Barnabas is here to resource you in your work with children under eleven. One way we do this is to offer you ideas to use and adapt for your group, church or school. Each of the pages below outlines one ready-made idea or skill, and can be printed out for you and your team.
New ideas posted for this month Breaking the Ice
Mission-shaped Schools
Not Just Taking Assemblies
Seaside Surprise top
Art and Drama
Actions Off!
Art and Craft with young children
Beatitudes with Attitude
Big story of the Bible in mime
Bible characters - points of view - a dramatic activity
Bringing a picture to life - a dramatic activity
Choice circus - a dramatic activity
Church - picture activity to think about inclusiveness of church
David - a holiday club/activity session outline using Launchpad
Drama groups
Dramatic presentation of Christmas linked to Easter
Dramatic presentation on the prodigal son for Mothering Sunday
Drawing prayer
Drawing to music
Ecclesiastes 3 - The Time of our Lives
Esther 1 - drama
Feeding the five thousand (drama)
Footwashing story - a dramatic presentation
Freedom
Freeze-frames - a dramatic activity
Giftbox - an Advent or Christmas holiday club or activity day using Launchpad
Good Samaritan rap
Heroes - a holiday club or activity day using Launchpad
Hot seating - a dramatic activity
House on the rock rap
Improvised scenes - a dramatic activity
In and out - a dramatic activity
Jesus Said 'Follow Me'
Light and dark sketch
Lively Repetition
Living statues - a dramatic activity
Nativity plays from Barnabas
Pentecost dramatic reading
Peter and John
Psalms - drama from the psalms
Psalms - sculpting the shepherd psalm
Puppets - easy human glove puppets
Puppets - mouth puppets
Reading scripture
Reading stories aloud
Ribbons in church
A sketch on children in church
The sower
Story circles
Suffering world
Temptations
The Translation Game
Warm-up exercise workout based on the books of the Bible
Worship sculpture - a dramatic activity
Zacchaeus - a rhyming story
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Assemblies
See the wide range of Assembly ideas on our primary schools' website www.barnabasinschools.org.uk
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Ideas to use with The Barnabas Bible
Feature article: The Barnabas Bible Bible goes large!
The Big Story of Lost and Found
The reflective story on the theme of Lost and Found for The Barnabas Bible Ideas for individual sessions on the theme of Lost and Found:
A Runaway World (Adam and Eve)
A Runaway Maid (Hagar)
A Runaway Hero (Elijah)
A Runaway Prophet (Jonah)
A 'Runaway' Child (the twelve-year-old Jesus in the temple)
A Runaway Sheep (the lost sheep)
A Runaway Slave (Onesimus) The Big Story of Friends and Enemies
The reflective story on the theme Friends and Enemies for The Barnabas Bible (opens as a PDF)
Ideas for individual sessions on the theme of Friends and Enemies:
Brotherly hate (Cain and Abel)
Double Trouble (Esau and Jacob)
A Friend Indeed (David and Jonathan)
Big Brothers! (Joseph and his brothers)
Shock Horror! (The Good Samaritan)
The Kiss of Death (Jesus is arrested)
Friendship is for... giving (The unforgiving servant)
The Big Story of Light and Dark
A reflective story on the theme of Light and Dark for The Barnabas Bible (opens as a PDF)
A suggested eight-session plan with some activity ideas for the theme of Light and Dark
Ideas for individual sessions on the stories for the light and dark theme:
Sinai Shining (Moses - Exodus 33, 34)
Deborah's Day (Deborah - Judges 4, 5)
Mountain a Challenge (Elijah - 1 Kings 17 - 19)
A Light in Dark Times (Isaiah 6:1-13)
