Young Catholics

Youth Ministry, Vacation Bible School (VBS), and Family Resources

Children's Liturgy of the Word

Sea Slime (for VBS or Youth Ministry)

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Slime is easy to make and fun for kids to play with. Mix up a batch of sea slime for your ocean themed Vacation Bible School or youth group meeting.

Slime is fun for youth to play with. They can stretch it and pull it and let it ooze through their fingers. It can be just a fun sensory experience for them or you can incorporate it into your lesson. Here are some examples:

  • Trust in God when life is messy
  • Rely on God when you feel stretched
  • When you are covered in sin, let God clean you up (reconciliation)

Consider being environmentally friendly and using biodegradable glitter. You can use whichever colors of glitter you like. Try mixing different shapes and sizes of glitter too. You can also add small shells or other “treasures”.

Sea Slime Recipe

More crafts for VBS or youth ministry

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Pour the glue into a bowl.
  2. Gradually add the slime activatior, mixing with your hand.
  3. Mix in the glitter.
  4. Play with it right away or put it in a mason jar for later or to take home

#VBS #catechist #YouthMinistry

Paper Plate Dove Craft

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This paper plate dove craft is simple enough for your Vacation Bible School or Children’s Liturgy of the Word.

You could use several of these together to make a mobile, especially if you use the smaller dessert sized plates like I did. You could also make some fruit shapes to hang on the mobile with the fruits of the Holy Spirit written on them. Or some gift shapes with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Get creative!

Paper Plate Dove Craft

Materials

More paper craft ideas
  • Thin white paper plate
  • Pen or pencil
  • Scissors
  • Glue
  • Black marker
  • Orange marker

Instructions

See below for pictures

  1. Draw the body of the dove. I used a small glass to make the circle for the head. Then I drew curves for the side of the body and straight lines to compete the tail. See the picture.
  2. Cut straight down the sides to make the wings. See the picture.
  3. If necessary, cut the wings down a little to make them the correct proportion for the body.
  4. Glue the wings together at the bottom.
  5. Glue the body on to the wings.
  6. Draw eyes on with the black marker.
  7. Draw a beak and legs on with the orange marker.

#VBS #HolySpirit #Pentecost

Paper Airplane Prayer (for Youth Ministry or VBS)

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Paper airplane prayers are a way to offer prayers in a group setting. It works well for Vacation Bible School or youth group. It would also be appropriate for Children’s Liturgy of the Word. It can be done indoors or outdoors.

Paper Airplane Prayer

Materials

  • sheets of paper
  • pens, pencils, markers, crayons, etc.

Instructions

Get more prayer ideas for kids
  1. First, it is important to explain to the youth that this is a prayer activity. So remind them to keep a prayerful attitude.
  2. Give each youth a sheet of paper and have them write a prayer on it.  Allow them to spread out and do this quietly.
  3. Have each of them fold it into a basic paper airplane shape. You might have to demonstrate it. Believe it or not, some students never make paper airplanes!
  4. Next, remind them again that this is a prayer activity and that they should be respectful and listen to each other.
  5. Now have each student read their prayer. (He or she might have to unfold the airplane a little to do this.)
  6. Have them refold the airplane (if necessary) and send it on a flight.
  7. After everyone has read and flown their prayer, reflect on how our prayers help us send our thoughts and needs and deepest desires to God.

#prayer #YouthMinistry #SundaySchool

Ten Commandments Dice Game

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This activity is a game to learn the Ten Commandments. Making learning into a game is more engaging for children than just telling them to memorize.

This is based on an idea shared by Belen in the Catholic Moms, Dads, Catechists, and Teachers Facebook group.

Take a pair of blank, wooden dice, and label each side 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or cross. (The cross counts as a zero.)

Start by rolling one die. Have the child say the commandment that matches that number.

When they know the first five commandments, use two dice and add the numbers together. Once again, have the child say the commandment that matches the number.

If you get a zero, you could just let them roll again. Or have them do something silly. 🙂

Get a Ten Commandments Activity Book

Love Your Enemies and Pray for Those Who Persecute You (Video)

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This video from Holy Heroes tells us that Jesus instructs us to love others even when it isn’t easy, which is the gospel for the Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time for Year A. A coloring sheet and Mass quiz are also available for each week. Use these to prepare for Sunday Mass at home or for Children’s Liturgy of the Word.

For more information, see Holy Heroes.

Jesus said to his disciples:

"You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.

But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one as well. If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand over your cloak as well. Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go for two miles. Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow.

"You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.

But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.

For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brothers only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same?

So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect."

Matthew 5:38-48

#LoveYouEnemies #CLOW #Catechist #SundaySchool #MassPrep

Let Your Yes Mean Yes and Your No Mean No (Video)

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This video from Holy Heroes tells us that Jesus instructs us to keep our promises and do what is right, which is the gospel for the Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time for Year A. A coloring sheet and Mass quiz are also available for each week. Use these to prepare for Sunday Mass at home or for Children’s Liturgy of the Word.

For more information, see Holy Heroes.

Jesus said to his disciples:

[“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.

Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place.

Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven.

But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven. ]

I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment. But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; [ and whoever says to his brother, ‘Raqa,’ will be answerable to the Sanhedrin; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna.

Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny. ]

“You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery. But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

[ If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body go into Gehenna.

“It was also said, Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce. But I say to you, whoever divorces his wife - unless the marriage is unlawful - causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. ]

“Again you have heard that it was said to your ancestors, Do not take a false oath, but make good to the Lord all that you vow. But I say to you, do not swear at all; [ not by heaven, for it is God’s throne; nor by the earth, for it is his footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Do not swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black. ]

Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,' and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’ Anything more is from the evil one.”

Matthew 5:17-37 or Matthew 5:20-22a, 27-28, 33-34a, 37

#YesMeansYes #NoMeansNo #YesNo #MassPrep