The Basket Boat

Bible Verse
But I will remember the Lord’s deeds; yes, I will remember your wondrous
acts from times long past. (Psalm 77:11)

Bible Story
Exodus 1:8-14; 2:1-10

Leap of Faith
God is with me when I need help.

Before You Begin

M any of God’s wondrous acts can be found in the epic story of Moses. Over
the next few weeks, we will remember the Lord’s deeds as we explore Moses’
journey and the fulfillment of God’s promises.
The story of Moses starts in the land of Egypt. Many years had passed since the
time Joseph and his family were welcomed into the pharaoh’s land. A new king had
come into power, and the Hebrew people had grown significantly in population.
The Egyptian king feared that the Hebrew people would turn against the Egyptians
and join their enemies in war. He decided, therefore, to make slaves of the Hebrew
people and work them with hard labor. Despite the king’s efforts to stop the growth
of the Hebrew population, God was with them and they continued to grow. This
angered the Egyptians, and they worked the people even harder. Eventually, to
prevent any further population growth, the king ordered that all Hebrew newborn
boys were to be killed.
Moses’ mother feared for the life of her child. She decided to place her baby in a
basket and float him along the Nile River. The Nile was a place of constant activity,
and she hoped that among the bustle of everyday life, someone would take notice of
her baby.
Read Exodus 2:1-10. Moses’ mother loved him and wanted desperately for him to
live. She took action. She did what she could and then trusted God to take care of
the rest. When she needed help, God was there.
Children understand the need for help better than most adults. As adults, we often
fail to ask for the help of others. Instead of burdening someone else, we often try to
do things on our own. God wants us to ask for help. God is ready to intervene on
Requires
our behalf and uplift us with God’s mighty acts.
preparation.
The story of Moses teaches us that even in the most daunting situations, our God
can be trusted to help. As you prepare to teach this new quarter, pray for God’s help.
Pray that through the miraculous story of Moses, God’s love can touch each and
every child, while reminding us of God’s unstoppable power.
Explore Interest Groups
The following activities are planned as interest centers to introduce today’s theme.
Be sure that there is at least one adult leader to welcome the children and direct
them to the interest centers of their choice. An adult will be needed at each interest
center to lead the activity and interact with the children.

Sink or Float? (Science Activity)

Supplies: play dough, plastic tub, water, plastic tablecloth, towels TIP
Have towels available to
Cover the work area with a plastic tablecloth. Partially fill a plastic tub with dry hands and arms.
water and place it on the plastic cloth.
• Give each child a lump of play dough. Show the children how to shape the play
dough into balls.
ASK: Do you think our play dough will float? Let’s find out.
• Have the children place their balls in the water. The balls will sink. Take the balls
out of the water and give them back to the children.
• Help the children shape the play dough balls into boat shapes.
ASK: Now do you think our play dough will float? Let’s find out.
• Have the children place their boats in the water. The boats should float.
SAY: The play dough balls did not float because they were the wrong shape. When
we made the play dough into boats, they floated because the water pushes upward
on the bottom of the boats. Today’s story is about baby Moses. Moses’ mother had
to hide her baby to keep him safe. She made a basket big enough for her baby. She
painted the basket with sticky stuff called tar so that it would float. Then she hid
baby Moses by floating the basket on the river.

Make a Baby and a Basket (Art Activity)

Supplies: Reproducible A, lunch-size paper bags, black crayons, gluesticks, tissue paper
or gauze strips, adult scissors

Photocopy “Baby Moses” (Reproducible A) for each child. Cut off the strips at
the top and bottom of the page (cut on solid lines). Cut tissue paper or gauze strips
into smaller pieces.
• Give each child a lunch-size paper bag.
SAY: Moses’ mother had to hide her baby to keep him safe from a mean king. She
made a basket big enough to hold baby Moses. She covered the basket with sticky
stuff called tar. The tar made it so the basket would float. Let’s make a basket out of
our paper bags and pretend to add tar. Tar is usually black, so let’s use black crayons
to color our bags.
• Have the children color both sides of their paper bags. Instruct the children to
especially color down near the bottom of the bags.
• As they finish coloring, help each fold his or her bag into a basket. Fold the top of
the bag down inside the bag so that the top edge touches the inside bottom of the
bag. Fold the top down once again so that the bag now measures about 21/2 inches
high.

2 GROW • Proclaim • Serve • Large Group/Small Group Ages 3–6

 • Give each child the page with the baby’s face (Reproducible A).
• Let the children decorate the face with crayons or markers.
• Show the children how to fold the page in half along the dotted line. Encourage
the children to create a blanket underneath the face by gluing on small pieces of
tissue paper or gauze.
SAY: After Moses’ mother made the basket, she wrapped Moses in soft cloths just
like we wrap babies in blankets today. You have “wrapped” your baby Moses in soft
cloths, now lets put him in the basket.
• Help the children roll the folded page into a tube. Tape the ends together to make
baby Moses. Encourage the children to place baby Moses in the basket.

