Teaching Acts to preschoolers, my new endeavor

We are studying Acts as a church.  We are hosting a children's church after our main service.  So I'm planning lessons for two age groups.  Ages 2-6 and Grades 2-5.  As we think about the major concepts in Acts, there are a few major themes.  

• Being a Witness (like the Apostles) leading to Missionaries. 
• Sharing the Good News/Gospel
• The birth of the Church, that serves one another well!
• The Holy Spirit comes- and so we can share the Trinity with kids.  
• Believers are Persecuted.  

Plus the lives of those who carried on after Jesus ascended to make His New Kingdom. So many events, people, and places to discover.  So much action, adventure, and unforgettable miracles through the power of the Holy Spirit.  Plus King Jesus makes it all possible- and we make a crown on our heads with our hands as we talk about Him!  

The stories, events, and related concepts are easy to deliver in engaging ways.   So far we have watched Jesus ascend behind the clouds, thanks to faith sprouts free printable.  We also sang and moved to whose the child that Jesus loves (to the tune of London Bridges), being caught when Jesus loves this little girl/boy/child.  (not sure where I learned this version about 20 years ago!) Acts 1

Then we waited for the gift, by looking at a package, that we could not open, but had to wait and pray like the disciples waited for the Holy Spirit.  (and the surprise was individual bubbles to take home to remember all week!) Acts 2

Then we have made 'whoosh' noises, envisioned fire over our heads, blew bubbles to 'see' evidence of the wind and air, and discuss that Jesus loves me and you!!  Visuals from this lesson were used, truewaykids is another resource I love. 

With the pandemic, we are hosting this right after our main service, in the same room, we are renting, for a 15-minute lesson after we sing as a whole group of children songs that they love.  So we aren't making crafts, coloring, etc.  But I am trying to send something home each week with the littles to practice and retell the story all week.  

Acts 3 and 4 we leaped and jumped praising Jesus, as our main active strategy!  We talked about Peter and John had something better than money to offer the lame man, they used the power of the Holy Spirit through the 'name of Jesus' to heal his legs.  We also talked about preaching boldly, what they had witnessed, even when it meant going to jail overnight, and then being released because they kept preaching boldly "what they have seen and heard!"   Again faith sprouts gave me a great take-home resource- finger puppets!  and ordering the right hole punch makes life so much easier! I also found stand-up figures from Acts 4 in my files that they took home.  

So far these stories are in our traditional preschool story bible by Jared Kennedy.  The Beginner's Gospel Story Bible.  

So now I'm searching for the next element that even preschoolers can grasp, and retell, Jesus loves me and you! and the good news must be understood clearly.  I want a simple short story that will help present the Good News to this young crew in a memorable way!  

Stay tuned for reviews of the board books I have found!