Character – Lessons for Younger Children

(Lessons for Younger Children)

Summary of Citywide Children’s Meeting
Regarding the Character Lessons

September 22, 2024

Character: Accurate

  • If our parents say to do something a certain way, there is usually a reason why. Children should do things accurately, the way their parents say.
  • When you bake, you need to have accurate measurements. If you add too much liquid to a cake, it will be soupy. If you add too much flour, the cake will be hard.
  • God was accurate in designing man. Our eyes are in a particular place, our nose is pointing down and not up, etc. 
  • MEMORY VERSE: Genesis 6:22b – “…according to all that God commanded him, so [Noah] did.”
  • CRAFT/ACTIVITY SUGGESTIONS: 1) A pre-printed ruler representing accuracy for the children to decorate; 2) color by number, sticker by number; 3) Simon Says
  • SUGGESTED SONGS: 9566   NOAH – Noah Did, Noah Did, Genesis 7:5, 9 9528   Vessels Unto Honor Song #8 9501   (Bible Story Songs Wonderful CD) Song 1

September 29, 2024

Character: Dependable

October 6, 2024

Character: Diligent

October 13, 2024

Character: Endurance

October 20, 2024

Character: Respectful – Part 1

October 27, 2024

Character: Exact (Week 1 of 2)

  • October 27 is the regional conference.
  • Focus for week 1: An exact person is someone who is fully and completely correct and precise in the work that they do. 
  • In creating man, God was exact. He placed all of our body parts exactly where they should be.
  • In addition to the examples in the lesson, baking and cooking require exact measurements. 
  • Bring measuring cups, rulers, yardsticks and other tools for measuring to help the children do “exact” things.
  • “A place for everything and everything in its place.” 
  • CRAFT IDEAS/ACTIVITY SUGGESTIONS: 1) Have the children glue pre-cut eyes, mouth, nose, eyebrows, ears in the right place on a face.  2) Color by number. 3) Connect dots to make a shape. 4) Print out paper rulers for the children and they can measure different things (rulers are exact). Children can glue the paper rulers on cardboard or cardstock so it is more sturdy and put the verse on the back. 5) Sticker by number. 6) Play Simon Says. 7) Puzzles and mazes. 8) Building block challenge to create a structure that is stable and exact.
  • SUGGESTED SONGS: 178 Through Me; 4601 Matthew Song (2) 25 – Make The Bed; 9523 Vessels Unto Honor Song #3 – A Place for Everything

November 3, 2024

Character: Exact (Week 2 of 2)

  • Remind the children that God is exact. We can review last week’s lesson about God being exact.
  • Focus for week 2: An exact person will follow instructions without leaving anything out or taking shortcuts.
  • Give the children multi-step instructions: (first…, next…, last…, or step 1, step 2, step 3, etc.) to complete a simple activity without taking shortcuts or skipping a step. Examples: making the bed or packing a lunch box can be done in an exact way or in a sloppy way with shortcuts.
  • God is exact in His speaking. God is truth (reality) and He speaks truth. We should speak truth and be exact not only in things that we are doing, but in our speaking.
  • Psalms 119:160 “The sum of Your word is truth.”
  • See craft ideas & activity suggestions from October 27.
  • SUGGESTED SONGS: 9522  Vessels Unto Honor Song #2 Everything We Do and Say; 9530 Vessels Unto Honor Song #10 Speak Truth, Speak Truth