Approachable Light (Jesus, the Light of the World - John 1:9, 14; 8:12; 12:35-36)
Blinding Light (The conversion of Paul - Acts 9:1-31; 22; 26)
The Big Story of Death and Life
A reflective story on the theme of Death and Life for The Barnabas Bible (opens as a PDF)
Ideas for individual sessions on the stories for the light and dark theme:
Lazarus (John 11:1-44)
Dry Bones (Ezekiel 37)
Brought back to Life (The widow's son - Luke 7:11-17)
Death is just the Beginning (Good Friday and Easter Sunday - Luke 23:32-43)
A Second Start (Noah - Genesis 8:1 - 9:17)
Twists and Turns (The snake on a pole - Numbers 21:4-9; John 3:14-16; 2 Kings 18:4)
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Basics
Drama groups
Once a term fun clubs
Organising a children's event
A special event or holiday club for children
Starting children's work
Starting Godly Play
Talking about a Bible story
Thinking about children
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The Bible
An Alphabet Gospel (1) Things Jesus Said
An Alphabet Gospel (2) Places Jesus Went
An Alphabet Gospel (3) People Jesus Met
Bible anagrams
Bible headlines to use in quiz
Bible Story Ice Breaker
Big story of the Bible in mime
Books in the Bible - a presentation
Books of the Bible as God's autobiography - an activity
Exploring Bible Stories with Children
Games to exercise the mind
Games to start a session
Games on Themes
Funny facts about biblical characters
How God speaks through the Bible stories - a presentation
Images to describe the Bible - an activity
Passing on the Bible - a game
Pray through the Bible
Talking about a Bible story
Three Bible games
Walking on water
Warm-up exercise workout based on the books of the Bible
Ways to describe the Bible - a game
A Wondering Cube
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Bible stories, themes and characters
Abraham - walk the story
Acts 2 - drama games
Acts 2 - Pentecost cross
Acts 2 - Pentecost power sketch
Acts 2 - Pentecost: seven signs of the Spirit - a reflective story
Annunciation assembly/all-age spot
Annunciation for 7-11s
Barnabas the encourager - a reflective story
Beatitudes
Bible characters - points of view - a dramatic activity
Blessing the children
Breakfast on the beach (John 21)
The burning bush - a reflective story
Calling the disciples
Church - picture activity to think about inclusiveness of church
Colossians1 - 'Jesus' a Reflective Story
2 Corinthians 1:3 - 7 - an easy drama
Crossing the Reed Sea
Daniel - a reflective story
David - a holiday club/activity session outline using Launchpad
David and Samuel
Disciples - an activity about following Jesus
Ecclesiastes 3 - The Time of our Lives
Elijah and King Ahab
Ephesians 1 - a reflective story
Esther 1 - drama
Esther 2
Exodus - Freedom
Feeding the five thousand - a reflective story
Feeding the five thousand (drama)
Footwashing
Games on themes
Games to start a session
Good Samaritan / helping others
Good Samaritan rap
Heroes - a holiday club or activity day using Launchpad
House on the rock rap
The story of James - Seaside surprise - Footsteps to the Feast
Jesus and the man with leprosy - extreme love
Jesus and the ten men with leprosy - for 4-7 year-olds
Jesus and the widow's gift - for 4-7 year-olds
Jesus calms the storm
Jesus calms a storm - for 4-7 year-olds
Jesus changes Zacchaeus - for 4-7 year-olds
Jesus heals Bartimaeus - for 4-7 year-olds
Jesus feeds a huge crowd - for 4-7 year-olds
Jesus' baptism
John 21 - Breakfast on the beach
Jonah
Joseph
Joshua and the wall of Jericho
The Last Supper - Follow the Feet - Jesus washes the disciples' feet at the Last Supper
Light and dark - a story
Light up the dark!
