. She
12
challenged the children to keep the class alive by being present every Sunday.
CHRISTMAS CARDS
Handwork for primaries must not take too long since the span of concentration is limited. For a
seasonal handwork project a Christmas card is simple to make, yet the child will he delighted to take
it home to his parents.
Use a folded, half-sheet of yellow construction paper for the background. Prepare strips of green
construction paper 1/4 inch wide and of various lengths. Purchase gummed stars of several colors
and sizes. The teacher may paste the green strips on the background and then let the children
decorate their trees with stars on the end of the strips. This may also be used as a memory verse
project by giving stars each Sunday to the children who know their "Key Verse." You may even want
the children to make small gifts to go under the tree on which they have printed something they
would like to give Jesus during the coming year.
DETERGENT BOTTLE BIRTHDAY BASKET
Birthday baskets are fun to make as well as to receive. If you would like to remember the
birthdays of your class in an inexpensive way, start by saving large plastic detergent bottles. Cut the
bottle across the front and back at the height you desire for your basket. Leave strips standing in
each side. Punch holes in each end and fasten them together with heavy colorful yarn to form a
handle. A variety of seals could be used for pasting on the front and hack. Artificial blossoms snipped
from a large stem of plastic flowers, or other seasonally appropriate decorations may be arranged in
the basket. A birthday tag or button can complete the attractive little gift.
ATTENDANCE BOOSTER
It is often a good plan to award children attendance points for bringing their parents to a special
service. This is especially good if you are involving them in a special quarter attendance activity.
However, when this is done frequently a child is penalized whose parents cannot or will not come.
Why not give everyone an equal opportunity by using an "adoption" plan. The child whose parents
will not be present may adopt a mother, father, or both for the service. No age limits need to be set.
In fact on one Father's Day, one youngster succeeded in getting a previously disinterested teenager
to attend as his father for the day. Other children have brought friends, relatives, or neighbors as
their substitute family.
ILLUSTRATE THE MEMORY VERSE
Primaries will understand memory verses better when the teacher uses pictures to illustrate the
verse to be remembered. Keep a file of pictures which will he used often, such as an owl for "know"
and "wise"; a gold circle to represent "the Lord" or "God" (because it has no beginning and no end); a
road or pathway for "path" or "way"; red, black and white hearts to represent "righteous," "saved,"
"sin," "clean," etc. Pictures from magazines and catalogs are very useful for this purpose and the
children should be encouraged to bring pictures they find. Be sure to look for verses that fit pictures
the children bring. Be sure to explain carefully every picture and what the memory verse means; then
let the children tell you what each means.
This same method may be used to teach choruses. Many illustrated choruses are available, but
the children will prefer the ones for which they have helped collect the pictures.
13
COSTUMES FOR ROLE PLAYING
You and your students can make simple, inexpensive costumes for use in dramatic play in the
classroom. Large grocery bags or other paper bags will be the basis for all your costumes.
Simply cut holes for the neck and arms. Some costumes can be slipped over the head; others
must be slit down the front to make them easier to put on and off. The paper bag can then be
decorated with paper or cloth trim, crayons or felt tip markers.
Imagine the fun your pupils will have making Joseph's coat of many colors, a robe for the
returning prodigal son, or the high priest's robe with its blue border and breastplate of precious
stones.
These inexpensive costumes can be stored flat in a drawer and used again and again on a
moment's notice for acting out the lesson.
BIBLE SCENERY
For a change why not build a Bible scene that goes along with your lessons for this quarter? If
your lessons are about the life of Jesus, build a replica of the town of Nazareth. Use different size
boxes and cardboard to make homes typical of Jesus' day. Position your scene on a square of
plywood or strong cardboard and work on a portion of it each Sunday. Give each class member
some portion of the work to do.
If you want to put a little more work into it, cover your houses with salt-flour stucco. Recipe: Onecup flour, one-cup water, two tablespoons salt, shredded paper (crepe paper will add color). Mix
flour, salt and paper together. Add water to the mixture a little at a time until it is like plaster. Spread
the mixture over the houses with a table knife, leaving it rough or it may be smoothed out.
When you study about the Israelites in the wilderness, create a wilderness scene, letting the
children make the trees, small stones, and bits of cotton for manna.
If you are studying the Tabernacle build a replica as near the description in the Bible as possible.
Make the furniture inside and spray with gold the different items that are overlaid with gold. These
special projects will help make the lessons a reality to each child.
