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There’s a big game happening at Wembley tomorrow
(2 April) – it’s the English Football League Trophy Final! Kick off is at 3pm and it’s north versus south and whites versus greens as Bolton Wanderers take on Plymouth Argyle under the Wembley arch. If you’ve never watched the EFL Trophy before, it’s a fantastic knockout competition that includes football clubs from League One and League Two. There are also 16 invited under-21 teams from Premier League and Championship clubs. This year’s competition started way back in August 2022 and there have been plenty of twists and turns since then. Plymouth won their place in the nal by beating Cheltenham Town on penalties, while Bolton put two late goals past Accrington Stanley. It’s not every season a team gets to play on the ‘hallowed turf’ of Wembley, so it’s going to be a special occasion. Tomorrow thousands of people will travel to the capital to cheer on their teams, because both clubs have huge fanbases. Fans of the Trotters (Bolton Wanderers) and the Green Army (Plymouth Argyle) will be waving scarves or ags, singing and cheering for their teams. But who will be cheering when the nal whistle blows?
I’m very excited! This weekend my team, Plymouth Argyle, are playing in the English Football League Trophy Final. Teams like mine don’t get to play at Wembley very often. So, win or lose it’ll be a special occasion.
The EFL Trophy is a funny competition. Few footy fans are interested in it. That’s until their team gets to the semi-fnal and there’s a chance of seeing them play at one of the most famous football grounds in the world.
This got me thinking. Lots of people aren’t interested in church or Jesus. Well, not until there’s a special occasion like a wedding, a christening or Christmas, or something goes wrong and they feel some prayers will help. The good news is Jesus is always interested in you and wants to be part of your everyday life. Don’t wait for a special occasion to decide to follow him. Start following Jesus today!
I wonder how a king would be welcomed if he visited your village, town or city. Well, you don’t need to use your imagination too much. Just think back to last year when King Charles III toured the United Kingdom to be welcomed as the new king. There were crowds of people cheering and waving ags; fancy cars; important people to welcome him; trumpet fanfares; speeches; special music and singing. It must have taken a lot of preparation.
I wonder what it was like when Jesus was welcomed as a king in Jerusalem. Well, the Bible tells us what happened. You can read the Bible cartoon opposite to get an idea of what it might have been like. No one other than Jesus had planned anything –
he even caught his disciples by surprise. Sure, crowds of people gathered to cheer for Jesus, but rather than a fancy car, or even a carriage, Jesus rode a donkey. And instead of ags, people waved palm leaves. In Luke 19:39 we read that rather than celebrating Jesus’ arrival, the important people from Jerusalem told Jesus to make the people be quiet! That’s probably not the kind of welcome for a king that you would expect.
Something I’ve learned over the years is that Jesus rarely does things the way we would expect – he’s full of surprises. I hope that this week and this Easter you’re ready to be surprised by Jesus. He might change your life.
Spot the five unexpected things in the scene below
Answers on Page 2
Name:
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.
As Jesus’ friends, Christians have made a commitment to follow him. This is great, because everything Jesus encourages us to do is based on love. However, this doesn’t mean that following Jesus is always easy. Living out your faith means there’ll be times when we’ll have to do things that may feel hard or uncomfortable. But in Philippians 4:13, Paul said, ‘I can do all things through Christ because he gives me strength’ International Children’s Bible).
So, whether it’s telling others about Jesus, praying for a friend who’s upset or doing things the long way because it’s the right way, be encouraged. Jesus has given you the strength you need to live boldly for him.
Every day this week, tell yourself ‘I am able’. 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.
Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
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.
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.
1 April
Sophie Adesola – age 11
4 April
Adam Christian – age 13
6 April
Daniel Copland – age 11
IT’S FOOTBALL TIME! i’VE GOT MY SCARF ON AND I’M READY FOR THE EFL Trophy FINAL! See if you can spot this version of me on ANOTHER PAGE IN THIS WEEK’S ISSUE.
The cosmos or universe is so enormous and stupendous it’s mind-boggling! Here are some facts about space that are … well, cosmic!
Mars is sometimes called the Red Planet. It’s a reddish colour because of rusty iron in the planet’s surface. It has two moons, called Phobos and Deimos. Mars is a neighbouring planet to Earth. Like Earth, it has seasons, polar ice caps, volcanoes, canyons and weather. It has a very thin atmosphere too, but Mars is a cold desert world without life and its volcanoes are dead.
