When I teach Moses crossing the Red Sea to my Sunday School I like to make it into a “walking and talking lesson.” It’s usually the middle of winter and they’ve been cooped up with bad weather, also I want them to think about why the Israelites might be complaining. So, the lesson is delivered while walking.
My thoughts on Moses Crossing the Red Sea
I’ve always found this part of Moses’ story rather amazing. The Israelites have just seen God do all of these amazing things, and their first thought when they see the Red Sea is “We’re going to die!” God just did 10 amazing miracles, and that’s your first thought? I know we’re all like that, but it still amazes me. Lather, rinse, repeat, and a few weeks later we’re at the same point again as the kids, I mean Israelites, say the exact same thing for a different reason.
This week, for our Red Sea activities we focused a lot on acting it out. I actually had about three crafts planned, but the kids had made such a huge mess we spent most of our allotted time cleaning and getting space to do our Red Sea activities.
My overly dramatic kids loved the chance to act out the story for me. The shock as they saw the “Red” Sea of blankets, then the solution, all 3 Moses (Mosi?) raised their staff in the air, and the Israelites hopped across on dry land. Then sadly the Red Sea collapsed on the Egyptian army wiping them out.
The kids loved it, but wait there’s more to the story. Thematically, the Israelites, didn’t just complain once…… No……. It was multiple times. They also complained about water, when I tell this to my Sunday School class we stop at different points to act out parts, before this part I have them run a couple of laps so they’re thirsty. When we get to the bitter water, I give each of them a small eye dropped of vinegar on their tongues…..
The faces they make, and boy are they happy to get the real water I give them after.
But this was the kids absolute favorite activity. We played this game several times, and it’s been a big hit in my Sunday School class as well (there we make it more difficult with some challenges added in).
Manna from heaven game
I grabbed a couple of empty cans, and a shoe box full of Pom Poms
*To make it more difficult in Sunday School different teams can only get a specific color of pom pom. I also described the manna from heaven game in detail.*
One of the times Superman left two cans full of pom poms, which led perfectly to my changing one out for a can of “bad mana,” and boy was he upset to see his mana had gone bad. But, it led to a great discussion about obedience, and when God (or Mom) says do something, there’s usually a reason behind it, not just our trying to be mean.
He wasn’t entirely convinced, but I could see his mind working through it, and that’s good enough for me.
As always you can get the book, activities, discussion questions, and more by clicking on the picture above or clicking on Crossing the Red Sea activities, story, and more.
Additional resources to use:
Buck Denver Asks: What’s in the Bible? Volume Two – Let My People Go
For more ideas on Moses check out our Moses page, or my “Exodus pinterest board” (it’s in quotes because it covers more than Exodus). For more information about this Bible Curriculum head to my Curriculum page.
Really cool activities. I think my daughter would have enjoyed your Sunday school 🙂
You really do have some lucky Sunday School kids!
Hee, hee…Mosi 🙂 The manna game is brilliant.
I had to laugh about that too.
It is probably the most popular game we’ve done in my Sunday School class.