Here’s a fun Children’s Ministry and Children’s Church game, object lesson, and activity on Forgiveness.

GAME: GRAB A SHEEP

Supplies: Cotton balls, spoons, and baskets or buckets

Prep: Scatter “sheep” (cotton balls) around the room.

How to Play:

1. Divide kids into teams.
2. Each team has a spoon and a “pen” (basket).
3. One at a time, they run, scoop up a sheep (cotton ball) with their spoon, and carry it back without dropping it.
4. If they drop it, they have to go back to the start.
5. The first team to rescue all their sheep wins!

Connect: Peter had the mission to care of Jesus’s followers – His “sheep.” But like in our game, he sometimes messed up.

TEACH – JESUS FORGIVES PETER (JOHN 21:15-19)

Read John 21:15-19 and explain what happened in your own words.

OBJECT LESSON – BROKEN AND RESTORED

Supplies: One paper heart cutout (for the leader) and a marker

How to Do It:

1. Share a time when you messed up and did something wrong.
2. Write it down on one side of their heart, then crumple it up.
3. Talk about how Peter messed up by denying Jesus.
4. Smooth out the heart and write “forgiveness” on the other side.

Connect: Even when we mess up, Jesus forgives us and doesn’t throw us away.

ACTIVITY – CLEAN SLATE

Supplies:

• Small black construction paper or black foam sheets (chalkboard-style)
• White chalk or chalk markers
• Baby wipes or tissues

Instructions:

1. Write “Mess Ups” or “Sin” with Chalk. Ask kids to write or draw examples of “mess-ups” or “sin” on their black sheet with chalk (ex: lied to parents, was mean to their sister, etc.).
2. Wipe It Clean. Then give them a baby wipe or tissue and let them gently erase their chalk marks. Watch how the board becomes clean again. 

SAY: Just like this chalkboard, when we ask Jesus to forgive us, He wipes our hearts clean!

Connect: Talk about how Jesus wipes our sins away.

(End Lesson.)  

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