The Power of Movement

One of the most powerful ways to help your child understand the lesson is by moving. Whether it be games, object lessons, or crafts, these activities allow your child to connect with the lesson on a deeper level. Below you will find a variety of resources that will help you do that!

City of Angels
Week 1

"Angels We Have Hidden on High"

  • This month, we're going to play a little game called, "Angels We Have Hidden On High!" Each week, we'll be looking for an angel who seems hidden to us, but is somewhere in this room! 
  • INSTRUCTIONS: Get an angel tree topper (something like this) that you'll use every week this month like "Elf on the Shelf." Hide the angel in plain sight next to a printout of a map of Los Angeles. Have kids silently search the room and once they find the angel, have them return to their seats and make a "halo" by making a circle with their hands above their heads. Remind kids not to shout out the answer or point conspicuously so everyone can have the joy of finding it themselves! 
  • PRETEEN HACK: Invite the first preteen to arrive each week to hide a plush angel somewhere in the room (preferably doing something silly!) and the other kids have to locate it. You can also hide a bunch of small printouts of angels of all shapes and sizes around the room and see if they can find them all (like the Hidden Mickeys at Disneyland).
  • Okay, now that all of you have located the angel, did anyone notice what the item closest to it is? It's a map! This is a city map of Los Angeles, California, whose nickname is "The City of Angels."
  • Maps tell us how to get around and where to find things all over the world. To create a city or town, a tremendous plan has to be made. A map shows us what that plan was and how it looks now.
  • In fact, to do any big project, you need a solid plan!
City of Angels
Week 2

"Angels We Have Hidden on High"

  • INSTRUCTIONS: Get an angel tree topper (something like this) that you'll use every week this month like "Elf on the Shelf." Hide the angel in plain sight next to a calming jar (like this one). Have kids silently search the room and once they find the angel, have them return to their seats and make a "halo" by making a circle with their hands above their heads. Remind kids not to shout out the answer or point conspicuously so everyone can have the joy of finding it themselves! 
  • Okay, now that all of you have located the angel, did anyone notice what the item closest to it is? It's a calming jar! You just need to shake it up, then watch all the glitter settle again.
  • Why do think this jar helps calm us down? 
  • Being able to calm down is an important life skill because there will be many moments when we get worried, stressed out, or afraid. If we let those emotions run around unchecked, we'll be so miserable.
  • Let's find out what calming has to do with today's story in just a few shakes!
  • Speaking of shakes, who wants to try out this calming jar? 
City of Angels
Week 3

"Angels We Have Hidden on High"

  • INSTRUCTIONS: Get an angel tree topper (something like this) that you'll use every week this month like "Elf on the Shelf." Hide the angel in plain sight next to a car air freshener. Have kids silently search the room and once they find the angel, have them return to their seats and make a "halo" by making a circle with their hands above their heads. Remind kids not to shout out the answer or point conspicuously so everyone can have the joy of finding it themselves! 
  • Okay, now that all of you have located the angel, did anyone notice what the item closest to it is? It's a car freshener!
  • You know, in the city, there are lots and lots of cars. For example, in Los Angeles, it's hard to get places if you don't have a car. And for most car owners, there's nothing like the smell of a brand new car. We even have a name for it: New car smell. 
  • Today, we'll see what "newness" has to do with angels and the story of Jesus.
City of Angels
Week 4

"Angels We Have Hidden on High"

  • INSTRUCTIONS: Get an angel tree topper (something like this) that you'll use every week this month like "Elf on the Shelf." Hide the angel in plain sight next to a candy cane. Have kids silently search the room and once they find the angel, have them return to their seats and make a "halo" by making a circle with their hands above their heads. Remind kids not to shout out the answer or point conspicuously so everyone can have the joy of finding it themselves! 
  • Okay, now that all of you have located the angel, did anyone notice what the item closest to it is? It's a candy cane!
  • Other than a sweet treat, what else does a candy cane look like? If you said a shepherd's staff, you'd be right! 
  • We're going to find out something amazing that happened to shepherds in our story today.