Kids Alive! 4 February 2023

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This weekend is a big weekend for rugby fans, because the men’s Six Nations Championship kicks off today (4 February). Over rugby-packed weekends, England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales will battle it out to be crowned champions. As well as winning the overall competition, there are eight smaller trophies up for grabs depending on who is playing. These include: the Auld Alliance Trophy, which is awarded to the winner of France versus Scotland; the Calcutta Cup, which is won by whoever comes out on top between England and Scotland; and the Centenary Quaich, which is won by the winner of Ireland and Scotland. There’s also the Triple Crown – a trophy for one of the home nations if they manage to beat the other three teams. So there’s plenty to play for! The opening weekend’s take on Ireland and England battle Scotland. Then last year’s Grand Slam champions, France, will start their 2023 campaign against Italy tomorrow (5 February). Who do you think will be this year’s top team?

Coverage of the Six Nations will be split between the BBC and ITV in the UK. The BBC will show all of Scotland and Wales’s home fixtures. ITV will show the England, France, Ireland and Italy home games. Wales’s matches will also be shown on S4C and Ireland’s matches on RTÉ.

Last week, my daughter started playing tag rugby at school. She enjoyed it, but she thought it was strange that she could only pass the ball behind her. ‘How can we move forwards and score

can run forwards with the ball and they can kick it forwards too. The players have to work as a team and use their combined skills to

around you to help keep going and reach your goal.

READ THE COMMENT BELOW ABOUT CHOOSING TO REST WITH GOD

Make Time to Rest

Anyone who knows me knows there’s nothing I like more than to chill at the weekends. Like most people, my week can get very busy. There’s the early morning school runs, work, pick ups and drop offs plus so much more. So having moments at the weekend to simply rest feels amazing.

In this week’s Bible cartoon, Moses shares the story of Creation with the Israelites. Moses explains that in the beginning, God was very busy making the whole world. God created everything that would make the Earth a beautiful, wonderful and safe place for all of creation to live in. Each day he added something new. But on the seventh day, God did not make anything. Instead, God blessed the day, made it holy and rested.

So why did God need a day to rest? I’m pretty sure he wasn’t tired – after all he’s the most powerful being ever! God made a whole day of rest as a gift for us. God knew that taking time to relax might not come naturally to us, so he showed us how to do it and led by example. In fact, resting is so important to God, he made time to rest one of the Ten Commandments

C

a t i o n C

for the wonderful world nderful

God Chooses to Create the World

Name:

My Identity in Jesus My Identity in Jesus Jesus

Did you know that when you become friends with Jesus he gives you a new identity? You’re a member of God’s Kingdom and with the help of the Holy Spirit, you now have the power to follow Jesus’ way of living.

I Am… CHOSEN

God has chosen you to be a part of his family. Ephesians 1:4 says that even before God made the world, he already chose to love you. It was always his plan that you would know how much he loved you through his son, Jesus. So, if you believe and trust in Jesus, that’s not by accident. You believe because God has chosen you too. In John 6:37, Jesus said, ‘Every person the Father gives me eventually comes running to me. And once that person is with me, I hold on and don’t let go’ (The Message). You have been chosen by God, so be con dent and live boldly for Jesus.

Every day this week, tell yourself ‘I am chosen’. This will help God’s truth stay in your heart. Use the chart below to help remind you and tick each day once you’re done.

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

KA! JAM is the coolest Bible activity club around. As a member you’ll go on amazing adventures through the Bible learning about Jesus. Each activity sheet is filled with lots of great stuff about being a Christian. You’ll also receive our mini-mag, Chatterbox, which is filled with jokes, games and much more. And to top it off, there are loads of awesome prizes to be won!

To join KA! JAM and complete the Bible activity courses online, go to salvationist.org.uk/kajam.

Or if you would like to receive the postal version, simply fill in the coupon below.