Nevertheless, the planet is very busy with mechanical visitors from Earth. Over the years, NASA has sent ve robotic vehicles, called rovers, to Mars. The rovers drive around taking photographs and measurements because scientists want to see if Mars could support life in the future.
X
SUPER SUM! X
He he, he he!
Ho ho, ha ha, he he!
÷ ÷ +
21 ? 9 ? 3 ? = 4 ? 2 12
X
What lights up a football pitch at night? A football match!
÷
What do Lionel Messi and a magician have in common? Both do hat-tricks!
w h i s p e r
2 expire or die
Ha ha, ha ha, ha
3 steeple
Egg Timer Challenge
4 (of fruit) ready to eat
5 pastry-covered meal
6 jetty 7 group of lions
8 eight-legged creature
9 spoke very highly of or flattered
by Neil Locker
Ho ho, ho ho! He he, he he!
What’s the best position to play if you don’t like football?
Right back...right back in the changing rooms!
Why did Cinderella get kicked off the football team? Because she kept running away from the ball!
Ho ho, ha ha, he he!
What’s the difference between Exeter City FC and a tea bag?
The tea bag stays in the cup!
Find the football-related words in the grid
across:
3 Small and mischievous sprite, for example, goblin or elf. 5 Creature which spins a web. 6 Snip with scissors. 7 Female goat. 8 A fictional book. 11 Distant. 12 Ring. 13 Perceive with your eyes.
down:
1 Rain lightly. 2 Biblical garden. 3 Metal element or household appliance. 4 Words spoken to God. 6 Material an artist paints on. 9 Clamp used in woodwork class. 10 Nobleman married to a lady. 11 Topple or tumble.
It’s healthy and fun to stay active, whatever the weather. Now, you can double your exercise fun by making bubbles with Stay Active Bubble Skip!
Bubble Skip is the jumping and skipping game that can be played indoors or outdoors. While you’re skipping and jumping over a ball, it forms bubbles. All you need to do is open the cap on the Bubble Skip ball and ll it with the bubble solution. Replace the cap, place your right ankle into the plastic ring and skip to make bubbles! For the bubbles to come out, your Bubble Skip ball needs to touch the ground in between each skip or jump. This game will help to improve your co-ordination, tness and strength in a fun way!
Every Bubble Skip includes a 60ml bottle of bubble solution. You will need a grown-up to help you assemble Bubble Skip to make sure everything is tted tightly and safely. It’s also important to wear sensible shoes when playing with Bubble Skip.
For your opportunity to win a Stay Active Bubble Skip, answer the question below and email your full name, age, address and answer to kidsalive@salvationarmy.org.uk. Remember to put ‘Bubble Skip Competition’ in the subject box. Your entry needs to reach us by Friday 28 April when the winners will be chosen. You can also enter by lling in the details on the coupon below and posting it to: Bubble Skip Competition, Kids Alive! 101 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6BN.
Stay Active Bubble Skip is available at Smyths Toys
Name:
Address: Postcode: Age:
Check out this drawing of a football player practising his skills. Why not give this fantastic football colouring a splash of colour? You could even make this kit match the colours of your favourite team. Once you’ve completed your colouring, share your artwork with other readers by emailing your colourings to: kidsalive@salvationarmy.org.uk. Make sure you write ‘Fantastic Football Colouring’ in the subject box and give us your full name, age and address. Alternatively you can post your colourings to: Your Space, Kids Alive! 101 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6BN. One last reminder, if you’re sending by post remember to ll in the details below so we know who you are. We send a gift to everyone whose colouring we publish, so don’t miss out!
Name:
Address:
Postcode:
Age:
Living a healthy and an active lifestyle and caring for your physical, mental and spiritual well-being.
Every day seems to be a day for something, doesn’t it? So we’ve scoured the internet for some of this week’s weirdest days.
Taking care of our well-being is really important, but did you know there’s a special day to make sure your plants are feeling good too? Indoor Plant Well-Being Day is taking place on Sunday 2 April. You can get involved by telling your plants jokes, giving them a spa by cleaning, spritzing and feeding them, stroking their leaves or playing peaceful, soothing music to them. Find out more salvationist.org.uk/indoorplantwellbeing.
HE HE, HE HE!
Stimulate your brain cells by taking part in Upside-Down Picture Day. Organisers believe that turning your pictures upside down for just one day can greatly improve your brain power, because it helps you look at things from a different angle. Give it a go on Monday (3 April) and see for yourself! Check out salvationist.org.uk/upsidedownpictureday for more info.
