Provide students with an assortment of building blocks and toys. Ask children to work together to make an Ark to hold toy animals to save them from a flood. Children will feel sympathy for the animals and will work together while learning about fundamental building properties as they create a model ark. Suggest that children create a rudimentary boat shape by placing a layer of blocks flat on the ground as the floor of the ark, then adding walls and a piece of cardboard to the top as a roof. Suggest that children experiment with variations of this simple structure. They will learn how to balance the blocks on top of one another while exercising their creativity as they create an architectural design. Help the children build and tell them the story of Noah’s Ark while they carry out the activity. Enhance the drama and adventure of this story when recounting it to children to hold their attention.
Give each child a piece of paper, as well as pencils, crayons and other art materials. Write a list of different animals on a piece of paper and pin to the wall so it is visible to everyone. Ask children to draw an animal that they choose from the list. Talk about the story of Noah’s Ark and the pairs of animals that the boat carried while they draw. Once everyone is done, arrange the children in groups based on which animals they chose to draw. Ask each group to work together to retell the story of Noah’s Ark to the class.
Put on a re-enactment of the story of Noah’s Ark. Tell the students the tale in clear and engaging language that they will be sure to understand. Ask for volunteers to dress up as different animals. Assign one student to play the part of Noah. Use church costumes or implement scrap fabric and face paint to make your own. Give Noah a loose fitting T-shirt or a robe, as well as a walking stick if available. Use a large cardboard box as the ark. Guide children as they re-enact the story and consider repeating the performance for parents.
Spend the first portion of your Sunday school lesson telling children the story of Noah’s Ark. Host a quiz in a style similar to Jeopardy. Offer prizes such as candies or stickers to winners to give children an incentive to try their hardest. Ask questions such as who is Noah, how many sons did he have, what instructions did God give Noah, how many people rode on the ark and who closed the door to the ark? You can also ask how many days and nights the rain fell and how did Noah know that God would not send another flood. Let the children take turns answering the questions and reward children for answering correctly.