Here are the images you need for the hero’s attributes linked to ‘David Dances (2 Samuel 6)’- where David makes a fool of himself dancing before the ark as he brings it into Jerusalem.
Each hero set contains a high quality graphic of the character, a take home bible card and a colouring page.
The images are displayed small here, click on the image you wish to have, then save the image that loads. (These images are not copyright free, they are for personal/classroom use only.)
Large image for illustrating the story or putting on a large screen.
Grab the Phone background here.
We all dance differently, and by the reactions in this story, David’s dancing style wasn’t up to much. This dancing David craft has him jiggling and wobbling on the end of your finger. I can honestly say this craft has captured my home, it’s sat on the coffee table all week and been much played with (usually with the finger on the other side!)
To make this craft, you will need the 1-page template printout, scissors, 3 craft sticks, tape, and some sticky tack. You may also want some superglue if you are working in a very hot place.
Cut out David and place him to one side.
We are going to use the template to make the balancing frame. Take one of the three popsicle sticks and make a point with a sharp pair of scissors.
Lay the three popsicles sticks on the page template, making sure they are equally spaced on each side.
Fix the popsicle sticks together using the sticky tack or glue.
Now we require the counterweights. For this, we will use two 1 cm balls of sticky tack fixed to the two lowest points.
Attach David using sticky tape.
IMPORTANT: You need to allow the point to be slightly below the hem of his garment. This picture is for illustration purposes, it can be much lower to look more dignified.
David will balance on a finger and dance if nudged.
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In this challenge, the kids must transport a small box from one side of the room to the other without touching it or it touching the floor. If working in teams, give each team some prep time. Link: David needed to move the ark correctly. Read verses 3 and 6 to find out what happened when it was wrongly transported.
Follow the leader
Under 7’s
Any size group
No Setup time
Noisy game
Space needed
In this classic game, you follow the leader around the room, imitating their actions. Link: David led the procession.
Move like a…
All Ages
Any size group
No Setup time
Noisy game
Space needed
Call out something that moves and have the kids act it out. Everything is game, from a rabbit to a trash truck! Occasionally throw in “a joyful king!” Link: David danced with joy.
Catch the rhythm
All Ages
Any size group
No Setup time
Noisy game
Can be seated
Using instruments or by tapping, clapping and clicking, play this follow the leader’s pattern game. Start by having the children repeat a pattern, then say they can join in once they have the beat. Play a few times, then choose a pattern that ties in with a praise song the children know and start to sing. Link: David was leading a procession of celebration, he probably wasn’t the only one dancing.
Musical statues
Under 7’s
Big group
Requires setup time
Noisy game
Space needed
A classic dancing game, what poses can you get the kids to freeze in? Remind the kids that David’s dance was undignified – a total ‘dad dance’ – so don’t worry about looking silly! Link: David danced!
If you had to sum up this story in non-religious terms, it would be a man went to collect something precious and did an embarrassing ‘dad dance’ all the way home. The story here doesn’t mention it, but they also handed out cake to everyone at the end! David, however, would point to this event as an outpouring of thanks and joy. If even the king can humble himself and look foolish, how much more should the people rejoice!
This retold version of the Bible passage is supplied for inspiration, feel free to omit or embellish to give it your personal voice.
There was something missing from David’s city, and today was the day he would go fetch it. At the top of the city, on a wide flat ground, David had given orders for a special tent to be put up, a tabernacle.
The tabernacle would be the new place for the ark of the covenant, a very special box which held the stones God had given Moses and some of the manna he had given his people to eat. Even though God is everywhere, the box was a symbol to show God was with his people. The Israelites had carried the ark through the desert and into God’s promised land, into the land where David now ruled as king. The ark had lived many places; at one time it had even been lost, but wherever the ark went it was powerful. When the ark was in the wrong place, bad things happened; when it was in the right place, great things happened. David wanted the ark in his city, in Jerusalem. He wanted God to be at the centre of the kingdom he ruled. One day, he planned to build a great temple for the ark, a home for God to live in.
David had tried moving the ark before, but he’d been too quick to do it his way and everything had gone wrong. This time he would do it God’s way, the way the scriptures told him the ark should be moved. David was so excited. He called the Levites who had been prepared to carry the ark. He called his whole house. He called everyone to come join the journey. When they reached the house of Obed-Edom where the ark was, the Levites picked up the ark, and the journey back to Jerusalem started with David leading the procession.
And what a procession it was: men and women and children, gladfully singing, making music, worshipping God! There at the front came David, not in his royal robes or on a huge war horse, but wearing a simple linen cover and dancing with joy. The rams horn blew, the people sung, and David danced. He danced even though he sometimes looked silly; he danced even when people pointed and whispered. Eventually, one of the women asked him why he would make himself look so silly, and David replied:
“I will dance before the Lord, and I will not care about honouring myself, for I dance with such joy for all the Lord has done for me and my people. I will happily humble myself even more before my Lord.” David understood right then that he wasn’t the important thing in that procession, but the ark, God with them.
Want to add an extra elements to this story? Verse 19 tells us David “distributed a loaf of bread, a date cake, and a raisin cake to each one in the entire Israelite community, both men and women. Then all the people went home.” Raisin cake is straightforward to make, and my friend Annalisa made one up for me if anyone wants to add some food to their bible story — hit the picture to be linked to the recipe she used!
By the reactions we get in this story, the famous dance of David, in his skimpy linen slip, was much more a “dad dance” than anything technically stunning: but, partly, that is the point. The dance is an out flowing of joy, and this craft captures that simply.
David has finally become king, he’s leading his new army with the crown on his head to the city of Jerusalem, intent on making it his home base. These games tie into different parts of the story, David’s crown as king, the crawling through the water shaft and the strategic position of Jerusalem.
The aim of this game is to get your ‘king’ (ideally a piece from a board game) higher than anyone else’s. Give each student the same number of “building blocks” and a time limit of 1 minute. Building blocks can be anything, not just blocks! (piece of paper, cup, sticky tape…) Link: David was king of his new capital city.
Pin the crown
All Ages
Small group
Requires setup time
Noisy game
Space needed
This “Pin the tail on the donkey” spin off sees kids pin the crown on David’s head… or not! All you need for this game is to draw a picture of David’s head and a crown shape with some sticky tape on it! Link: David was finally king
Through the hoop
All Ages
Any size group
No Setup time
Noisy game
Space needed
Kids link hands, and a hula-hoop is given to the person at one end, who then must pass it down the line without the kids’ hands letting go of their neighbour. Link: David’s troops climbing through the tunnels.
Obstacle course
All Ages
Any size group
Requires setup time
Noisy game
Space needed
The journey through that water-shaft can’t have been easy, or the Jesubites would have considered it to be a weakness. Similarly, get your kids to squeeze through spaces by setting up a classic obstacle course with whatever you have on hand. Link: David’s troops climbing through the tunnels.
Battle ships
Ages 7+
Any size group
Requires setup time
Quiet game
Can be seated
If you have access to this game to play as a group on the big screen, it’s a great one to think about why Link: David was strategic in choosing Jerusalem.