To join KA! JAM just ll in the application form and send it – along with two rst-class stamps – to: KA! JAM, 101 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6BN. Applicants must be between 7 and 17 years old to join.

Address:

Date of birth:

Postcode: Boy or girl: Do you attend a church, and if so, which one?

I, (signature)

apply for membership of Kids Alive! Jesus And Me. I understand that joining KA! JAM doesn’t mean I have joined The Salvation Army and that it is not a free subscription to Kids Alive!

PLEASE USE BLOCK CAPITALS.

Happy Birthday to You! Happy Birthday t to

To see your name and birthday printed in a future issue of KA! email your full name, address and date of birth to kidsalive@salvationarmy.org.uk. Remember to type ‘Happy Birthday to You!’ in the email’s subject box.

4 February

Alex Fabian – age 13

Isabel Fowler – age 13

Hector Milligan – age 12

Magan Addy – age 11

5 February Bethany Harley – age 13

9 February Ella Moye – age 12

Pick Out Patch

The six nations is here! i’ve decided to support ireland this year. Do you like my kit? See if you can spot this version of me on ANOTHER PAGE IN THIS WEEK’S ISSUE.

7 February Dan Kim – age 12

10 February

The cosmos or universe is so enormous and stupendous it’s mind-boggling! Here are some facts about space that are … well, cosmic!

Black Holes

A black hole is an area in space with so much gravity that nothing can escape from it. Black holes have very strong gravity because they have the most matter squeezed into the smallest space. Imagine something the size of a ngernail with the Earth’s mass!

Black holes don’t re ect starlight, they swallow it. Any matter that gets too close to a black hole gets swallowed up as well. Some black holes are known as ‘million-big-star’ black holes. They can contain as much matter as one million to 100 million suns! Astronomers think that these supermassive black holes are at the centre of galaxies.

NASA picture black hole

NASA picture

Naomi Hunt – age 11

black hole

Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!

Identify the mystery item in the magnifying glass.

He he, he he!

Why do grasshoppers refuse to watch rugby? They prefer cricket!

What did the Irish referee say at the end of the rugby match?

‘Game clover!’

Ho ho, ha ha, he he!

What is harder to catch the faster you run? Your breath!

Why did the rugby player go to the vet? His calves were hurting!

Complete the grid so that every column, row and colour-grouped box contain the numbers 1-6

by Neil Locker

Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! Ho ho, ha ha, he he!

Ho, ho, ho, ho! He he, he he!

Why did the coach drop Cinderella from the team? Because she kept running away from the ball!

Why was the car not allowed to play rugby? It only had one boot!

He he, he he! ÷

Ho ho, ha ha, he he!

What’s a bee’s favourite sport? Rug-bee!

SUPER SUM! X

X ÷ X ÷ +X

÷ X ÷

+

2 ? 5 ? 3 ÷ ? 3 ? 3 = 6

Replace the question marks with an add, subtract, divide or multiply symbol to complete the sum + +

-

+ +

Hehe,hehe!

Ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha!

Hoho,haha,hehe!

Why is a rugby match the coolest place to be?

Because it’s full of fans!

What do you call a boat full of polite rugby players?

A good sportsman-ship!

‘Doctor, doctor! I can’t get my socks off. Do I need an operation?’

‘Try taking your boots off rst!’

Hehe, he he!

What did the ball say to the fly half?

‘I get a kick out of you!’ PASS WALES

How do you stop squirrels playing rugby in your garden?

All you have to do is hide the ball. It drives them nuts!

Answers on Page 2

Hoho,haha, he he!

across:

1 Prison. 3 Haul along the ground. 7 Shout ‘Hooray!’

8 Road-surfacing material. 9 Spanish Armada vessel. 13 Paddle for a rowing boat. 14 Glowing coal. 16 Level of a wedding cake. 17 Football side, for example.

down:

1 _ _ _ _ and the Beanstalk. 2 Frozen water.

