Jairus’ Daughter - Luke 8:40-56
Idea 1
Play a game of tag with the kids.
One person can be “it” and another person can be “Jesus”
Let everyone run around.
When kids are touched by the person that is “it” they need to lie down.
The person who is “Jesus” can also run around during the game, they can touch people who are lying down and bring them back to life.
Idea 2
Give each child a story sheet handout.
Read through the story together.
Let the kids colour in the story.
As they are colouring go around and ask individual questions.
Why was Jairus’ upset?
What happened to the little girl?
How did Jesus help the little girl?
Idea 3
Read Luke 8:40-56 in the bible
Play pictionary with the kids.
One at a time, give each of the kids random parts of the story to draw on a piece of paper for the others.
Once their part is drawn and guessed put that piece of paper to the side to use at the end of the game.
Have the next kid come up and draw the next part.
Once all the parts have been drawn and guessed, ask the kids to take the drawings and put them in storyline order.
Idea 4
Talk with the kids about death
Explain some differences between earth and heaven to the kids.
On earth people can get sick, but in heaven no one is sick
On earth people can be sad, but in heaven there is no sadness.
In our story who are the people who are sad? Who is sick?
When Jesus comes around he changes the sad people to happy people, and the dead to alive.
Jesus was showing us a bit of what heaven is like, where there is no sadness and death.
Idea 5
Act out the story with the kids
pick one child to be dead, and another to be Jesus, the other kids can pretend to cry and then cheer.
Have the child who is pretending to be dead lay on the floor completely still.
Ask the rest of the kids pretend to cry.
When Jesus comes by and grabs the kid who is pretending to be dead’s hand, they can jump up as fast as they can.
Ask the kids who were pretending to cry to cheer as loud as they can.
Repeat this a few times with lots of kids.
Idea 6
True or False
Jairus asked Jesus to help him because Jairus’ leg was hurting. (false)
Jairus’ daughter was dying so Jairus asked Jesus for help. (true)
When Jesus got to Jairus’ house the little girl was feeling better and dancing around her bedroom. (false)
When Jesus came to Jairus’ house, he told everyone to stop crying because the girl was only asleep. (true)
When Jairus’ daughter, was healed she was given some food. (true)
Jesus asked everyone to spread the news about Jairus’ daughter becoming alive again. (false)
Idea 7
Make a banner
get out some banner paper, and write in bubble letters “Jesus gives us life”.
Let the kids colour in the letters and draw pictures of things that remind them of life.
Idea 8
Jesus Gives Us Life Game
Ask all the kids to find a space on the floor and lay down.
They need to stay still until you say “Here comes Jesus”
Then it is a contest to see who can jump up the fastest and say “Jesus gives us life”.
Click on the links below for formal lesson plans