Rocky’s Plaice under-5s material
Day 2
Pentecost
Acts 2: 1–17
Story
Bible story with sound effects
What you need
• Musical instruments such as tambourines and shakers (optional)
What you do
Give each child an instrument, preferably using only two types such as tambourines and
shakers. If this is not possible, you can improvise sounds, as you tell the story. (Prepare and
practise with the children a signal to show them when to stop using their instruments.)
Then tell the story:
Jesus had gone up to heaven. But he had told his friends to wait for the special helper that
God would send. So all the friends were waiting together in one place. (Shake the instruments
slowly to indicate waiting, or drum your fingers or tap your feet.) Suddenly, there was a sound
like a rushing wind. (Shake the shakers loudly or make ‘whooshing’ noises.) Then the friends
saw what looked like tongues of fire resting on each of their heads. (Shake the tambourines
above your heads or say ‘flicker, flicker’ and wiggle your fingers above your heads.) It was the
special helper coming – God’s Holy Spirit! Suddenly, everyone began to speak all together,
saying different words. (Shake all the instruments together loudly or get everyone to talk at
the same time.)
Outside the building, a crowd gathered. They could hear the friends all talking at once. (Shake
all the instruments together or talk all at the same time.) The amazing thing was that the
friends were using languages from different countries. That meant that everyone in the crowd
could understand what they were saying. ‘How can this happen?’ said the people in the
crowd. ‘These men are from one country, but they are speaking the languages of all our
countries as well! (Shake all the instruments or all talk together.) They are talking about God
and we can understand what they are saying!’
Then Peter, one of Jesus’ friends, spoke to the whole crowd. (Shake just one instrument or
move your hand like a talking mouth.) ‘Jesus did lots of wonderful things, which some of you
have seen. He died but then he came back to life again. Now he has gone up to heaven. But
he has not left us alone. His helper, the Holy Spirit, will be with us for ever.’
Lots of people believed what Peter said. They became friends of Jesus too. (Shake all the
instruments or all say, ‘I want to be a friend of Jesus.’)
Craft
Flame hats
What you need
• Strips of card
• Yellow, orange and red paper
• Glue
• Stapler or sticky tape
What you do
Cut out flame shapes from the coloured paper. Let the children stick them on the strips of
card to make a headband. Wrap it round the child’s head and fasten with sticky tape or
staples.
Let the children wear their flame hats and explain that when God’s Holy Spirit came for the
first time, Jesus’ friends could see what looked like flames on each person’s head. It was a
special sign that God’s Holy Spirit had come to help them live like Jesus.
You could use the flame hats in your Bible story, putting them on at the appropriate moment.
Flame painting
What you need
• Large sheets of paper (A3 at least)
• Red, yellow and orange paint
• Paint pots and brushes
• Table covers
• Painting aprons or old shirts
• Clean-up and cover-up materials
What you do
Cut a large flame shape from each piece of paper. Encourage the children to paint freely on
the flame shapes, talking about the colours on the flame and how strange they would look on
someone’s head. Many children will want to paint more than one shape.
After the paintings have dried you may want to display the flames on the wall.
Activity
Acting out
What you do
Talk with the children about feelings. Ask them to show you with their faces and bodies how
they look when they are excited and happy, sad and scared, and when they are brave.
Say the rhyme to the children, stopping at intervals to talk about the feelings of Jesus’ friends
and encourage the children to show those feelings:
Friends of Jesus met together,
Feeling sad, but still they prayed.
They said, ‘Jesus, how we love you,
Though we can’t see you today!’
Friends of Jesus, quietly waiting,
Heard a noise like rushing air,
Saw what looked like flames of fire
Rest on everybody there.
Friends of Jesus, feeling braver,
Talked of Jesus and his love.
Using different words they spoke
To crowds and praised their God above!
Friends of Jesus, many people
Joined God’s family that day.
Holy Spirit came to help us
Learn to trust God and obey.
Repeat the rhyme again straight through with you and the children showing the feelings of
Jesus’ friends.
Prayer and praise
Then and now
What you do
The two verses of this action prayer compare and contrast the experience of the early church
and our experience today: Jesus sends his Holy Spirit to be with all of us. Repeat the same
actions in the second verse.
Jesus’ friends were lonely and afraid. (Curl up.)
Jesus’ friends were waiting for his help. (Look around.)
Jesus sent his friends the Holy Spirit. (Begin to stand up.)
To make them strong and brave and happy in his love. (Stretch arms up high.)
Sometimes I am lonely and afraid.
Sometimes I am waiting for your help.
Thank you that you sent the Holy Spirit,
To make me strong and brave and happy in your love.
Suggested songs
‘Holy Spirit flow’ Ish in the Box Ishmael
‘Quick on your feet again’ Ish in the Box 2 Ishmael
‘What noise shall we make?’ Mr Cow Julia Plaut