4 Mathematical proportion. 5 Young female.

6 Supermarket cart. 10 Have the same opinion.

11 Footwear or part of a car. 12 Percussion instrument. 15 Busy insect.

A B C

Find the Six Nations-related words in the grid

TRY FRANCE TEAM SCRUM

SIX NATIONS WORDSEARCH BALL

TACKLE

ENGLAND

IRELAND RUN KICK THROW

ITALY CATCH SCOTLAND SHORTS POSTS

The Inkwell Chronicles Competition

The Inkwell Chronicles Competition Chronicles

Can you imagine how you would feel if your ordinary life was turned upside down and you had to suddenly go on a crazy adventure? That’s exactly what happens to Everett in The Inkwell Chronicles: The Ink of Elspet.

Eleven-year-old Everett wishes he was as brave as the characters in the comic books his dad draws. When his father goes missing after a mysterious train crash in London, Everett and his little sister Bea nd a strange pen in his belongings. They soon discover that the pen is far from ordinary – in the right hands its magical ink can be used to create anything imaginable. However, the ink has dangerous enemies called Blotters and soon Everett and Bea are running for their lives. Helped by Inklings – secret protectors of the Ink – Everett and Bea embark on a perilous quest across England and Scotland to nd and protect the last Inkwell and save their father. For your opportunity to win a copy of The Inkwell Chronicles: The Ink of Elspet, answer the question below and email your full name, age, address and answer to kidsalive@salvationarmy.org.uk.

Remember to put ‘The Inkwell Chronicles Competition’ in the subject box. Your entry needs to reach us by Friday 3 March when the winners will be chosen. You can also enter by lling in the details on the coupon below and posting it to: The Inkwell Chronicles Competition, Kids Alive! 101 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6BN.

What is the name of Everett’s sister in ‘The Inkwell Chronicles: The Ink of Elspet’?

Belle Beth Bea

Name:

Address:

Prizes kindly donated by Hodder Faith

Living a healthy and an active lifestyle and caring for your physical, mental and spiritual well-being.

Safer Internet Day

Tuesday 7 February is Safer Internet Day. The internet is really popular. People use it for all sorts of reasons – researching homework, reading news, watching TV, listening to the radio and communicating with family or friends. Unfortunately there are dangers too, so here are some things to think about to make sure you’re staying safe online.

Digital Footprint

Whenever you search for something online, message your friends or post photos on social media, this leaves a trail. This is sometimes called a digital footprint. Some things are online for ever and it’s possible for people to screenshot posts you’ve uploaded. So it’s really important to think carefully before you post something.

Social Media

You shouldn’t be using social media if you’re younger than 13, but if you do, never share personal information, such as your address, full name, date of birth or the name of your school. That includes photos of you in school uniform –especially if your uniform has the school logo on it.

You might enjoy chatting to friends online, but be really careful about people you haven’t met in person. They might not be who they say they are. Stick to chatting to friends you know in real life. If you do talk to someone you don’t know, never share any personal information with them and make sure you tell your parents or carers who you’re talking to.

Passwords

Passwords help keep our digital accounts or devices secure. Never share your passwords or login information with anyone, except your parents or carers. Top tips for strong passwords are ones that are more than eight characters and use a mix of lowercase letters, uppercase letters, numbers and special characters.

Always remember to log out of any apps or websites if you’re using shared devices, such as ones at school or a library. Otherwise someone might be able to access your accounts.

Gaming

Lots of people enjoy playing games online. Games, such as Fortnite and Roblox allow you to play with friends or strangers from around the world, which can be risky.

You can make online gaming safer by making sure your username doesn’t include personal information, such as your full name. Never share any personal information online, and think carefully about who you play with. People you know in real life are always a better option. Remember, if you’re playing online and someone says something you don’t like you can report them. And always tell your parents or carers what you’re doing online.

On 7 February at 11am, BBC Teach will be hosting a gaming-themed online lesson to celebrate Safer Internet Day. Tell your teacher to check out bbc.co.uk/teach and search for ‘Safer Internet Day’.

