Happy Mothers’ Day! Here are our ideas for today 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 Jesus washing the disciple’s feet.

Teaching Point

Jesus shows his friends that he loves them and that he is their servant and their king.

Programme

• Let’s Pretend: Shoe shop – various pairs of shoes, shoe boxes, cash till with money, shopping bags, plastic chairs put in a row), mirror (lent against the wall so they can see their feet).

• Book corner: Couple of beanbags in the corner – cosy up and read a story together, maybe you have one about feet or shoes otherwise you could look for a book about friends, food and eating or share a story about Jesus.

• Puzzles & games: do you have a puzzle that has lots of people in it, how many shoes/ feet can you count?

• Physical play: Talk to the children about what we can do with our feet, we can kick a football, run, jog, hop, big footsteps etc. How muddy are your shoes after you’ve played football/outside in the garden? What would it have been like for Jesus to wash the disciples feet when they were all muddy and dusty? What would you think if Jesus washed your shoes or your feet?

• Messy/malleable play: Playdough – plastic body parts or make playdough people. Paint- get a large sheet of paper, painty footprints along the paper, then wash your feet or wash each others. Look up artists that paint with their feet, absolutely incredible. See what you can paint or draw just using your feet. How easy is it to hold the paintbrush or pen in your toes?

• Sand/water: Water – bathing dolls. Baby bath, bubbly water, dolls, towels, dolls clothes and nappies. You could always put a tiny bit of paint on a plastic doll prior to them washing it, so the paint is dry and then the children have to wash it off.

• Game: ‘Grandmothers footsteps’ or ‘Follow my leader’ or set up an obstacle course to play together especially one that uses lots of movement of your feet.

Story time

Reception age and younger (Fruitshoots & Acorns at Vineyard Kids)

Find your Bible at home and read the story of Jesus washing his disciples feet together.

You could read this story from the Beginners Bible page 437-441 (John 13:3-30) or act it out with the children with a grown up telling the story and another grown up being Jesus with a towel washing the children’s feet and then the children can take it in turns to wash everyone’s feet.

Washing the Disciples’ Feet

Jesus and his disciples gathered together for a special Passover meal. Jesus Knew he would be leaving them soon.

After supper, Jesus removed his outer clothing. He wrapped a towel around his waist. Then he filled a bowl with water. Jesus washed and dried the disciples’ feet, one by one.

Then it was Peter’s turn. He said to Jesus, “Lord, you should never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “I must wash your feet for you to be part of my kingdom.” Then he said to them all, “As I have washed your feet, you must wash each other’s feet.” By doing this, Jesus showed his friends how to love and serve each other.

Jesus said to them, “One of you will turn against me tonight.” His disciples were shocked and said, “We would never do that!” Who will turn against you?” John asked. “The one I give this piece of bread to,” said Jesus. He handed it to Judas and said, “Do what you must.” Judas and said, “Do what you must.” Judas quickly left.

School years 1-6 (Hive at Vineyard Kids)

Introduction: We are continuing going to find out ‘Who Jesus is’ by looking at the Easter story. You could read the story or act it out with the children with a grown up telling the story and another grown up being Jesus with a towel washing the children’s feet and then the children can take it in turns to wash everyone’s feet.

Washing the Disciples’ Feet - John 13

Jesus knew that not everyone liked him. He knew the leaders were angry with him. In fact, they were so angry and so jealous, they wanted to kill him and Jesus knew that, too.

Jesus had his special friends: Peter, Andrew, James, John, Philip Bartholomew, Simon, Matthew, James, Thomas, Thaddaeus and Judas. They had been his friends for a long time and Jesus taught them many things.

One night, they all got together for dinner. While they were eating, Jesus got up. He put a towel on like an apron. He poured water into a large bowl. Then he began to wash his friends’ feet. When Jesus got to Peter’s feet, Peter said, “I cannot let you wash my feet.” Jesus said “If you don’t let me wash your feet, you can’t follow me” Peter said “In that case, wash my hands and my head too!”

After Jesus washed his friends’ feet, he asked, “Do you understand what I did? I showed you how to be kind and serve each other.”

Message and Prayer time

Up to 3 years old (Fruitshoots)

Thank you that you washed your friend’s feet because you loved them. Thank you that you love us Jesus! Thank you for our mummies. What do you love about Mummy (or another grown up)? How can you help Mummy (or another grown up)?

From 3 years to Reception age (Acorns)

Jesus showed his friends how to love and to help each other. Jesus wants us to love and help one another. Ask your children how can we help our friends or Mummy and Daddy at home and show them that we love them? Especially, at the moment with this nasty bug around that makes people poorly, how can we help people and show them that Jesus loves them? Pray that God will help us to be helpful and show people how much we love them and how much Jesus loves them.

School years 1-6 (Hive)

Sum Up: Jesus shows his friends that he loves them and that he is their servant and their king.

During the Passover meal (now known as Maundy Thursday), Jesus got up from the table and exchanged his clothing for that of a servant and washed the disciples' feet. The lesson for the disciples, according to Jesus (John 13:12-16), included the physical demonstration that they were to be servants of each other just as he was their servant.

Jesus’s friends would have had very dirty feet and it would have been a servant that would have washed their feet if you went to another person’s house. Jesus was showing his friends how much he loved them and how he wanted them to become servants for each other, to serve each other when was he was gone.

Pray that we would learn to serve others. Get the children to pray for their mums especially because it’s Mothers’ Day but also thanking God for the way our mums serve us and the many things they do for us.