Leader Guide
Game
- Sticky notes
- Disposable plastic cups: 18-ounce size ideal or 9-ounce size can be substituted. Use 7 cups for every team of 4 to 6 children
- Sock—one per team
- Optional: tables
- Marker
- Whiteboard and marker, or chalkboard and chalk
- Bible or the Superbook Bible App
Write the SuperTruth on the board: “Jesus is the light of the world.”
Prepare a set of 7 disposable cups for each team of 4 to 6 children as described below.
Write one word of the SuperTruth each on seven sticky notes, and place one in each of the 7 cups in one set. Repeat for each set of cups—one set per 4 to 6 children.
Be careful to not mix sets of sticky notes or cups.
Line up each set of 7 cups upside down on the floor or a table by a wall.
Leave at least 12 inches between each cup in a set, and leave several feet between sets.
For a smaller classroom, place cup sets at opposite ends of the room.
Place a mark about 8–10 feet from the cup sets. Adjust the distance as desired.
Roll up each sock into a ball.
In Large Group, you were asked to listen to what the man said when Jesus asked, “Can you see anything now?” What did the man say? He could see people but not clearly and they looked like trees walking around.
Read Matthew 5:14–16:
14 “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. 15 No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.”
Who is the light of the world today? We are.
How do we let our lights shine? (To give a hint, read verse 16 again.) Through our good deeds.
Sometimes it may be hard to shine for Jesus when those around us do not know Him, yet we should never hide our light. In this game, the cups represent the basket in the verses we just read. Each cup is hiding a word of the SuperTruth inside. Turn a cup over to show a sticky note.
Let’s say the SuperTruth together: “Jesus is the light of the world.”
Each player will take a turn tossing a balled-up sock to knock over a cup and reveal what is inside. When you knock one down, pick it up, remove the sticky note, and stick it to the wall. As you play, your team must place the notes in the correct order on the wall. The first team to knock over all seven cups, build the SuperTruth, then shout it together wins.
- Divide children into teams of 4–6 children; try to mix girls, boys, and all ages together.
- Teams do not need to be equal and the number of players on teams can be adjusted according to the class size.
- Have teams stand in single-file lines behind the mark.
- Give the first player on each team a rolled-up sock.
- Start the game; the first player on each team tosses a sock to knock over a cup.
- For a missed toss, the player retrieves the sock, hands it to the next player on the team, and goes to the end of the line. OPTIONAL: allow two tries per turn.
- When a cup is knocked over, the player removes the sticky note, sticks it to the wall in the proper order, and gives the sock to the next player.
- If two or more cups are knocked over, stand all but one back up.
- Repeat until all teams have placed all seven sticky notes in order on the wall and shouted the SuperTruth. The first team to do this wins.
- Play again as time allows.
Conclusion: As followers of Christ, let’s pray each morning and ask the Holy Spirit to give us the power and boldness to let His light shine through our words and actions.