PLANS & PLANES

by Kimber Bailey Scott

MEMORY VERSE

Jeremiah 29:11 "I know the plans I have for you," announces the Lord. "I want you to enjoy success. I do not plan to harm you. I will give you hope for the years to come."

God keeps us safe and even when we're in trouble, He has His own plans for us so we should not be afraid.

Hebrews 13:6 & Psalm 118:6 The Lord helps me. I will not be afraid. What can a mere man do to me?

WHEN YOU GET TO THE AIRPORT

• Grab one of those airline baggage tags and give each of your children one. Let's pretend like it's your ticket to get on the plane. Tell them when going through security, they have to show their ticket to them. Usually the security officers are more than happy to pretend along and "sign" their ticket. The tags are great because they can put it around their wrist.

BEFORE YOU GET ON THE PLANE

• Get to the airport early and after checking in and going through security, walk the airport. This will tire them out and make you very happy on the airplane. Talk about the airplanes. Watch them take off and land. Say the memory verse.

• Get a drink and have a "coffee break." Talk about where you've been and where you're going and why. Say the memory verse.

WHEN YOU BOARD & DURING TAKE OFF

• Right before boarding, talk about the plans you've had and the plans you do have today. Say the memory verse again several times with them and/or sing the song. There are several. Ryan & I know a children's song with the Jeremiah 29:11 verse but I couldn't find that version online. Another kid's version is by The Wonder Kids (100 Bible Verses Every Kid Can Sing and Know) in Itunes or on their website. 
• Sit at the back of the plane by a window to be able to see the back of the wings. Some kids like to watch the flaps move when taking off and landing. Talk about how the engineers made plans and designed to build this plane likewise how God made and designed each one of us. How the airline people and the government have rules and plans to keep the airplanes and us safe likewise God keeps us safe too.
• If you see another plane coming before take off, ask them where they think those people have been. Where do you think they are going? The answers could be immediate time or broader. Canaan said that they aren't home and aren't going to work. I asked where to then. He said, "Hawaii!" Do you think we're a little excited about going to Hawaii in two months?! God knows where we've been and where we're going. He'll guide us and help us to get there if we let Him.
• Pray out loud, thanking God for allowing us to have had a great time where we were and now getting to our destination - home or other. Ask God to keep you safe and healthy on the airplane and in the car. Allow them to talk to God if they desire to and encourage them gently if they do not. 
• Watch the scenery during take off. Talk about - and make it fun - how God keeps us safe in the sky and through the clouds. 

DURING THE FLIGHT

• If you walked enough in the airport (usually at least 45 minutes) before boarding, a newborn to six year old will probably be asleep within 10 minutes of take off. You maybe too :)

• If not, pull out their kid's scissors (yes, security will allow for children's scissors as long as they're rounded.), a sheet of paper (OR the back of the magazine could do), a glue stick and the airline magazine in the seat pocket. Allow them to cut and paste to make a collage of: a happy family going on vacation or at home, what heaven on earth looks like to them, all about airplanes, free form hearts and other shapes (you may have to help), etc.
• Allow them to listen to Faith Comes by Hearing Kidz audio Bible BibleStick (like an ipod)
• Give them an action figure to play with and keep safe during the flight.

• Minister together to someone sitting close to you.
• Just for fun - The fasten seat belt sign has flashed and the plane is about to begin its descent to your destination. You’ll need an empty plastic water bottle. Before the plane descends, open it and then cap the bottle tightly. Place the bottle somewhere the kids can see it. Rub your temples and stare at the bottle as the plane descends. The bottle will be crushed by the time the wheels hit the runway. Stop staring and shake your head as if coming out of a trance. TRICK: What’s going on is that when you sealed the bottle at the high altitude, the pressure on the inside of the bottle was equal to that outside the bottle. But when you moved from high in the atmosphere, where the outside pressure is not as strong, to the bottom of the atmosphere, where the pressure is very strong, the bottle was crushed.

WHEN YOU LAND

• Pray together out loud. DO NOT be afraid. Your kids need to see you pray (with respect - not loud like the Pharisees) in public...and not just when there's food.They need to know that God is #1 in your life and in turn in theirs. Thank Him for the safe trip, for the pilots, etc. 
• Talk about where you're going now and the plans you have this week. Say the memory verse again. What plans do you think God might have for us? Talk about being flexible because our plans aren't always God's plans. 