ATTENDANCE STAMP
Here is a method of taking attendance, which you may wish to use during a quarter. Primaries
will enjoy stamping in as they come to Sunday school, so prepare a large chart with the names of all
the children, followed by squares marked off for the dates of each Sunday during the quarter. Have
two large rubber stamps, one with the letter P and the other with the letter A. Have two stamp pads,
one with red ink and the other with blue.
When a child enters, he will go to the attendance chart and stamp in the square of the correct
date with the letter P with red ink to indicate he is present. The child who has brought the most
people to Sunday school will get to stamp A in blue after the names of any absentees you might
have.
If you do not have a set of stamps large enough, you may make them by printing the letter you
want on the ends of two corks and then cutting around the letter to make them stand out in relief.
Use them as you would a rubber stamp. This idea might also be used at a later date using symbols
instead of the letters for the children's attendance record.
14
MAKE CHRISTMAS CARDS
Sewing cards to give as gifts are easily made by primary children and are a handcraft they
delight in doing. You may make your own cards inexpensively. Collect fairly large, simply outlined
and brightly colored Christmas pictures—a bell, a star, and a manger. If you cannot find enough of
these on old greeting cards, use outline pictures from a coloring book. Cut them out and paste them
on pieces of lightweight cardboard of contrasting color. Punch holes about an inch apart around the
edge of the pictures. Purchase a supply of various colors of yarn. The children will be able to push
the ends of the yarn through the holes quite easily if the yarn ends have been taped. When they
have completed the "sewing" and after you have knotted the ends securely, ask each child to title his
card. "Christmas Bells", "Bethlehem's Star", "Born in a Manger", etc. Write this title on his picture with
a felt-tip pen allowing him to sign his name if he has learned to write.
PROMOTE REGULAR ATTENDANCE
Boys and girls like something they can make and take home to their parents. Here's a nice idea
to promote regular attendance in your class and as a take-home piece for later. Make a kite for each
child with his name printed on it. Mount the kite on poster board. At one end of each kite attach a
string. Every time a pupil is present give him a different colored ribbon to tie on the tail of the kite.
This will encourage him to be there so his kite will have lots of ribbons.
Plain or figured cloth from the scrap bag may be put to good use in making ribbons. Remnants
and leftovers will also do nicely.
A special outing to close this promotion might include a kite-making or kite-flying contest for the
class members. Parents and other family members might also be included in this special outing. A
cake made in the shape of a kite would be an easy and yet fun part of the refreshment table.
A SCRIPTURE TRAIN
Primaries are proud of their ability to read. Let them practice as they memorize verses of
Scripture. For instance, write one word of a memory verse on each car of a train cut from various
colors of construction paper. These need not be elaborate works of art, just simple patterns. Put the
Scripture reference on the caboose.
If your class sits around a table, have them see how quickly they can put the cars in proper order
on the table. If they have only chairs, the parts of the verse could be backed with material that will
allow them to stick to the flannel board. Jumble the pieces and let the students put them in the proper
order.
REVIEW TOWER
If your class is limited on bulletin board space, but you want to keep the visual aids handy for
review, one way to do this is to make a cardboard tower and pin or glue each week’s visual aids to
one side of the tower.
To make the tower you will need medium-weight cardboard, about 18 x 24 inches. Using a pencil
and ruler, divide the 24 inch side into four equal sections. Lay a ruler along these lines and run a
craft knife (or a razor blade) down the line against the ruler, scoring the top surface of the cardboard.
(Do not cut all the way through!) Bend the scored sides to form a four-sided tower and tape them
together on the inside with masking or similar tape.
Pictures or objects used as visual aids can be attached to each side of the tower and the
memory verse for that Sunday printed on with a felt-tip pen. The tower will take up little space and be
ready for a quick review of the preceding lessons.
15
LOOK FOR PROSPECTS
Perhaps your class attendance has not changed since promotion day and you are concerned
about the lack of growth. Ask your class to tell you the names of their friends at school. Watch the
newspaper for the names of new families in your area. Call on the parents, become acquainted with
the child. Show them some of the exciting things you do in Sunday school. Offer to provide
transportation if necessary. Perhaps it will take a second and third visit before you see results, so
take one of your pupils with you next time. Children attract children. It may take time and effort but
the class will grow.
DOWN MEMORY LANE
To keep the memory verses before your class you may want to use this idea. Arrange a flip chart
on which the memory verses are printed with a felt pen. Each Sunday use these verses as a call to
worship having the students read the verses as a chorale reading. No mention should be made that
these verses are to be memorized. Learning comes easier by indirect teaching.
PICTURE EASEL
It is sometimes difficult to show all of the members of your class an unframed picture, but you
can easily devise a table picture easel.
