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Indoor Activity  ·  Rainy Day

The Obedience Course

Jesus did hard things because He loved His Father — and us.

✅  Classroom-ready  ·  One at a time  ·  5 stations
💡 Why This Activity
Jesus didn't have to be baptized. He had never sinned. But He chose to fully identify with us — to show us the way, to obey His Father, and to launch the mission that would lead Him all the way to the cross. This course makes that obedience physical and memorable.
Setup at a Glance
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Time per kid
~45–60 sec per run-through. Use the timer below.
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Group size
One child through at a time. Rest of group cheers.
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Space needed
Arranged around the classroom. No large open floor needed.
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Rainy day version
Everything works indoors. No playground or gym required.
The 5 Stations
1
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Stack the Cups
Build a tower of 5 cups — then knock it down
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Set out 5–6 plastic or paper cups. The child must stack them into a pyramid as fast as they can. Once done, they knock it over and move on.
"Jesus built His life on obedience — one step at a time, all the way from the manger to the river to the cross. Every step counted."
2
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Jump the Rope
Jump over a rope laid on the floor 5 times
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Lay a jump rope, tape line, or strip of cloth on the floor. The child jumps back and forth over it 5 times. Or have two helpers hold it low and they jump over once.
"Jesus stepped into the Jordan River — a line He didn't have to cross. But He crossed it for us. He jumped in on purpose, for love."
3
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Shoot the Basket
Make 1 basket with a soft ball
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Use a small bin, trash can, or hoop taped to the wall. The child keeps trying until they make it — no time pressure here, just persistence. Cheer them on!
"Jesus didn't quit. From baptism to the garden to the cross — He kept going because His love for us was bigger than the hard thing."
4
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Draw on the Board
Draw a dove on the whiteboard — as fast as they can
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At the whiteboard (or a piece of paper taped to the wall), the child draws a dove as best they can in 15 seconds. It doesn't have to be perfect — it just has to be a bird! Leave the drawings up to look at afterward.
"At Jesus' baptism, the Holy Spirit came down looking like a dove. God showed up — not in fire or thunder, but gently. That's the Spirit."
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Hear God's Voice
Say the key verse out loud
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At the final station, a card (or the screen) shows the verse. The child reads it or repeats it after the teacher:

"You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased." — Mark 1:11

Then the teacher says to the child: "God says that to you too."
"God didn't wait until Jesus performed miracles to say 'I love you.' He said it at the beginning. That's how God loves — before you earn it."
Station Timer
0:45
🕷 The Trinity at the Baptism
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Jesus
In the water — fully human, fully God, fully obedient
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Holy Spirit
Descends like a dove — God's presence made visible
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The Father
Speaks from heaven — "This is my Son whom I love"
"All three — Father, Son, Spirit — present in one moment at the river. Heaven came down to say: this is real, this matters, and I am pleased."
How to Run It
1
Before class: Set up 5 stations around the room. Print or display the verse at Station 5. Have cups, rope, ball, whiteboard markers ready.
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Intro (1 min): "Jesus didn't have to be baptized — He never sinned. But He did it anyway to obey God and fully be one of us. Today we're going to move through a course just like Jesus moved through something hard for love."
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Run it: One child at a time goes through all 5 stations. Rest of the class cheers. Use the timer above. Give everyone a turn.
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After each run: Say the station connection aloud as each child finishes. The connection points are in the station cards above — quick, punchy, memorable.
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Close (2 min): Everyone sits. "Jesus went through hard things for us. And at His baptism, God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit were ALL there. That's the Trinity — three in one. And together they were saying: this is real. This is love."
Supplies Needed
5–6 plastic or paper cups
Jump rope or tape on floor
Soft ball (foam or crumpled paper)
Bin, can, or taped hoop
Whiteboard + markers
Printed or screen verse card