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
    • Detective: The "detective" closes eyes, while "it" starts an action and all other players follow what "it" does. The "detective" opens eyes and tries to figure out who "it" is while "it" continues to change actions.
    • Memory: Show a picture with random items. Then make an item disappear. Students have to figure out what item is missing.
    • Draw with eyes closed. (Give drawing instructions to group who have to draw with eyes closed. 1 point for each correct placement of each item.)
    • I'm going on a mission trip, and I'm bringing.... (memory game where each person has to remember what others said in order and add something new)
    • JigsawPuzzles.io - online group jigsaw puzzle
  • Color and Chat (color or draw while talking) or Craft and Chat