Growing Deeper
Week 1: Jesus – someone important!
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Quick jumps:
| Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mark 1:1-11 | Jesus’ coming predicted | His coming proclaimed | His coming confirmed |
Warm-up | Follow the leader | Grab the tail | Wheelbarrow and inchworm |
Move | Planks | Up-down planks | Mirror planks |
Challenge | Crab plank relay | Plank laughing challenge | Plank tic-tac-toe |
Explore | Read the story and predict 60 seconds | Read story and discuss | Read story in roles and imagine being there |
Play | Quick topic words | Show me the way | Swamp walk |
Watch the family.fit five steps
Getting started
Help your family to be active this week with three fun sessions:
- Involve everyone – anyone can lead!
- Adapt for your family
- Encourage each other
- Challenge yourselves
- Don’t exercise if it causes pain
Share family.fit with others:
- Post a photo or video on social media and tag with #familyfit or @familyfitnessfaithfun
- Do family.fit with another family
Day 1: Warm-up
Follow the leader
One person is leader for each round. Start by jogging around. The leader says a name and the family must move like this. Mix them up.
- Mr Slow - move slowly
- Mr Rush - move fast
- Mr Jelly - shake your whole body
- Mr Muddle - walk backwards
- Mr Bounce - hop around
- Mr Small - crouch and keep moving
- Mr Strong - move flexing your muscle
- Mr Tall - stretch up and move
- Mr Tickle - wave your arms around
- Mr Happy - move and smile
Rest and talk together.
How do you prepare for visitors coming to your home?
Go deeper: Why do you make these preparations?
Day 1: Move
Planks
Put hands and feet on the ground and keep your whole body straight like a plank.
Support your weight on your elbows.
Hold for 20 seconds and rest. Repeat another three times.
Go harder: Move between hands and elbows in a fluid action.
Day 1: Challenge
Crab plank relay
Divide into two teams. Set a distance of about five meters across the room or yard and mark it. One person from each team starts in a plank position at one end of the room. On GO, they shuffle sideways across to the marker and back staying in the plank position as they go. Continue with the next person in each team until finished.
Go harder: Make the course longer.
Day 1: Explore
Jesus’ coming predicted
Read Mark 1:1-11 from the Bible.
There are four records of the life of Jesus in the New Testament. This is the beginning of a journey through Mark’s story as we explore ‘Who is this man Jesus?’. Mark’s opening statement emphasizes two foundational starting points:
- Jesus is the Messiah (the promised one from God).
- This is Good News.
Mark 1:1-11
Discuss:
Read the first three verses. Choose one person to time a one-minute challenge with a phone or watch. Others put up their hand when they think one minute has passed. Who was the closest to 60 seconds? Predicting the future is hard. Isaiah told us Jesus was coming 700 years before He came.
What does this say about Jesus?
Chat to God: Take turns to pray for each other, thanking God that He knows the future for each person.
Day 1: Play
Quick topic words
Sit in a circle. Select topics such as cities, countries, names, or objects. Someone goes through the alphabet in their head until someone else says stop.
Take turns to quickly say a word on the topic which starts with the chosen letter. Continue until someone cannot think of a word, then start a new round. Rotate the topics every round.
Make it competitive if you like.
Health tip
Get enough sleep each day.
Day 2: Warm-up
Grab the tail
Everyone wears a scarf or small towel as a ‘tail’ tucked in at the back of their pants. The goal is to collect as many tails as you can, while protecting your own. If you lose your tail, do five push-ups and continue the game. Have fun.
Rest and talk together.
What is the best gift you have ever received?
Go deeper: How do you choose the right gift for someone?
Day 2: Move
Up-down planks
Start in the plank position on your elbows and toes with your body in a straight line. Shift your weight and press up so you are supported on your hands – left hand then right hand. Then go back down to elbows.
Do 10 repetitions and rest. Do two rounds.
Go easier: Keep the same technique from your knees (instead of your toes) or on a chair.
Day 2: Challenge
Plank laughing challenge
Family members take turns to do a plank while timed with a watch or phone.
Other family members who are not planking can make funny faces to try to make them laugh.
The person who planks for the longest time wins.
Go harder: Do another round and try to improve your time.
Day 2: Explore
Jesus’ coming proclaimed
Read Mark 1:4-8.
Mark 1:4-8
Discuss
John was Jesus’ older cousin. What made him stand out? What was his message?
John proclaimed that Jesus would come with the gift of the Holy Spirit. How does the Holy Spirit help us live life?
Chat to God: Find a blanket, sit closely together and wrap it around you. This is a picture of the Holy Spirit enfolding your family each day. Thank Jesus for His gift to us.
Day 2: Play
Show me the way
Work with a partner. One is blindfolded and has a ball and the other has a bucket or similar.
In round one, the blindfolded person has three attempts to throw the ball into the bucket without knowing where it is. Place the bucket about two meters away.
In round two, the blindfolded person throws the ball into the bucket as it held by their partner. The partner can give directions like, “I am here” or “This way”. Swap roles.
Discuss:
Were you able to get the ball in the basket without the help of your partner? Why was it easier the second time?
Health tip
Get enough sleep each day.
Be consistent – go to bed and wake up at the same time every day.
Day 3: Warm-up
Wheelbarrow and inchworm
Wheelbarrow: Work with a partner. Walk 10 meters then swap places.
Inch worm: Bend at the waist and place your hands on the floor. Walk your hands out until you’re in a plank position with a flat back. Then walk your feet as close to your hands as you can.
Repeat for 10 meters. Do three rounds.
Rest and talk together.
Talk about some announcements you have heard ‘important’ people make.
Go deeper: How does ‘who makes the announcement’ change how you hear the message?
Day 3: Move
Mirror planks
Work in pairs. Get into a plank position facing a partner. One person in each pair will be the mirror and will need to copy everything the other one does. Have fun.
Go easier: Refer back to the plank move from Day 1 or Day 2 this week.
Day 3: Challenge
Plank tic-tac-toe
Draw an outline for a tic-tac-toe game on a piece of paper and get markers for each person to use. Get into a plank position facing a partner and take turns to play the game while holding your plank.
Go harder: Have the winners of each game play one another.
Day 3: Explore
Jesus’ coming confirmed
Read Mark 1: 1-11.
Read Mark 1: 1-11
Discuss
Allocate the roles in the story: narrator, Isaiah, John and God. Read Mark 1:1-11 again. Add costume props if you want.
Imagine you were there on that day when God confirmed His special messenger. Talk about what you would have seen, heard, and felt.
What made this moment so special?
Chat to God: Name someone within your extended family circle who needs to know this Good News of Jesus. Can you be the voice of an Isaiah, a John, or God to them this week?
Day 3: Play
Swamp walk
Find a partner and get two sheets of paper. Pretend the ground is a swamp and the sheets of paper are the only dry land. One person places and moves the papers on the floor to help the other person step across the swamp.
Swap places and guide the other person across safely.
Health tip
Get enough sleep each day.
Remove electronic devices from the bedroom.
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The family.fit team