Week 12: Parable of The Wheat & Tares
Morning Meeting (Matthew 13:25-35, 44-52). Hold up the picture of wheat and tares without telling your children what they are. Ask them to tell you how similar they look. Are there any differences or is it hard to tell? Next, summarize the verses and teach your children about the parable of the wheat and tares. I drew the parable on a piece of paper, so it was easier to understand. Go back to the picture of wheat and tares and explain the picture on the top is wheat. Wheat is healthy and strong - represents people who make righteous choices. The picture on the bottom are tares. A tare is a poisonous and harmful weed - represents those who do not make righteous choices. One day, Heavenly Father will gather the righteous people to live with Him.
Family Home Evening:
1) Teach dad about the parable of the wheat and tares.
2) Wheat or Tare: Choose the Right. Print the game board and choice cards (use double sided printing to print the wheat on the back of the choice cards) to play this game. Players take turns drawing a choice card. If the card has a righteous choice on the back, the player gets to move one space. If the card does NOT have a righteous choice on the back, the player stays in the same spot. Optional: You can separate the discarded choice cards into "wheat piles" (choices the righteous make) and "tare piles" (choices the unrighteous make). The righteous will be gathered to live with Heavenly Father.
3) Other Ideas:
- Wheat Stalk Fork Painting. I found this idea over at 3Dinosaurs, and am planning on doing this idea with my kids. They love painting and would love using a fork to paint!
- Tares Tag. Tuck three tares (feathers or pipe cleaners) into the back waist band of each players shorts/pants. One person is "it" and chases the players while trying to grab a tare out of the waistband of their shorts/pants (one tare at a time). The person "it" will gather all the tares and throw them into the fire. The round ends when all the tares of gathered. You can either end the game or have someone else take a turn being "it".
- Make Wheat Bread Together. There is so much learning involved while cooking with your kids. This bread from Jenny Can Cook looks amazing.
- Flour Sensory Bin. Explain that flour comes from wheat and put out some flour and other items (toy cars, plastic animals, etc.) for your kids to play with. Yes, this can be messy and it may not be for you. BUT.. I have to say this flour sensory bin entertained my kids for over an hour and to sweep the mess up took me less than 2 minutes. We put flour, bear counters, scoops and flour sifters into our bin.
