Game Lessons, Ideas, Activities, and Resources for Teaching "Jesus' Birth Through the Eyes of the Wise Men" in Sunday School.
Post your Sunday School game and Bible skills lessons, ideas, activities, and resources for "Jesus' Birth Through the Eyes of the Wisemen, Magi" here. (Photos are much appreciated! Click "attachments" and upload to your post.)
In addition to all of our public lesson ideas, don't miss the Rotation.org Writing Team's wonderful Magi lesson set that includes a detailed lesson plan with three game "stations" for your kids to travel through, recapping the story, and taking a silly but serious look at the CAMELS who weren't mentioned in the story, but who carried the Magi and treasures to Jesus.
Jesus' Birth through the Eyes of the Wise men
Bible Skills and Games Workshop
Summary of Lesson Activities:
Follow the Star Bible story quiz and Magi, Magi, Herod active game and a puzzle page for extra time.
Scripture Reference:
Matthew 2:1-12 and Matthew 2:13-18
Memory Verse:
"Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship him." (Matthew 2:2)
Leader Preparation:
- Read the scripture and questions ahead of time.
- Know the answers to the questions.
- Obtain the Materials.
Materials List:
- Flashlight
- Star template to go over the flashlight
- Extra Batteries, just in case
Lesson
Opening- Welcome and Lesson Introduction
Welcome the children and introduce yourself. Call the children by name. Use name tags if needed.
Open with a prayer.
Read the scripture passage.
Dig- Main Content and Reflection
Games and Skills:
Follow the Star Quiz Game:
- Turn off the lights, make sure the blinds and door are closed to make the room as dark as possible. Turn on the flashlight, point it at some part of the room, and tell the children to follow the star.
- When all the children are gathered at that spot, tell them that the first one to be called on and answer the question correctly will get to point the flashlight for the next time.
- Ask a question from the list below, then call on one child at a time until one gives the correct answer. That child may now take the flashlight and point it at ONE place in the room (don’t let them swing it around). YOU ask the next question, and the correct answer-er of that question takes over the flashlight. Continue; try to let everyone have a turn at the flashlight.
Questions for Follow the Star Quiz:
- What town was Jesus born in? Bethlehem
- Who talked to the magi secretly? Herod
- Where did the magi go after seeing Jesus? Home
- Name one gift the magi brought.
ONE of: Gold, (Frank-) incense, or Myrrh - What did Herod SAY he wanted to do to or for the baby? Worship him
- Name another gift the magi brought.
- What was Herod’s title? King
- What did the magi follow? Star
- In what city did the magi meet Herod? Jerusalem
- How did the magi know where to go after they left Jesus? A dream
- What was the third gift the magi brought?
Additional Questions if reading was through Matthew 2:18:
- Who spoke to Joseph after the magi left? an Angel
- How did Herod feel when he realized the magi weren’t coming back? Furious/angry/etc.
- Where did Joseph take his family? Egypt
- When did they leave? During the night
- What did Herod do to all the baby and toddler boys in Bethlehem? Had them killed.
Magi, Magi, Herod (Duck, duck, goose game):
RULES: Pick one child to be IT first. The other children sit in a circle on the ground (on their bottoms) facing inward. IT walks around the circle tapping heads and saying “magi” on as many as desired. IT says “Herod” when tapping one head, then starts to run around the circle. “Herod” jumps up and chases IT trying to tag IT. If IT sits down in Herod’s spot before being tagged, then Herod is the new IT; if Herod tags IT, then IT has another turn of being IT. (Don’t put kids in the “mush pot.” Anyone attempting to grab or trip Herod and IT, must sit out for a turn.)
Tell the children that we don’t really know how many magi there were. We say three because of the three gifts. So the children can say magi as many times as they want to.
Also, the Herod who was king at Jesus’ birth is not the same Herod who was king at Jesus’ death. The first was known as Herod the Great. His many sons used his name as a family name and ruled at various times over parts of the holy land. Herod Archelaus, mentioned in Matthew 2:22, was ruler of Judea after Herod the Great’s death. Herod Antipas, another son of Herod the Great, was the ruler over Galilee when Jesus was killed. All of that family, however, seemed to be prideful and cruel.
Extra Activity if time allows:
“Where is he who has been born king of the Jews?” puzzle worksheet.
Editor's note: It appears that this puzzle was made at a very useful puzzle making site: http://www.discoveryeducation.com/free-puzzlemaker/
The particular type of puzzle made, sounds like it was a "Double Puzzle." To create such a puzzle go to: http://puzzlemaker.discoveryed...ePuzzleSetupForm.asp and use the info given below to create the puzzle.
Information to set up the worksheet:
Title: Where is he who has been born king of the Jews?
Enter words, examples - boy child, magi, wise men, gold, myrrh, Herod, etc.
Final word or phrase for the puzzle: Bethlehem.
Numbered or scrambled phrase: Your choice...
There are two versions available, the easier one is "Numbered" - it has little numbers under some of the squares. The harder one is called "Scrambled" - it has circles inside some of the squares, but no numbers to help out the user.
Check the box if you want instructions to appear below the puzzle.
Closing:
- Summarize discussion and what children have learned.
- Go over the memory verses again.
- Encourage the children to come back next week for another workshop, and to invite their friends.
- Offer an age-appropriate prayer and/or involve children in the prayer.
Run out of stuff? Have extra time??
Other Questions to Discuss:
- What leads you to God? or How have you been led to God?
- What gifts do you offer God?
- If you were a wise person what would you have brought? Why?
- What are the “gold, frankencense, and myrrh” in your life?
and What do they say about how you see God? And about how important he is to you? - If you were there in the Bible story, who would you be? Why?
A wise man/woman
Herod
Bethlehem townfolk
A chief priest?
How would you have reacted, if you were Mary or Joseph, to having three rich men from a distant land showing up to look at your baby?
A Sunday School lesson written by Christine D., Fountain Valley, CA