Advent Labyrinth - Journey to Christmas

It's been a while since my last blog, after 6 years of running Toddler Praise Mum's and Tot's group, I had to suddenly give up. This was due to my hours at work changing but the Lord leads us on to do other things, so I guess my time was over. My husband with the help of others still runs the group but sadly without the bible crafts that I produced to go with the theme.

There is another reason I haven't blogged for a while, I downloaded Microsoft 10, which wasn't compatible with Blogger. If you are reading this then I guess those issues have now been sorted, otherwise I'm writing this to no avail.

This weekend we  had a joint service for all 8 churches in our cluster of north Scarborough churches.  The guest speakers were the wonderful couple and writers, Adrian and Bridget Plass and singer/songwriter Rob Halligan (check him out he's really good). I found myself on Sunday school duty and needing to prepare something for an unknown number of children and an unknown age range.

As it was Advent Sunday I decided to focus on advent as being a Journey to Christmas, a time of preparing our heads and hearts for the birth of Jesus. A labyrinth seemed an obvious way of presenting a journey, with different simple activities on the way and Jesus being at the centre. The activities were kept simple as they are symbolic, although the suitcase craft does take a bit of time, allowing it to be a good gathering craft, while everyone is arriving.

Station 7- Pipe cleaner 'selfs' in the nativity.

Labyrinth

With the nativity at the centre, the labyrinth is set up as a spiral around the room with stations of prayer or craft along the route.

The nativity is at the centre of the room because throughout advent we are preparing for Jesus, it is our focus. The labyrinth is a spiral because day by day in all that we do we are getting closer. The labyrinth needs a distinct path, made in any way, chairs, rope, fairy lights, chalk etc…

Station 1 - My journey

Advent is a time of preparation for the birth of Jesus, preparing our hearts to let Jesus in. It can be considered as a journey, although not a physical one but a journey for our heads and hearts.

Make a person out of pipe cleaners to represent yourself on a Journey to Christmas, carry it with you as you go around the labyrinth.

Station 1 - Make a pipe cleaner 'self'

Station 2 - Preparations for a Journey

Before we go on a journey we need to prepare: where shall we go, what shall we take with us, what are we going to eat, have we got tickets, passports, filled the car with petrol, whose going to look after the pets, are the bills paid, plants watered. So many things to consider. Mary and Joseph also had to prepare for their long journey, what would they be able to carry on their long journey to Bethlehem and what would they need for the baby who was going to be born.

Draw and cut out things we need when we go on a journey and things Mary and Joseph would have needed. On one side of the suitcase (box) stick what we need and on the other, what Mary and Joseph would have needed.

We were given wooden cigar boxes, which we used as suitcases, any box could be used or draw an open suitcase onto A4 paper.

Station 2 - Pack a suitcase for a journey

Station 3 - Prayer Chain

Israel was under occupation by Romans soldiers, all citizens had be called back to their birth towns for the census. The roads were very busy with people travelling and Mary and Joseph had to travel to Bethlehem with them.

Prayer paper chain - pray for countries affected by war and natural disasters and all people displaced by them. Write on a strip of paper a situation in the world you want to pray for, then attach it to the chain.

Ready gummed paper chains.

Station 3 - A prayer paper chain

Station 4 - The Journey

It was a journey of 70 miles to Bethlehem from Nazareth, walking all the way, they possibly had a donkey but the bible doesn't mention it. Mary and Joseph would have had to face many obstacles on their journey, mountains to climb, rivers to cross, roadside robbers to avoid, wild animals, where would they sleep. All the time Mary was heavily pregnant.

We have obstacles to negotiate before we arrive at the stable too. Many things we have to do before Christmas arrives; school, work, presents to buy, cards to write, concerts and nativity plays, homework to complete, people to visit.

Continue on your journey through the Labyrinth by negotiating the obstacles.

Build an obstacle course out of whatever you have to hand, chairs, tables, slides, tunnels, anything as long as it's safe.

Station 5 - The Shepherds

The Angels appeared to the shepherds in the fields outside Bethlehem and proclaimed the good news of Jesus birth. The Shepherds left their sheep in the fields and journeyed into Bethlehem to see the new King, the Good Shepherd who had been born.

Make a little sheep and on it write the name of someone you want to thank God for, someone who has shepherd you, led you, taught you, loved you, shown you the way to go.

Station 5 - Sheep prayers

Station 6 - The Magi

The Magi were star gazers, interpreting the future in the stars. They witnessed the birth of a new star, which heralded the birth of the King of the Jews. The Magi followed the star to Bethlehem, where they found Jesus, they bowed down and worshiped him and gave him gifts worthy of a king; Gold Frankincense and Myrrh.

