Bible Friends – Eager Beavers

The Bible is full of stories of friendship. Friendships between people and friendships between people and our God. The purpose of the Bible Friends Award is to learn a few of the Bible stories about friends while also playing with our friends in Adventurers. There are two awards with the same name of Bible Friends – one for Little Lambs and one for Eager Beavers.

Story: Fiery Furnace

Fulfills Requirement #2a

There are many stories of friendship in the Bible. I chose the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and the fiery furnace for our first story. We used The Beginner’s Bible (p.247). The story is fairly short with a nice text to picture ratio for the Eager Beaver attention span. It fit perfectly with our craft.

Craft: Fiery Furnace

Fulfills Requirement #3

Inspired by a recent conversation with a director friend about how Adventurers is a time to do the crafts parents don’t want to do at home, but that we all know are important for kids to do, I pulled out the paint! (I’m scared of paint, but I’m learning to be brave – just like we teach the kids to be.)

I love Chelsea’s Fiery Furnace Craft. I prepared for this award by cutting out the people ahead of time and taping them to the page. Chelsea has a free printable for the people. I also have a printable of robed figures and the page to add them to. We used cardstock for this craft. We poured a little tempra paint in red, yellow, and orange on paper plates for the kids to dip their hands in.

I don’t think any of our Eager Beavers wanted to get their whole hand in the paint, so they used their fingers instead. When the kids are finished painting, an adult should carefully remove the people shapes. Don’t wait until they are dry. It will be messy, but (depending on how much paint was used) the people will come up from the page more easily. I recommend art smocks for the kids (we love the long sleeve ones from Ikea) and baby wipes for everyone! If paint won’t fit into this meeting, you could use markers or crayons instead.

Game: Friendship Maze

Fulfills Requirements #2b

This activity is from the Eager Beavers Leader’s Guide (page 37). Start by briefly telling the story of Ruth and Naomi. (The Leader’s Guide has more detailed information.) Just like Naomi went on a trip to stay with her friend Ruth, the kids are going on a trip to be with a friend. Hidden in the maze is a picture of a friend.

If you have tunnels and supplies for obstacle courses, this activity is gonna be easy for you. (Grab your supplies and haul them to the church/your meeting place.)

The good news is that this activity is almost easier for those who don’t keep an obstacle course set up in their basement. Use whatever you have: Line up chairs or put a blanket over the sides of a table for a tunnel. Painter’s tape makes a great “balance beam” and stepping stones. You could skip the obstacle course style and go with a pure maze set up. You could use chairs and/or tables or painter’s tape/rope for the sides of your maze or some combination of tape and furniture.

I set up our maze in the youth room. The room is already set up in a bit of a maze with it’s big couches! Near the end of the maze, I hung a picture of Jesus and an adventurer. I didn’t want the picture to be visible from the beginning of the maze, but I think I made it too hidden. The teacher had to help the kids to find it.

Friend of Jesus Dress Up

Fulfills Requirements #4

I was surprised at how popular this activity was. The kids (and their parents) loved it so much they acted out the story at least twice! If you have costumes (or access to costumes – check with the Sabbath School teachers), this is going to be easy for you. But, if you don’t, do these activities stress you out? I understand. They stressed me for a long time too.I have good news for you! It doesn’t have to be complicated.

I used play scarves I already had (largish squares of fabric will work too) and braided yarn/long strips of scrap knit fabric for ties to do this activity. The parents tied the cloth on the kids’ heads as head coverings, and they had fun learning about how much Jesus likes kids. (The play scarves I have are no longer available. These appear to be similar.)

You will need a narrator, Jesus, disciples, and children. Your narrator should be an adult (to read the script and direct everyone). The other characters can be children or adults. Your kids might have fun playing the adults for once! The bolded words are actions/words to tell your “actors” what to do or say.

Friend of Jesus Script

Long ago, in a country on the other side of the world, there was a man. He was speaking with the group of adults surrounding him. This man was kind and he told wonderful stories that everyone wanted to listen to – including children.

A group of children were walking excitedly towards Jesus. (Walk excitedly toward Jesus.) The disciples saw the children. One of the disciples went to the children and told them, “Go away. Don’t disturb Jesus. He’s busy.”

As the children started to turn away, Jesus called to his disciple, “Let the children come to me!” The children ran to Jesus and sat at His feet to listen to Him.

Jesus loves children. Who was a friend of children in the Bible? That’s right, Jesus was!

Story: A Hole in the Roof

Fulfills Requirement #2c

For our closing story, we met an ill man with audacious friends who tried everything to get their friend close enough to Jesus that he could be healed, and Jesus would change his life forever. This inspiring story from the New Testament is in The Beginner’s Bible (page 328).

Closing Discussion

Fulfills Requirement #1, 3, 5

What does it mean to be a friend? How can we be a friend to Jesus? Who is your favorite Bible friend?

Bible Friends Printables and Cut Files

What is your favorite story of friendship in the Bible? Please tell me about it in the comments. Reading about your favorite set of friends would make my day!