Sabbath Activities for Kids

Staying Organized

Sabbath may be once a week, but it is EVERY week, and it is supposed to be the BEST day. So, to make it special, I try to implement a few core ideas.
Elementary Ages (4 to 9)
  • The Sabbath Surprise - After my children are asleep on Friday night, I create simple activity stations that they can look forward to do doing in the morning or in the afternoon.
  • Book of Nature - Window, Walk, Collection, Station, Journal
  • Sabbath Service - Special ministry children can do on Sabbath - One of my children likes to visit the nursing home with me. The other likes to do a prayer warrior ministry.

Sabbath Surprise

Each Sabbath of the month, I alternate through some core activities for reviewing the Sabbath School lesson features at home. I set out a little Happy Sabbath sign along with the activities. My children look forward to discovering what is in store for them on Sabbath morning.
  • 1st: Follow the picture clues to Bible story. Nature-based sensory bin. Penmanship sheet based on prayer verse (key letter, or key word, or copy verse).
  • 2nd: Leave blocks and wooden dolls for child to tell their Bible story. Nature-based craft. Find list of prayer verse objects scavenger hunt.
  • 3rd: Find objects from Bible story scavenger hunt. Nature-based activity stations (Faith Quest). Cut up prayer verse into chunks for child to put in order (words with picture cues) and use for memory work. 
  • 4th: Game with Bible story. Nature-based diagram activity. Prayer tangram. 
  • 5th: Mission Map Puzzle, Follow the line (or clues) to get to church with a car, Mission Building Challenge (church or school) with blocks

Online Fellowship

Since the pandemic, it has been a challenge giving my children opportunity to interact with others and have friends, especially my daughter who craves companionship. So, each Sabbath she video conferences with a couple of girls. We call it the "girls club." Here are some activity ideas to make it productive. 
  • Sharing Time
    • Tell something that happened to you or that you did this past week. 
    • Show and Tell - your favorite (or new) stuffy or toy, a finished craft project
    • Tell about yourself. What's your favorite...food, color, animal, activity, school subject, song, etc.
  • Games
    • I Spy
    • Charades
    • Guess what I'm thinking about
    • Simon Says or Copy Me
    • Pictionary
    • JigsawPuzzles.io - online group jigsaw puzzle
  • Color and Chat (color or draw while talking) or Craft and Chat