Let's Play & Learn Bible - English by Christian Media Publishing

Get your brothers, sisters and friends to play and learn with you. • Talk about the story, what you discovered, and the things you found most interesting • Pray to God telling Him all about it • Then have fun doing the activities. You can even invite Mom, Dad, Granny or Grandpa to join you. Let’s Play & Learn Bible contains: • 30 uniquely and beautifully illustrated Bible Stories • Each story is crafted to engage children in learning through play • Let’s Play & Learn makes reading the Bible fun, while imparting important Christian truths to the child. Ewald van Rensburg is a master story teller, with a treasure chest of wonderful stories. He is an award winning author with numerous internationally published titles. Ewald specialises in youth and family ministry. He is married to Beatrix, they have two children, Ewald and Liani.

Ewald van Rensburg

Sammy and Amy are waiting to play and learn with you!

Let’s Play & Learn Bible

Sammy and Amy want to play with you. Join them on an adventure exploring some of your favourite Bible stories. As you play and learn together you will meet the people who are part of the stories in the Bible. One of the fun things to do in Let’s Play & Learn is finding the Bible hidden in each story.

To: __________________________ With love fro : __________________________

Hello there! I am so pleased that you are going to be reading this picture Bible. Believe me you are about to start an exciting journey. You will meet Sammy and Amy, two characters that I specially created to join you on your Bible journey. Together you will discover as you meet the different Bible characters just how wonderful the Bible is. Through the Let’s Play & Learn Bible you will experience the Bible in the same way that people have throughout the ages. Every time they read the Bible story they imagined they were ‘inside’ the story. When they did this they experienced that God still talks to His children today. Reading the Bible in this way is a real WOW! My prayer for you is that this Bible will help you to come to know Jesus better so that you will be able to say – Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so. Happy reading!

Uncle Ewald van Rensburg

Dear parent/caregiver The Let’s Play & Learn Bible takes children on an exciting journey. Read this... As young Jean’s mom finished reading his favourite bedtime story for the third time, he did something strange. Taking the open book, he laid it on the floor. He then carefully placed both his feet on top of the open pages. After looking down expectantly, he began crying when nothing happened. Confused his mother looked at Jean’s older sister. She explained, “Jean loves the book!” Suddenly his mom understood, Jean wanted to climb inside of the book and become a part of the story. The Let’s play & Learn Bible helps the child ‘enter into the Bible story’ with Sammy and Amy, so that they experience and learn to love God’s Word. The child engages with the Bible cognitively and emotionally – • Through beautifully illustrated Bible stories, colourfully designed and simply retold to engage the child’s attention. Two characters named Sammy and Amy invite the child to join them as they read the story together • Through helping Sammy and Amy find the Bible hidden in the illustration and then learning the important faith principle that is highlighted • Through joining Sammy and Amy as they interact with the Bible characters in the illustration on the Activity pages: Practically applying the faith principle through the various activities. These encourage the child to interact emotionally with the Bible, teaching them that it is still relevant today • Through engaging the child during this discovery and learning-hungry phase of their lives. The parent/carer can go back time and again to explore the various activities with the child. The Bible has been written with the temperament types in mind (SJ, SP, NF, NT). This ensures that each child can experience the Bible through their own God-given temperament. I pray that the Let’s Play and Learn Bible will help your children, as Jesus’ young disciples, to live for Him so that they will love God, others (Mark 12) and God’s Word (Psalm 119).

Ewald van Rensburg NB: Remember the closer you and your child are to God, the closer you will be to each other.

Contents 6 1. God’s good and beautiful Creation 10 2. Noah and the Ark 14 3. Abraham and Sarah’s miracle baby 18 4. Baby Moses in the basket 22 5. The walls of Jericho 26 6. Ruth and Naomi 30 7. The boy Samuel 34 8. David and Goliath 38 9. Abigail and the two angry men 42 10. David, a man who loved God 46 11. A little slave girl helps General Naaman 50 12. Elisha and the blind soldiers 54 13. Young Josiah becomes king 58 14. Three friends in the oven 62 15. Jesus is born 66 16. The wise men 70 17. Jesus goes missing 18. Water into wine 74 78 19. A little boy shares his food 82 20. Jesus tells a story about a sheep 21. Jesus loves children 86 90 22. Nasty Zacchaeus, becomes kind Zacchaeus 94 23. A lame man and his friends 24. Mary’s gift 98 102 25. Jesus and His friend, Peter 26. Good Friday 106 27. An empty grave 110 114 28. The Holy Spirit comes 118 29. Peter, John and the lame man 122 30. Paul and Silas in prison Educational guide for parents and caregivers 126

Ewald van Rensburg Illustrations by Magriet Brink

l f e e v d e a r i y t t d i o n g good a n d bea 1. G sis 1 and 2 – Gene

I am God. I made you and I love you. But things were not always as they are today. In the beginning everything was dark and all mixed-up. So I made light. I called the light ’day’ and the darkness ’night’. I also made the blue sky, the ocean, the dry land, as well as the trees, plants, flowers and grass. I even made the sun and the moon.

Then it was time for the insects, the birds and the fish. After that I made all the other animals. But there was still something missing – people who could think and act like I do! So I made Adam and Eve. Then I was happy, because everything I had made was good and beautiful.

Help Sammy and Amy to find where the Bible is in the picture.

The Bible teaches us that God made everything, and there is no-one like Him!

Tell someone about the story of creation. Look at the first picture. Name all the things that God made? Turn the page – what else did God make?

There is no one like God, He made everything that is on the earth. He asks us to take good care of it!

Dear Lord, You made the whole world. You made the stars, the moon and the sun. You made all the animals and the birds and everything in the ocean. You also made all the people on the earth, even me! God, You are wonderful! Amen

Take a walk with a friend, and look at everything God has made. As you see the different things say,

“Isn’t God wonderful! Look at what He made.” (Oh yes, and while you’re looking at all the big things, don’t forget to also notice the little things!)

a a n d t h e r k – G e n es 9 o N . is 6– 2 One day God told Noah, “I am going to send so much rain that the earth will become one big ocean! You must build an ark, because I want to keep you safe.” Noah loved God, so he built the ark, even though people laughed at him. Then Noah, his family and a male and female of each kind of animal went into the ark. It rained and rained, but inside the ark they were safe and dry.