Cyberbullying

Social media sites and online games can be places where people experience bullying. Online bullying is also known as cyberbullying and it’s just as hurtful as being bullied in person.

If someone is sending you mean messages or posting horrible things about you online, you don’t need to put up with it! Report them to the website and tell your parents, carers, teachers or another grown-up you trust.

Children’s Mental Health Week

People saying, posting or sharing mean things can have a big impact on someone’s mental health. It can make people feel sad, lonely, anxious or scared. So it’s perfect timing that this week (6–12 February) is also Children’s Mental Health Week. You can nd out more about the week at childrensmentalhealthweek.org.uk

Remember you can do your bit to make the internet a nicer place. Always be kind and respectful to others!

For more information about Safer Internet Day, visit saferinternet.org.uk/safer-internet-day

Cool Colourings

Romy, age 6, has done a fantastic job colouring in this Fly With Me Colouring. She’s used a rainbow of different colours, which really makes the kites stand out.

Nativity In A New Way

The children at Maidstone Salvation Army were a bit bored of doing the same thing every Christmas. They decided it would be great if they could go back in time to speak to the people who were there.

So during the carol service they met the angels in training as the tots group sang ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star’ while Angel Gabriel looked on before rehearsing her angel choir (the senior choir). Gabriel reminded those present that the angels gave Jesus the gift of worship, which was a reminder that we can worship him too.

There was also: a shepherd who spoke about how he and the other shepherds were terri ed when they saw the angel; a wise man who talked about God speaking to him in a way he understood clearly; and an innkeeper who told of the importance of people keeping their hearts open for Jesus.

It was a great service that helped the young people understand the Nativity story in a new way.

This super Street Dancer Colouring was sent in by Isabella, age 8. She’s done a fab job of keeping the colours in the lines, especially on the dancer’s cool trainers.

Al e, age 5, sent us this pukka Pinocchio Colouring. It’s a great use of colours, especially the nice, blue sky.

Eleanor

This Cool Colouring was sent by Tessie, age 12. She completed it to celebrate International Day of Friendship. The world looks so full of happiness and fun!

G e t I n T o u c h !

The Kids Alive! team loves to hear from its readers. And guess what –other readers love reading your news! So why not get in touch? You can email or post your own colourings, drawings and letters. Or you could ask your Sunday school, church or corps leaders to email us or write to us with any news about the fun stuff you’ve been doing at your church or corps. Email: kidsalive@salvationarmy.org.uk

Post: Kids Alive! 101 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6BN

Age? 8.

Favourite colour? Gold.

Favourite food? Nuts. Favourite sport? Karate.

Favourite bit of Kids Alive! The competitions and puzzles. Favourite Bible story and why? Noah’s ark, because I love animals.

Favourite TV programme? The Masked Singer.

What do you want to be when you’re older? A vet. Pets? Four cats – Betty, Wilson, Bella and Rosie. I love them. Hobbies? Brownies, swimming, karate and craft club.

Tell us a joke. What did the cat say when it hurt its paw? ‘Me-OW!’

What special skill or talent do you have? Singing.

Tell us something interesting about yourself. I have my yellow belt at karate.

Is there anything else you would like to tell us? I love going to the theatre to see shows, especially musicals.

BRRR… I’M FROZEN, PERCY!

I CAN SEE THAT, PATCH…

…YOUR NOSE HAS TURNED BLUE!

THAT MAY BE SO, BUT YOUR BEAK HAS GONE GREEN. WHY HASN’T IT GONE BLUE LIKE MY NOSE?

IT’S BECAUSE MY BEAK IS YELLOW…

…AND AS SOON AS MY BEAK STARTS TO GO BLUE WITH COLD, IT ACTUALLY TURNS GREEN, BECAUSE EVERYONE KNOWS…

…BLUE AND YELLOW MAKE GREEN!