Take a 15 by 20-inch piece of lightweight tag board and fold it length-wise. Then cut out a twoinch, L-shaped section from the open side. Open it, and put the pictures into the cut groove.
If tag board is not readily available, a file folder will prove satisfactory for this purpose. It is of
proper weight and it comes already folded.
HELPERS CHART
Most children want to be helpers to the teacher, so to give everyone in the class an equal
opportunity to be the helper, why not use a clock chart to alert each one as to whose turn it is to be
the helper?
The chart should resemble a clock, with each child's name next to a number. If you choose, you
may use a picture of the child instead of their name.
In the center of the clock place a large arrow attached with a brad so it can be moved. Each
Sunday the arrow is moved to the next name on the chart. If that child is absent he will need to wait
until the arrow comes around to his name again before he can be the helper. This will also
encourage faithful attendance.
INTEREST CENTERS TEACH
Since it is a fact that children retain the things they see more readily than the things they hear,
the public schools have developed the idea of interest centers for the younger students. Have you
brought this idea into the Sunday school classroom? A nature center could emphasize the fact that
God created the world; a chart with all the books of the Bible written on it would familiarize the
students with these names; a bulletin board headed with the verse of Scripture, "I am the God that
healeth thee," followed with pictures of Jesus healing someone (you can often find these on
Scripture calendars and in children's picture books) and clippings of modern day healings would
emphasize this truth to children. Neatly printed verses on large sheets of paper tacked to the wall will
help the students become familiar with important verses, even if you do not emphasize them in the
class period.
16
POPSICLE STICK PUPPETS
Let your children make simple puppets to use in reviewing a lesson. It is possible to make a
variety of Bible figures by tracing pictures from Scripture calendars, Sunday school papers, or Bible
coloring books on manila paper.
Instruct the pupil to cut and color the figures from old papers if you have a sufficient quantity
available. Use figures that are four or five inches tall. Glue the characters to the top half of popsicle
sticks.
The children can then sit under a table or behind a "stage," with only the puppets visible, and
manipulate the stick and talk for them. You can save the puppets and reuse them to dramatize other
lessons, or you can send them home with the children, and encourage them to use the puppets to
retell the stories to younger brothers and sisters, parents, or friends.
DECORATE WITH CORRECT ANSWERS
Take two small Christmas trees (or trees cut from green construction paper and mounted on
poster board and placed on the wall or a bulletin board) and select two teams. In front of each tree
place a box containing an equal number of Christmas tree decorations (actual or made from
construction paper, depending on the type of tree used).
Taking their turn each team member is asked a question from the Bible lesson. When the correct
answer is given, the person answering places an ornament on the team's tree. A wrong answer gives
the opposing team a chance to answer correctly before assuming its regular turn, and thus finish
sooner. The winning team members might receive a small gift appropriately wrapped.
A variation could be to use regular sword drill rules, using Scripture verses related to the lesson
or the Christmas story. Verses could be from various places in the Bible. The person on either team
finding the verse first would read it, and if correct, place an ornament on the tree.
GOOD NEWS TATTLERS
Small children are often very eager to report the faults and misdeeds of others. To overcome this
tendency, why not ask the entire class to look on the bright cheery side. For one week they are to
record when they see a classmate doing a good deed. They write a note about it and on Sunday the
notes are dropped in a box labeled "Good Deed Box."
Each Sunday appoint a person to empty the box and read the notes aloud. Both the reporter and
his subject will have the pleasant experience of sharing "Good News." This positive approach helps
maintain a bright, cheerful attitude—and tattlers soon become "sharers" of good news.
MEMORY VERSE CUCKOO CLOCK
A cute little cuckoo clock can inspire your primaries to learn their memory verse each week.
Make a clock for each pupil. Cut twelve construction paper circles and a bird for each clock. As the
pupils learn their verse each week, place a circle on the clocks, beginning at the 12:00 o'clock
position and moving clock-wise. On the final Sunday of the quarter, place the bird in the proper spot.
This project will help each pupil visualize their progress in memorizing the Key Verse for each
lesson.
If you have a small class and the time, you may prefer to have them learn a Bible story to tell to
the class. These Bible verses or stories will he an excellent introduction to the lesson.
17
BLOOMING IN THE WORD
Scripture flowerpots will brighten a primary classroom. Wrap empty cottage cheese cartons with
brown tissue paper and fill the containers with white sand. Small lollipops of assorted colors could be
inserted each week as the children memorized their key verse for that Sunday. Leaves made from
green construction paper could also he placed at various angles in the sand. The references for the
verses learned could be printed on these leaves.
