Lesson 1: God is Always With Us
Aim
To learn that God is always with us and keeps us safe at night
Materials
*Night Time – A Teddy Horsley Book (Bible Society)
*Picture cards from the story
*A picture from the story to colour
*blindfolds
Lesson Outline
1. Introduction
2. Story
3. Discussion
4. Activities – blindfold games, colour a picture
5. Review the aim
6. Prayer
1) Introduction
Ask the children if they are afraid of the dark. What are you afraid of?
Do they like night time? What do you like to do?
Do they have a night light on in their bedroom?
Today’s story is about a bear at bedtime.
2) Story – Night Time
Night has come and teddy Horsley is going to bed(1). He pushes open his bedroom door to peep inside.Then he sees something stir in the corner and dark shadows play on the walls(2). When Mr. and Mrs. Henry switch on the lamp the shadows disappear and Teddy Horsley sees the sleepy cat stretch in the corner(3).He picks up his toys to put them in the cupboard.Then he sees something hiding under the bed(4). When Mr. and Mrs. Henry lift up the bedspread Teddy Horsley laughs at his slippers lying there.Teddy Horsley feels safe because Mr. and Mrs. Henry are with him in the bedroom(5). He folds up his clothes to put them on the table.Then he feels something move behind the curtains(6). When he pulls the curtains back teddy Horsley finds the window open and the cold night breeze is blowing in(7). He peers through the window to look at the black night outside.Then he hears frightening noises echo throughthe darkness(8). He waves to the tawny owl hooting “good night”. Teddy Horsley feels safe because Mr. and Mrs. Henry are with him in the house(9). Night has come and teddy Horsley turns off the light. He stills sees shadows playing on the wall, but he is not afraid(10). He still feels movement behind the curtains, but he is not afraid. He still hears noises echo through the darkness, but he is not afraid(11).Teddy Horsley feels safe because God is with him through the night(12).
3) Discussion
Talk about going to bed:
How do you get ready for bed?
Who helps you get ready for bed?
What things do you like to have near you at night?
Who do you like to have near you in the house when you go to bed?
Talk about the story:
What sights did the bear see when he opened the bedroom door?
What did he discover when Mr. and Mrs. Henry switched on the light?
What movement did the bear feel behind the curtains?
What did he discover when he pulled back the curtains?
What sounds did he hear in the darkness outside?
What did he discover when he looked harder?
How did he feel when he turned off the light?
Why did he feel safe?
Think some more about the story:
What else might the bear see in his bedroom at night?
What else might he feel in the darkness?
What else might he hear in the street outside?
4) Activites
* Play a blindfold game to demonstrate how things are different when it is dark.
– One child keeps their eyes closed or uses a blindfold and tries to answer some questions
– One person disguises their voice. Who am I?
– Feel one person’s face. Who am I?
– Identify different sounds – paper rustling, scraping a table, sharpening a pencil,
– Identify smells – banana, apple
– Walk around the room, listen to directions and sit down
* Colour a picture from the story
5)Review the aim
To learn that God is always with us and keeps us safe at night
6)Prayer
Say a prayer to thank God for keeping us safe at night
