Puppet lesson (especially for younger students) for Mary and Martha's visit with Jesus

I find that make and take puppet lessons like this one work especially well to help younger children practice retelling Bible stories and sharing their faith with others.

This lesson activity from "Meaningful Mama" focuses on the importance of spending time with Jesus: MARY & MARTHA CRAFT TEACHES AVAILABILITY.

LESSON PLAN:

As children arrive, look at picture Bibles and talk about favorite Bible stories. Can they remember stories as they look at the pictures?

Tell the children they will be hearing a true story about Jesus visiting two good friends named Mary and Martha, from the Gospel of Luke. Show the children how to find the Gospels as you open your Bible to Luke 10.

Ask, “Jesus was visiting the home of special friends in today’s Bible story. Do you have friends who you like to visit? How do you get ready for visitors? What do you do when you visit?”

Read the passage.

Martha needed to take time to stop and listen. What about us? Do we give God our full attention? God knows that how we spend our time is important. We can work and play all day, but the most important thing we need to do is spend time with Jesus. We do that by praying, reading the Bible, and worshipping God at church. We have to stay connected to Jesus so we will know what He wants us to do.

Discuss the importance of reading the Bible and hearing God's word, as Mary was doing. How can we spend more time with Jesus this week?

Continue the discussion as the children make puppets.

Puppet Activity Summary:

Materials:  Wide craft sticks (3 per child); googly eyes; yarn for hair; paper, felt, or ribbon for dresses and Jesus’ robe; glue sticks; scissors; colored pencils or markers, shoebox, construction paper.

Make puppets to retell the story. Have children glue on eyes and draw the rest of the three characters’ faces. Glue on yarn for hair (and beard on Jesus if desired).

Optional puppet stage/diorama house: use paper to create an interior scene in the box. Cut a slit in the bottom to slide the puppets in.

As the children work, recall what happened in the story.

When they are finished, have them use their three puppets to retell the story of Jesus’ visit to Martha and Mary. (Demonstrate retelling while reading the Bible passage.) Encourage them to share the story with their families later today.

When parents arrive to pick up children, encourage them to have their children share today’s story using the puppets.  (This is an important part of equipping parents in discussing the Bible with their children.)