November 10, 2024

Character: Respectful – Part 2

November 17, 2024

Character: Self-Control

  • Our conscience tells us right from wrong and helps us exercise self-control.
  • Self-control is when we make a choice NOT to do something we know is wrong.
  • Help the children use self-control in scenarios: (1) You build a tall tower of blocks and another child wants to knock it down (2) You want to play with the toy that another child is playing with – do you grab it away from them? 
  • What can children do if and when they don’t use their self- control?
    • Use your words to say how you feel
    • Tell mom and dad why you are upset
  • Help the children say “no” to the wrong choice and use self-control.
  • MEMORY VERSE: Proverbs 29:11 – “A fool utters his anger, but a wise man holds it back.” OR  2 Pet 1:6a – “and in knowledge, self-control…” 
  • CRAFT IDEAS and ACTIVITY SUGGESTIONS: 1) Play a simple game by telling the children to do something (ie. wave their hands, clap, jump up and down, spin around, etc.). When you say stop, the children must exercise self-control and stop right away. 2) Make a happy smiling face attached to popsicle sticks and decorate with googly eyes and yarn for hair 3) Make a traffic light craft (green has a smiley face, red has a frown, yellow has a thinking face) 4) Make a stop and go sign on paper and glue to flip sides of a popsicle stick.
  • SUGGESTED SONGS:  11   OH, BE CAREFUL! 9522   Vessels Unto Honor Song #2 Everything We Do and Say 9532   Vessels Unto Honor Song #12 10   INSIDE ME

November 24, 2024

Character: Broad

  • CRAFT/ACTIVITY SUGGESTIONS: (1) Picture of children playing together with the word “Broad” on top and a word bubble saying “Come play with us!” (2) Bring magazines and let the children cut out pictures of people and make a collage (3) Each child has a sticker or picture; put everything together to make one collaborative craft 4) Each child can trace and make one kind of paper doll and they can hand it out to the other kids. The dolls can be different sizes, have different hair, clothing, etc.
  • SUGGESTED SONGS: 19 WHEN WE’RE KIND TO OTHERS; 9527 Vessels Unto Honor Song #7; 9524 Vessels Unto Honor Song #4

December 1, 2024

Character: Careful (1) Fine

  • The focus of this lesson is to be careful with our words and our attitude.
  • This is to balance the lesson on being broad.
  • If your older sibling has a bad attitude towards mom or dad, you shouldn’t copy that.
  • If someone is talking back to the teacher or yelling, you don’t have to do that. We should still respect the teacher. 
  • When mom says it’s time to go (such as leaving the playground), do you say, “No, I don’t want to.” We should listen right away.
  • When children say, “you always do…” or “you never…” it is an exaggeration. Sometimes children like to exaggerate to impress friends. We have to be careful to be accurate with our words.
  • We have to be careful not to lie, but rather to speak accurately. 
  • CRAFT/ACTIVITY SUGGESTIONS: 1) Do a skit of what is appropriate and what is not appropriate, 2) Lunch bag puppet
  • SUGGESTED SONGS: 9316 Daniel Song 16 – What Do You Do When Your Friends; 9522 Vessels Unto Honor Song #2 Everything We Do and Say; 9532 Vessels Unto Honor Song #12; 9530 Vessels Unto Honor Song #10 Speak Truth, Speak Truth

December 8, 2024

Character: Careful (2) Fine

Discuss some additional examples of being fine. We could also ask the children if they have examples. 

  • Be careful when you put things away to put them in the right place.
  • Make sure your trash goes in the trash can.
  • Push in your chair.
  • If you borrow something, return it the same way you received it.
  • Be gentle with library books and don’t fold the pages.
  • Wash your hands thoroughly.
  • Be gentle closing doors so it doesn’t make a loud bang.
  • Safety: don’t touch the hot stove, don’t go on the stairs by yourself, don’t touch detergent, etc.
  • Our friends may celebrate certain holidays or have certain practices that our families don’t do. We can still love our friends, but we don’t participate.
  • CRAFT/ACTIVITY SUGGESTIONS: 1) Lacing card where the children have to lace hole punches in and out, 2) Color by number page, 3) Cut out different shapes of different colors, the children have to glue it back in the right place, 4) Show children different pictures and ask them which ones show someone being careful. The children can cut and paste the pictures on a chart with one side showing “careful” and the other side “not careful.” (Or just show the positive examples and leave out the negative examples.)
  • SUGGESTED SONGS:  9316 Daniel Song 16 – What Do You Do When Your Friends; 9522  Vessels Unto Honor Song #2 Everything We Do and Say; 9532 Vessels Unto Honor Song #12; 4  BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU DO; 11 OH, BE CAREFUL! 

