Puzzle Answers
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EDITOR Cara Mott
DEPUTY EDITOR AND KA! JAM CO-ORDINATOR Ibukun Baku
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Jacob Adams
GRAPHIC DESIGNER Philippa Martin
PROOFREADER Chris Horne
CONTACT US Phone Office – 020 7367 4910
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Email kidsalive@salvationarmy.org.uk
Post 1 Champion Park, London SE5 8FJ
FOUNDERS Catherine and William Booth
INTERNATIONAL LEADERS General Lyndon Buckingham and Commissioner Bronwyn Buckingham
TERRITORIAL LEADERS Commissioners Jenine and Paul Main
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Major Julian Watchorn
Published weekly by The Salvation Army United Kingdom and Ireland Territory. The Salvation Army is a Christian church and registered charity. The charity number in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is 214779, in Scotland SC009359 and in the Republic of Ireland CHY6399. ISSN 1363-5662.
Women’s Rugby World Cup Rugby World Cup
Football’s coming home, it’s coming – oh! Sorry! We were so busy celebrating England’s win at the Women’s Euro 2025 that we almost forgot you were here. We can’t believe that the Euro Final was a month ago – but if you’re already itching to watch another brilliant international sporting tournament, then we’ve got just the thing for you … the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025! The Women’s Rugby World Cup puts 16 national rugby teams up against each other, including teams from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Every squad will be giving it their all to win a place in the tournament’s final on Saturday 27 September –where a very shiny trophy is up for grabs! New Zealand have won the last two Women’s Rugby World Cups, so we can’t wait to see if a country from the UK or Ireland will snatch it from them. If this sounds like fantastic fun to you, then you’re reading this article at the best time possible. That’s because the tournament only started yesterday (22 August), with a match between England and the United States. This means there are plenty of thrilling games ahead for you to ‘try’ out – including a match between Scotland and Wales this afternoon (did you spot the pun?). You might even be able to watch a match in person, since this year’s World Cup is taking place in England!
Scotland and Wales play their first games (against each other!) at 2.45pm today (23 August). You can watch the match on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. Ireland play Japan at 2pm on 24 August – coverage will be on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer (RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player in Ireland).
You can purchase tickets to attend a match at rugbyworldcup.com/2025/en/tickets
I like rugby, and I’ve even been to a few games at Twickenham. However, because I don’t watch rugby often, sometimes I forget some of the rules or words people use. Thankfully, when I went to the games at Twickenham, I went with a friend who could explain anything that I didn’t understand. Sometimes I need help understanding the Bible too, and I’m not alone. In Acts 8:26–40 one of Jesus’ disciples, Philip, meets an Ethiopian man who needs help understanding something he’s reading. God sent Philip to help the Ethiopian man, and he sends people to help us too. So if you have questions, maybe talk to your Sunday school or church leaders. Or how about signing up to our KA! JAM Club? It’s perfect for kids who want to understand more about Jesus and how you can live like him. Check out page 6 to find out more and sign up!
Have you ever watched the TV programme, Gladiators? Contenders go up against the Gladiators – a group of super strong people. If you haven’t seen the show, have a look online for a video of Giant playing the game Duel. Now imagine that you’re a contender and have to fight Giant at Duel – would you be scared? Would you be able to defeat him? Giant’s unbeaten at Duel so far, but maybe you would be the one to finally knock him down!
Whenever I read the story of David and Goliath, it reminds me of Gladiators. David was a young shepherd that God had told Samuel to anoint as the next king. This was particularly surprising because David had seven older brothers! David was younger and smaller than any of his brothers (and any contender on Gladiators), so nobody expected him to beat Goliath. Of course, David wasn’t facing this challenge alone – he had God by his side. When it came to fighting Goliath, David knew he could trust God to help him win.
I’m sure none of you have actual giants to defeat, but sometimes there are things we face in our lives that can feel like giant challenges. Maybe you’re starting a new school, you’ve got a new teacher, you’ve fallen out with a friend or there’s another child being unkind to you. All of these things can make us feel worried or anxious, just like David would have been. However, like David, we can put our trust in God and ask him to help us. With God by our side, we can face anything. So are you ready to face your challenge?
says Cara Mott
Word Square
How many words of three or more letters can you make from the letters in the word square on the right? There’s also one nine-letter word that’s mentioned in the comment above.
Answer on Page 2
Read the comment to the left about facing ‘giants’
E C H A L L N G E
A Shepherd Anointed Amazing Children of the Bible
Check out your Bible – 1 Samuel 16:1-13; 17:4-16, 32, 38-40, 48-51
Bumper Bible Breakdown
Did you know the Bible isn’t one big book? It’s actually 66 books put together to tell one big story of God’s great love. Join us as we look at each Bible book and discover why God made the world, what went wrong and how in the end God saved the world through his son, Jesus.