Eventually the rain stopped. God sent a strong wind, the water dried up, and everyone stepped out onto dry land again. Then God made the first rainbow. Rainbows are a sign that when God makes a promise, He keeps it!

Can you find the Bible? Help Sammy and Amy to also find it.

The Bible teaches us that God keeps His promises.

What happened in Noah’s story? Where is the rainbow? God made the rainbow with seven colours: Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. See if you can find all seven colours.

Whenever you see a rainbow, say these words: “The rainbow reminds me that God always keeps His promises!”

Dear Lord, whenever I see a rainbow, I know that You keep Your promises. You never sleep and You will always protect me.

Draw a rainbow. Show your friends what you’ve drawn and tell them that God always keeps His promises.

He promises to look after His children. Put your drawing up where you can see it. What are you going to remember when you look at it?

Thank You so much! Amen

a a a n d Sa r a ’s by r b a b . e l c a r i 3 Genesis 18:1–15 and 2 –

1:1–8

Abraham and Sarah longed for a baby, but they were too old to have children. One day three men (who were really angels) visited Abraham. After they had eaten together, the men told Abraham that Sarah was going to have a baby boy. Sarah laughed when she heard this.

Why do you think she laughed – had she forgotten that God can do anything? Guess what? Exactly a year later a beautiful baby was born! They called him Isaac, meaning ‘He who laughs’. When Isaac was three years old, Abraham and Sarah gave a big party to tell their friends how good and wonderful God is.

Sammy and Amy need your help to find the Bible again.

The Bible teaches us that God can do anything.

What happened in the story of Abraham, Sarah and Isaac? When you look at the people in the first picture, how do you think they are feeling? Why did Abraham and Sarah name their baby ‘He who laughs’? Say out loud, “Remember, God can do anything!”

Dear Lord, Thank You that You can do anything. This makes me so happy that I want to jump for joy, because there is no-one like You. I want to praise You, because You are good and wonderful!

Everyone’s name means something. Isaac’s means ‘He who laughs’. Find out what yours, as well as the rest of your familys’ names mean. Talk about the wonderful things God has done for you and your family. Then thank God because He is wonderful and He can do anything.

Amen

by 4 . Ba

0 oses in t e 1–1 : 2 s basket – Exodu

The mean old Pharaoh wanted to kill all the Jewish baby boys. God had a plan for Moses though. His mother made a reed basket and lovingly placed him inside it. Then she carefully hid the basket among the reeds along the banks of the River Nile. There it floated like a tiny ark, while Miriam, his sister, sat quietly nearby watching over him. After a while baby Moses began crying! Pharaoh’s daughter, who was close by heard him, she picked Moses up to comfort him.

Miriam hurried over to see what was happening. Pharaoh’s daughter asked Miriam to find a Jewish woman to take care of Moses. And guess whom Miriam quickly ran to fetch? Yes, Moses’ own mother! That’s how God made sure that Moses was safe!

Did you spot the Bible in the picture?

The Bible teaches us that God has a plan for our lives.

What a beautiful story! What happened to baby Moses in the story? Have a look at the people in the first picture. How is each person feeling?

Although the basket wasn’t very strong, God made sure that Moses was safe inside, like He did with Noah in the ark.

Dear Lord, I want to sing You a song because You take care of me every day. I want to stay close to You! Amen

Think what you can use to make a boat: Try using a small wooden block maybe, or sticks tied together with string. You could ask someone to show you how to fold a boat from paper. When you’ve made your boat see how long it will float on the water. You can also draw Moses in his basketboat.

walls of Jeric o – e T . Joshua 2 and 6 5 Joshua sent two spies to Jericho. The soldiers almost caught them, but Rahab helped them escape. She dropped a long red rope from her window so that the two men could climb down. The spies went back to Joshua and told him about the thick, high walls around Jericho. How on earth were Joshua and his men going to take over the city?

God had a plan. He said, “Walk around the city once each day for six days. On the seventh day walk around seven times. Then have the priests blow on their trumpets, while the rest of you shout as loud as you can. The walls of the city will fall down!” And this is exactly what happened! Israel won. And Rahab was also saved!

Remember to look for the Bible – maybe the cat can help you!

The Bible teaches us that there is no-one as strong as God, He can do anything.

What happened in the story? Walk around a chair or a box seven times, repeating,

“My God is so great; there is nothing He cannot do!”

Dear Lord, You can do anything, no-one is as strong as You are. Anyone who hides in You need never feel afraid. Amen

Play hide-and-seek. Do you have a place where you hide when you feel afraid? When you are scared, how do you think God can help you to feel safe in Him? When you feel afraid remember to say to yourself: “God is with me.

He is very strong, and He will help me.”

6. R t

a nd Nao i – Ruth

1– 4

There was very little food in Bethlehem and people were hungry, so Naomi, her husband and two sons moved to Moab. The sons married Ruth and Orpah. But then sadly – Naomi’s husband and her sons died. Naomi decided to go back home to Bethlehem. Orpah, stayed behind, but Ruth said, “Where you go, Mother, I will go. Your God is my God.”

When they reached Bethlehem, Naomi wondered where they would find food. Ruth knew that God would help them. She went and picked up the grain leftover after the workers had finished for the day. Boaz, the farmer, saw her and he told his workers to help Ruth. Later on God made them part of a family again. Ruth and Boaz were married and they had a baby boy; and Naomi lived with them. That is how God took care of Ruth and Naomi.

What do you think the cat is looking at – is it the Bible?

The Bible teaches us that God takes care of us all the time.

What happened in the story about Naomi and Ruth? Do you remember the woman from Jericho, Rahab? Well Boaz was her son. Boaz and Ruth’s son Obed, was the greatgrandfather of David, the king of Israel. And did you know that their names are all part of the family line of Jesus?

This is how God takes care of everything.

Dear Lord, There is no end to Your love. You fill me with wonder at Your kindness towards me.

Tie a piece of string around your finger. Long ago people did this when they wanted to remember something.

You took care of Ruth and Naomi,

When you look at the string, remember: God is taking

and You take care of me every day.

care of me today.