Make an Egyptian Collar (Art Activity)

Supplies: inexpensive paper plates, adult scissors, crayons or markers, optional: stickers
TIP
Cut the center out of an inexpensive paper plate for each child, leaving the rim Search for “Egyptian
of the plate to make an Egyptian collar. collars” and then click
on “images” to find
• Give each child a paper plate rim. pictures online.
SAY: Today our Bible story is about baby Moses. Baby Moses was born in a country
called Egypt. The king and princesses in Egypt wore fancy collars. Sometimes the
collars had colorful jewels. Let’s make collars like a king or princess in Egypt.
• Encourage the children to decorate the rim of the paper plate with many different
colors. If you provided stickers, let the children add the stickers.
• Help each child put on the collar.

Taking Care of Baby (Game Activity)

Supplies: paper bag; baby blanket; diaper; one or more baby toys; other baby items,
such as baby clothing, baby shoes, board books, and so forth

Place the baby items in a paper bag.

• Set the bag of items on one side of the room.
• Have the children line up on the opposite side of the room (or at least a few feet TIP
away from the bag). If you do not have
baby items available,
SAY: Today our Bible story is about a baby named Moses. Moses’ mother, Moses’
borrow them from your
sister, and a princess all wanted to help take care of Moses and keep him safe.
church’s nursery.
ASK: What are some of the things we need to take care of babies?
SAY: I have some of those things in this bag. (Show the children the bag.) I will
name something for each one of you to find and tell you how to move. You will go to
the bag, find the thing I named, and then bring it back to me.
• Choose a child to begin the game.
EXAMPLE: (Child’s name), hop to the bag and bring me a baby blanket.
• Continue until each child has had a turn.

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Large Group
Bring the children together to experience the Bible story and worship. Use a bell or
shofar to alert the children that it is Large Group Time.

Follow the River (Transition Activity)

Supplies: masking tape

Place a strip of masking tape on the floor leading from your interest activities to
your large group area. If possible, wind the strip around the room.
SAY: Today our Bible story is about baby Moses. Moses’ mother had to hide baby
Moses to keep him safe. She hid baby Moses in the tall grasses along the river. Let’s
pretend our tape is the river. Let’s follow the river to story time.
• Lead the children to your large group area.

Visit Leaper’s Pointe

Supplies: Grow Video, television or projector and screen

• Show the children the Leaper’s Pointe video for today’s session.
SAY: Welcome to Leaper’s Pointe! In today’s episode, you will meet the Mayor
of Leaper’s Pointe, Merrilee McAfee, and the twins, Harley and Farley. Farley is
building a raft to send Harley’s outgrown toy dog, Captain Woof Woof, down the
river!

Learn the Bible Verse

Supplies: Psalm 77:11 Bible Verse Poster

Display the Bible Verse Poster.

• Play the Bible verse sign language at the end of today’s session. Help the children
to learn two of the signs from American Sign Language for the words: I,
remember.
• Encourage the children to sign the words as they say a portion of the Bible verse,
“I will remember your wondrous acts” (Psalm 77:11).

Moving With the Bible Story

Supplies: “A Baby in a Boat” Story Handout, babies and baskets made earlier TIP
• Have the children sit down. Give each child his or her baby and basket made If you chose not to
earlier. have the children make
the babies and baskets
SAY: Listen to the story. Each time someone rocks the baby in the story, rock your baby
earlier, let each child
Moses.
simply pretend to rock a
• Read the story, “A Baby in a Boat.” Encourage the children to participate by baby in his or her arms
rocking the baby Moses doll and placing the doll in the basket. as you tell the story.
SAY: The story of Moses is special. It shows us that God is with us when we need
help. God was with Moses and helped Moses’ mother, Moses’ sister, and the princess
keep baby Moses safe. It was a wonderful act of God.

4 GROW • Proclaim • Serve • Large Group/Small Group Ages 3–6

Worship
Supplies: CD Player, scarfs or crepe paper streamers (one for each child)

• Give each child a scarf or a crepe paper streamer.

