Day 4: Ask, Search, Knock
*There are 4 activities for this day’s lesson. Feel free to choose one or two of the activities OR spread them out across several days.
- Materials:
- Bible (I like the NirV)
- Children’s Bible (I’m using the Say & Pray Bible for this lesson)
- Activity #1: collection of toys with a theme of your choice (toy food, toy cars, toy trainset, dollhouse, stuffed animals, small plastic animals…), basket or box (if desired), (we used pompoms frozen with water in an ice cube tray and tongs)
- Activity #2: Dry snack (cereal, raisins, fruit snacks, yogurt melts), paper towel or cloth, several small bowls, cookie sheet or tray
- Activity #3: Butcher paper, painter’s tape, smaller sheet of paper, sharpie, markers
Day 4: Lesson
- Open Bible to Matthew 7:7-11. Ask if child wants to touch God’s Word. Touch gently. Then, read:
- Ask, and it will be given to you. (move hand away from mouth)
- Search, and you will find. (put hand on forehead like you’re searching)
- Knock, and the door will be opened to you. (knock one hand on your other hand)
- If a son asks his father for bread, his father won’t give him a stone! If he asks for a fish, his father won’t give him a snake! Your Heavenly Father gives good gifts to those who ask Him.
Children’s Bible Reading: Open Say & Pray Bible.
- Point to Jesus and sing. (Tune: Johnny Works With One Hammer)
- Jesus gives us good gifts, good gifts, good gifts!
- Jesus gives us good gifts when we ask!
Activity #1: Asking Game
Ask
- Prep: Lay out themed toys or place them in a basket or box.
- Play an asking game. Teach the song below asking for a specific toy that the child will find and hand to you. Child can also sing or ask for a specific toy and have you had it to them. To change up the game, give a description instead of the name of an item (example: red fruit or instead of apple or round fruit instead of orange).
- We used pompoms frozen with water in ice cube trays. Katelyn enjoyed trying to pick up the ice cubes with tongs.
- Song (Tune: Johnny Works With One Hammer)
- May I have the apple, the apple, the apple?
- May I have the apple? Yes! Here it is!
Activity #2: Hidden Snack
Search
- Prep: Place paper towel or cloth and bowls (upside down) on cookie sheet or tray. Put some of the dry snack underneath the paper towel or one of the bowls.
- Let’s play a searching game! Where did Mommy hide the snack? Model how to touch the paper towel or cloth to feel a lump.
- Peek-a-boo! You found the snack!
- Hide snack underneath something else. Child can eat the snacks right away or collect them in a separate bowl or bag to snack on slowly.
Activity #3: Giant Word or Shape Search
Search
- Prep: Use painter’s tape to hang a large piece of butcher paper on the wall. Create a large word search OR draw a bunch of shapes or letters on the page. On a separate sheet of paper, create a list of the words in the word search OR make a key for what color each shape or letter should be.
- Word Search: Have child read the words on the list and search for them in the word search. Circle the words when found.
- Shape/Letter Search: Have child refer to the key to see what color each shape or letter should be. Color the shapes and letters accordingly.
Activity #4: Echo Knocking
Knock
- Knock on various surfaces around the room and have child echo/copy your knocking pattern. You can make it as simple or complicated as you’d like.
Sing/speak before knocking:
- Knock knock knock – did you hear my knocking sound?
- Knock knock knock – can you do the same and pound?
Or sing (see video for tune) – can do different rhythms or different number of times
- Can you knock like me? It’s easy as can be
- Mommy’s turn: knock, knock
- Katelyn’s turn: knock, knock
- It’s easy as can be!
Closing: John 17:17, Your Word is truth. God our Father gives us good gifts when we ask!