The Vrugginks in Asia
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Vision
  • Ministry
  • Giving
  • Organizations
  • Newsletters
  • Connect with Us

Backyard Bible Club - FREE Curriculum!

7/22/2016

 
Looking for a fun way to reach out to your neighbor children and share the love of Jesus Christ with them?  Host a Backyard Bible Club (BBC)!

Below is a quick overview of our "Wordless Book" themed BBC, and at the bottom are links to each day described in detail with complete supply lists, instructions, printables, and pictures, so you can have five, fun filled days of activities - including Bible Stories, visual aids, songs, verses, crafts, snacks, and games!
BBC Summary with craft printables
The Wordless Book is a book that is simply 5 colored pages stapled together.  Each day the meaning of a different colored page is explained.
Picture
Picture
Promotion
Approximately 2-3 weeks beforehand let your neighbors know that you'll be hosting a Backyard Bible Club!  Be sure to request that parents let you know if their children will be attending, so you can purchase adequate craft and snack supplies.  Also, collect the parents' email addresses and cell phone numbers so you can send a reminder email and text the day before BBC begins.  Below is an example flyer - feel free to click the link below to download it, edit, and make it your own!
Picture
BBC Flyer
File Size: 1409 kb
File Type: docx
Download File

Schedule
A good time frame for a BBC is 90 minutes.  We chose 10:00-11:30 AM.

10:00-10:10   Welcome/Play Time
10:10-10:20   Bible Story
10:20-10:35   Songs
10:35-10:40   Memory Verse
10:40-10:55   Craft
10:55-:11:10   Snack
11:10-11:25   Game
11:25-11:30   Play Time/Goodbye

Color Theme
Each day the children were encouraged to wear the theme color of the day!

Monday:  Black
Tuesday: Red
Wednesday: White
Thursday: Yellow/Gold
Friday:  Green
Picture
Picture
Songs
We sang 4 songs daily.  The Wordless Book song explains the meaning of the 5 daily colors.  The 3 Bible verse songs are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday's Bible verses, so the kids are naturally hiding God's Word in their hearts as they learn the songs.


Wordless Book Song –
Aanderud’s Childrens Music


John 3:16 – The Rizers

2 Corinthians 5:17 – The Rizers
​

2 Peter 3:18 – The Rizers

Memory Verses
Monday: Black – John 8:12
“Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’”

Tuesday: Red – John 3:16
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

Wednesday: White – 2 Corinthians 5:17
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.  The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

Thursday: Gold – 1 Peter 1:3-4
“Through Jesus Christ we have an inheritance that is indestructible, pure, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.”
​

Friday:  Green – 2 Peter 3:18
“Grow up in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  To him be glory both now and forever.  Amen.”

Click the link below to download 8X10 printable verse sheets for teaching and display purposes.
BBC Bible Verses
File Size: 12 kb
File Type: docx
Download File

Bible Stories
Each day we explained the meaning of the daily color, used The Big Picture Story Bible to tell a relating Bible story, and had a visual aid activity to help the children remember our daily lesson.  (For Visual Aid details - click the daily links at the bottom of this post.)
Picture
Monday: Black – Creation / Adam & Eve’s Sin
The Big Picture Story Bible - Pages 15-49
Visual Aid:  Black Pompoms on Heart 

Tuesday: Red – Jesus Death and Resurrection
The Big Picture Story Bible - Pages 359-395
Visual Aid:  Cleaning Red Foam Hearts 

Wednesday: White – Nicodemus’ Lesson on Being Born Again
The Big Picture Story Bible - Pages 307-321
Visual Aid:  You, Sin, Christ Water Activity

Thursday: Gold – New Heaven & Earth
The Big Picture Story Bible – Pages 437-451
Visual Aid:  The children pulled “jewel” facts about heaven from a treasure box.

Friday:  Green – Growing
The Big Picture Story Bible – Pages 413-435
Visual Aid:  Potted Flower – Give the plant Soil, Sunlight, Water

Crafts
(For Craft details, instructions, printables, and pictures - click the daily links at the bottom of this post.)
Monday:  Black – Blindfolds
Tuesday: Red - Jesus Saves Life Preservers
Wednesday: White – Caterpillars to Butterflies
Thursday: Gold – Heaven Door Knob Hangers
Friday:  Green – Wordless Book Bracelets

Snacks
Monday:  Black Oreos
Tuesday: Red Jell-O Cups
Wednesday: White Popcorn
Thursday: Goldfish Crackers
Friday:  Green Key Lime Cupcakes

Games
Monday:  Blindfold Maze – The children have to navigate a maze blindfolded with partner giving instructions.  Lesson: Jesus is our light and guide.  We are trapped in darkness without Jesus.
 
