OPTION 1: CAN YOU FIND IT?
The children’s book series Where’s Waldo? challenges kids (of all ages) to find Waldo, wearing a red and white striped shirt and hat, in an illustration featuring many people. Each two-page spread provides another challenge to find Waldo in a new setting.
Create a version of this activity for the youth as they arrive at Sabbath School. Pick an item they can try to find in the church, such as a vase, family Bible, specific offering basket, or something else. Choose something they would readily recognize that wouldn’t necessarily stand out at church. Give the youth a time limit, such as five minutes after the start of Youth Sabbath School, to be back to the youth room and report where they found the object.
Explain that they are being sent as “spies” to search the church facility to find what you have described. You may wish to show the youth a picture of the item (though not in its current setting). As “spies” they have to fit in and not be conspicuous as they scan the church.
When reporting begins at the five-minute mark, consider not only whether they found the object, but how conspicuous were they in their “spying.” Feel free to alert a deacon or two in advance and have them report what they observed.
OPTION 2: BALANCING ACT
NOTE: This activity involves challenging people’s sense of personal space. Not all youth may be comfortable with this activity, so give them an opportunity to volunteer.
Today’s lesson includes 12 spies who entered Canaan for the purpose of giving a report to the Israelites. What’s a good way to spy in a foreign land? Is this the same as being a good witness for Jesus, or is it different? We often promote witnessing, but how much can you witness as a spy?
Some may indicate there’s a time to stick out and a time to blend in. It might be hard to know which time is which! Actually, it’s a balancing act. And today we’re going to try a literal balancing act.
Place a few strips of masking tape on the floor and challenge Youth Sabbath School participants to fit everyone who volunteered for this activity inside the masking tape lines. If you have a large group of 10 or more, make two or more similar masking tape outlines of similar size on the floor. You can also use carpet squares.
Try it again with a masking tape outline half the size. The group will have to squish together quite a bit more.
If you think it might be possible, try it one more time with an even smaller masking tape outline. See if they can hold their position for a minimum of five seconds. If you have more than one group, they can compete against each other. If you have just one group, that group can compete against the clock.
OPTION 3: 5-MINUTE COUNTDOWN VIDEO
This week we are repeating a new, original song created specifically for Youth Sabbath School called “I Wish.” It’s available under Music Options and also as a 5-minute countdown video. Start this five minutes before Youth Sabbath School begins, and be sure you start when the video ends! It’s just background music for the first half, but at 2:27 the singing begins. Hearing a song several times is necessary to get it into your memory. Hum along, sing along, take it to heart.
TRANSITION
As we consider “Get Over Yourself!” today, remember that it’s often easier to see what you think others should do than to see what you should do for yourself. How can we see beyond our own reality? Two quick ways are input from others, especially those we trust and to whom we listen. The second is God’s input, provided we’re listening and seeking it. Those concepts are woven into the lesson today, but you might already have an insight just from the opening activity!