Creative and entertaining ways to actively engage children in
praise and worship through fun Bible activities and games.
Ages 2 And 3
1. Sing Song — Form a circle. March around the
outside of the circle and sing the following words to the tune of
“The Muffin Man”: Do you know who Jesus loves, Jesus loves, Jesus
loves? Do you know who Jesus loves? Jesus loves (name a child).
Invite the children to each follow you around the circle as they
hear their name. When all the children are following you, sing the
song once more — again naming a child each time. Have them each
sit down in a circle as you sing their name.
Read aloud Psalm 33:1-3 in an easy-to-understand
translation. Say: Today we’re going to learn about how we can use
music to show Jesus we love him.
2. Streamer Sticks — Give each child a paper
towel or toilet paper tube, different-color crepe paper streamers
and crayons. Have children color their tubes. Then staple the
streamers to the end of each child’s tube.
Demonstrate how to use the streamer sticks to create colorful
movement. Play music and encourage children to use their streamer
sticks to show how the music makes them feel.
3. Hokey-Pokey Pretzels — Give each child
three marshmallows and three stick pretzels. Show children how to
poke the pretzel stick into the marshmallow and then take it out
again. Teach the following song to the tune of “Hokey Pokey”: You
stick your pretzel in, You take your pretzel out, You stick your
pretzel in, And you shake it all about. You do the hokey pokey and
you turn yourself around. That’s what it’s all about!
Sing the song three times. Then have kids turn around, sit down
and eat their snack.
4. Up, Down and All Around — Spread a large
flat sheet on the floor and have children sit around the edges.
(It’s best to strategically place adults around the sheet to
provide guidance.) Have children hold on to the edge and stand up.
Have children hold on tight as they raise the sheet above their
heads and then bend at the waist as they bring it back down to the
floor. Repeat these movements for several minutes. Then play music
and help children coordinate their movements to the rhythm of the
music. Introduce new movements such as shaking the sheet to the
music or holding on to the edge as they walk around in a
5. Praise Parade — Play children’s praise
songs. Invite the children to march to the music and wave their
streamer sticks from activity 2. Tell children to let the music
help them express how happy they feel because Jesus loves them.
Close in prayer.
Margaret Hinchey is a children’s choir director in Colorado.
Jane Wilke is an early childhood educator in Missouri. Please keep
in mind that phone numbers, addresses, and prices are subject to