 

December 15, 2024

Character: Just

  • Everyone loves when someone shares something good with them, like a snack or a chocolate chip cookie.
  • Give a few children some items and have them hand out one to each of the other children so each person has one.
  • “One for you, two for me” – is that just?
  • There is a chair for everyone – that’s fair and just.
  • When we pass out napkins, juice, everyone gets one. One person is not favored more than others.
  • Giving to someone else before you give to yourself. Serve others first, make sure you don’t take too many so there’s enough for everyone else.
  • Don’t always pick the biggest one for yourself. Consider others.
  • CRAFT/ACTIVITY SUGGESTIONS: 1) Cut and paste breakfast items onto 3 paper plates (or circular papers to represent plates). Make sure each plate has the same number of each item, 2) Color and cut a paper pizza into equal slices. 
  • SUGGESTED SONGS: 17 WHAT IS SHARING ALL ABOUT?; 19 WHEN WE’RE KIND TO OTHERS; 9524 Vessels Unto Honor Song #4

December 22, 2024

Character: Pure

December 29, 2024

Character: Thorough

  • For the young children, examples of being thorough include completing the task entirely, following all the steps in the directions, following all the steps and checking for all the ingredients in a recipe, or looking thoroughly until a lost item is found.
  • SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES: (1) Scavenger hunt – look for items hidden such as a book, a toy, Legos or other small objects. Search the room until all the items are found. (2) Work on a class puzzle together.
  • CRAFT IDEAS: (1) Stickers to be given at completion of the scavenger hunt. (2) Give the children pieces of something to assemble, either 2D or 3D. They can glue on the pieces (or pre-print on sticker paper). E.g., Picture of a flower with petals, leaves, and pot, or a picture of a room with things that need to be put away, etc.
  • SONG SUGGESTIONS: 2512 FOCUS (Tune: B-I-N-G-O); 4601 Matthew Song (2) 25 – MAKE THE BED; 3445 I’d Like to be Found Faithful; 4619 Matthew Song (2) 23 – WHERE ARE MY SHOES; 9026 Go Jesus Song 7 – TOTALLY! Mark 1:44; 178   THROUGH ME

January 5, 2025

Character: Strict

January 12, 2025

Character: Accommodating

  • Sharing and being flexible is very much like being accommodating.
  • Being flexible with Mom or Dad making changes in plans. Sometimes they have to change plans because of unexpected situations that come up. We should not fuss.
  • When playing or participating in an activity, being accommodating means including other children, making room for them and making sure they feel welcomed.
  • Suggested Bible stories that relate to this lesson: (1) The Shunammite woman making room in her home for houseguests. (2 Kings 4:8); (2) Zaccheus was small in stature and could not see Jesus but Jesus included him. Other people weren’t accommodating to Zacchaeus, but Jesus was accommodating. (Luke 19:1-10); (3) The paralytic who could not get to see Jesus until his friends cut a hole through the roof to lower him down to see Jesus. (Matt. 9:1-8)
  • CRAFT IDEAS: (1) Color a scene of a child sharing a toy with another child, or a child offering a swing to another child who is waiting a turn, or another example of accommodating others. (2) Color a picture scene of Zaccheus in the sycamore tree. (3) Color a picture scene of the paralytic being lowered through the roof (avoid pictures of “Jesus”). The paralytic craft can also be a cut-out of a house with a hole in the roof and a man on a mat made of popsicle sticks.
  • SONG SUGGESTIONS: 9527 Vessels Unto Honor Song #7 – No One Likes to be Left Out; 9524 Vessels Unto Honor Song #4 – What Kind of a Sharer; 9211 David Song 11 – Can you say, How Do You Do; 2844 Shunammite woman song about hospitality

January 19, 2025

Character: Affectionate

  • An affectionate person is pleasant to be around. Someone who is warm, caring, and tenderhearted towards other people. 
  • CRAFT IDEAS: (1) Picture of Abraham coming out of a tent welcoming 3 visitors. Perhaps be careful of showing faces, especially depictions of “angels”. In a word bubble, we can say “Come and eat.” (2) Color picture of children hugging or playing together, or picture of families hugging/being together. (3) Color greetings in different languages with a picture of a child greeting another child warmly. “Come on in! Glad to see you! Would you like a glass of water? May I take your coat? Please sit down.” (4) Cut out paper chain people to show children playing together. Children can glue on googly eyes. (5) Decorate a heart cutout with sticker gems or colored pieces of tissue paper.
  • SONG SUGGESTIONS: 9527 Vessels Unto Honor Song #7 – No One Likes to be Left Out; 9524 Vessels Unto Honor Song #4 – What Kind of a Sharer; 9576 ABRAHAM – Hospitality Song; 19 WHEN WE’RE KIND TO OTHERS