The Lord's Prayer - a reflective story
Miracles
Nehemiah
Numbers and the nature of God
Paul - a holiday club or activity day
The parable of the great pearl - a reflective story
Peter and John
Peter's Story
Prayer based on the gifts of God
The prodigal - a reflective story
Psalm 139 - our specialness to God
Psalms - a celebration psalm
Psalms - an easy-to-learn psalm
Psalms - a prayerful psalm
Psalms - a special psalm day
Psalms - drama from the psalms
Psalms - games with the psalms
Psalms - the pilgrim psalms
Psalms - sculpting the shepherd psalm
Psalms - ways into the psalms with children
The Pearl of Great Price: The Precious Gift - Jesus tells of the great pearl
The Prodigal Son - a big story with participation
The rainbow that nearly wasn't
Revelation - John's final work - a reflective story
The rich fool
Rich young ruler
Rich young ruler 2
Romans 8 - Salvation Unwrapped
Ruth 1
Ruth 2
Samson 1
Samson 2
Samson 3
Samuel the Boy Prophet - a reflective story
Samuel and Eli
Sin and forgiveness
Simeon and Anna - the light of the world
The sower
Suffering world
Talents and pounds
Temptations
Ten commandments
Timothy - a reflective story
The True Vine (John15:1-11)
The Wedding at Cana (Water into wine)
The widow's offering - a nursery rhyme version
Woman taken in adultery (forgiveness)
Zacchaeus the nasty man
Zacchaeus - a rhyming story
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Christian Year
Advent - Annunciation assembly/all-age spot
Advent - Annunciation for 7-11s
Advent - Christingle / Christmas song
Advent - Church-sized Christingles
Advent - The cross and the crib
Advent - Fun day
Advent - Giftbox: an advent or Christmas holiday club or activity day using Launchpad
Advent - Ideas from Barnabas books
Advent - Introducing Advent
Advent - Kings and Candles
Advent - Linking advent and the St Andrew's cross
Advent - Linking advent and the Tau cross
Advent - The Unusual Journey
All Saints day (1 November)
Ascension day - A presentation
Ascension day - A presentation on the theme of saying goodbye
Ascension day - Empty shoes - a presentation
Ascension - Lift Off!
Ascension Story and Rhyme
Candlemas - Grandparents' Day - Footsteps to the Feast for Candlemas
Candlemas - Great Grandma Anna (2 February)
Candlemas - Jesus the light of the world
Christmas - A Christingle / Christmas song
Christmas - Christmas 1: Mary meets an Angel
Christmas - Christmas 2: Mary and Joseph's journey
Christmas - Christmas 3: Jesus is born
Christmas - Christmas 4: The shepherd's journey
Christmas - The Christmas Big Picture
Christmas - A Christmas brainteaser
Christmas - Christmas games
Christmas - Christmas Shoebox story
Christmas - The Christmas Tree's Tale
Christmas - Church-sized Christingles
Christmas - Dramatic presentation of Christmas linked to Easter
Christmas - Giftbox - an Advent or Christmas holiday club or activity day using Launchpad
Christmas - Ideas from Barnabas books
Christmas - Joy to the World
Christmas - Kings and Candles
Christmas - Light and dark sketch
Christmas - The Light that lasts forever
Christmas - Make an Indian Christmas Star
Christmas - Nativity plays from Barnabas
Christmas - New version of 12 days of Christmas!