SOCK PUPPETS
Puppets are one method of capturing that wandering interest of your primary child, and they
need not be expensive either. You can make your own from some scraps of material you may have
around the house. Take an ordinary sock and cut a 3”-4” slit for the mouth in the top where the toe is.
Then take a piece of felt the size of the slit, crease it in the middle and stitch it to the sock.
You may decorate the rest of the sock in many ways. Use felt or buttons for the eyes, yarn for
hair, and scraps of material for the tongue or teeth. Be sure to give him a personality by giving him a
name. He will help the children in picking up after themselves, arranging the chairs, welcoming
visitors, reviewing the key Verse, etc. He may even help in telling the Bible story. Many lessons
adapt themselves very easily to illustrations and your puppet can help you illustrate. Your
imagination can add many more ideas to this list.
PERSONALIZED MAILBOXES
Let students make their own mailboxes from quart-sized milk cartons and colored paper. Cut the
top from the milk cartons and cover the cartons with colored paper. Each mailbox may be decorated
as simply or as elaborately as the pupil desires. Encourage the students to make sure their names
are attached to the boxes.
Line up the completed mailboxes alphabetically on a shelf in your classroom. Place corrected
worksheets, notes, announcements and take-home papers in the mailboxes. Pupils who leave their
papers one week will know where to find them. Announcements that need to be given out will have
an appropriate place to go until the student picks them up.
REWARD PERFECT ATTENDERS WITH MAIL
Class members who are never absent, rarely get mail from their teacher. Why not surprise
everyone with a letter from you? Send each one a different but very simple Scripture verse. Ask each
one to memorize his verse and bring a Bible this Sunday. They will be asked to "read" their verse
from the Bible. Don't forget to keep track of those verses you send out, because the children may
need help in saying them.
CHRISTMAS ANGELS
Primary children will enjoy making Christmas angels from empty detergent bottles. These can be
used for department and classroom decorations instead of purchasing items from the store. Use
small white styrofoam balls for the heads. Tacs or beads (with straight pins inserted through the
holes) may be pushed into the styrofoam for eyes, nose, and mouth. Yellow yarn may be glued on
for hair. Loop a long pipe cleaner around the neck of the bottle and shape it into arms and hands.
Make simple robes from pieces of white cloth. These may be decorated with sequins if you wish. Cut
wings from aluminum foil, gold Christmas paper or white paper. After the robe is placed on the angel,
thumb tac the wings in place through the plastic bottle.
18
REWARD MEMORIZATION
How are your pupils doing with their Scripture memorization? Need something to prod them
along, a little fun recognition for perfect attendance, or a reward for extra projects or study? Try this:
Purchase chocolate mints, already wrapped in foil. With cellophane tape fasten 4-inch lengths or 2inch wide blue, red, or white ribbon to the mints. You now have recognition for almost any activity
and even first, second, and third place—plus a bite to eat.
BE ON TELEVISION
To add interest in reviewing the lesson or learning the memory verse, let the children pretend
they are on television. Using a cardboard box taller than the children, cut a window out of it and color
or paint knobs on it. Let the children take turns saying their memory verse behind the television set.
Tell the performing child he is telling his audience something about Jesus (or how a Christian should
act, or whatever will go with the verse). A Bible story could also be acted out on your T.V.
To keep their ideas from getting too entangled with the usual run of television programs, you
might mention that there are many bad programs on television. Now let's give our audience
something good—something about Jesus—to watch and listen to.
TREE OF LIFE
Materials needed: Poster board, Magic markers, and penny suckers in various colors, scissors,
and a paper punch.
Scripture: John 15:8 "Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my
disciples." According to God's Word we are to bear MUCH FRUIT. In doing so we must come to
God's house every time we have opportunity. These trees with your name on it will represent your
life, so we'll call them our "TREE OF LIFE."
Each time you are present for Sunday school, you will receive a sucker. Suckers are put on the
tree through two punched holes. The holes should be punched close enough so the sucker stick will
stay in place.
Let the different colored suckers represent the various colors of fruit that God has made. At the
end of a determined time the ones who have the most fruit will have the fullest fruitful tree.
Each child then takes his tree (with fruit) to show to his parents. This will indicate to the parent if
the tree had fruit, more fruit, or much fruit.
The children will not want to miss a single Sunday and how pleasing it will be to the Lord Jesus
to know you are bearing much fruit.
Suggestion: As an incentive to bring others, each child could have two trees, one for his own
attendance and one to fill with suckers as he brings people with him. If a new person comes three
consecutive Sundays, then he can start his own tree.
19