Amen

Keep the string tied around your finger when you go to bed tonight. What will you remember when you see it tomorrow morning?

oy .7 T e b Sa

l 1– e u m – 1 Sa

Hannah was sad because she longed for a baby! God heard her Prayer and He gave her a baby, whom she named Samuel. His parents loved him very much! When Samuel was three years old, his mother took him to Eli, the priest. Hannah had promised God that Samuel would work for Him. Eli took good care of Samuel, and Samuel obeyed Eli. Whenever she came to visit him, his mother brought Samuel a lovely new coat that she had made especially for him. Everybody helped to look after Samuel.

One night Samuel heard a voice calling his name. He got up and ran to Eli’s room, but it wasn’t Eli who was calling him. The third time this happened, Eli knew that it was God who wanted to speak to Samuel. So when Samuel heard the voice again, he listened carefully to what the Lord had to say to him.

Sammy and Amy need your help to find the Bible, they are standing far away from it.

The Bible teaches us that God uses other people’s kindness to show us that He loves us.

Look at the picture on the first page again. How do you think Samuel is feeling? Who are the grownups with him? Why is Samuel so happy?

Samuel’s mother and father were visiting him and they brought him a present. Eli also loved Samuel very much.

Dear Lord, Thank You for all the people who love me and who take care of me. Thank You that You also love me and take care of me. Amen

Talk about the good things that people who love you do for you. Have you ever thanked them for their kindness? Why not go and say thank you right now if they are nearby? Remember to thank the Lord too!

One of the ways that God shows His love is through the people who are good and kind to you.

vid and Goliat – 1 Samuel 17 a D . 8 All the Israelites, excepting for young David, were very scared of the giant, Goliath. He said to his brothers and the soldiers, “Don’t be afraid. God is much bigger and stronger than Goliath. I will fight him. God has helped me to kill a lion and a bear before.” So David took his sling and he went out to meet Goliath. Goliath laughed in David’s face, as he looked down at him!

But David said, “Laugh all you like. I come in the Name of the Almighty God.” Then David picked up a smooth stone, placed it in his sling, and began swinging... the stone struck Goliath on the forehead. Goliath fell down dead! David trusted in God, and God helped him.

Do you think Sammy and Amy will find the Bible? Please help them!

The Bible teaches us that God helps us when we put our trust in Him.

Wasn’t this an amazing story? Find someone to share the story with. Then look at the first picture again. How are the soldiers feeling? Can you see what David is thinking about?

Will God also help you when you ask Him to?

Dear Lord, I trust in You. People who don’t trust, will fall like Goliath. Whenever I have to do something that is difficult,

Look for a small, smooth round stone. Write the words ‘Trust in God!’ on it. Place it in your house near the front door where everyone can see it. Each time you see the stone, remember that God helps you when you have to do things that are hard.

You will be there to help me. Amen

gail and t e two ang i b . ry en 9 Samuel 25 –1

Nabal is a rich man, who is unkind and nasty. His wife, Abigail, on the other hand is good and kind! David’s men help Nabal’s shepherds, but when they ask Nabal for food, he chases them away! This makes David very angry, so he decides to fight against Nabal. Abigail wants to stop them from fighting. So, without telling Nabal, she loads 200 loaves of bread, 2 barrels of wine, 5 roasted sheep, 5 pots of fried corn, 100 cakes of raisins and 200 cakes of dried figs on donkeys.

Then she takes the food to David. When David sees how good and kind Abigail is, he is not angry any more. But when Nabal learns what Abigail has done, he is so mad that he has a heart attack and dies! Abigail’s kindness prevented a war!

Who can help Sammy and Amy find the Bible: The dog or the cat? Why?

The Bible teaches us that God wants us to be good and kind to people.

How well do you remember the story? What have the men done? And what has Abigail done? In the first picture who is still angry, and who is friendly?

Because she was kind and friendly, Abigail stopped a big fight.

Dear Lord, Your kindness goes all the way up to Heaven. You are good and kind to everyone. Help me to also be good and kind like You. Amen

Write down on a large piece of paper,

‘Be good and kind to everyone.’ Put it up somewhere.

Have you been kind and friendly to anyone today? Talk to your brothers and sisters, or a friend about how you are going to be kind to someone today. Then tonight you can tell each other what you did during the day.

t 10. David,,a an after God’s ear – Psalm 23, Psa lm 139

, Acts 13:22

From when he was a little child, and all through his life, David loved God. When he became king of Israel, he was a great king. David was so brave, he killed a lion and a bear when he was a young shepherd boy. Then later on he killed the giant Goliath.

But David was also a musician and a poet. We find his songs in the book of Psalms in the Bible. While thinking about God’s care and faithfulness David wrote, The Lord is my shepherd, He gives me everything I need. He also remembered how God had made him, You created the deepest parts of my being. You put me together inside my mother’s body. God loved David and He said, ‘David, son of Jesse, is a man dear to my heart.’

Sammy and Amy will easily find the Bible this time! It’s close to where they’re standing.

The Bible teaches us that God loves His children very much. He takes care of us like a shepherd.

Look at the picture on the previous page. What is David singing about? How do you think the people in the picture on this page feel?

God loves you. The way He made you is amazing and wonderful!

Dear Lord, You are taking care of me in the same way that a shepherd cares for his sheep. I know that You love me, You protect me and You are always with me. Amen

Use clay, pebbles or any other interesting things you can find to make a model of the shepherd and his sheep. Hold up your left hand and repeat the first five words of Psalm 23. Starting with your thumb, touch each finger when you say the words. See if you can learn the whole of Psalm 23 by heart.

n a a l s v e e l g t i t r i l l a e l p s G e n e ra l N a 11. 2 Kings 5:1–14 –

A little girl from Israel was taken to a faraway country to work in the house of General Naaman, a very important man. Naaman was a leper. In those days it was a very serious illness. One day the little girl saw Naaman’s wife crying. She wanted to help, so she told her about the man of God in Israel who could cure Naaman. Naaman travelled to Israel, but before he got there, Elisha sent him a message, “Wash yourself seven times in the River Jordan, then God will heal you.”

Naaman was angry, he didn’t want to wash in the muddy river. But he did what Elisha said. And when he came out of the water the seventh time, he was healed! From that time on Naaman and his wife also loved God.

