Resources

We did this rotation last October. Challenging to say the least to come up with resources. Our 4 workshops included:

Food: taking different fruits ie...strawberries, pineapple, apple, grapes, orange and then slicing and chocolate coating them. The kids loved it...there were many adults that wanted to help out in that workshop!

Our computer rotation had a powerpoint program I wrote as well as a html program I also wrote that explained each fruit. We also used pictures of fruit cut into puzzle pieces using Jigsaw Puzzle Promo Creator found at http://www.tibosoftware.com/products.htm (the adults loved it too).

We used for our theater, a video called "Skate expectations" from the McGee & Me series for the older kids, and a Character Builder storybook series.

We used a workshop we created that I have not been able to find anywhere we called "The Master's Woodshop", a gentleman of the church that is good with wood, created and cutout pieces of fruit that the kids sanded and then painted.

Nine Week Rotation

I see the original post is a couple years old but here's my two cents worth. When i did fruits of the spirit (pre-rotation), it was a nine week unit. Each fruit was represented by an Old Testament person. For patience, we learned about Joseph and baked cookies. Each ingredient represented an event in his life, and the kids tasted each one. Some were good, some were not so good (especially the eggs). The time in the oven represented the time that he had to be patient and let God work all the events in his life together so there was a sweet result.Then we ate the cookies..it was a very fun class!
Cheryl

Additional Fruits of the Spirit ideas...

rhondab
posted March 06, 2002

To start the creative ideas flowing, these sites might help:

• http://www.christiancrafters.com/game_fruit.html
• https://www.puppetresources.co...sthash.7kUb6j0q.dpbs - in script search engine type Fruit of the Spirit for lots of scripts.

Jaymie Derden
posted March 07, 2002

We're in the middle of a 13 week unit on Fruit of the Spirit for our Wednesday night children's ministry. It's been great fun. We don't do full-fledged rotation for this, just games and art, with occasional cooking or movie thrown in for variety. I found a song that the kids are doing during their choir time (also Wed. night) on Fruit of the Spirit. It's really helped them memorize the verse. It's found on Group's Sing and Shout Songs for Children's ministry, Volume 4.

Wishing you "fruitful" planning!
Jaymie

JanS
posted January 12, 2004

Quite a few years ago there was a musical for children based on the fruit of the spirit called "Music Machine". Great songs! You might want to see if you can find it, or if any of your local churches have a copy. Your local Christian music supplier might be able to help also.

Also, One Way Street (Dale and Liz VonSeggan) Puppet Ministry had a teaching unit on Fruit of the Spirit.
Good luck!
Jan Snell

Judi Leaming
posted January 12, 2004

We used the Gospel Light Fruits of the Spirit VBS program intergenerationally last summer with good results. The music is excellent ... especially "God Provides". HOWEVER, let's be fair ... don't borrow and use this without paying for the rights to use that music.

I was the "crafts" leader but was really disappointed with what they suggested so I improvised. The big "surprise success story" was stamping t-shirts using the cut side of various pieces of fruit and acrylic paints. No two shirts were even remotely alike ... it was amazing!!! Don't expect most kids to wear this in public SO buy adults sizes and encourage them to wear them as night shirts. See familyfun.com or some other website for the "do-in-advance" preparations AND the paint setting instructions! Don't waste money on fabric paint ... ask at the craft store and they'll tell you how to turn regular acrylic paint into fabric paint! Good luck!

RhondaN2
posted January 13, 2004

Hello there,
We did this as a rotation last summer. We wrote curriculum for two months on this subject focusing on one fruit in each room/activity. We were able to do the same fruit at least two times as we have several different rooms. Our rooms include drama, games, computers, art, cooking, carpentry, science, and movie room.

We used the book "Kid's Travel Guide to the Fruit of the Spirit" produced by Group as a guide to writing our stuff and found some very helpful things. We also ended the Rotation with all the kids together and had a fruit of the spirit carnival outside.

If you need any other more specific information, let me know.