You may think that talking about being flexible because our plans aren't always God's plans is too heavy for a 3 year old or other ages but I assure you it's not. The more you talk like this with your kids and not freak out when things don't go as you planned, the more peace you and your children will have when plans change unexpectedly and expectations aren't met.This has been a great lesson even for me and can be for you too! I truly like everything to go the way I've planned and organized for it to go. BUT God's taught me to rely on Him and to still be relaxed and have a good time -- to roll with it happily. Although God's still teaching me to be better with this, each time I travel with the kids, it makes for a much better trip for everyone and yourself when you're calm, able to be flexible and not be high strung even when your baby is crying, the flight's delayed, the plane's a/c is broken, they won't serve snack/drinks because of the turbulence, someone else's kid next to you keeps touching you with their feet, etc. Yes, all of that's happened to Canaan & I and much more. Not only will you enjoy yourself more, but your kid's will too. Also your kids are watching you. They are learning and picking up everything you do because they'll remember more what you do than all the millions of words you say. Be patient and flexible when God allows your plans to change. Also you never know whose watching you and you may be ministering to them by your actions even if you never speak to them. Plant those wonderful seeds in others and in especially in your own children!

Jesus Healed Jarius' Daughter

by Kimber Bailey Scott
for 2-5 year olds

SONG: 

(tune: Frere Jacques)

Are you sleeping? Are you sleeping?

Little girl? Little girl?

Jesus is coming, He will help you.

Now you're well! Now you're well!

LESSON:

Tell the story with a towel/blanket and a doll that opens and shuts eyes OR act it out yourself.

Matthew 9:1, 18-26; Mark 5:21-43; Luke 8:40-56

Have each kid be Jesus and go to the doll or to you. 

Have them say: She's only sleeping! Get up!

They pick up the doll and the eyes open OR have them "help" you up and your eyes open.

Why did Jarius come to Jesus? What did Jesus do?

PRAY:

When Jarius came to Jesus, he knelt down. Show them how to kneel if they don't already know how. During prayer time, have everyone kneel. Kneeling shows God that He is king and we respect and worship Him.

ACT:

Lay down a towel for each child. Have each kid lay on one. Kneel down beside each one and touch them saying You're only sleeping! Get up! Then have them walk around the room.

GAME:

Play pin the band-aid on the girl (you as the mom might be the only girl).

CRAFT:

Cut out a large shape of a child for each kid. Tell them what to color: eyes, mouth, nose, hair, ears, belly button, fingers, knees, etc. Give them band-aids and tell them where to place the band-aids: over the heart, on an eye, knee, elbow, tummy, etc. Talk about ailments and where we get hurt. Write on each: Jesus healed Jarius' daughter; He can heal me too!

ACTIVITY:

Have a bag of gauze. Loosely wrap a piece around each child; give them a choice: elbow, wrist/hand, knee or ankle.

SNACK:

Have a pop tart with strawberry filling for each child. Cut it to make it "bleed." Cut strips of fruit foll ups for them to use as band-aids.

YOU'LL NEED:

Blanket

Doll (opens & shuts eyes)

Bible

Towel for each kid

Picture or cutout of a child

Band-aids

Gauze

Strawberry filled pop tarts

Plastic knives

Plates or paper towels

Fruit roll ups

CHILD TRAINING BIBLE (and train yourself too)

When I first started this blog, a friend of mine Carissa from California told me about Child Training Bible.

I was a little busy that day and didn't get a chance to look at it until my best friend, Leslie in Texas texted me about it and said they were having a sale that day. I got on and bought one immediately. I read through everything and ended up buying one for me too! What a great idea Mindy the inventor had!!! Amazing. Seriously, amazing! I strongly encourage you to get this for your kids and yourself too. 

GET INTO THE WORD

GET YOUR KIDS INTO THE WORD

Not only will you expand their knowledge, you'll expand your wisdom and knowledge as well.

Jesus Heals a Lame Man at the Pool

by Kimber Bailey Scott
for 2-5 year olds

ASK:
Sit on the floor and have a first aid kit. Open it and pull out bandages and band-aids. Put them on the kid(s). Do you ever get hurt? Where? Who helps you when you get hurt? What does _(mom?)__ do to make you feel better?

