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God’s little helpers

Creative crafts

In this activity, you’ll each make a hand-print poster. Then you’ll boost your kids’ self-esteem by letting them practice serving others.

It’s often said that a parent needs to “build their child’s self-esteem.” As important as it is to teach children to love and accept the way God made them, it’s also essential to teach them to view themselves positively because they are God’s “helper.” As Ephesians 2:10 beautifully makes clear, not only do we find significance and value in being uniquely designed by God, but we also find significance by partnering with God in the good works He has planned for us to do.

To prepare, first read John 15:16 with your children and highlight the phrase, “I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit.” Emphasize to your kids that they have been hand-picked by God to contribute to His kingdom and the lives of others.

To make your posters, you’ll need the following supplies:

sheets of plain white cardstock or poster board (one per child)
newspaper to cover your work surface
wax crayons
paintbrushes
diluted watercolour paints.

Here’s how to create your posters:

  1. Start by tracing outlines of each child’s hands on their individual posters using wax crayons.
  2. Have your children choose their watercolours, then paint over the outlines of their hands.
  3. After you have painted over all the hands, use a variety of colours to fill in all the remaining white space on the posters.
  4. While your children work, talk to them about how people can use their hands to help others.
  5. Once your posters are done, set them aside to dry and decide on a specific service project that will allow you to “put into practice” using your hands to help others. Here are some ideas to consider: giving back rubs, foot rubs, hugs, waving, smiling, dialling the phone to make an encouraging call, making roll-and-cut-out cookies for another family, and doing jobs like shovelling snow or picking up garbage. Pray together and ask God which “God job” He has planned for your family to do today.
  6. While you are doing your service project together, refer to your children as “God’s little helpers” and let them know that they are valuable servants of God.
  7. If you wish to extend the lesson, you can also keep track of the ways you use your hands to serve others by noting on each poster how that person served someone else.

Note: Another option is to trace each family member’s hands all around the border of your poster and use the centre portion to feature pictures of your family serving others. Add a verse from below if you wish.

Relevant Scripture

Ephesians 2:10 “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

John 15:16 “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in My name.”

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