This week in eKidz Online, we’re learning the importance of listening to people who lead us closer to God. In Quest, we’ll take a look at John 3:16 to learn that God loves us so much, He gave us His Son, Jesus. For our Safari lesson, toddlers will practice memorizing Colossians 4:2a to help them remember that they can pray to God!

Use the resources below to help your child grow in their faith this week. For more information about eKidz Online and our weekly broadcast times, visit our eKidz Online YouTube page.

Who do you listen to?  ●  Matthew 5:14-16

As a family, discuss a few questions together after your child watches this week’s episode.

Question #1: Who do you listen to?

Question #2: Read Matthew 5:14-16. Have you ever known someone who was a light? What is that person like? How do you feel about them?

Question #3: What happens when you listen to and follow influencers who aren’t leading you closer to living God’s way?

Focus on what is influencing you.

When we talk about being a leader and an influencer, we usually talk about things that we can do to BE an influence on someone else. But first we need to focus on what’s influencing us and limit our distractions.

Whatever distraction comes to your mind, make an effort to spend less time being distracted by that thing. Then do something that feeds your faith or helps you love and obey God. When we cut down on the distractions that are influencing us in a negative way, we create room to replace it with something that influences us in a positive way.

Pay attention to the things that are influencing you on a daily basis. If you allow the right things to influence you, you will become that much better of an influence on others.

 

I am so important to God, He sent me Jesus. ● God Loves Us So Much I John 3:16

This month, we’ll teach our preschoolers that they are wonderfully made in God’s image! Do you ever think about yourself like that — that you are wonderfully made in God’s image? We tend to forget about all the wonder that went into making us as we become grown-ups. It’s part of the reason why people have to ask us to “say cheese” when they take our picture. If we really believed that we are wonderfully made in God’s image, we would be smiling from ear-to-ear all day long! That is what we want for preschoolers — to smile with confidence, because they know God made them.

As a family, watch this week’s video and then discuss a few questions together. 

Question #1: This month, we’re learning all about how we were made. Who made us? (God)

Question #2: Does God know every detail about us, like the number of hairs on our heads and freckles on our face? (yes)

Question #3: God knows everything about us — does that mean God thinks we are important or not important? (important)

 

Family Activity: Bigger Than That

WHAT YOU NEED: a roll of dental floss

WHAT YOU DO:

• Before the Activity: Show the container of dental floss to your child and talk about how small it is. Explain that it fits in the palm of your hand.
• During the Activity: Open the container and start pulling the floss out. Let your child take a turn. Encourage them to stretch the floss from one side of the room to the other and to keep pulling until it’s all out of the container. Talk about how much floss was in that small container.
• After the Activity: Talk about how God’s love is so big — bigger than the amount of floss you and your child pulled out of the tiny container — that He sent His Son, Jesus.

WHAT YOU SAY:

• Before the Activity: “Look at this tiny little package. (Pause.) Do you know what it is? (Pause.) That’s right! It’s dental floss. It’s so small that it fits in the palm of your hand, and it’s very light.” (Hold up the container.)
• During the Activity: “You see, we’ve been learning that God made us special and we are very important to Him. God loves us (open the container and pull out an arm’s length of floss) more than this much. (Hold the end of the floss and give the container to your child to pull.) You give it a pull and walk to the other side of the room. (Pause.) He loves us more than this much. God’s love never runs out, and it’s bigger than how long this floss is!”
• After the Activity: “God made us, and He loves us so much that He sent us His Son, Jesus, to be our friend forever.
  Who made you?” (God made me.)

 

This month, we’re learning, “I can pray to God.” We will learn the story, “Daniel Prays to God,” in Daniel 6. When the king made a new rule, Daniel knew it was wrong and continued obeying God by praying to Him. Because Daniel didn’t follow the king’s rule, he was thrown into a den with lions, but God protected him. Just like Daniel, we can pray and talk to God, too!

TODDLER ACTIVITIES

Choose an activity to complete with your toddler to learn that we can love like Jesus!

Bible Story Activity

WHAT YOU NEED: Bible (Use a children’s Bible if you have one or download the Bible App for Kids and watch “A Roaring Rescue.”)

WHAT YOU SAY: “I love reading the Bible and spending time with Jesus. Let’s read our Bible story together right now!”

WHAT YOU DO: Read “Daniel Prays to God” — Daniel 6 from the Bible.

Memory Verse Activity: Colossians 4:2a

WHAT YOU SAY:

• Before the Activity: “God loves us, and He always listens to our prayers. Our memory verse helps us remember to always pray to Him. Let’s play a fun game to practice memorizing it!”

WHAT YOU DO:

• Have your toddler say Colossians 4:2a three times. Say it in a loud voice, a whisper voice, and a silly voice. Do the motions as you say the verse. Say the verse, line by line, encouraging your toddler to repeat and complete the actions after you.
        “Never (cross arms over each other)
         give up (make an “x” with your arms)
         praying.” (put hands together like you’re praying)
         Colossians 4:2a, CEV (open hands like a book)