Find the Bible hidden on the banks of the river.

The Bible teaches us that God also uses children to do wonderful things.

Tell the story of the little girl and what she did. Look on the previous page. How is Naaman feeling now?

If children allow God to use them He can do wonderful things through them. He can use them to help unhappy people to feel better.

Dear Lord, No-one is as great as You are. Thank You for using even a child like me to help others. Help me to tell people about the wonderful things that You do. Amen

What can you do to help people and make them happy? Do you know someone who is sick or unhappy? Even though you are a child, you can tell them that Jesus loves them and that He will take care of them. Think what else you can do for the person?

lis a and t e blin E . 2 d s o ldiers 1 – 2 Kings 6:14–23 The king of Aram decided to capture Elisha. Elisha’s servant was terrified when he saw all the soldiers riding over the hill! But Elisha said, “Don’t be scared! We have more on our side!” Then God opened the servant’s eyes and he saw that they were surrounded by angels. The soldiers marched towards Elisha, but God made them go blind. Elisha led them to the king of Israel. There God opened their eyes again.

The king of Israel wanted to know if he should kill them? “No,” said Elisha, “be kind to them. Give them something to eat and to drink, then send them home again.” Because he did this there was peace from then on between King Aram and Israel!

Look for the Bible, it isn’t far from where Sammy and Amy are standing!

The Bible teaches us not to fight, but to be kind to people.

Why was Elisha’s servant so scared? What happened next? Turn back to the picture on the previous page. Elisha doesn’t seem scared at all. Why not? Did the king listen to Elisha’s advice? What happened then?

Remember, being kind is better than fighting!

Dear Lord, Thank You for being with me when I am scared. Help me to be kind to people instead of fighting with them. Amen

Do you and your brothers and sisters fight sometimes? Why? Think of a plan to make peace when you fight again. Ask your mom, dad, or another grown up to help you to put the plan into practice the next time when you are mad at each other.

Remember that it is better to be kind than to fight.

g o n g Josia b e n Y i . k 3 s co e 1 – 2 Kings 23:4–20 , Psalm

119:105

Josiah was only eight years old when he became king. He loved God with all his heart! But his people had forgotten about God, and they were doing bad things. This made God very sad. One day, when Josiah’s servants were cleaning up the temple, they found a Bible under a pile of old rubbish. Josiah asked someone to read the Bible to him. He listened to God’s Word.

Then he promised God that he and his people would obey God, and that they would live the way the Bible said they should. Josiah obeyed God and His Word. By doing this, he showed everybody how much he loved God.

Help Sammy and Amy find the Bible.

The Bible teaches us that God talks to us through the Bible, and shows us how to live.

Turn back to the picture on the previous page. What happened to Josiah and what did he find? How do the people standing around him feel? How did Josiah show the people that he loved God?

If we love God, we must also live as the Bible teaches us.

Dear Lord, Thank You for giving me the Bible to tell me how I must live. If I do as the Bible says, I will be happy. I will be like a tree standing beside a river that bears a lot of fruit. Amen

When you’re together with your family tonight switch off all the lights. Try walking around – what happens? Switch on a torch, or light a candle. Can you see where you are going now?

The Bible says, Your Word is like a lamp that shows me the way. It is like a light that guides me.

91:1 i r e f n d e s e i r n m l t e oven – Daniel 3, Psa 14. T One day Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego are taken to King Nebuchadnezzar. He orders them, “Bow before my statue or burn!” Without being the least bit afraid they answer, “We will not. We only worship our God.” Nebuchadnezzar is so mad that he has the oven made seven times hotter than usual, and then he has the guards throw the men in.

The heat instantly kills the guards! Suddenly Nebuchadnezzar jumps up and cries out, “There are four people in the oven! One of them looks like an angel!” He has the men taken out of the oven. There is not a single burn mark on their bodies, their hair or their clothes. They don’t even smell of smoke! Only God can do such a wonderful thing. The three friends loved God and worshipped Him, even when the king wanted to kill them.

Look carefully and see if you can find the Bible?

The Bible teaches us that we must love only God.

Tell the story of the three friends. What were their names? Which part of the story did you like best?

We must love God, in the same way that these three friends did.

Dear Lord, Help me to love only You. Thank You that You send Your angels to watch over me. Amen

Is it sometimes hard for you to love only Jesus? People might laugh at you, or maybe they will try and get you to do wrong things. Draw an angel, and remember God’s promise whenever you look at your drawing.

The LORD will command his angels to take good care of you.

s s is born – Luke 2:1–2 e J . 5 0 1 “Joseph,” says the angel, “you must name Mary’s baby, Jesus. He is the Son of God.” But first Joseph and Mary have to go to Bethlehem. The only place they can find to stay is in a stable with the animals. And this is where Jesus is born. Mary wraps Him in cloths and lays Him in a manger. That night the shepherds are in the field with their animals. Suddenly an angel appears before them and tells them about Jesus.

They look up and the sky is full of singing angels. The shepherds set off immediately for Bethlehem to see the Baby. When they reach the stable and look down upon Jesus, they can still hear the words of the angels’ song, “Glory to God and peace to all men.” This is exactly how they feel!

Sammy and Amy can’t stop looking at the Baby. Help them find the hidden Bible.

The Bible teaches us that Jesus is very special. He is the Son of God.

Tell the story of Jesus’ birth. Turn back to the previous page. Whom do you see in the picture? How do they feel about the new Baby who was born?

The birth of Jesus brings great joy to everybody – even today.

Dear Lord, All the people sing joyfully. The oceans roar, and the world shouts. The rivers clap their hands. The mountains sing for joy, because Jesus is our King.

Find out what happened on the day that you were born. Talk to the rest of your family about the day they were born. Talk about Christmas, each take a turn to say why you are glad that Jesus was born.

Amen

ew h T . 6 1

ise en – Matth e

w 2:1–12

One night, in a far away country, three wise men who study the stars, see a big, bright star. They realise that somewhere an important king has been born. So they load their camels with gifts fit for a king, and for the next few years they follow the star. Eventually the star stops above Joseph, Mary and Jesus’ home.

