A Widow Gives; Luke 21:1-4

Here is another story with suggested activities centered around four words from the story. 

This can be used as a mini-preschool, with one word per day, or with a Bible club for children. (Illustration by Richard Gunther, Lamb Songs.)

Watch/see

·       Play “I spy with my little eye” also known as “I see something” or “20 Questions”(Ik zie ik zie wat jij niet ziet). One person sees something. Everyone else tries to guess what they see. The person who “sees” something can only answer “yes” or “no”.

·       Leader leads the group in “seeing” by asking questions like:

• What do you see that is ___________ (a certain color, such as green; red; etc.).
• What do you see that is  _________ (a certain shape, such as round, square).
• What do you see that is __________ (living. Answers might include a tree; a bug).
• Can be made into a team game. The two teams take turns answering the questions & naming what they see. The team that “sees” the most (has the most answers) wins.

·       Scavenger hunt. (Being aware of your environment; watching) See Davar Start Game: Spot the Shapes.

• Let’s find something that is a circle . . .
• Let’s go find something that is . . . heavy
• Can you find something that is . . . smooth

·       Any game from Davar Start Games: Visual Skills.

·       Play Red Light/Green Light or similar game.  Players have to watch to see if someone is moving. The game is also about self-control, because players practice controlling their own bodies.
One person is the caller or “traffic cop”. They stand at the end goal. Everyone else stands behind the starting line. The goal is to get past the caller.
The caller stands with their back to the rest of the group. When the caller says “Green light,” everyone can run towards the goal.
When the caller says, “Red light,” everyone freezes. The caller immediately turns around. If they see anyone moving, that person has to go back to the start line.
Children do not need to be familiar with traffic lights to play this game, as long as the words for moving & for freezing in place are explained to them.

Give

·       Make something & give it to someone else (put a plant in a pot; bake something; make a card; make flowers . . .). Doesn’t have to be physical things. Could also be helping to pick up for other people. (Davar Letter Games: E3 and E5)

·       Discussion:  what can we give? See what kids come up with. Time, possessions, praise (songs, to God), being nice, pat on the back . . ..
Giving, not keeping for yourself.
Also discuss: How do you give? How did the widow give? What was good about how she gave?

·       Give compliments. Discuss what a compliment is. Model giving compliments. Then have the group practice this. Go around the circle and take turns giving the person next to you a compliment. Or turn to the person next to you and exchange compliments. Model this.

·       Find a Coloring page of woman giving the coins. Everyone colors the picture, then gives it to someone. Reinforces that the children are doing the same thing that the woman in the story did. (Many fun coloring sheets available on Lamb Songs, www.lambsongs.co.nz.)

·       Affirmation. You can give a handshake or a pat on the back. Might do this as a group with each other.

Coins

·       Davar FUNdament Thick, Thin, Thickest: 6.7 

·       Learn the names of coins in local currency. Show kids different local coins & teach them the names for them.
Or find worksheet online which teaches local currency.
OR Practice counting with the coins.
Might demonstrate that 5 of this coin = 1 of that coin, etc.

·       Stacking coins—see how high we can get them without tipping them over. (Could be done in teams.) Shows that the more coins you have, the better material standard of living you have.

·       Playing store. Set up small store with, among other things, healthy treats (apples, etc.) which the children can ‘buy’. Each child has same number of “coins.”
Have some items cost 2 coins. That’s what the woman gave—she gave all that she had to live on.
With the coins you can get something—food, what you need to live.
(For an older group, you might make a sample budget.)

Extra/all

·       Dramatize the story (“Jesus”, “widow”, 1 or 2 “rich people”; everyone else “disciples”). First give a visual of all vs extra. Give the person playing the widow 2 “coins” (blocks, nuts, buttons, play coins); give the rich person a lot more coins. Have the group count the coins that each person is given.

Then have the group watch and count as each person gives into the treasury (a box or something). The rich person gives a lot, but not all of their coins.
Which person gave all?
Which person just gave extra? (if give 50% of what you have)
Compare & contrast the idea of all and extra. Everybody gave—but who gave all and who gave extra (had extra for themselves)? How much does the rich person have left? (Count as a group.)

·       Discuss a team game the group is familiar with that only has a certain number on the team (football, baseball, cricket). If we play this game, can everyone play? Can all the people in the group play this game? Or do we need some to sit out as extras?
Which games can everyone (all) play? (example—Red Light, Green Light).

·       Dress up. Have a set of oversized clothes so that the children can easily put these on over their own clothing; make sure to have one extra of something that there should only be two of. Have a volunteer put on all the clothes. Maybe have 3 shoes instead of 2. That would be an extra. You can’t put on 3 shoes (if you put on all the shoes, you’d have to put them on your hands).

·       Play a relay game with oversized clothes.  The teams run to one end of the playing field where the runner has to put on all the clothing (maybe just mittens & a hat? A large t-shirt & a scarf?), then take it all off & run back.

 We look forward to hearing feedback when you use these four words with this story!

Suggestions by Crista Smidt & Mary VanRheenen