• Play a familiar worship song and encourage children to sing along and wave their
streamers to the music.
• Have the children sit down. Collect their scarfs or streamers.
• Sing the song, “Down by the River Nile” (printed in the column at right), with the
children. Encourage the children to clap their hands as they sing. Down by the River Nile
• Repeat the shorter portion of the Bible verse with the children: “I will remember (Tune: “Down by the
your wondrous acts” (Psalm 77:11). Encourage the children to sign the words I Riverside”)
and remember using American Sign Language.
His mother made him
SAY: God was with baby Moses when he needed help. God is always with us. a basket boat.
• Say the following action poem, “I Can Remember.” Encourage the children to Down by the river Nile.
repeat each line after you and do the motions. Down by the river Nile.
Down by the river Nile.
PRAY: God, thank you for being with us when we need help. We remember that you His mother made him
are with us all the time. Amen. a basket boat.
• Dismiss the children to their small groups. Down by the river Nile.
Down by the river Nile.
His mother put him
inside the boat.
Down by the river Nile.
Down by the river Nile.
Down by the river Nile.
When I wake up in the morning… When I play with friends…
His mother put him
I can remember. I can remember. I can remember. I can remember. inside the boat.
(Sign I and remember.) (Sign I and remember.) Down by the river Nile.
I can remember that God is with me. I can remember that God is with me. Down by the river Nile.
(Sign I and remember; point to self.) (Sign I and remember; point to self.)
His sister watched him
When I come to church… When I eat with my family… in the basket boat.
Down by the river Nile.
I can remember. I can remember. I can remember. I can remember.
Down by the river Nile.
(Sign I and remember.) (Sign I and remember.)
Down by the river Nile.
I can remember that God is with me. I can remember that God is with me.
His sister watched him
(Sign I and remember; point to self.) (Sign I and remember; point to self.)
in the basket boat.
When I play with toys… When I go to sleep at night… Down by the river Nile.
I can remember. I can remember. I can remember. I can remember. Down by the river Nile.
(Sign I and remember.) (Sign I and remember.) The princess found him
I can remember that God is with me. I can remember that God is with me. in the basket boat.
(Sign I and remember; point to self.) (Sign I and remember; point to self.) Down by the river Nile.
Down by the river Nile.
Down by the river Nile.
The princess found him
in the basket boat.
Down by the river Nile.
Down by the river Nile.

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Small Groups
Divide the children into small groups based on age levels. Keep the groups small,
with a maximum of ten children in each group. You may need to have more than
one of each group.

Ages 3-4 Small Group

Supplies: Reproducible B, baby Moses and basket made earlier or baby doll and
basket, Egyptian collars made earlier, tape, scissors

Photocopy and cut out one copy of the crown (Reproducible B). Tape the ends
of the crown together (using the extra strips, if needed). TIP
SAY: I’m so glad you are here today. Let’s play a game. When I sing your name, I This song is a good way
want you to stand up, turn around, and then sit down. (Show the children what to for you and the children
do as you explain the game.) to learn everyone’s
name.
• Sing the song, “Where Is?” (printed in the column at right), to the tune of “Are
You Sleeping?” Continue the game until everyone has been named. Where Is?
(Tune: “Are You
• Have the children sit together on a rug or on the floor. Sleeping?”
SAY: In today’s Bible story, a mother hides her baby to keep him safe from the Where is (name)?
mean king. The mother asks the baby’s older sister to keep watch over the baby. Where is (name)?
While his sister is watching, a princess finds the baby. Let’s pretend we are an
Egyptian princess or prince and take turns trying to find the baby. There she (he) is.
There she (he) is.
• Encourage the children to wear their Egyptian collars. Choose one child to be
the princess or prince. Place the crown on that child’s head. Have the princess or Stand up tall,
prince go outside the room with another teacher or hide his or her eyes. then turn around.
Stand up tall,
• Hide the baby and basket somewhere in the room. then turn around.
• Have the princess or prince come back in the room or uncover her or his eyes. Sit back down.
Encourage the princess or prince to walk around the room looking for the baby Sit back down.
in the basket.
• When the princess/prince is moving close to the hidden baby, have the other
children wipe their brows and say, “Hot!” When the princess/prince is moving
away from the hidden baby, have the other children shiver and say, “Cold!”
• When the princess or prince finds the baby and basket, have all the other
children clap.
• Choose a new princess or prince and play the game again. Give each child the
opportunity to be the princess or prince.
SAY: The princess helped baby Moses when he needed help. Who else helped baby
Moses? (his mother, his sister, God) Who helps us when we need help? (parents,
teachers, friends, sisters, brothers, God)
SAY: Let’s thank God for all the people who help us.
• Have the children stand in a circle and hold hands. Encourage the children to
share any prayer requests.
PRAY: God, thank you for being with us and helping us. Today we pray especially
for (name any prayer requests). Thank you, God, for all the people who help us.
Thank you for (name each person in the small group). Amen.
Permission is granted to duplicate this page for local church use only. © 2012 Abingdon Press.

