15 MIN

SOCIAL: Providing time for fun interaction.

STORY: Communicating God’s truth in engaging ways.Bottom Line Opening Activity Bible Story Memory Verse Prayer

15 MIN

WORSHIP: Inviting people to respond to God. Friend Forever Always

10 MIN

25 MIN

GROUPS: Creating a safe place to connect.

WHAT YOU DO 1. Go to myfreedom.org/kidsleaders to do the following:

1. Read through preschool leader guide several times throughout the week to familiarize yourself with what to say, how long it should take, and the order of activities.

2. Watch the preschool tutorial video for this weekend to show you how to complete each activity. 3. Watch the Bible story video. 4. Preview the worship songs and get familiar with the motions to help lead your preschoolers in worship.

2. Arrive on time to tag in briefly with the team, set up activity materials, and connect with early arrivers. 3. Teach kids about God’s Word with energy!

WHAT YOU NEED (provided for you)-plastic bin -tape-shredded yellow paper -paper cups (bottoms cut out)-plastic bugs -fish stickers-“Tell and Match” cards -star stickers-pool noodle -crayons-star outline cards -“I follow Jesus” labels-star coloring sheets -fruit snacks

PRELUDE SOCIAL WORSHIP STORY GROUPS HOME

PRELUDE SOCIAL WORSHIP STORY GROUPS HOME

SOCIAL Check In + Play

Welcome kids as they enter your room with energy. Use the following activity during the social time as an option for kids to do as they check in. CUE: Play high energy music as kids enter.

1. BUG HUNT

WHAT YOU DO: -Place the plastic bugs in a bin and cover them with the yellow shredded paper to create a sensory bin.-Introduce kids to the bin as they come in; explain that they can hunt through out pretend honey to find the bugs. -Let the kids reach into the bin and find a bug. Allow each child to take a turn so that everyone finds at least one bug. If time allows, place the bugs back into the bin and let the children search again.

WHAT YOU SAY: (during play)Great job, everyone! You found all the bugs! In our Bible story today, we’ll hear about someone who actually ate bugs and honey. His name was John The Baptist.

SOCIAL Check In + Play

Use the following activity during the social time as an option for kids to do as they check in. This activity requires a leader to lead the activity.

2. TELL AND MATCH

WHAT YOU SAY: Today we are going to talk about ways to tell people good news! I see four pictures on the table. The pictures are of a cell phone, a postcard, a megaphone, and a microphone. We can use all of these things to tell everyone good news. (Point to the cards in the stack.) Choose the top card from this stack. Let’s see if we can match the cards in the stack to the cards on the table.

WHAT YOU DO: -Separate the “Tell and Match” activity cards into two stacks. Each stack will contain one of each picture. -Place one stack face down on the table or floor and place the cards from the second stack face up in a single layer on the table or floor. -Encourage the children to turn up the top card from the stack and match it to one of the cards on the table.-Continue the activity by matching the three remaining cards in the stack to the three remaining cards on the table.

PRELUDE SOCIAL WORSHIP STORY GROUPS HOME

PRELUDE SOCIAL WORSHIP STORY GROUPS HOME

PRELUDE SOCIAL WORSHIP STORY GROUPS HOME

STORY Circle One - Follow Me Fishin’

WHAT YOU SAY: Friends! It’s time to clean up and see what we have in store for today! Let’s work together to clean up and when you are finished, find a seat near me!

CUE: Clean Up Song (on DVD) at 9:45a/11:15a. Give kids about five minutes to clean up and take a seat near you. Do the following activity for circle time.

WHAT YOU SAY: Hello, friends! How are you this morning? I’m so excited because this month we get to go fishing! Yes, we get to go fishing just like Jesus did. But Jesus wasn’t fishing for fish. Jesus was fishing for men. He wanted to find people to follow Him!

Raise your hand if you’ve ever been fishing. Wow! You can put your hands down. A fisherman takes one of these things (hold up pool noodle), called a fishing pole, and he casts or throws the line out into the water and then waits for a fish to bite. He then carefully reels in the line to catch a fish. Today I thought it would be fun to play ‘Follow Me Fishin’.’ I’ll be the fisherman and you all will be my fish. Come follow me around the room. But pay close attention because you just might become the fisherman soon!

STORY Circle One

WHAT YOU DO: -Gather the children in an open area of the room. Explain to the children that they will be your fish today. -Invite them to follow you around the room while you hold the fishing pole (pool noodle) behind you. -Then let the children take turns holding the pole as the fisherman while the rest of the class follow along. -After a few minutes be the fisherman and lead the kids back to your large group area.

WHAT YOU SAY: Guys! Jesus found lots of peopled to follow Him. Want to know something even more awesome? You can follow Him too. That’s right! You can follow Jesus, and I can follow Jesus. Say that with me. I can follow Jesus! When I ask you this very important question, ‘Who can you follow?’ I want you to say, ‘I can follow Jesus.’ Let’s try it. Who can you follow? I can follow Jesus! Say this a few times with the kids.

