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Light brigade

Creative crafts

In this activity, you’ll make a paper bag lantern for each child and light them up in a dark room.

Discussion point: God’s light and love can “shine through us” to others.

You will need battery-operated tea lights, an opaque cup for each child, a paper punch and paper lunch bags, felt-tip markers and / or a photograph of each child. You’ll also need to prepare a darkened room.

Before you begin your craft, gather your children together in the dark room (take the tea lights with you) and talk about the darkness using the questions below.

Questions for discussion
  1. Can we read a book in here?
  2. Can we see each other’s faces in the dark?
  3. Do you like the dark?
  4. Why are people scared of the dark?
  5. What does darkness represent?

Now give each child a tea light and allow them to turn it on.

Read 1 Peter 2:9.

After reading the verse, open the door of the dark room and go to your craft construction area. Allow your children to play with the tea lights while you talk about light.

  1. Can we read a book in here?
  2. How well can we see each other now?
  3. Do you prefer relaxing in the light or in the dark?
  4. Have you ever heard of someone being afraid of the light?
  5. What does light represent?
  6. What does the Bible say about light?

Read Matthew 5:14 and 1 Thessalonians 5:5.

Give each child a paper bag and have them draw a picture of themselves on it (or they can paste on a photo). Help each child punch some holes along their bag’s seams.

Once the bags have been decorated, open them up and place one of the battery-operated tea lights at the bottom of each bag. Fold down the top edge to create a handle for carrying. Parade around your house and end up in the dark room.

While you are in the dark room, read Psalm 37:4-6.

Next, impress on your children the idea that God’s light in us makes us shine brightly for others to see.

Close by sharing ways that others can see God’s “light” in you. Pray together and ask God to help you “shine” in a way that brings honour to Him.

Relevant Scripture

1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.”

Matthew 5:14 “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.”

1 Thessalonians 5:5 “You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.”

Psalm 37:4-6 “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.”

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