Materials:
Index cards
Basket or Shoebox
Chair for a throne
Crown (optional)

Duration:
15 minutes

What you will do:
Write the following words on index cards, one word on each card, and place the cards in a shoebox or basket. Repeat the words as needed to have enough cards for each child.

KINDNESS
GENTLENESS
FRIENDLY
PATIENCE
COMPASSION
FORGIVENESS

Select one child to be king (or queen). Have the King sit on a chair (throne) at one end of the room, and have the remaining kids draw one card from the basket. Then have them line up in front of the king. The object is for children to come up with a situation that describes the word on their card. For example, if they picked the card KINDNESS, the child may say something like "My little brother wanted to play with my toys, so I let him. This is Kindness." The king will judge if the situation truly described the word kindness, and if so, will let the child enter the kingdom.

What you will say:
(After selecting the king and lining up the children with their cards) The king is a very wise king. He wants to be sure you know what is pleasing to God before he lets you enter his kingdom. That is why the king gave each of you a word. You must show the king you know the meaning of the word by giving an example of something you can do that matches the word. For example, if your word is CARING, you could give me an example like "My grandma was sick, so I help her by cleaning her house." If the king agrees that your example describes being CARING, he will let you enter the kingdom. If he does not agree, you pick another word from the basket, go to the end of the line and try again.

The play starts with each of you saying, "Knock-Knock." The king will ask, "What word do you have?" then each of you, in turn, will say your word and then your example. If the king accepts your example, he will say, "Please enter my kingdom." If the king does not accept it, he will say, "Sorry, be away with you."

The make believe kingdom in this game may resemble heaven, but it is not heaven. There is no way to get to heaven on our own, not by what we know or what we do. That's because heaven is a free gift. Only by receiving Jesus in our heart do we receive this wonderful gift.

However, as children it is important to know what behaviors are Godly and what behaviors are a result of a sinful nature. By knowing the difference, we can begin to recognize there is a lot of sin in our life. When we admit we are sinners, we begin to understand the need for God's grace and forgiveness.