Christmas - Prayer
Christmas - Presentation of Christmas message through sounds
Christmas - Presentation of the real meaning of Christmas
Christmas - Stars in their skies (Epiphany)
Christmas - The Story of the other Wise Man
Christmas - Suffering world
Easter - Books from Barnabas for Easter
Easter - Celebrating Easter at home
Easter - Circle of Peace for Easter
Easter - Easter holiday club or activity day using Launchpad
Easter - Exploring the Easter story through Bible study and drama
Easter - Flowers along the way
Easter - Fast Forward - Footsteps to the Feast for Holy Week and Easter
Easter - Footwashing story - a dramatic presentation
Easter - Follow the Feet - Jesus washes the disciples' feet at the Last Supper
Easter - Good Friday - all-age service
Easter - Good Friday all age presentation
Easter - A Good Friday service for all
Easter - Good Friday - Step into the Picture of Good Friday
Easter - Palms for Holy Week
Easter - Palm Sunday - the horse and the donkey
Easter - Presentation on the changes made to each character by Easter
Easter - Presentation on Easter through punctuation marks
Easter - Presentation on Good Friday / Easter through noughts and crosses
Easter - A Resurrection Cross
Easter shout
Easter - The Sounds of Holy Week
Education Sunday - Jesus in the midst
Encouragement day - a presentation on St Barnabas! (11 June)
Epiphany (1) - The wise men
Epiphany (2) - Jesus' baptism
Epiphany (3) - The wedding at Cana
Epiphany - John the Baptist
Epiphany - Stars in their skies
Epiphany - The Wise Men's Journey
Fathers' day - a prayer
Hallowe'en - Light and dark
Hallowe'en - Undefeated Light
Harvest - A, B, Seed
Harvest - Barnabas books on harvest
Harvest - The Bible in Fruit
Harvest - God is a faithful Gardener
Harvest - Presentation on where food comes from
Harvest - Ruth 2
Harvest - Seed confession
Harvest - Some Harvest craft ideas for use with the under 5s
Harvest - The sower
Harvest - The widow's offering - a nursery rhyme version
Lent and Easter - Ideas to use at home
Lent - Countdown to Easter
Lent - Cross (1) The Ash Wednesday Cross
Lent - Cross (2) The Taize Cross
Lent - Cross (3) The Holding Cross
Lent - Cross (4) The Irish Cross
Lent - Cross (5) The Jerusalem Cross
Lent - Cross (6) The Sudanese Cross
Lent - Cross (7) The Palm Cross
Lent - Fast Forward - Footsteps to the Feast for Lent
Lent - Lent with the family from Barnabas
Lent - An ongoing idea for exploring the Cross through Lent
Lent - Pancake day assembly
Lent - Praying a special prayer for Lent
Lent - Seven sessions based on A-cross the World
Lent - Story of Jesus' temptations - a reflective story
Lent - Temptations
Lent - The widow's offering - a nursery rhyme version
Mothering Sunday Active Prayers
Mothering Sunday - All-age talk idea for Mothering Sunday on Mary, Hannah and Naomi
Mothering Sunday - a reflective story on Timothy
Mothering Sunday - Drama using 2 Corinthians 1 3 - 7
Mothering Sunday - Dramatic presentation on the prodigal son for Mothering Sunday
Mothering Sunday - Talk on how much God values motherhood
Mothering Sunday - The Jerusalem cross
Pentecost - All-age worship
Pentecost - Come, Holy Spirit
Pentecost cross
Pentecost drama games
Pentecost - Dramatic reading
Pentecost Greeting Game - A World of Hellos
Pentecost - Ideas for a children's club for Pentecost
Pentecost - Links across the Bible
Pentecost Prayers
Pentecost power sketch
Pentecost - Response story
Pentecost - seven signs of the Spirit - a reflective story
Pentecost - A story and a poem
The prison angel - a presentation about Elizabeth Fry (21 May & 12 October)
Remembrance Sunday - making peace
St Barnabas Day - Pioneer Day - Footsteps to the Feast for St Barnabas Day
St George's Day - Parade service talk idea
St George's Day - The Cross of St George
Trinity Sunday activities
Trinity Sunday - Talking about God the holy trinity using an Icon
Week of prayer for christian unity - good news (January)
Anniversary of the Abolition of Slavery (March) - A Force for Change
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Connecting Churches and Schools
Breaking the Ice
Mission-shaped Schools
Not Just Taking Assemblies
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Early Years
Art and Craft with young children
Christmas - Christmas 1: Mary meets an Angel
Christmas - Christmas 2: Mary and Joseph's journey
Christmas - Christmas 3: Jesus is born
Christmas - Christmas 4: The shepherd's journey
Epiphany - The Wise Men's Journey
Getting going with a children's area or a creche in your church
Getting going with pew bags, pew packs and liturgy boxes
Harvest - Some Harvest craft ideas for use with the under 5s
Jesus and the ten men with leprosy - for 4-7 year olds
Jesus and the widow's gift - for 4-7 year olds
Jesus calms a storm - for 4-7 year olds
Jesus changes Zacchaeus - for 4-7 year olds
Jesus heals Bartimaeus - for 4-7 year olds
Jesus feeds a huge crowd - for 4-7 year olds
Make an all year round garden
A Thank you Line
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God in the Home
Some of these ideas also work with small groups of children as is indicated by the introductory wording in a few of the following pieces
An Alphabet Gospel (1) Things Jesus Said
An Alphabet Gospel (2) People Jesus Met
An Alphabet Gospel (3) Places Jesus Went
Beatitudes
The burning bush - a reflective story
Candlemas - Great Grandma Anna (2 February)
Christmas - New version of 12 days of Christmas!
