Just for Kids June 2024

Hi kids!

Have you ever lost something important to you? It can be very upsetting. When I was younger, I had many toys I liked to play with. But one day, I lost my favourite toy—a stuffed green tree frog named Ribbet. It took three days to find Ribbet, who had been lost in my school bag over the weekend. When I found him, I was so excited and happy, and I put him in a safe place on my bed with the rest of my stuffed animals.

This reminds me of a story that Jesus once told about a shepherd and his lost sheep. Read this issue of Just for Kids to learn what the story means.

Your friend, Abby

The Lost Sheep

Jesus often told stories to help people understand God’s love. One day, many tax collectors and sinners came to listen to Jesus. But some teachers of the law were whispering to each other. They said, “This man is spending time with sinners.”

Then Jesus told them a story about a shepherd who had 100 sheep. But one day, the shepherd realized one of his sheep was missing. So, he left the 99 safe sheep in the field and went looking for the lost one. When he found it, he was overjoyed. He picked it up, put it on his shoulders and carried it home. Then he called out to his friends and neighbours, “Be joyful with me, I have found my lost sheep!”

“It will be the same in heaven,” Jesus said to them. “There will be great joy when one sinner turns away from sin.”

Jesus explained that God is like that shepherd. He cares about everybody, just like the shepherd cared about his sheep. When someone makes a mistake or goes the wrong way, God doesn’t give up on them. He searches for them and when He finds them, He is happy.

Find

Counting Sheep (And Pigs)

Hi kids!

When I was younger, I went to junior music camp at Jackson’s Point, one of The Salvation Army’s summer camps in Ontario. For one week, I got to sing, learn about music and Jesus, sleep in a cabin with friends my age, sit by campfires, play fun games and dress in silly costumes. It was exciting to go to camp that year!

The Salvation Army runs many camps across the territory. Maybe you’ve been to one, too! Summer camps are a great way for kids to enjoy the outdoors, make new friends and learn to see God in all the nature that surrounds us.

Whether you are heading off to camp or exploring the nature in your own neighbourhood, I hope you have an awesome summer.

Your friend, Abby

I Spy

How many of each camping item can you find?

Summer S u doku

Solve the puzzle so that each row, column and 4x4 box contains one of each bug.

Word Scramble

ECPRFMAI

AENRTU CONEA

MISGMWIN

Have you ever been to summer camp? The Salvation Army has amazing camps across the territory, such as Jackson’s Point Camp in Ontario and Pine Lake Camp in Alberta. Some of these camps focus on outdoor adventures, and others are music and creative arts camps, but all of them help kids learn about Jesus and grow closer to Him.

Camping Corner

Which two balloons match?

Hi kids!

If I were throwing a party, I would invite all of you to come celebrate with me. I would get drinks, snacks, streamers and balloons, and I would play fun music that we could all dance to. And it isn’t a party without cake! That sounds like so much fun.

People in the Bible had celebrations, too. Once, they sang and shouted to celebrate a new temple for God. They were so excited to have a new place to worship Him. You can read this issue of Just for Kids to find out what they said.

We can celebrate God anywhere—at church, home or at parties! We can dance, sing, play music, laugh or even cry. God is with us everywhere.

Your friend, Abby

Building God’s Temple

Ezra 3:10-13

Once, a new temple was being built where people could worship God. Special helpers, called Levites, and priests were chosen to serve the Lord at the temple. They also chose musicians who played music and sang to praise God and thank Him. “The Lord is good!” they said.

As the temple was built, people shouted and praised God. Some shed tears because they were happy. The sound of joy and celebration was so loud, it was heard far away!

Word Search

Find words from this week’s Bible story.

What brings you joy?

Take a moment to look around you. What are five things you see that make you happy?

God’s love is all around us. We can find it even in the small things that make us feel joy. Try this exercise two more times this week. No matter where you are, I know you can find five things that make you happy.

Hi kids!

What are some things that make you happy? For me, I feel happiest in the summertime when the weather is warm, the sun is bright and flowers grow in my garden. I love animals, especially horses, and eating watermelon in my backyard. Isn’t it so cool to know that God created all my favourite things? God loves us so much that He made all the beautiful, delicious, fun and exciting things in the world to bring us joy. And, as Christians, we can share this joy with others by telling them about God and His amazing creations.

Your friend, Abby

Summer Colouring

The heavens tell about the glory of God. The skies show that His hands created them. Day after day they speak about it. Night after night they make it known. But they don’t speak or use words. No sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into the whole earth. Their words go out from one end of the world to the other.

—Psalm 19:1-4

When you look up at the sky, what do you see? Sometimes it is blue, other times it is pink. At night, there are stars. It almost looks like a beautiful painting, and it changes every day. No matter where you are in the world, you can look at the sky and see what God has made. What does this mean?

Find 5 Differences

Why do dogs sit in the shade?

How do you talk to a shark? Long distance Because they don’t want to be hot dogs

Hi kids!

Some days just feel like bad days. Maybe you are tired but still have to wake up for school, or it is raining and you forgot an umbrella. Maybe you have too much homework, or a test in your least favourite subject (mine is math). Bad days happen to all of us, and they can feel hard or upsetting. But the good news is, even on the hardest, most terrible, difficult days, God is still with us. Even if it is hard to see, God still gives us blessings on bad days. We might not want to go to school or take a hard test, but at least God gave us an opportunity to have an education. It might be raining outside, but God is helping the plants grow. There is always a reason to celebrate the amazing things that God does for us. So, next time you are having a bad day, say thanks to God anyway.

I hope today is a great one!

Your friend, Abby

The fig trees might not bud. The vines might not produce any grapes. The olive crop might fail. The fields might not produce any food. There might not be any sheep in the pens. There might not be any cattle in the barns. But I will still be glad because of what the Lord has done. God my Saviour fills me with joy.

—Habakkuk 3:17-18

ISSUE26

What does this mean?

When everything seems to be going wrong, there is one thing we can turn to—God’s love. No matter what, He is with us. On hard days, it is OK to say, “I am having a bad day today, but God is still good and makes me happy.”

26-06/29/24

Just for Kids is a Ready to Explore resource, published weekly by The Salvation Army, Canada and Bermuda, 2 Overlea Blvd, Toronto, ON, M4H 1P4. Phone: (416) 422-6119; fax: (416) 422-6217; email: justforkids@salvationarmy.ca. Lyndon Buckingham General; Commissioner Lee Graves, territorial commander; Geoff Moulton, editor-in-chief; Abbigail Oliver, editor; Rivonny Luchas, designer. International Headquarters, 101 Queen Victoria Street, London, England, EC4P 4EP. Subscription for one year, Canada $12 (includes GST/HST); USA $15; foreign $17. Agreement No 40064794. All Scripture references from the Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version, unless otherwise stated. Illustrations: stock.Adobe.com and gettyimages.ca unless otherwise stated. ISSN 2368- 626X

Which rain boot does not have a match? Congratulations! A t Southlands Community Church in Winnipeg, 11 kids were enrolled as junior soldiers. Congratulations to Bisola Olowafe, Levi Prathipati, Atedough Iyeimo, Matias Lavie, Babajide Olowafe, Dawson Penunsi, Michelle Onimole, Joshua Bola-Adeojo, Eldi Iyeimo, Emmanuella Onimole and Bukola Olowafe. It is so great to see so many kids make the Junior Soldier’s Promise!