Jesus is no longer a baby, but the wise men have found Him. They climb down from their camels and go inside the house. When they see the Child Jesus, they know that He is the greatest King of all time. They kneel before Jesus and give Him their king’s gifts – gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Do you see the gifts that the wise men have brought? And can you also see the Bible?

The Bible teaches us that the best gift we can give Jesus is to be His friend.

Tell the story of the wise men once more. What gifts did they bring Jesus? Myrrh was a good medicine for pain. Frankincense was also a lovely smelling medicine.

The wise men gave Jesus the best gifts they could think of.

Dear Lord I love You. Just like the wise men from long ago, I want to bring You the best gift that I can, because You are great and good. Amen

Would you like to give Jesus a gift? You can write Him a letter and tell Him what you want to give Him. Write down on a piece of paper,

Jesus, I want to be Your best friend. Amen You can even decorate the letter. Keep your letter in your Bible.

s s goes issi n g e J – 52 . 7 – Luke 2:41 1 Joseph and Mary lived in Nazareth. Jesus grew up there, played with His friends, went to school and helped His father with the woodwork. When Jesus was twelve years old, His parents took Him to Jerusalem to celebrate Easter. There were lots of people travelling on the road with them. In Jerusalem there were crowds of people. After the feast, Joseph and Mary left to go home, suddenly they realised that Jesus was missing. They looked everywhere, but could not find Him.

So they returned to Jerusalem. After searching for three days, they found Jesus in the Temple. He was talking to the priests about God and answering their questions. They sat listening to all the wonderful things He had to say. Joseph and Mary were very happy when they found Jesus.

How many scrolls do you see? Help Sammy and Amy to find the Bible.

The Bible teaches us that parents must take care of their children.

What happened in the story? How do the people in the picture on the previous page feel?

Parents must take care of their children; and God takes care of parents and children.

Dear Lord, You look after me like my own mom and dad do. You make sure that the rivers are full of water. You make the corn and grain grow in the fields. Everybody and everything on earth should sing and dance, because You are good! Amen

Take a piece of paper. On the one side list the ways your parents take care of you. On the other side list the ways God takes care of your family. Decorate the pages if you like. Then roll the paper up like a ‘scroll’ and show it to your parents. Ask the person who looks after you to teach you your address and their cell number, so that if you get lost you will know how to contact them. If you can write then practise writing it out aslo.

at W . 8 1

e r i nt o w i n e – J

ohn 2:1–12

There is a big wedding in Canaan. Jesus, His disciples and His mother, Mary, attend the wedding together. They are talking and laughing, eating and drinking, as they celebrate with the two people who are getting married. Then the wine runs out. Mary immediately asks Jesus to help. Jesus tells the waiters to fill the six large, 100 litre empty water containers standing nearby with water.

Then He says, “Ask the head waiter to taste this.” The head waiter drinks from the cup, he is amazed, and says to the bridegroom, “This is fantastic! Why did you save the best wine for last?” This was the first miracle that Jesus performed.

See whether you can help Amy and Sammy find the Bible among all the people.

The Bible teaches us that Jesus performs miracles to help people.

Repeat the story about the wedding in Canaan. Look at the pictures on both pages. How many water containers did Jesus fill with wine? How are the people feeling?

Jesus loves it when people are happy.

Dear Lord, You can change anything. You can change water into wine, You can even make sad people happy again. Thank You for being so great and so wonderful. Amen

Maybe you and your family would like to give a party. What will you need? Happy people and a fun game or two. Something to eat and drink. You could also decorate the room where you are having the party. Before you start, thank Jesus because He is so good, and because He is at your party.

l i ttle boy s are s food . 9 s i 1 – John 6:1–15 A large crowd gathered at the lake in Galilee. They were listening to Jesus and watching Him heal the sick people. After a while they became hungry. Jesus’ friends wanted to send the people home; but Jesus said they must feed them first. The problem was they had no food! Andrew, one of Jesus’ friends, brought a little boy to Him. “This boy has two fish and five small loaves of bread, but it’s not enough to feed all these people.” Jesus smiled at the boy and took his food. He thanked God for the food. Then he began handing it out.

The fish and bread became more and more. Even though there were 5 000 men and even more women and children, they all had enough to eat. The leftovers filled twelve baskets. What a miracle!

Do you think that Amy and Sammy will find the Bible? Show them where it is.

The Bible teaches us that because Jesus felt sorry for the hungry people, He did a wonderful thing to help them.

How many fish did the boy have? And how many loaves of bread? Now tell what happened to the boy and his food. Who helped Jesus feed the thousands of people? How did the people feel after they had eaten?

God uses everybody – even children – for His work.

Dear Lord, Only You can do such great, special things! You know when people are tired and hungry. You feed Your children.

Talk to your parents or your caregiver about how your family can help people who are hungry. Do they know of people who are helping to feed the hungry? Maybe there is a soup kitchen at your school or church, then you could all go and help out?

Amen

s s te l l s a s 20. JeLuke 15:1–7, John 10t:1ory a b o t a s e e p6 –

–10, Isa iah 43:1, Isaiah 49:1

Jesus loved telling stories. Here is one of them: A shepherd had a hundred sheep. One day one of them got lost. The shepherd immediately went to look for it. He had to search far and wide, but finally he found the scared and tired sheep. The shepherd was so glad to have found it, that he lifted the sheep onto his shoulders and carried it home.

When he arrived home they had a party to show how happy they were to have the lost sheep back again. Jesus then said to the people who were listening to Him, ‘I am the Good Shepherd, and you are My sheep. I take care of you. A good shepherd knows the names of his sheep. I know your names too!’

What are Sammy and Amy looking at? Help them find the Bible.

The Bible teaches us that God loves His children. He knows all of us by name.

Turn back to the picture on the previous page and tell the story. Count the sheep in the picture. How is the lost sheep feeling? How is the shepherd feeling?

Jesus loves you, and He knows your name.