Tuesday: Blanket Tag – 1 child tags, 1 child has a red blanket, and the other children run.  The tagger has to try to tag the running children and if they get tagged they freeze.  The blanket child as to cover the children in a red blanket to unfreeze them.  Lesson: Jesus blood frees us from the bondage of sin.
 
Wednesday: Street Cleaners – Each team gets a sidewalk square filled with sins written in chalk.  The first group to cleanse their square by scrubbing it with water/rags wins.  Make the bucket of water a distance away so they have to make several trips to rinse their rags.  Lesson: Jesus cleanses us from sin.
 
Thursday: Treasure Hunt – Hide treasures (plastic eggs) filled with candy in the backyard.  The children have to find the treasures.  Lesson: The new heaven and earth will be filled with treasure and eternal life is a treasure worth seeking.
 
Friday:  Tallest Tower:  In this review game ask the children trivia questions about the Bible lessons from the week.  When they get an answer correct they get to place a jenga block on their team’s tower.  If they aren’t careful and it falls down they have to start again.  The team with the tallest tower wins.

Links to Detailed Supply Lists, Instructions, Printables, & Pictures

BBC - Day 1 - Black

BBC - Day 2 - Red

BBC - Day 3 - White

BBC - Day 4 - Gold

BBC - Day 5 - Green

Backyard Bible Club - Day 5 - Green

7/21/2016

 
We had our fifth and final day of Backyard Bible Club, and our theme was the color green from "The Wordless Book."

Bible Story: Green - Grow
​The Big Picture Story Bible – Pages 413-435
Picture
Picture
Visual Aid:  Flower – Give the plant Soil, Sunlight, Water
What three things does a plant need to grow and thrive?
  1. Soil – Have the children plant a flower in the dirt.  Explain to the children that just as a flower must be planted in soil so we must first be planted in Jesus Christ – without being rooted in Jesus we can’t have true life.  “Remain in me, as I also remain in you.  No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine.  Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” John 15:4
  2. Sunlight – Have the children remove a box covering the flower.  Explain to the children that just as a flower must have sunlight to be healthy and strong, so we must read the Bible to be healthy and strong Christians.  “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” Psalm 119:105
  3. Water – Have the children water the flower.  Explain to the children that just as a flower must have water to be refreshed, so we must spend time with other believers to be refreshed.  Other Christians love one another, support each other, and encourage each other.  When we come together to praise God and learn from God’s Word it refreshes our souls.  “For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.” Philemon 1:7

Supplies:
Flower
Dirt
Box
Water
Picture
Singing & Memory Verse: “Grow up in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  To him be glory both now and forever.  Amen.”  2 Peter 3:18

The Rizers have a fun, rocking song version of 2 Peter 3:18
 that makes memorizing it a snap!
Picture
Picture
Picture
Craft: Wordless Book Bracelets
Picture
​Supplies (per child):
3 Black Pony Beads
3 Red Pony Beads
3 White Pony Beads
3 Gold Pony Beads
3 Green Pony Beads
12 inches of suede leather lace
 
Instructions:
1)  Beforehand cut the leather and tie a knot several inches from the end.
2)  Instruct the children to thread the colored beads onto their bracelets.
3)  Tie a knot for the children at the end of their beads.
4)  Thread two beads (any color) on one end of the chord.  Thread the other end of the chord through the beads in the opposite direction.  Tie knots on the ends of the chords (if the chords are really long cut down to size).  Pulling the knots in the opposite directions will tighten the bracelet around the wrist to put on and take off easily.
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Snack: Green Key Lime Cupcakes
Picture
Picture
Game: Growing Towers – In this review game ask the children trivia questions about the Bible lessons from the week.  When they get an answer correct they get to place a jenga block on their team’s tower.  If they aren’t careful and it falls down their team has to start again.  The team with the tallest tower at the end of the game wins.
 
Supplies:
Review Questions (download questions below)
2 Jenga Games
Review Questions
File Size: 16 kb
File Type: docx
Download File

Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Click this link to see an overview of our Backyard Bible Club Week.

Backyard Bible Club - Day 4 - Gold

7/20/2016

 
We had our fourth day of Backyard Bible Club, and our theme was the color gold from "The Wordless Book."
Picture
Bible Story: Gold - New Heaven & Earth
The Big Picture Story Bible – Pages 437-451
Picture
Visual Aid:  The children pulled “jewel” facts about heaven from a treasure box.

