Fruits of the Holy Spirit Magnets

To explain how the Holy Spirit's presence in our lives is expressed in the Fruits of the Holy Spirit

The children will be able to demonstrate their understanding of how the Holy Spirit's presence in our lives is expressed in the Fruits of the Holy Spirit.

• Bibles
• Colored paper
• Felt
• Cardboard or thick poster paper
• Glue
• Crayons, markers
• Scissors
• Magnet strips

• Open the activity by saying to the children: At Baptism we received the Holy Spirit into our lives. The presence of the Holy Spirit helps us to live the faith that is in us. On Pentecost, we celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit and the strength it gave Jesus' followers after his ascension into heaven.
• Invite the children to open their Bibles to Galatians 5:22-23.
• Before the reading, explain to the children that the Fruits of the Holy Spirit are mentioned in the passage. It is the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives that helps us to express these Fruits.
• At this time, have the children read the passage silently.
• Ask the children: Which of the Fruits of the Holy Spirit are most important to you right now?
• Have the children think about which Fruit they feel is the most important in their lives right now.
• As the children do this, pass out an assortment of felt, colored paper, thick cardboard, glue, scissors, and coloring materials.
• Explain to the children that they will be making Fruits of the Holy Spirit magnets.
• Invite the children to decorate their magnets any way they like. Suggest that they cut shapes from the felt to look like fire, wind, or a dove.
• On colored paper, the children will write the Fruit that is most important in their lives right now and why.
• They will then paste the colored paper onto the felt.
• Using the cardboard or thick poster paper, the children will cut out pieces that are the same size and shape as their felt pieces. This shape will be glued to the back of the felt to make a sturdier magnet.
• When all the children are ready to add a magnet strip to the back of their designs, provide them with small magnet strips.
• Encourage the children to display their magnets somewhere at home where everyone can be reminded of the Holy Spirit.

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Art/Space Smart, Word Smart

Try to have a few magnets made in advance so the children know how their magnets might look.