6 GROW • Proclaim • Serve • Large Group/Small Group Ages 3–6

Ages 5-6 Small Group
Supplies: Reproducible B, baby Moses and basket made earlier or baby doll and basket,
Egyptian collars made earlier, construction paper, markers, tape, chairs, CD player,
scissors

Photocopy and cut out one copy of the crown (Reproducible B). Tape the ends
of the crown together (using the extra strips, if needed). Cut construction paper in
half. Each child will need one half sheet.
SAY: I’m so glad you are here today. Let’s play a game to learn all our names.
• Give each child a half sheet of construction paper. Have each child write his or her
name on the paper. Assist any child who might need help.
• Place the same number of chairs as you have children back-to-back in a line. Tape
a child’s name to each chair.
SAY: Walk around the chairs while the music is playing. When the music stops, find
the chair with your name on it and sit down.
• Play upbeat music and have the children walk in a circle around the chairs.
• Stop the music. Have everyone find the chair with his or her name on it and sit
down. Play the game several times.
SAY: Moses’ mother hid her baby to keep him safe from the mean king. The mother
asks the baby’s older sister to keep watch over the baby. While his sister is watching,
a princess finds the baby. Let’s pretend we are an Egyptian princess or prince and
take turns trying to find the baby.
• Encourage the children to wear their Egyptian collars. Choose one child to be
the princess or prince. Place the crown on that child’s head. Have the princess or
prince go outside the room with another teacher or hide his or her eyes.
• Hide the baby and basket somewhere in the room.
• Let the princess or prince come back in the room or uncover her or his eyes. Have
the princess or prince walk around the room looking for the baby.
• When the princess/prince is moving close to the hidden baby, have the other
children wipe their brows and say, “Hot!” When the princess/prince is moving
away from the hidden baby, have the other children shiver and say, “Cold!”
• When the princess or prince finds the baby and basket, have the children clap.
• Choose a new princess or prince and play the game again. Give each child the
opportunity to be the princess or prince.
ASK: The princess helped baby Moses when he needed help. Who else helped baby
Moses? (his mother, his sister, God) Who helps us when we need help? (parents,
teachers, friends, sisters, brothers, God)
SAY: Let’s thank God for all the people who help us.
• Have the children stand in a circle and hold hands. Encourage the children to
share any prayer requests.
PRAY: God, thank you for being with us and helping us. Today we pray especially
for (name any prayer requests). Thank you, God, for all the people who help us.
Thank you for (name each person in the small group). Amen.

Permission is granted to duplicate this page for local church use only. © 2012 Abingdon Press.

deepbluekids.com/grow 7
A Baby in a Boat
“Waa! Waa!” The baby scrunched up his face and The baby stopped crying and gurgled at the princess.
cried.
“I want to take care of this baby,” said the princess. “I
“Hush, little one, hush,” whispered Mother. “You must will keep him safe.”
be quiet.” Mother rocked her baby son in her arms.
Miriam hurried to the princess. “I know someone
(Rock baby Moses.) “I want to keep you safe from the
who can help you take care of the baby,” said Miriam.
mean king.”
“Would you like me to get her?”
Then Mother gave the baby to his big sister, Miriam.
“Yes,” said the princess. “Bring her to me.”
Miriam rocked her baby brother in her arms. (Rock
baby Moses.) Miriam ran and got Mother.
While Miriam held the baby, Mother finished weaving The princess handed the baby to Mother. “Take care of
a basket she was making from long grasses. Then this baby for me,” said the princess. “I am naming him
Mother covered the basket with tar. The tar made the Moses. He will be my son.”
basket so it would float. Mother rocked baby Moses in her arms. (Rock baby
Mother took her baby back from Miriam. Mother Moses.) Mother thanked God that baby Moses was
rocked her baby to sleep. (Rock baby Moses.) safe.
Mother placed the sleeping baby in the basket. (Place
baby Moses in the basket.)
Then she placed the basket in the river. The basket was
hidden by the tall grasses that grew by the river. The
water gently rocked the baby in his basket boat. (Rock
baby Moses in the basket.)
“God, keep my baby safe,” prayed Mother. Mother left
big sister Miriam watching her baby brother.
Miriam hid in the tall grasses by the river and kept
watch over her brother. “God, keep my baby brother
safe,” prayed Miriam as she watched the basket boat
rock back and forth on the water. (Rock baby Moses
in the basket.)
Suddenly, Miriam heard people coming to the river!
It was a princess and her helpers. As the princess
stepped into the water to take a bath, she saw the
basket boat rocking back and forth on the water.
(Rock baby Moses in the basket.)
“Bring that basket to me,” said the princess.
One of her helpers waded out into the river and
picked up the basket. She brought the basket to the
princess.
“It’s a baby!” said the princess.
“Waa! Waa!” the baby began to cry.
The princess took the baby out of the basket and
rocked him in her arms. (Rock baby Moses.)

8 GROW • Proclaim • Serve • Large Group/Small Group Ages 3–6

Reproducible A: Baby Moses

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Reproducible B Crown
t Crown t Strip t Strip

10 GROW • Proclaim • Serve • Large Group/Small Group Ages 3–6

But I will remember the
LORD’s deeds; yes, I will
remember your wondrous
acts from times long past.

Psalm 77:11, CEB