PRELUDE SOCIAL WORSHIP STORY GROUPS

PRELUDE SOCIAL WORSHIP STORY GROUPS HOME

WORSHIP

LEADER: Friends! Let’s stand and get ready to dance for God! We can show Him how much we love Him! Lead the kids in the motions for the following songs. Stand near the front so the kids can watch you.

CUE: “Friend Forever” Music Video CUE: “Always” Music Video

STORY Bible Story

WHAT YOU SAY: Great job singing! Who can you follow? I can follow Jesus! Today I have a real true story from the Bible about a very special person. A long time ago, God told people that one day He would send His Son, Jesus, to be with them. God said Jesus would be very, very special. He would be THE GREATEST!

Anytime you hear me say THE GREATEST! I want you to blow your pretend trumpet! Show kids by making your hands like a horn and making a trumpet sound. Let’s practice. Jesus is THE GREATEST! Blow pretend trumpet. God told the people that Jesus THE GREATEST was coming! God sent John The Baptist to tell all the people to get ready because Jesus was coming! Put on your listening ears and your special eyes! Let’s take a look at our Bible Story about John The Baptist. CUE: Bible Story Video.

STORY Pray LEADER: Wow! John The Baptist told all the people about Jesus THE GREATEST! If Jesus is THE GREATEST, who can you follow? I can follow Jesus! Who can you follow? I can follow Jesus! Let’s close our eyes and pray together.

Dear God, thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus, to be our friend forever. Thank You that He came to show us how to live Your way and be with You forever. I pray that every person in here will want to follow Jesus and help others follow Jesus too. You’re the best, God. We love You very much! In Jesus’ name, amen.

PRELUDE SOCIAL WORSHIP STORY GROUPS HOME

GROUPS Snack + Memory Verse WHAT YOU DO: -Transition kids to tables for snack. -Pass out hand sanitizer and ask a kid to pray for the snack.-Give each kid a pack of Mott’s fruit gummy’s. -Allow kids a minute for a break; use this time for bathroom breaks. -Introduce memory verse using the instructions below.

WHAT YOU SAY: Friends! Does anyone know what this is? Hold up a Bible. This is God’s Word, the Bible! God has a very special verse in here for you and me from Matthew 4:19.

Have kids repeat after you and then say it together a few times.

“Come, (wave hand towards you)and follow me,’ (march in place)Jesus said.” (put hands up as if you were shouting)Matthew 4:19 (open hands like a book)

PRELUDE SOCIAL WORSHIP STORY GROUPS HOME

PRELUDE SOCIAL WORSHIP STORY GROUPS HOME

GROUPS Game - Star Walk After snack, gather kids back up to play a game activity in a different spot in the room.

WHAT YOU DO: -Lay the star pages on the floor in your classroom in a path and secure to the floor with the tape. -Gather the children to line up at the beginning of your “star walk.” Choose one child to be the leader each round. -Explain that you will play music as the children follow the leader along the path. When the music STOPS, the children must freeze and then say, “Jesus is special! I can follow Jesus!”

WHAT YOU SAY: We’re going to follow (select a child to lead) along our star path. Let’s all line up here at the start of our path. (Pause as children follow directions.) When I start the music, I want you to carefully follow the leader and step from star to star. When the music stops, you must FREEZE and say, ‘Jesus is special! I can follow Jesus.’ Are you ready? (Pause.) Let’s start walking!

CUE: Friend Forever Music Video. Use the remote to start and pause.

PRELUDE SOCIAL WORSHIP STORY GROUPS HOME

GROUPS Craft - Megaphone Transition kids back to large group area or table to complete the following activity.

WHAT YOU SAY: Let’s make a super cool craft that will help us tell others about Jesus!

WHAT YOU DO: -Give each child a cup with the bottom cut out of it. -Encourage the children to decorate their megaphones with the stickers provided. -Help the kids place an “I can follow Jesus!” label onto their cup.

WHAT YOU SAY: Hold megaphone to your mouth and speak. Just like John The Baptist told everyone to follow Jesus, we can use this megaphone to tell everyone to follow Jesus! Let’s practice! Have kids use their megaphones by placing their mouths at the bottom of the cup and shouting “Follow Jesus! Follow Jesus!”

PRELUDE SOCIAL WORSHIP STORY GROUPS HOME

GROUPS Prayer Transition kids back to large group area and have them sit in a circle.

WHAT YOU SAY: We made it! Jesus told people,’Come and follow me,’in the Bible. It’s also our new Bible verse this month! Say it with me. Come (motion towards yourself) and follow me (march) Jesus said (hand to mouth like shouting) Matthew 4:19 (open hands like a book). Great job! Who can you follow? I can follow Jesus! Let's pray before we go. Ask kids for prayer requests and record them on the "lead small” app on your phone. Pray over kids and their week.

HOME

WHAT YOU DO: -Give each kid a star coloring page; set out crayons and star stickers for them to decorate. -Tell kids that John wanted everyone to know that Jesus was special. Jesus was a star!-Greet parents at the door and check that their parent receipt matches the kids name tag code. -Tell each parent something great their kid did today. -Give each parent a Drive Time card to take home; give each kid a piece of candy.