For Christian families, it is important to teach Biblical lessons to children that provide both knowledge about the Bible and instill moral values. Whether you want to teach Biblical lessons to your kids at home or you are a Sunday School teacher, keep them interested with engaging activities related to the specific topic. If you are teaching kids about the fruits of the Holy Spirit, for example, get creative using real fruit as examples of spiritual fruit.
Reading and Discussion
Reading the Biblical verses regarding the fruits of the spirit will provide context to children about this spiritual concept. Galatians 5: 22-23 is the verse associated with fruits of the spirit, which reads, "But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, against such things there is no law." Talk with the kids about how this verse is about these spiritual fruits bestowed upon you by the Holy Spirit, all of which are characteristics Jesus has. Tailor your discussion based on the age level of the children you are working with. For very young children, you could hold up a different piece of fruit to represent each spiritual fruit, such as an apple representing love, and discuss what love is to the kids.
Fruit of the Spirit Art
For one art activity, have the kids create giant fruit that represents a spiritual fruit. You can divide the teams up into groups to work on a different fruit. You could have the kids create a kindness banana out of poster board. Older kids can write examples of kindness on the banana as well. You can also have the kids make a pop stick fruit of the spirit craft they can hang on a wall in their room. Give each child a pop stick with "Fruit of the Spirit," written on it. Then give each child eight more pop sticks and have them write one of the spiritual fruits on each pop stick. They can decorate the space on each side of the words however they like. Lay the pop sticks flat, one underneath the other in order and glue together. Turn the sticks over and glue two other pop sticks vertically over all of the sticks, to secure the sticks together even further.
Fruit of the Spirit Games
Hand out bingo sheets with the various fruits of the spirit listed to play fruit of the spirit bingo. Words can be listed more than once, but kids can only cover one of the words at a time. The first to cover a row across, vertically or diagonally wins. For another game, divide the kids into teams and send them on a treasure hunt for fruits of the spirit. Using paper or real fruit, the kids must collect a fruit that represents one of the spiritual fruits. The first team to find all eight wins. You can have older kids give you an example of each spiritual fruit before they can win as well.
Fruit of the Spirit Snacks
Bring the kids into the kitchen to make a fruit of the spirit salad. Choose eight different fruits, such as apple, oranges, strawberries, pineapples, bananas, grapes and pears. As you cut up the fruit for the salad, talk with your child about the spiritual fruit that each real fruit represents. You can also make fruit pizza by spreading sweet cream onto a prepared graham cracker crust. Let the kids lay sliced fruit all over the pizza, then divide into even pieces.