Make A Guess!
Play charades together as a family. Pick a topic to make it easier for the children to guess (animals, self-care, sports, etc.) After everyone has had a turn to act out the topic, discuss the activity together.
Our actions showed others who we were or what we were doing. Watching closely was the best way to figure out what was being acted out. Others watch us to see how we behave and who we are too. When Daniel and his friends were taken to Babylon, they refused to eat the food the king shared with his false gods. Others saw their choices and knew they loved the one, true God.
Pray together asking God to help each of you make good choices and stand for what is right just like Daniel and his friends.
What’s Inside?
Items Needed: Canned or boxed food
Show your children some canned or boxed foods (canned vegetables, canned fruit, macaroni and cheese, etc.) Allow each of them to choose one they would like for dinner. Ask them if they would be disappointed if the food on the inside didn’t match the picture on the outside.
Since people can’t see inside of us to know what we are like, they must learn about us by the things we say or do (Proverbs 20:11). Daniel made good choices and became a strong leader. Daniel was self-disciplined and did the right thing on a regular basis.
Brainstorm some characteristics of a person with self-discipline (learns to say no; encourages others to make good choices; is hard-working; is obedient; tells the truth; etc.).
Name each of those characteristics and ask: How can I show this by the things I say or do? (For example, if I am hard-working, I will do my schoolwork and my chores at home.)
Stand Up And Choose!
Play a game about making choices. Stand in the middle of the room and tell the children you will give them two choices. They will go and stand on the side of the room to indicate their choices.
(If you like _____, go the left side, pointing to the left. If you like _____, go the right side, pointing to the right.)
Some choices to get you started:
- Pepperoni or cheese pizza
- Chocolate or vanilla ice cream
- Playing video games or board games
- Riding your bike or cleaning your room
- Vacation at beach or the mountains
- Singing or drawing
- Math or history
Some choices in life aren’t very important—like if you eat chocolate or vanilla ice cream. But lots of choices do matter. Daniel and his friends chose to stand for what was right and refused to eat the food the king shared with the false gods. God will help us make good choices and stand up for what we know is right.