Dear Lord, Thank You for loving me. You know my name, and You never forget about me. My name is written upon Your hand. Amen

Write your name down on a piece of cardboard. Then make a mud print of your hand, and place it over your name. Leave the mud to dry. Each time you look at the handprint, remember:

My name is written upon God’s hand. He knows my name and He will never forget about me!

s s loves c ildren – M e J . 1 ark 10:13–16 2 Jesus loves children. They always gathered around Him because they loved listening to all His stories. Children enjoyed being with Jesus, because He always had time for them. He was kind and loving towards them. One day a group of mothers brought their children to Jesus. They wanted Him to bless their children and tell them stories. But Jesus’ disciples scolded them. ‘Jesus is tired. Leave Him alone!’

Jesus heard His disciples and said, ‘Don’t send the children away, I want to talk to them.’ So the children ran to Him. He hugged them and stroked their hair. He said to them, ‘Do you know that God loves children?’

Look closely at the picture. Can you see where the Bible is hiding?

The Bible teaches us that Jesus loves children.

Talk about what happened when the mothers brought their children to Jesus. Look at the pictures on both pages. Are the children enjoying talking to Jesus? Do you think Jesus enjoys talking to the children? Why?

Jesus loves you. He will always listen to what you want to tell Him.

Dear Lord, Thank You for loving me. You love all the children in the world. I pray for children who are having a hard time. Please help them.

Look at the first picture again. Place you finger on one of the children. Now pretend that it is you who is in the picture with Jesus. What would you like to tell Jesus? You can say it to Him now.

Jesus always has time for you because He loves you!

Amen

s e a c Z c y a t a e s a s beco es kind Zacc 22 . N – Luke 19:1–10

Rich Zacchaeus lived in Jericho. Nobody liked him because he stole money from the people. Zacchaeus heard that Jesus was visiting Jericho. He really wanted to see Jesus. Because he was short he couldn’t see over the heads of the people. The crowds kept on pushing him out of the way. Zacchaeus made a plan and he climbed a tree. Now he could see everything. Jesus saw Zaccheus as He walked by. He stopped and spoke to Zacchaeus.

The people were surprised to see Jesus being nice to such a dishonest man. Jesus went home with Zacchaeus and ate supper with him. Zacchaeus decided to return everything that he had stolen. This is how Jesus changed dishonest, nasty Zacchaeus into honest, kind Zacchaeus. All the people in the picture are looking at Zacchaeus. Can you see who is holding the Bible?

The Bible teaches us that Jesus helps and changes people who are not living a good life.

What a great story this is! What do you remember about the story? Jesus notices everybody.

He can help people who are living bad and unhappy lives to change, so that they can live good and happy lives.

Dear Lord, I will love You every day, and also the people around me. I am so glad that I am Your child. You make everything in my life beautiful. Amen

Talk to your family about how Jesus changes people. Maybe one of you can share how Jesus has changed you? Do you know a story about someone whose life became beautiful after they came to know Jesus?

Remember: God sees you too, and He loves you. He wants to help you live a good life.

la e an and is fri . 3 ends 2 rk 2:1–12 – Ma

In the town of Capernaum, four men carrying a bed, come walking down the street. Their lame friend is lying on the bed. They are taking him to the house where Jesus is. Many people are standing outside the house, because there is no room left inside. What should they do?

They think of a plan and climb up onto the roof of the house. Then they make a hole in the roof and lower their friend on his bed down to where Jesus is standing. Jesus looks up. He sees that the lame man’s friends really believe that He will make him better. So Jesus tells the lame man, ‘Stand up, take your bed and walk.’ And the man stands up! He picks up his bed and walks straight out of the house. ‘We have never seen anything like this before!’ the amazed people say. Jesus is a best Friend to everyone!

See how quickly you can spot the Bible in the picture.

The Bible teaches us that friends help each other.

Pretend that you are one of the lame man’s friends. Say what you and your friends did to make sure that Jesus saw your sick friend. Turn to the previous page. How many friends does the lame man have? He doesn’t have four, does he? No, he has five!

Jesus is also the lame man’s friend.

Dear Lord, Thank You for giving me friends. Help me to be good and kind to my friends. I want to help them, just like the four

Who are your best friends? Talk about what you enjoy doing together. Do you have a friend who does not have an easy life? Think of a way that you can help your friend today?

friends in the story helped their friend. Amen

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ary’s gift – John 11:1

–12:8

Jesus and His disciples are visiting their friends Lazarus, Martha and Mary in Bethany. Lazarus cannot stop smiling! A few days ago he was dead, but then Jesus did a wonderful thing and made him alive again! Martha as usual is busy serving the food that she has cooked.

Quietly Mary comes in carrying a small jar of very expensive perfume in her hand. She walks straight up to Jesus, pours all the perfume out onto His feet, and then dries it off with her hair. The lovely smell fills the whole house! Jesus is pleased, and He says, ‘Nobody will ever forget how much Mary loves Me.’

Can you see the Bible in the picture?

The Bible teaches us that God is happy when we show Him how much we love Him.

What did Mary do? Why, do you think, she gave Jesus such a wonderful gift? (Jesus’ mother’s name was also Mary, but this is a different Mary in this story.) Who are all the people in the picture looking at? How do they feel about what Mary is doing for Jesus?

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Dear Lord, You are wonderful. Thank You for loving me so much. I love You very much too. Help me to give You my best. Amen

Think of the best gift that you have ever received, and why is was so special? What did Mary want everybody to know when she gave her precious gift to Jesus? Find a way to show God that you love Him? Draw a picture of what you are going to do. Then look at your picture tonight, and tick it off if you have done what you wanted to do.

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es s and is friend, Peter J . 5 2 e 22:31–34 – Luk

, 54–62

The soldiers captured Jesus and took Him to the High Priest’s house. Nearby people were huddled around a fire trying to keep warm. Peter, a ‘Jesus-Friend’, joined them. Someone recognised Peter and said, ‘This man is a friend of Jesus!’ Because he was scared Peter answered, ‘That’s not true!’ Then someone else said the same thing. And again Peter denied that he knew Jesus.

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When yet another man said, ‘I am sure this man knows Jesus!’ Peter shouted, ‘I tell you, I have no idea what you are talking about!’ Then the cock crowed. And Peter remembered that Jesus had warned him that he would deny knowing Him. Peter lifted his head, and he looked straight into Jesus’ eyes. Peter burst into tears and ran away.

Help Amy and Sammy find the Bible in the picture.

The Bible shows us that when we do bad things to other people it hurts them; and it also makes us feel bad. But no matter what we do Jesus never stops loving us.

