Respond to the Word

A range of activities for Very Young Children (VYC), Children (C) and Young People (YP) based on Matthew 3.13-17

Make paper wristbands as a reminder that we are all loved by God

You will need: origami (white on reverse), or two colours of paper and glue, origami instructions; sticky tape, felt pens. ?

Invite the young people to make an origami bracelet. Download the illustrated instructions for each person from here or share the following presentation: http://en.origami-club. com/accessories/bangie/anime-bangie/ index.html with the group. ?
When they have completed their origami bracelet, the young people can add a slogan to it, e.g. BELOVED or another reminder that they are loved by God.

Experience the sensation of water for pouring, cleaning and baptising

You will need: a washing-up bowl, warm water, plastic plates and cups or containers, a cloth, a plastic doll, a towel; aprons (optional). ?

Let the children have free play with the water.
Model pouring, washing the dishes and baptising a baby so they can have a go themselves.

Make door handle hangers as a reminder of God’s love for us

You will need: a door hanger and dove template printed on stiff white card for each child; scissors, felt-tip pens, glue. ?

Ask the children to cut out their door hangers and dove, or pre-cut these for younger children. ?
They then write their own name across the dotted line. ?
Invite the children to add words to the dove to remind them that God loves them.
Now attach the dove to the door hanger. Position the dove body so that its tail feathers overlap the curved edge of the door hanger, then carefully glue each wing in place, tucking the wing edges underneath the dove body so they spread out each side of the dove. Finally, glue the dove body in place on the hanger.
The children can decorate the rest of the hanger using colour and pattern. ?Invite them to take their door hangers home.

Remember the voice of God from above

You will need: a garden parasol, a golf umbrella, a gazebo or similar, cloud shapes, string; stickers and a marker pen. ?

Beforehand, hang lots of cloud shapes from the spokes of the garden parasol (or similar-shaped item). Prepare stickers with the phrase ‘You are my child, I am pleased with you’.
Invite the children to lie under the canopy. They might need to take turns if you have a large group or a small canopy.
Encourage the children to settle quietly.
Ask them to look up at the clouds and imagine God speaking to them from above. What might God want to say to them? What might they want to say to God.
Naming each child in turn, ask a leader to speak from above the canopy saying, ‘You are my child, I am pleased with you’. ?
Give each child a sticker as they come out from below the canopy.

Decorative bunting with symbols of baptism

You will need: coloured card, pennant shapes, baptism symbols, string or fabric ribbon, glue and stapler, sticky tape or drawing pins. ?

Print pennant shapes on coloured card and cut these out. Give each child one pennant. ?
Invite the children to look at the baptism symbol examples then choose one symbol to draw on each side of their pennant card. Children can do more than one pennant each, depending on group size, space and time constraints. ?
Space out the finished pennants along the ribbon and staple or stick these on to create the bunting. ?
Hang the bunting around room using sticky tape or drawing pins.

A practical way to experience forgiveness and be affirmed by God

You will need: some dirty stones or pebbles from the garden or beach, a bowl of warm water, kitchen towel. ?

Sit everyone in a circle round the bowl of water and let each person choose a stone or pebble. ?
Give everyone time to handle the stones and think of what they have done wrong and what they would like to say sorry to God for. ?
Let them wash their stone in the water, one at a time (change water between people if necessary), as a way of letting go of their wrongdoing. ?
Encourage them to dry their stone on some kitchen towel, then reflect on how it feels to have a clean stone and to be forgiven. ?
Afterwards, the leader turns to the person on his/her left and says to the group: ‘This is [name of person] the Beloved, with whom God is well pleased.’ ?
That person then introduces the person on their left in the same way. Continue until the leader is the final one to be introduced.