David and Samuel
Drawing prayer
Easter - Celebrating Easter at home
Easter - Palm Sunday - the horse and the donkey
Ephesians 1 - a reflective story
Imaginative prayer
Jesus' baptism
Jesus and the ten men with leprosy - for 4-7 year olds
Jesus and the widow's gift - for 4-7 year olds
Jesus calms a storm - for 4-7 year olds
Jesus changes Zacchaeus - for 4-7 year olds
Jesus heals Bartimaeus - for 4-7 year olds
Jesus feeds a huge crowd - for 4-7 year olds
Lent and Easter - Ideas to use at home
Lent - Seven sessions based on A-cross the World
Light and dark - a story
Pentecost - A story and a poem
Prayer based on the gifts of God
Prayer pots
Psalm 139 - our specialness to God
Psalms - a celebration psalm
Pilgrim Psalms - some simple activities to go with reading Psalms 120-134
Trinity Sunday - Talking about God the holy trinity using an Icon
Zacchaeus the nasty man
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Prayer
Acting out the Lord's Prayer
Candle prayers
Creative prayer activities
Drawing prayer
Feelings prayer
Imaginative prayer
Joshua and the wall of Jericho
Just a drop of water
The Lord's Prayer
The Lord's Prayer Worldwide
Mirror, Mirror in the circle
Mothering Sunday Active Prayers
Noughts and crosses prayer
Pass round prayer
Pentecost Prayers
Pray through the Bible
Prayer based on the gifts of God
A Prayer for Fathers' day
Prayer idea on talking to God
Prayer notebooks
Prayer pots
Prayer stations
Prayer using the image of armour
Prayer using hand movements
Praying a special prayer for Lent
Praying the compass
Praying with Octons
Praying with ropes
Praying with hands
Praying with stones
Saying sorry
Simple change prayer
Simple object prayer
Take your seats
Talking hands
The throw of the dice
Walkie-talkie
What colour are you?
Writing your own Lord's Prayer
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Worship with children present
All-age planning
All-age talk
Bringing a picture to life - a dramatic activity
Choice circus - a dramatic activity
A Church Year Line
Collective worship ideas
2 Corinthians 1:3-7 - an easy drama
Drawing to music
Ending well
Freeze-frames - a dramatic activity
Good Friday - all-age service
God is so good
Hotseating - a dramatic activity
Improvised scenes - a dramatic activity
Introducing worship - ways to begin an all-age service
Mothering Sunday Active Prayers
Music basics
Music - ideas
Pentecost Prayers
Pray through the Bible
Reading scripture
Reading stories aloud
Ribbons in church
Saying sorry
Setting the scene
A Sketch on children in church
Step into the Picture of Good Friday
The Treasurre Chest
What is worship?
Worship is on the inside
Worship on the outside
Worship sculpture
Worship! what's a church building for?
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