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How many times did Peter deny knowing Jesus? What happened next? Turn back to the picture on the previous page. What all do you see in the picture? How are the people in the picture feeling? Why was Peter so upset? How do you think Jesus felt? How did Peter feel?

Remember, Jesus did not stop loving Peter.

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Dear Lord, I am sorry if I have treated You or other people badly. Thank You for loving me so much that You always forgive me. Amen

Look at the picture on this page again, what do you see? Look at the children’s faces, how do you think each of them are feeling? Have you ever felt like this? Why? What happened?

Remember just like Jesus didn’t stop loving Peter, so He will also never stop loving you.

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ood Friday – Mark 15 and L e 23 G . 6 uk 2 An innocent Jesus hung on a Cross on Golgotha, outside of Jerusalem. It was nine o’clock on a Friday morning in the year 33AD. A criminal hung on either side of Jesus. Suddenly at noon it became pitch dark. When the sun came out again at three o’clock, Jesus said, ‘Father, I give Myself over into Your hands.’ And He died.

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Then the earth began shaking. Rocks flew through the air. Graves opened up and dead people became alive again. A Roman soldier cried out, ‘Jesus was really the Son of God!’ It was Good Friday, the day on which Jesus showed us how much He loves us! It didn’t end there though did it? – Sunday was coming!

Help Amy and Sammy search for the Bible.

The Bible teaches us that Jesus died on the Cross because He loves us.

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What a sad story! What happened? Turn to the picture on the previous page. What are the people in the picture doing? How do they feel? Fortunately this is not the end of the story. Something wonderful is going to happen on Sunday!

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Dear Lord, Good Friday’s Cross helps me remember how much You love me. I also know that You forgive all the bad things that I do. Thank You so much, dear Jesus.

See if you can learn John 3:16 and say it without looking at the paper:

God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son. Anyone who believes in him will not die but will have eternal life.

Amen

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4 4:3 y t g p 2 r a e v e e n – Matthe uk w 28:1–10 and L 27. Early on the Sunday morning, three women, all ‘Jesus-Friends’, are on their way to Jesus’ grave. They are very sad. Suddenly, there is a violent earthquake, and an angel rolls away the heavy stone in front of Jesus’ grave. The guards are so frightened that they faint on the spot! But the angel says, ‘Do not be afraid. Jesus has risen from the grave like He promised He would!’ The women run straight to the disciples with the Good News.

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John and Peter hurry back to make sure that it is really true. They can hardly believe their eyes when they see the neatly folded cloths that Jesus had been buried in. He is alive! Later that Sunday Peter meets Jesus. Peter is so excited that he has to tell everybody. They all talk about it – Jesus has forgiven Peter!

Do you think Sammy and Amy will find the Bible? Help them.

The Bible teaches us that Jesus has risen from the grave. There is nothing that He cannot do!

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Talk about the wonderful thing that happened on that Sunday morning. Can you see the cock in the first picture? What does it remind you of? What do you think Peter told the people? How do you think it made him feel?

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Dear Lord,

Write down on a piece of paper:

Thank You for rising

Jesus is risen! Nothing is impossible for Him.

from the grave. I know that You are still alive. You are the King! Amen

Below the words, draw something that makes you think of Jesus, Who is risen from the grave and is alive. Put your picture up somewhere in the house.

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e o ly Spirit co T . 8 es – Acts 1:6 – 2:41 2 Exactly 40 days after Jesus rose from the grave, He stood on a mountain with His friends. He promised them, ‘The Holy Spirit will come to you, and you will tell people about Me.’ Then He was taken away in a cloud. Two angels appeared and comforted them. ‘One day Jesus will come back exactly like this.’ Ten days later all the ‘Jesus-Friends’ gathered in Jerusalem. Suddenly the building began shaking. Tongues of fire came down on them. It was the Holy Spirit entering them – as Jesus had promised.

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Not long after that Peter preached to thousands of people, telling them all about Jesus. Three thousand people decided to follow Jesus that day. The Holy Spirit gives all ‘Jesus-Friends’ special power so that they can do great things for Him…

Somewhere among all the people a Bible is hidden. Can you find it?

The Bible teaches us that Jesus is King of everything. Through the Holy Spirit He is always with us wherever we go.

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Turn back to the previous picture. Retell the story you read. Look at the faces of the people, how do you think they are feeling? Say, “The Holy Spirit lives in God’s children.

He helps us to love Jesus.”

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Dear Jesus, Thank You for giving me the Holy Spirit who lives inside of me. You are with me wherever I go. Amen

You can talk to the Holy Spirit wherever you are? Because He lives inside you He hears even when you say the words quietly in your head. You don’t even have to close your eyes. You can simply say, “Lord, help me!” You can also say, “Thank You for the wonderful day, Lord!” Or, “We had so much fun, Lord!” Remember to do this during the day, then share some of the things you told the Holy Spirit with your family.

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eter, Jo n a n d the d i sa b l e d a n P . 9 2 3:1–10 – Acts

One day, two ‘Jesus-Friends’, Peter and John, are on their way to visit the Temple. They see a disabled man sitting begging. Peter feels sorry for him and says, ‘Look at us!’ The man holds out his hand thinking Peter will give him money. Peter says, ‘I do not have money, but what I have I will give to you. In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, stand up and walk!’

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Then a miracle happens. The man gets to his feet, he can stand! When he realises what has happened, he begins to jump up and down. Laughing with joy, he praises God. The people around him are amazed at the greatness and the goodness of God.

Help Amy and Sammy find the Bible in the picture.

The Bible teaches us that when God does something for us, we must be glad and thank Him for it.

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Turn back to the previous picture. Tell the story that you see there. How does the man who was disabled feel? How do Peter and John feel? How do the other people who see the man jumping around feel? We must also say thank You to God for all the good things that He does for us.

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Dear Lord, I want to thank You and praise You for looking after me so well each day. Thank You for everything that You do for me. Amen

Talk about everything that you have to thank God for. Think about things like your family, your friends and school. The beautiful sunshine, enough to eat, and a warm bed. Then play the ‘Thank You’ game with your friends. Sit on your haunches in a circle. Each one in the circle has a turn to jump up and say, “I say thank You for...” Keep this up until everyone has had three turns.