Supplies:
Wooden Treasure Box ($2 at Michaels)
15 Treasurer Paper Pieces with Facts About Heaven on the Back (download files below)
Facts About New Heaven & Earth
File Size: 13 kb
File Type: docx
Download File

Jewels
File Size: 1339 kb
File Type: jpg
Download File

Picture
Singing & Memory Verse: “Through Jesus Christ we have an inheritance that is indestructible, pure, and unfading, kept in heaven for you." 1 Peter 1:3-4

A piece of candy is always a great incentive to memorize your daily Bible verse!
Picture
Picture
​Craft: Heaven Door Knob Hanger
Picture
Supplies:
Door Knob Hangers (download file below and print on white card stock)
Gold Sticker Paper
Scissors
Jewel Stickers
Crayons
 
Instructions:
1)  Instruct the children to cut out a mansion and street of gold using the gold sticker paper.
2)  Instruct the children to use the jewels and crayons to finish decorating their door knob holders as a reminder of what the new heaven and earth will look like.
Door Knob Hanger
File Size: 109 kb
File Type: docx
Download File

Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
​Snack: Goldfish Crackers
Picture
Picture
Game: Treasure Hunt – Hide treasures (plastic eggs) filled with candy in the backyard.  The children have to find the treasures.  Lesson: The new heaven and earth will be filled with treasure and eternal life is a treasure worth seeking.

Supplies:
Candy
Plastic Easter Eggs
Bags (for holding candy/eggs)
Picture
Picture
Picture
Click this link to go on to Backyard Bible Club - Day 5 - Green

Click this link to see an overview of our Backyard Bible Club Week.

Backyard Bible Club - Day 3 - White

7/19/2016

 
We had our third day of Backyard Bible Club, and our theme was the color white from "The Wordless Book."

Bible Story: White – Nicodemus’ Lesson on Being Born Again
The Big Picture Story Bible - Pages 307-321

Picture
​Visual Aid:  You, Sin, Jesus Water Activity
Have a child pour the “Sin” into “You” explaining that we all have sinned.  (The “You” water will become dirty.)  Have a child pour “Jesus” into “You” explaining that Jesus has cleansed us from our sin.  (The “You” water will magically become clean.)  Have a child pour “Sin” into “Jesus” explaining that God poured onto Jesus the sins of us all even though He was sinless.  (The “Jesus” water will magically remain clean.)  Have a child pour “Jesus” into “Sin” explaining that Jesus has conquered sin and death.  (The “Sin” water will magically become clean.)

Click link for 1-minute video of "You, Sin, Christ Water Activity"

 
Supplies:
3 Glasses labeled “You,” “Sin,” and “Jesus”
Water
Iodine
Bleach
Picture
Picture
Picture
Singing & Memory Verse: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.  The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”  2 Corinthians 5:17

The Rizers have a fun, rocking song version of 2 Corinthians 5:17 that makes memorizing it a snap!
Picture
Picture
Craft: Caterpillar to Butterfly
Picture
Picture
Click Here for Supplies & Instructions
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Snack: White Popcorn
Picture
Game: Street Cleaners – Each team gets a sidewalk square filled with sins written in chalk.  The first group to cleanse their square by scrubbing it with water/rags wins.  We made the bucket of water a distance away so they have to make several trips to rinse their rags.  Lesson: Jesus cleanses us from sin.

Supplies:
Sidewalk Chalk
Rags
​Bucket of Water

Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Click this link to go on to Backyard Bible Club - Day 4 - Gold

​
Click this link to see an overview of our Backyard Bible Club Week.

Backyard Bible Club - Day 2 - Red

7/18/2016

 
We had our second day of Backyard Bible Club, and our theme was the color red from "The Wordless Book."

Bible Story: Red – Jesus' Death and Resurrection

The Big Picture Story Bible - Pages 359-395
 
Visual Aid:  Cleaning Hearts – The children wrote sins on red foam hearts and we washed them clean using soapy water and rags.
 
Supplies:
Foam Hearts (download file below, print, cut, and trace onto red foam)
Washable markers
Bucket of soapy water and rags
Heart - For Foam
File Size: 54 kb
File Type: docx
Download File

Picture
Singing & Memory Verse: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

The Rizers have a fun, rocking song version of John 3:16 that makes memorizing it a snap!
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Craft: Jesus Saves Life Preservers
Picture
Supplies:
Paper plates (cut a hole in the middle and punch four holes in the sides)
Red markers
White string
Scissors
Camera
​Photo Printer
 
Instructions
1) Take a picture of each child and print it.
2) Color four strips on the life preserver and write Jesus Saves (preferably in red)
3) String the white thread through the four holes leaving a long string for tossing
4) Tape the child’s picture in the center of the life preserver (cut as needed)
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Snack: Red Jell-O Cups
Picture
Picture
Game: Blanket Tag – 1 child tags, 1 child has a red blanket, and the other children run.  The tagger has to try to tag the running children and if they get tagged they freeze.  The blanket redeemer child as to cover the children in a red blanket to unfreeze them.  Lesson: Jesus'  blood frees us from the bondage of sin.

