Leader Guide
Tossing Game
- Six craft sticks or unsharpened pencils
- One queen-size or king-size flat bed sheet
- Two paper towels
- Marker
- Whiteboard and marker, or chalkboard and chalk
- Masking tape or painters tape
- Timer: clock/watch with second hand, stopwatch, timer app
- Two 6th grade helpers or other volunteers to keep score
- Bible or Superbook Bible App
Tape a line or mark the floor near one end of the room.
Spread the bed sheet on the floor starting about 10 feet from the line.
Use the marker to write TEAM 1 on one paper towel and TEAM 2 on the other.
Write 1 on three craft sticks and 2 on the other three craft sticks.
Place the two paper towels on the bed sheet several feet apart. See illustration for set-up.
Let’s say our SuperTruth together: “I will show mercy and kindness to all people.”
In our Bible story, Elisha showed kindness and mercy to the Israelite soldiers, right? No; to the Syrian soldiers.
Very good; I wanted to see if you were listening! Elisha also showed kindness to someone else; who was that person? A prophet who lost a borrowed ax head in the Jordan River.
How did Elisha show him kindness? He performed a miracle; he threw a stick into the river where the ax head sank and caused the lost ax head to float on the surface so the man could grab it.
Optional: Read 2 Kings 6:6–7:
“Where did it fall?” the man of God asked. When he showed him the place, Elisha cut a stick and threw it into the water at that spot. Then the ax head floated to the surface. “Grab it,” Elisha said. And the man reached out and grabbed it.
Hold up the pencils or craft sticks. In this game you will get to throw sticks into the Jordan River. We will pretend that the bed sheet is the Jordan River and the paper towels represent where the ax head sank—the target for each team to hit. You will each have a chance to throw three sticks. Each stick that lands completely on the target scores five points. Sticks that land partially on the target score one point. The helpers will keep score on the board. After you throw three sticks, quickly gather them and take them to the next player on your team.
Divide the children into two teams; if teams are uneven, one player may play twice.
Assign a helper to keep score for each team.
Teams form single-file lines behind the mark.
Give the first player on Team 1 the three craft sticks with the number 1. Give the first player on Team 2 the three craft sticks with the number 2.
Set timer for 1 minute for every 6 players, unless you feel they need more time.
Players throw and retrieve sticks until time ends. Tally the points; the team with the most wins. Play another round if time permits.
Optional play: increase the challenge by moving the towel farther from the throw line or by tearing the paper towels in half after the players have taken one turn.
Conclusion: Elisha showed God’s kindness and mercy to all people—to a fellow prophet and to his enemy, too! No matter how busy our schedules may be, we should always be on the lookout for opportunities to show mercy and kindness to others.