READ:

John 5:1-9. Have a clear bowl of water. Add a few drops of blue food coloring. Act out the story with a couple of their little action figures or as Canaan calls them "lil' mans."

GAME: 

Place a blue round plastic tablecloth on the floor as a pool. Everyone grabs an edge of the cloth and ripples it. Say/yell one of your kids names, they jump in the middle and everyone says SPLASH! Keep going until everyone has had a turn.

OR

Go to the bathtub and fill it half way with water. Have them put their hands in the tub to feel the water. Now take their hands out. Say one of your kids names, he/she puts their hands in the tub and splashes around as everyone else says, "SPLASH!" Repeat until each kid has had a turn. 

No legs race - Have them line up and race across the room except they can't use their legs.

SNACK:

Lame man at the pool - Plastic container of blue jello for each kid. (optional - Sprinkle colored blue sugar on top as "salt.") Give them mini marshmallows and small pretzel sticks to make a lame man at the pool.

YOU'LL NEED:

First aid kit

Bandages

Band-aids

Bible
clear bowl of water
blue food coloring
couple of their little action figures

Blue round plastic tablecloth or your tub in the bathroom (and maybe some towels)

Clear plastic containers or cups

blue jello (or clear gelatin and blue juice/sports drink instead of adding water works great!)

Blue colored sugar (sugar mixed with a couple drops of blue food coloring) - optional

mini marshmallows

small pretzel sticks

What I found after Canaan went down for a nap...

I love finding Canaan's toys where he leaves certain ones at times. Today was no exception except this was not a toy, this was his Bible that he carries with him. I found it like this after he had gone down for a nap.

Jesus Heals A Blind Man

by Kimber Bailey Scott
for 2-5 year olds

ASK: 

Sit on the floor & have a first aid kit. Open it and explain what each item is and why and what for. Lay them out. Have you ever been sick or gotten hurt? Who takes care of you? Doctors are smart people and they're smart because God gives them knowledge to help people.

READ:

Mark 10:46-52

This man's faith was in Jesus. He believed Jesus could heal him. All he had to do was ask and Jesus did it. Have you ever been sick? With what? Can Jesus heal you when you're sick?

GAME:

The man Jesus healed was blind, which means he couldn't see anything at all, even when his eyes were open and all the lights were on. Close your eyes tight...that's kind of what it's like to be blind. Open your eyes now. Let's play a game. Blindfold one kid at a time (or all if you're brave). Do things like Simon says and follow the leaders voice. Could you see anything with the blindfold on? Would you want to be blind all the time?

CRAFT:

Let's make something to help us remember that Jesus can heal us when we are sick or hurt. Touch and feel - Fill bags with lots of small objects of different textures. Have the children put their hand into the bag to feel it. Can they guess what it is? 

Have Zorro type masks for them and sticky notes on the backs to cover up the eye holes. Jesus healed the blind man and allowed him to see. Peel off the sticky notes and place the masks on their heads.

SNACK:

Draw eyes on a plate or butcher paper. Give them 2 Oreo cookies and have them place it on the eyes of the face. Tell the story again as they eat.

YOU'LL NEED:

First aid kit

Bible

Blindfold

Paper sacks

Small items with different textures (balloon, gummy bears, sand, rock, etc.)

Masks

Stick Notes

Plates or butcher paper

Permanent marker

Oreo or other round cookies

WHY do I need to write on my kid's hearts?

If we are to "write" God's Word on our children's hearts during the time we have with them, we CANNOT leave it up to their Sunday school teachers. Be their Godly parent and "start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it." (Proverbs 22:6)


Deuteronomy 6:6-9 says The commandments I give you today must be in your hearts. Make sure your children learn them. Talk about them when you are at home. Talk about them when you walk along the road. Speak about them when you go to bed. And speak about them when you get up. Write them down and tie them on your hands as a reminder. Also tie them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses. Also write them on your gates.

AND

Deuteronomy 11:18-20 says So keep my words in your hearts and minds. Write them down and tie them on your hands as a reminder. Also tie them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you are at home. Talk about them when you walk along the road. Speak about them when you go to bed. And speak about them when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses. Also write them on your gates.