Decorate a star as a Christmas decoration, a reminder throughout advent and Christmas of Jesus the King of all.

Station 6 - Follow the star to Bethlehem

Station 7 - Baby Jesus

See the tiny baby at the centre of the Nativity, a helpless baby born to be king of all people. Spend a few moments thinking about this remarkable baby.

Place your pipe cleaner self in the nativity as a symbol that you want Jesus at the centre of your Christmas and your life. You can collect your pipe cleaner self after the service if you wish to keep it, maybe put it in your own nativity scene at home.

Moses as a baby

Exodus 1, 2: 1-10

Craft - Moses in a floating basket



Moses in his basket

 

At Toddler Praise we have changed our topic; having gone through Jesus life, death and resurrection and then onto Pentecost and the early disciples, we are now going back to the old testament, looking at Moses for the next few weeks.

This week's simple craft requires beads, only a few but beads are not a cheap craft material like most my crafts use. I only buy expensive materials for special occasions, these beads were bought for making Mothers Day gifts last year. Beads are great for threading and kids love them, as well as developing their fine motor skills. At the time, we made key-rings with heart charms but today we are making baby Moses with them. When I buy more expensive materials, I tend to buy them from online shops. I plan ahead to see what's coming up and what I might need to top up on, as well as buying for Sunday school activities. Then I'm only paying postage once or not at all if they have an offer for purchasing more than a certain amount. The site I favour is www.yellowmoon.org.uk (also known as Baker Ross), I find their craft materials to be good quality and good value. They also sell religious craft materials too, which is really useful when you require foam nativity or Easter stickers or need some small crosses. Of course if you are not from Britain, you will need to find a different company. If you know of any other companies, feel free to leave a link in the comments below for others to use and say which country they are in.

The book of Exodus in the old testament is the story of Moses and how he led the Jewish people out of Egypt, to God's promised land of Israel. Saving them from the tyranny of Pharaoh and slavery in Egypt. We are looking at this story for next few weeks, starting today with Moses birth. The Jewish people had grown in number since Joseph and his brothers had settled in Egypt. This frightened the Pharaoh, he was scared that they would rise up against him and fight for his enemies. He decided to make them slaves, he oppressed them and forced them to build great structures and farm the land. The Egyptian slave masters worked them hard and were ruthless. But the Jews grew more in number, the king decided that all boys must be killed at birth but the midwives would not do it. He then ordered that newborn boys should be thrown in the river Nile. Moses was born at this time, his mother hid him for 3 months but he was too noisy. So she made a basket out of papyrus and coated it in tar to make it waterproof. She hid Moses in amongst the reeds on the river Nile. Pharaoh's daughter was walking along the bank of the Nile, when she heard the baby crying. She knew it was a Jewish baby but she took pity on it. Moses sister was keeping a eye on him, she asked Pharaoh's daughter if his mother could be his wet nurse. The princess agreed and when Moses was old enough he went to live in the palace and was brought up as her son.

 

Materials required:

·         Plastic cups (brown would be preferable but any will do)

·         Cotton wool

·         Beads with large holes (2 sizes optional)

·         Pipe cleaners

·         Scrap material

·         Scissors

·         Bowl of water

Prepare before session:

Cut off bottom of the cup

1.    Cut the bottom off the plastic cups, by cutting down the cup from the top until about 2cm from the bottom. Then cut around the cup, take care as the cup easily splits.

2.    Cut pipe cleaners to roughly 2 inch or 5cm lengths.

3.    Cut scrap material down to size to make little blankets.

Instructions:

Thread a larger bead onto the pipe cleaner

1.    Choose a big bead for the head of Moses and thread onto the pipe cleaner. Fold over end of pipe cleaner to secure head. If you only have one size of bead, choose a different colour to the body beads.

2.    Choose 4 smaller beads for Moses body. Fold over the other end of the pipe cleaner to secure body.



3.    With a permanent marker draw eyes and mouth on the head bead. An adult may wish to do this.

4.    Put a ball of cotton wool in the bottom of the cup for soft bedding, place Moses in the middle.

Place Moses on soft bedding

5.    Place blanket over baby Moses, we don't want him to get cold!

6.    When everyone has finished, try floating them all in a bowl of water, or even make a little stream to float down.

A line of Moses' in baskets being washed down a pipe

 

My son had great fun making Moses in his basket with the leftovers from Toddler Praise. He spent a good half hour sliding them down a gutter half pipe, by pouring water down the pipe with a watering can. Lots of fun to be had, especially on a sunny day.

You can visit the Toddler Praise Facebook page by following the link below:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Toddler-Praise-St-Lukes-Church-Scarborough/791165617571028

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Have fun