Salt in the Kool-Aid?

Do this activity BEFORE teaching the new Bible lesson. The children will be not so gently reminded of the importance of following a recipe. During and after the Bible lesson, the concept will translate to the importance of following God’s “recipe”, i.e., rules, laws, etc.  I do this activity before the Golden Calf lesson or the story of Achan after the conquest of Jericho.

Materials

• 1 unsweetened Kool-Aid package
• Mix together:
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ½ cup SALT
• 2-quart pitcher of water
• Utensil to stir it all together

How to do this:

• Have a child read the directions on the Kool-Ade package out loud so the whole class can hear.
• “Follow the directions” but don’t let the children know you substituted salt for some of the sugar.
• Pour the mixed drink into small cups – children MUST wait to take a drink ALL AT THE SAME TIME or the surprise will be ruined.
• Let them have a sip. Watch their faces twist up in disgust! They will let you know you made a mistake!
• Say something like, “Well, I didn’t have enough sugar, so I thought salt might work since it looks just like sugar.”
• They will protest that idea! Continue haggling with them for just a minute.
• Ask the kids if there is a lesson to be learned. Spend a few minutes talking together about what they experienced and learned.
• Tell them that following a recipe EXACTLY is very important.
• Let’s see if the people in our Bible lesson today followed God’s recipe or God’s rules.
• Teach the Bible lesson about the Golden Calf or the story of Achan after the conquest of Jericho. In these 2 lessons, doing things according to God’s “recipe” was vital!