January 26, 2025

Character: Calm

  • SUGGESTED VERSE: “Be still before Jehovah, and wait for Him;…” Psalms 37:7a
  • Help the children with some practical ways to remain calm if they are frustrated or angry- asking for help from an older sibling or an adult, telling their parents or guardians when they feel upset instead of screaming or stomping. Encourage them to sing a children’s meeting song or pray to the Lord – “Lord Jesus, please help me to be calm.” 
  • Related Bible story: Jesus calming the stormy sea (Matthew 8:23-27).
  • CRAFT IDEAS: (1) Color picture of calm sea vs stormy sea. You also also use crumble blue tissue paper to glue onto the stormy sea, and flat blue paper to show the calm sea. (2) Color drawing of a sand timer. Use sparkly glue to decorate.
  • SONG SUGGESTIONS: 11 OH, BE CAREFUL!; 19 WHEN WE’RE KIND TO OTHERS; 32 Trust in the Lord; 172 WHY WORRY WHEN YOU CAN PRAY; 9558 Open up to Your Parents; 9539 Vessels Unto Honor Song #19 – When the Baby’s Sleeping

February 2, 2025

Character: Submissive

February 9, 2025

Character: Corporate

  • Teamwork, working well with others.
  • Bring some Legos or puzzles and have the children build something together.
  • Learn to do something someone else’s way and cooperate with others.
  • CRAFT IDEAS: 1) Coloring page where children are doing something or building together, 2) Butcher paper corporate art – everybody draws what they want all around the paper and at the end, cut up the paper and stick the verse on it so each child gets to take home a piece.
  • SONG SUGGESTIONS: 1612 COMPANIONS; 9529 Vessels Unto Honor Song #9; 5501   PEACEMAKERS (Bible Story Songs Matt vol 1 #16)

February 16, 2025

Character: Strong

  • Story of Daniel and his friends eating vegetables because they didn’t want to eat the meat sacrificed to idols.
  • We need companions to stand together and do the right thing. We can show an example of strength in numbers by using popsicle sticks. Show them how easy it is to break one stick but very difficult to break multiple sticks at once. How about cutting paper? One sheet is very easy to cut, but not a whole stack. When we stand together, we are stronger.
  • We have a conscience that tells us right from wrong inside us. We need to pay attention to our conscience.
  • You have to be strong to follow what your parents tell you to do. 
  • CRAFT IDEAS: 1) Paper plate with cut and paste vegetables, 2) Coloring page of Daniel and friends.
  • SONG SUGGESTIONS: 10 INSIDE ME; 4611 MY GOD IS SO GREAT (Wee Sing Bible Songs p. 46); 1302 BE STRONG (Sing to the Lord #23)

February 23, 2025

Character: Focused

  • Ask the children to try to pat their head and rub their tummy at the same time – it is difficult to do more than one thing at once.
  • CRAFT IDEAS: Coloring page of the word “focus” in bubble letters with a lightbulb.
  • SONG SUGGESTIONS: 11 OH, BE CAREFUL!; 2512 FOCUS (Tune: B-I-N-G-O)

March 2, 2025

Character: Open

  • Sometimes you want to do something, but you can’t do it. When you can’t do something, you can ask for help from others. 
  • There is nothing wrong with asking for help.
  • Bible stories: 1) King Nebuchadnezzar couldn’t understand his dream and neither could his wise men, so he asked Daniel to interpret the dream. Daniel prayed to God and was able to tell the king the meaning of the dream. 2) Moses was afraid to speak, so he wanted his brother Aaron to help speak for him. Keep the stories simple and age-appropriate.
  • CRAFT IDEAS: 1) Coloring page of someone helping a sick person, 2) Coloring page of teacher teaching children, 3) Lacing card (a template of a mitten or other item on cardboard with holes punched out along the border so the children can “sew” with a piece of string), 4) Cardboard shoe template with holes for shoestrings so the children can try to tie a shoe themselves (the children will have to be open to ask for help to complete crafts 3 and 4)
  • SONG SUGGESTIONS: 3722  JESUS, I AM LISTENING (Preschoolers Sing #29) 65   GOD’S WORD

