Many new teachers worry that without the proper teaching equipment their lessons will not interest the children. Actually, young children are equipped with a special feature that allows them to see wonders in something as simple as a piece of rope or string. It's called an imagination. Try giving your students' imaginations a workout with these ideas. Here is a hint. Most of these activities work best with finger-size jute rope or yarn-type string.

Act Out a Bible Story

Use string to make all kinds of "jewelry" such as necklaces, bracelets, belts, headbands, rings, hair bows, and tassels. Have part of your class be Egyptians and give their jewelry to the Israelites, the rest of your class.

Place two lengths of rope on the floor to represent the two sides of the Red Sea. Have the Israelites cross the Red Sea. Loop a short piece of rope around the waist of each Egyptian "horse". Let a charioteer stand behind each horse and hold the reins. Some children might want to be foot soldiers with bows made with string and rulers or short sticks. It's best to imagine the arrows. When Moses stretches his hand over the sea, the Egyptians fall under imaginary waves and the Israelites shout for joy. Be sure to allow time to switch parts and play it again.

Use rope to outline Noah's ark and frayed rope or yarn to make beards, wigs, whisk-ers, and tails. Choose students to play Noah and his family and let the rest be animals. It doesn't matter if there are not enough children to play all the parts. If you suggest it, they can easily imagine the missing people or animals.

An empty cereal box wrapped in plain paper can be decorated to look like David's harp. Wrap string several times around its length and the children can pretend to soothe Saul or sing a psalm.

Illustrate a Bible Story

With bits of rope, string, and people made of paper or frozen treat sticks you can illustrate Rahab hiding the two spies under stalks of flax (small pieces of frayed rope) and then let them down by a cord (piece of string) through her window on the town wall. Or illustrate the men who let their friend's bed down through the roof of a house so he could be healed by Jesus.

Yarn-type string is easy to glue on a child's drawing to give a 3-D effect. Use it to outline anything. It is especially helpful as ship's rigging, fishing lines and nets, clothes, and hair.

Remember a Bible Story

In ancient times knots in ropes or string were used for counting and keeping track of events, sheep, and other important information. Tape a length of colored yarn to each child's name card. Put a knot in it to mark accomplishments such as each Bible school class attended or memory verse learned. When there are ten knots on a string, add a new string. The children can count their accomplishments as they feel each knot and some of them will learn to count by tens.

Place a rope or string in a circle shape on the floor. As you walk slowly around on the rope sing a song, say a Bible scripture, or chant a verse about following Jesus step by step. Sit inside the circle and talk about being in a circle of love. Step outside the circle and show how sad we'd be outside God's love. Then jump back inside the circle and share hugs.

Use string to turn paper cups into an old fashioned "play telephone". The lines don't have to be long and they don't even have to work to have fun calling each other with the good news that Jesus loves us. Shy students would much rather say the Bible verse over the pretend phone than in front of the class.

The traditional memory jogger is a string tied around a finger. Tie a string on a stu-dent's finger (not too tight!) to remind him to give a hug to someone he loves or a smile to someone who looks sad. A string on a finger can also be a reminder to thank God for special blessings. Put a reminder string on each of the four fingers of the left hand and do this finger play.

String, cord, colorful yarn, and rope can become many different things in a child's imagination. They are inexpensive, easy to find, and can even be used to improve the memory. What more could we ask. Tie a string around your finger so you won't forget!

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Jerry W. Brown, Producer/Administrative Director
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