Blessing of the Animals, Children’s Message — Ana Gobledale, UK

Animal focus

I speak of penguins.  Choose an animal you like and have a special connection to, perhaps an adopted animal at a zoo or rescue centre, or a pet.  Adapt to fit your animal scenario.  Keep it simple.

Materials: 

  • Bag large enough to hold all other items
  • stuffed toy of  focus animal
  • photo of speaker with the animal (e.g. riding a horse, playing with a dog, feeding a llama)
  • paper hearts (one for every child, and one for the speaker)
  • display board (not in bag!) – ready to display hearts – and pushpins or blue-tac or tape

Good morning.

I have something in my bag.

What’s this? [stuffed penguin]

Do you know where in the world penguins live?

[Southern hemisphere:  Africa, Antarctica, and Australia.]

I have something else in my bag.

What’s this?  [photo of me tagging a fairy penguin]

Who’s in it?  [Ana]

What am I holding?  [fairy penguin]

I love penguins!

Some of you may know that I moved here from Australia.

In Australia, there is a colony of fairy penguins in Melbourne, the city where I lived.

I was part of a group that helped protect the penguins and keep them safe.

So, fairy penguins have a special place in my heart, and that’s who I put on my heart.  [Show them my red paper heart]

What animal or animals are special to you?  Who’s on your heart?

[Each child share, then put their heart in a basket Ana holds]

Animals are very special to us.

Let’s pray.

God, thank you for animals.  Help us take good care of our own pets, and animals in the wild.  Amen.

[Have two older children/youth help attach hearts to a display board.]

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