March 9, 2025

Character: Content (Satisfied)

  • Discuss need vs. want. 
  • Only take what you need. Don’t be greedy.
  • Take turns & learn to share toys.
  • Memory Verse: Hebrews 13:5 or Acts 20:35c
  • Suggested Bible Story: When the children of Israel had manna, they were told to collect just enough for the day. If they got greedy and collected more than they needed, the manna would go bad.
  • ACTIVITY IDEAS: 1) Put various items on the table in front of the children (ex: food, water, table, cellphone, item, shoes, toys, etc.). Ask the kids to discuss what they need versus what they want. Give them a small box and tell them they can fill only that box with the things they need. 2) Present the children with a bunch of toys/candy, etc. and have them each take one so there’s enough for everyone. Have one of the serving ones take more than 1 and ask the children if that is fair. 3) Take out a box of Legos and have the children hand them out to all the kids in an equitable way. 4) Hand out snacks equitably, don’t take more than you need.
  • CRAFT IDEAS: 1) Coloring page with the verse, 2) Make a paper basket with the verse on it, give the children pictures of things they need that they can color and put in the basket. The children can also share their items with others.
  • SONG SUGGESTIONS:
    17 WHAT IS SHARING ALL ABOUT?; 9123 Acts Song #23 – Blessed To Give; 133 LET’S BE HAPPY

March 16, 2025

Character: Steadfast

  • Being steadfast is like being a large rock – firm and immovable.
  • Noah continued building the ark for many, many years. 
  • CRAFT IDEAS: 1) Coloring page of Noah and the animals. Be careful with printables from Christian websites as the pictures of the ark may not be accurate. 2) Paint a rock or use stickers to decorate a rock. 
  • SONG SUGGESTIONS:
    48 THE WISE MAN AND THE FOOLISH MAN; 4611 MY GOD IS SO GREAT (Wee Sing Bible Songs p. 46)

March 23, 2025

Character: Good Attitude

  • Memory verse: Ephesians 6:1
  • Bible story suggestions: 1) The Lord received the children. The disciples didn’t have a good attitude about the children, but the Lord said to let them come to Him. 2) When the Lord Jesus was a child, he stayed behind in the temple to teach and his parents went to look for him. When they found him, he obeyed and went with them. 3) When Paul and Silas were wrongfully in jail, they were singing instead of complaining. 4) When Paul was on a ship in the storm, he was not upset. He told everyone to cheer up. 
  • CRAFT/ACTIVITY IDEAS: 1) Present the children with some tasks (ex: clean up your toys, get ready for bed) and ask the children to practice responding with a good attitude (ex: Ok, that’s fine. Yes, Mom. Yes, Dad.), 2) Coloring page of parents with a speech bubble asking the children to do a task and children with a speech bubble saying “ok” or “That’s fine”, 3) Coloring page of a flower – each petal can be an affirmation of a good attitude (ex: Please, thank you, alright, yes mom, etc.)
  • SONG SUGGESTIONS:
    5 GRUMBLERS; 9032 Go Jesus Song 13 – We’re gonna be God’s servin’ children

March 30, 2025

Character: Listening

  • CRAFT IDEAS: (1) Coloring page of Jonah and a big fish or another Jonah themed craft. Note that the Bible says “great fish” and does not use the term whale. We should use the accurate term in presenting the lesson. (2) Make a paper headband and glue or tape giant ears to emphasize listening.
  • SONG SUGGESTIONS:
    10 INSIDE ME; 50 WHO DID?; 3722 JESUS, I AM LISTENING (Preschoolers Sing #29)

April 6, 2025

Character: Not Hasty