Bottle caps of any kind can be used to create fun word puzzles that help children focus on important words in a Bible lesson.

Letters of the alphabet are glued inside bottle caps and children unscramble the letter to form words.  Children use a Bible to help find the answers.

Keep the letters and use the puzzles over and over.

Instructions:

To Make the Bottle Caps

• Collect and wash bottle caps (In New Zealand we have screw-on lids for milk jugs so that’s what I collected).  Any size works as long as the children are able to read the letters easily.
• Using a pencil and blank paper trace the bottle caps to make circles that are just a little smaller than the caps.
• Choose key words from the lesson and then write the letters of the words inside the circles.
• Use scissors to cut out the circles.
• Glue the circles inside the bottle caps.  (I used PVA/school glue but almost any glue will work).

What to Do in Class

1. Tell the children that you have chosen some important words from today’s Bible story.  Explain that the letters are all mixed up.
2. Challenge the children to put the letters together to form words from the story.
3. Provide a Bible and tell them the Scripture reference.  They may refer to the Bible for help.  Sometimes various versions of the Bible can use word selections that are different than your puzzle so be sure to use the version that matches your puzzle words.

Example

In the example above I used the story Jesus Heals Ten Lepers from Luke 17:11-19 and used words from the New International Version.  I made the puzzle rather challenging for older children.  At first they tried to work the puzzle without a Bible but it was not long before they began referring to the Scripture (which was exactly my intention).

Adaptations:

• Add new words to this activity each week and use it to learn new vocabulary words.
• For younger children:
  • Use only one or two words to make it simpler
  • Use a different bottle cap or paper colour for each word for easy letter grouping
• Collect larger lids and use pictures instead of letters.  Children could match pictures or put a series of pictures in order.
• Provide the supplies and let children make their own puzzles to take home.  They can choose their own words from the lesson.