Supplies:
Red Blanket
Picture
Picture
Click this link to go on to Backyard Bible Club - Day 3 - White

​
Click this link to see an overview of our Backyard Bible Club Week.

Backyard Bible Club - Day 1 - Black

7/18/2016

 
Our first day of Backyard Bible Club we introduced our week’s theme "The Wordless Book."  The kids had a wonderful time during every aspect!
Picture
Bible Story: Black – Creation / Adam & Eve’s Sin
The Big Picture Story Bible - Pages 15-49
Picture
Visual Aid:  Black Pompoms on Heart - As the children placed black pompoms on their hearts they mentioned sins that make our hearts dark/black.
​
Supplies:
​Heart Sheets (download file below and print on white cardstock)
Elmer's glue
Large black pompoms (8 per child)
Sin Hearts
File Size: 52 kb
File Type: docx
Download File

Picture
Memory Verse: “Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’” John 8:12
Picture
Craft: Blindfolds
Picture
Supplies:
Blindfolds (download file below, print page 1, cut, and trace onto black cardstock)
Verse Sheets (download file below and print page 2 onto white cardstock)
Hole punch
Tape
String (18 inches - 2 per child)

Instructions:
1) Cut out masks/verses.  
2) Glue verse to mask and color.  
3) Tape the edge of the mask (for reinforcement) and punch two holes.  
​4) Tie strings to mask and tie around child's head to size.
Blindfold and Verse Sheets
File Size: 44 kb
File Type: docx
Download File

Picture
Snack: Black Oreo Cookies
Picture
Game: Blindfold Mazes - The children had to navigate various mazes blindfolded with a partner giving instructions.  Sometimes the children were allowed to lead their partners by the hand, and other times they were only allowed to give verbal instructions.  We also had them navigate the maze as a team.  Lesson: Jesus is our light and guide.  We are trapped in darkness without Jesus.

Supplies:
Caution Cones
Blindfolds

Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
​Click this link to go on to Backyard Bible Club - Day 2 - Red

Click this link to see an overview of our Backyard Bible Club Week.

Bangkok Day 9 - Exploring

7/16/2016

 
Since class is over, I spent a bit of time exploring more of Bangkok today via the public transportation system. Other than just looking around, my big stop of the day was Chatuchak Weekend Market, one of the largest outdoor markets in the world (about 15,000 booths!).  It was overwhelming to say the least - the number of booths was hard to comprehend, and the fact that it's an outdoor market in Bangkok meant that it was incredibly HOT!
Picture
Picture
Picture
I got there pretty early, so the pictures show when things were quite empty.  By the time I left, every crevice was crammed with people! It was a successful trip - I was able to pick up the things I needed to get - but I'm in no hurry to go back. I usually love bargaining with the shopowners and the whole experience of shopping in a place like this (I got lots of experience when we lived in Beijing), but the heat and the sheer size of this market were a little too much for me.  Definitely a valuable experience though!

Bangkok Day 7 - Goodbyes

7/15/2016

 
Today was the last day of class, so we had a joint lunch with the morning class and professor.
Picture
Class today was filled with student presentations on the Minor Prophets, which were very enjoyable!
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Summary for the week: I LOVED class.  Looking forward to teaching a full class myself soon!

Bangkok Day 6

7/14/2016

 
Today was another day of observing class without much to report - the most notable happening today was eating dinner at Sizzler (click to see the Thailand website), which for Midwesterners brings back memories from a couple of decades ago, since they're nowhere to be found in the Midwest anymore. 

Anyway, since there wasn't much to photograph today, I wanted to give you all a little taste of Bangkok at night: pardon the shaky camera and occasional blurriness; I was filming while walking down the sidewalk. 

Bangkok Day 5 - Observing

7/13/2016

 
Today was still spent in class, but this time observing Daron Wilson, the instructor for this class. Today the Prophets were addressed.
Picture
Other than class, there isn't much to report today!  I explored the area for a while this morning to get a better idea of Bangkok,  but started to feel sick a little later and spent some time resting to make sure it doesn't get any worse.
<<Previous

    Have these blog posts emailed to you! Enter your email address below and click “Submit”:

    Archives

    February 2023
    January 2023
    November 2022
    February 2022
    December 2021
    March 2020
    November 2019
    November 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    January 2018
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010