National Five-A-Day Juggling Day is here to help remind people of the importance of eating ve portions of fruit and vegetables a day. All you have to do to take part is juggle your fruits or vegetables before you eat them on Wednesday 5 April. Learn more at salvationist.org.uk/five-a-day-juggling and tell your friends and family so they can join in too!
Don’t be surprised if you see people walking around on tippy toes this Wednesday (5 April)! International Tippy Toes Day is a celebration of ballet dancers around the world and highlights how strong your feet need to be to make it to the top. You could even combine this with National Five-A-Day Juggling Day by juggling your fruit and veg while on tippy toes! Tiptoe over to salvationist.org.uk/tippy-toes to read more about it.
The Kids Alive! team knows how important communication is! That’s why we’re taking part in Intergalactic Talk Like an Alien Day on Friday 7 April. This out-of-this-world celebration is aimed at encouraging better inter-planetary communication. For more information on how you can take part too, visit salvationist.org.uk/alien-day.
This one’s just for fun! Friday 7 April is Garden Gnome Tea Party Day. Organisers are encouraging people to throw a tea party for their garden gnomes with mini teacups and mini cakes. It’s a fabulously fun day and the gnomes love it! Download posters and activities from salvationist.org.uk/gardengnometeaparty
Of course, today (1 April) is most famous for being April Fools’ Day. It’s a day when people traditionally play practical jokes on each other. Some believe this day originates from the time when new year was moved from 1 April to 1 January. People who continued to celebrate the new year in spring were considered fools and had jokes played on them.
In Scotland, April Fools’ was traditionally known as Huntigowk Day, where young people were led from wood to wood looking for the spring cuckoos (gowks) even though it was too early for them to be found. This started a tradition of sending people on daft missions.
In France they shout Poisson d’Avril (April Fish!) instead of April Fools’! It’s believed that lots of sh are easy to catch at this time of year, making them foolish. It’s a common trick to attach a paper sh to someone’s back on 1 April. At least it’s not real sh like it used to be!
Have you been fooled at all this year?
Iael, age 9, sent this Brilliant Bicycle Colouring. We love the long hair you’ve given the cyclist and their out t is so stylish!
Age? 8.
Favourite colour? Blue.
Favourite food? Cheese.
Favourite sport? Golf, football, cricket.
Favourite bit of Kids Alive!? Everything.
Favourite Bible story and why?
David and Goliath, because strength is on the inside, not the outside.
Favourite TV programme?
Captain Underpants, Sonic Prime.
What do you want to be when you’re older? Video game maker.
Pets? None.
Hobbies? Riding my bike. Tell us a joke. What bird can draw?
A pen-guin!
What special skill or talent do you have? I’m double jointed.
Tell us something interesting about yourself. I was born exactly 100 years (to the day) after my great nan.
Is there anything else you would like to tell us? I love tech.
This Brilliant Bicycle Colouring is by Paige, age 6. The colours look fantastic – well done!
A junior soldier is a young member of The Salvation Army Antoni, Danny, Ellie, Ethan, Matthew, Long Eaton.
You might have noticed that the photo on the right is from someone that’s a little bit older than our usual pro les. That’s because we want to tell you more about some of the people behind Right Tracks – some new upbeat, popstyle songs from The Salvation Army. You can check out Sarah’s super singing skills by listening to ‘God Came Down’ and ‘Respect’. Listen to all the Right Tracks tunes by visiting salvationarmy.org.uk/right-tracks or searching for them on streaming platforms, such as Spotify, Apple Music or YouTube.
Check out next week’s Your Space to find out about another of the artists behind Right Tracks
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
Favourite colour? Dark green. Favourite food? Burgers.
Favourite sport? Netball. Favourite bit of Kids Alive!? The jokes.
Favourite Bible story and why?
The feeding of the 5,000, because it shows that even if you only have a little to bring to God, he can turn it into loads. More than enough for everyone. It also shows his compassion and care for people.
Favourite TV programme? Friends.
Pets? I used to have a rabbit called Bugsy.
Hobbies? Singing, travelling, reading and eating out.
Tell us a joke. What do you call a pony with a cough? A little horse!
What special skill or talent do you have? I’m good at planning events and bringing people together.
Tell us something interesting about yourself. I come from a big family, with about 25 first cousins!
I see you’ve been ashore to get some bananas, Pirate Dick.
He said that our pirate headscarves were looking a bit worse for wear…
I have, Patch.
…So he sent me to get some bananas.
