Jesus Visuals

Baby Jesus and the Manger Visual

The manger was made using a Styrofoam chest and spray painted with a "stone-look" spray paint. Plastic bags were added to the chest, then hay placed on top - since it would have been something for the animals to eat from. Then, the baby Jesus, wrapped in swaddling cloths was laid on top.

 (Thanks for the idea  -   http://kidsbibledebjackson.blogspot.ca/2014/07/how-to-make-manger-for-baby-jesus.html#more.)

Wise Men Star

While studying the birth and early life of Jesus, I wanted a visual aid to represent  the star that the wise men from the east followed to get to the child Jesus. (Matt. 2:1-12) I found this blue "night-light" star at IKEA in Austin, TX and thought, "That's perfect!" With the help of a can of silver spray paint it turned out to be just what I needed and made the impression that I wanted in Bible Class when I turned the lights out. 

Jesus First Miracle...Water to Wine at  Cana of Galilee

This is the visual that I use for this Bible lesson. Thanks to Jenny Sandlin who shared it with me about 20 years ago. It never fails to get the point across!

The bride and groom were made using a simple "Barbie" doll and a "GI Joe" doll.  One of my former co-teachers, Denise Campbell, sewed the wedding clothing for the dolls. (If you do not sew but have a lady in your congregation that does, solicit her help. More times than not, you'll get an excited "yes!". 

I set the bride and groom as well as a "water pot" and enough glasses for each child to have one on top of the file cabinet as a visual.  The water pot is filled with water. I let the children each drink a bit of the water so they would know for sure that this was water. (Before class, I have put just a little bit of grape koolaid in the bottom of the  glasses.  With the glasses being elevated this way, the kids can't see anything in the glasses.) After telling the lesson, I poured the water from the water pot into the glasses and the visual is awesome! Just like the miracle that Jesus did the water turned to wine...

The visual speaks for itself. The look on the children's faces is priceless! Of course, I go on to tell them that I can't do a miracle. I did a trick. But Jesus did a miracle! By the way, I don't give away my trick either.