Here are some ideas that you could do with your children at home, that link the children’s everyday experiences to the Bible. As you play or create, you can talk about what happened in the story of Christmas, when the Simeon and Anna met Jesus.

You could watch this video of the story:

TEACHING POINT

God always keeps His promises. Help us to be patient as God’s timing is the best.

PROGRAMME

Let’s Pretend

Post office - write letters to their friends/family. Set up table and chairs with envelopes and paper and old Christmas cards if you have them and children can write letters of encouragement/ Christmas cards/ words of prophecy.

Simeon and Anna craft

Simeon and Anna were both very patient waiting for God to send them Jesus. Why don’t you make a clock to remind you to be patient when waiting for something that you have asked God for.

Messy play

Put some porridge oats and glitter in a bowl – add some spoons, pouring utensils and scoops and have some fun pouring and scooping.

Puzzle

Source

So either pick a puzzle and enjoy completing it. Or you could print out this picture of Simeon and Anna and then using a puzzle piece draw an outline over the top to create your own Simeon and Anna puzzle. Then with your children talk about how Simeon and Anna had been waiting and waiting for their last piece of the puzzle to come and when they met baby Jesus, they felt that the puzzle had been completed. This wonderful, little baby was what they had all been waiting for!

MESSAGE AND PRAYER TIME

God always keeps His promises. Help us to be patient.

Up to 3 years old (Fruitshoots)

Pray over your children and ask God to bless them. Tell them that God thinks that they are all special and He is their Father and they are all his incredible sons and daughters whom he loves very much. He will always keep his promises to them and he will always take care of them.

From 3 years to Reception age (Acorns)

Pray with your children and ask God to bless them. Tell them that God thinks that they are all special and He is their Father and they are all his incredible sons and daughters whom he loves very much. He will always keep his promises to them and He will always take care of them. And remind them that when we ask God for something, just like Anna and Simeon did, sometimes God makes us wait until the right time and we just need to be patient because God’s timing is the best!

School years 1-6 (Hive)

A thought: Have you ever had to wait for something special?

Pray with your children and ask God to bless them. Tell them that God thinks that they are all so special to Him and He is their Father and they are all his incredible sons and daughters whom he loves very much. He will always keep his promises to them and He will always take care of them. And remind them that when we ask God for something, just like Anna and Simeon did, sometimes God makes us wait until the right time and we just need to be patient because God’s timing is the best!

Pray!