Blessings,
Rhonda Noodam

pvem
posted January 21, 2004 10:50 AM

Hello.
I ran Sizzling Summer Sunday School last summer featuring the Fruits of the Spirit. Each Sunday we took a different fruit and did a craft, or play a game etc. We made Fruits of the Spirit Salad, shishkabobs and pizza. We also planted a garden. We live in NJ so planting fruit was hard however we planted vegetables instead. We used peas for peace, gourds for goodness etc. We had a Holy Cow as our Scarecrow. We also used a book by Group Publishing "Kid's Travel Guide to Fruits of the Spirit" which was helpful. Good Luck. Amy

Luanne Payne
Posted May 29, 2005

Songs
We spent a Sunday on each fruit of the spirit and used the book by "In Celebration" that had simple songs, sung to familiar tunes, for each fruit and we found they worked great with all the children as they were easy to learn. The book is called Fruit of the Spirit: Lessons and Crafts, by Karen Franz, In Celebration, 9780742402775.  Ages 3-8.  Includes: stories, snacks, crafts, SONGS, memory verses.

Group Publishing has a book called "Kid's Guide to the Fruit of the Spirit" that has a lot of great ideas. We did go the fruit salad direction, but it was so much fun the kids absolutely loved it. I purchased inexpensive chef hats so each child could have one. The way the lesson was presented was soooo fun for the kids and they really learned a lot.

Video

- "Character Builders" by Bridgestone Multimedia, 095163881122. 

it is a 4 set DVD that works very well for teaching the Fruits of the Spirit. 

Moderar Notes:  this now has newer animation, but one person still narrates the story and all the characters dialogs.  It still does a good job of each fruit story, which are also short stories. 

We did use the Music Machine CD, but found theMusic Machine DVD not

appropriate for a Sunday Children's Ministry.

'/\_/\'
( -.- )
**JOY**
(__(_______) 

[volunteer moderator added note on video and isbn.]

Experience the Fruits of the Spirit Lollipop Object Lesson

Children had fun and learned a lot.

Explain to the children that we have been learning and singing about the Spiritual Fruits for more than a year. Now it is time to experience those fruits.

Have each child pick out their favorite lollipop. (Encourage children sitting next to each other to try different flavors).Tell them to place it on the table in front of them and not to open it or touch it. (They will probably need to be reminded not to touch it throughout the lesson). After each command explain why they are doing this.

This is practicing SELF_CONTROL.
Explain that they need to wait until the lesson is over before having the lollipop.
This is PATIENCE

Ask; Does everyone like the flavor lollipop they chose?
Tell everyone to raise their right hand so they will know which is left and right.
Have them give their lollipop to the person on their right.
God commands us to LOVE one another. If we love someone we want them to have the best.
It’s also KINDNESS to give someone something that we really want for ourselves.
Ask: Now, if we didn’t like the lollipop we had, and gave it away so that we could get a better one, would that be an act of kindness or love? The answer is No, that would be selfishness.

Now let’s give our lollipop to the person on our left. (remind the kids which side is left.)
This is GOODNESS. (Everyone should have the lollipop they chose.) We gave back the lollipops so that everyone would have their favorite.
Ask. Is everyone happy? Do we feel good inside knowing that we have our favorite flavor lollipop back?
This is JOY. Let’s see some big smiles.

We should give thanks to God for everything. Lets be Faithful.
Before we have our lollipops lets give thanks to the Lord. Would anyone like to say a prayer before we eat? This is faithfulness

Now let’s pretend our lollipops are eggs. We have to unwrap them very gently or they will break. Be very gentle. This is gentleness

Now you can taste the lollipop.
While all are eating their pops and the room is quiet, explain that this is what peace feels like. (maybe just for the teacher)

Now we have an idea of what Love Joy Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control feel like.

Thought I'd share. For FAITHFULNESS.

Tell the story and watch the video about Terry Fox’s faithfulness to run and raise money for cancer research.

Terry Fox was only 18 years old when he was diagnosed with bone cancer and forced to have his right leg amputated six inches above the knee. While he was in the hospital, Terry was so overcome by the suffering of other cancer patients (many of them young children) that he decided to run across Canada to raise money for cancer research.

Terry ran 3,339 miles across Canada at almost 26 miles a day with a prosthesis. When asked how he managed to keep going in his cross country run, he answered, “I just kept running to the next telephone pole.” After 143 days, Terry was forced to stop running outside of Ontario because cancer had appeared in his lungs. Terry passed away on June 28, 1981 at age 22.

To date, more than $400 million has been raised worldwide for cancer research in Terry's name through the annual Terry Fox Run, held across Canada and around the world.

If you want to watch a five minute video commemorating Terry Fox's cross Canada run go to: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZF8k8hpyp_A

How can a person remain faithful? Focus on a small goal and stay with it (run to the next telephone pole).


Staci