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a l a nd Silas in prison – Acts 16:16–35 P . 0 3 In the town of Philippi, two ‘Jesus-Friends’, Paul and Silas, are thrown in prison because they have been telling people about Jesus. Around midnight they are in their cell, singing songs of praise to God. The other prisoners sit listening quietly. Suddenly an earthquake breaks open the doors of the prison. The chains fall from the feet of all the prisoners, but they remain sitting.

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The prison warden is very upset. But when he sees that no-one has escaped, he wants to believe in Jesus too. He washes Paul and Silas’ wounds for them. Later he takes them to his house and he gives Paul and Silas food to eat. Paul helps the jailer and his family to become ‘Jesus-Friends’. God used Paul to invite more and more people to become ‘Jesusfriends’. Paul and Silas were always joyful, even when they were in prison, because they knew God!

Help Amy and Sammy find the Bible one more time.

The Bible teaches us that ‘Jesus-Friends’ can pray and sing even when things are not going so well. They are joyful because they know: God is taking care of them!

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What was your favourite part of the story about Paul and Silas? Turn back to the previous picture. Tell the story that you see there. How do Paul and Silas feel? How does the prison warden feel?

‘Jesus-Friends’ are always joyful.

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Dear Lord, I love singing songs to You! I want to praise You as long as I live, I want to sing to You as long as I am here on earth. Amen

Draw a picture of people who are singing and praising God. Why are they so joyful? Say, “It is so good to sing to our God.” Sing a praise song to God. Then tell each other throughout the day what it is that makes you joyful.

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Ed cational g i de for pa

er v i g e r ents a n d car

Temperament

Every child is unique – yet there are certain characteristics shared by all human beings which can be divided into four temperaments. Some children thrive in a situation where there are definite rules, a steady routine and responsibilities (routine children); others prefer living in the moment and enjoy doing things (action children); then there are those who like to solve problems creatively, even if it means doing it differently than the known way (why children) and lastly we have children who live according to their vivid imaginations and values (the imaginative, people-orientated children). CMP books are developed so that they will appeal to and stimulate each temperament type. For more information regarding the temperaments visit the CMP website www. cmpublishing.co.za

Development

CMP books take into account the different developmental phases of children. Our aim is to assist parents and caregivers to intelectually and emotionally stimulate children to ensure maximum growth in these areas. For more information visit the CMP website www.cmpublishing.co.za

Faith formation

The formation of faith is indeed unique to each child; there are however general characteristics which apply to all children. There are three main ways that children develop faith: • Parents regularly reading the Bible, telling Bible and other faith based stories, praying together and doing faith building activities with their children (such as the ones found in this book). • Children ask questions – parents need to take these questions seriously and answer them according to the child’s level of understanding. • Children follow the example of those caring for them.

Emotional intelligence

We experience emotions long before we learn the language to be able to express how we are feeling. Therefore it is important that children are taught to verbalise what they are feeling. Use the illustrations accompanying the stories and ask your child how they think the people or animals in the picture feel. This helps them become aware of their own emotions as well as those of others. It provides a learning opportunity where the child can learn appropriate words to express how they are feeling.

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Reading

A wonderful world opens up for your child when they start learning to read. Enjoy every moment of this exciting adventure with your child. Let them sit on your lap where they can be comfortable and feel safe and secure. Open the book holding it so that you can both see the pages. Read clearly and with enthusiasm. As you know you can read the same story over and over. Point out where you are reading with your finger as you go along. This will help your child to begin to see the relationship between letters, sounds, words and their meaning. Encourage your child’s attempts at reading – even of it sounds like gibberish.

Listening skills

Listening is an important learning and development skill. You can help develop this skill in your child by encouraging them to listen attentively, and understand what they are hearing. Let them look at the illustrations and then use their imagination to tell the story back to you in their own words. You can also encourage them to do this by asking questions relating to the story. Yet another way is to leave out words from a story the child knows well and let them fill in the missing words.

Vocabulary

Use every opportunity to build your child’s vocabulary – it is a lifelong gift which you are giving to them. Start with everyday objects and people in the illustrations in books. Point at the picture, say the word, form a short sentence using the word. Repeat it again and then let your child say the word. Try to use the word in another context – if there is a tent in the picture you are looking at then say: we sleep in a tent when we go camping.

Speech formation

Right from the word go build your child’s vocabulary – words are the building blocks of speech. Continually name objects around you, pointing them out, make sure your child looks at your mouth, feeling your lips and throat as you pronounce the words. As your child grows, gently increase the difficulty of the words used stretching your child’s understanding. Strongly encourage your child’s first attempts at speaking. Help your child to pronounce the sounds and words. At this stage accuracy is not as important as trying.

Numeracy skills

It is important for your child develop numeracy skills. Play simple games such as: “How many ducks are there in the picture? If we add two more ducks how many are there now? Then if three fly away? (use your fingers to illustrate this) How many are left? They also need to recognise the shape of numbers – cut large numbers from cardboard – let your child play with these – place the numbers in order forming a line from one to ten.

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CMP Kids an imprint of Christian Media Publishing PO Box 4502, Durbanville, 7551 www.christianmediapublishing.com All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced by any means – electronically or otherwise – without the prior written permission of the publisher. Reg no 2010/008573/07 Text: Ewald van Rensburg© Illustrations: Magriet Brink© Design & Layout: Lilani Brits Publishing Project Management: Noeline N Neumann Printed and bound in Malaysia First edition, first printing 2014 ISBN 9781920593186 At CMP we are passionate about developing quality, affordable Children’s material. Our products are developed from a non-denominational Christian vantage point. We believe that a sound spiritual foundation is the best way to build an emotionally healthy child. The Holy Spirit connects with people ‘heart, soul, mind and strength’ (Mark 12:30). Our material provides parents, carers and teachers with guidelines to help point children in the right direction. Our aim is to create beautiful product with a sound foundation, at an affordable price, making it accessible to as wide an audience as possible.

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Ewald van Rensburg

Sammy and Amy are waiting to play and learn with you!

Let’s Play & Learn Bible

Let's Play & Learn Bible - English

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Jesus tells a story about a sheep