Tell the World
After Jesus came back to life, he continued to meet with his disciples. Jesus proved that he really was alive to a disciple called Thomas, and he forgave Peter for pretending he didn’t know Jesus. Then Jesus appeared to a crowd of 500 people! Jesus also spoke to his disciples about a very important mission he was giving them – they were to travel around the whole world and tell people about him. This was so that people from all over could learn about Jesus and become Christians!
After 40 days of appearing to the disciples, Jesus took them to a place called Bethany. He told them to wait for a special gift from God. Then something spectacular happened! Jesus rose up into the sky and disappeared behind a cloud! He had gone to Heaven, where he still is now. And guess what – one day, Jesus is going to return!
Join...
KA! JAM is the coolest Bible activity club around. As a member you’ll go on amazing adventures through the Bible learning about Jesus. Each activity sheet is filled with lots of great stuff about being a Christian. You’ll also receive our mini-mag, Chatterbox which is filled with jokes, games and much more. And to top it off, there are loads of awesome prizes to be won!
To join KA! JAM and complete the Bible activity courses online, go to salvationist.org.uk/kajam.
Or if you would like to receive the postal version, simply fill in the coupon below.
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To join KA! JAM just fill in the application form and send it – along with two first-class stamps – to: KA! JAM, 1 Champion Park, London SE5 8FJ. Applicants must be between 7 and 17 years old to join.
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Boy or girl: Do you attend a church, and if so, which one?
I, (signature)
apply for membership of Kids Alive! Jesus And Me. I understand that joining KA! JAM doesn’t mean I have joined The Salvation Army and that it is not a free subscription to Kids Alive!
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Unbelievable Animals
Forget cats and dogs – there are some animals that are so strange that it’s hard to believe they actually exist! Over the next few weeks, we’ll discover some of the wackiest!
Capybaras
If you picture a giant guinea pig that’s about as long as a suitcase, then what you’re imagining probably isn’t far off what a capybara looks like! Capybaras are the world’s largest rodents, and they’re closely related to guinea pigs. They’re great swimmers, and they can be found in northern and central South America.
Hello, readers, i’M PATCH AND I’VE GOT A PROBLEM I THINK YOU MAY BE ABLE TO HELP ME WITH. i’VE LOST A VERY IMPORTANT OBJECT SOMEWHERE IN THIS ISSUE. WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO HELP ME FIND IT? i HAVE A CLUE OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE HERE.
You might know the date that Valentine’s Day is on or the name of the current king of the United Kingdom. However, there are also plenty of strange facts we reckon you haven’t got stored in your noggin! So here are a couple of random facts that you definitely (and by definitely, we mean don’t really) need to know.
Everyone knows that the Sun is incredibly hot, but did you know that lightning (which is a spark of electricity) is five times hotter than the surface of the Sun?
You don’t need to be too worried about lightning, though – unless you’re a giraffe! That’s because giraffes are 30 times more likely to be hit by lightning than humans are.
If you were to pick any chocolate biscuit to nibble on right now, which biscuit would you choose? If you lived in Japan and fancied having a KitKat, you’d probably find it hard to decide which flavour to have. Since 2000, Japan has had more than 300 KitKat flavours – including melon, strawberry cheesecake and sweet potato!
What insect lives in mats and is good at scoring tries? The rug bee!
across:
Why don’t grasshoppers watch rugby? They prefer cricket!
by Neil Locker
Crossword Clues
1 Part of one’s hand or a type of tree. 3 Animal such as Winnie-the-Pooh. 7 Metric measure of liquid. 8 Chewy sweet. 9 Room where food is prepared. 13 Nocturnal bird. 14 Copper or lead, for example. 16 Utensil or equipment. 17 Cosy and warm.
down:
1 Tug or drag. 2 Allow or permit. 4 Bird of prey.
5 Capital city of Italy. 6 Friendly greeting. 10 Ice house. 11 Outer garment or a layer of paint. 12 Union Jack or Jolly Roger, for example. 15 Number of commandments God gave to Moses.
Crossword Clues
Answers on Page 2
Find the Women’s Rugby World Cup-related words listed below in the grid
He he, he he!
Identify the mystery item in the magnifying glass
FOUR FIT
Place the four words into the numbered rows so that four new words are formed in the columns
HEED ABLE SOUR LOCH
Why couldn’t Cinderella play rugby? She kept running away from the ball!
Did you know?
There have only been three teams that have won the Women’s Rugby World Cup since it started in 1991.
New Zealand have won an incredible six times, followed by two England wins and one by the USA in 1991.
eat up the sport? Because it’s scrum-ptious!
I went to watch Wasps play the other day... ...they were all right but I heard they had no bee team!
by Neil Locker
I was born in EnglandYorkshire, in 1999.
I started playing rugby when I was seven years old. I captained the Yorkshire team at the Under-18 level.
What’s a bee’s favourite sport? Rug-bee!
In 2024, I was named World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Year at the World Rugby Awards. I’m also a fashion designer and podcaster. Can you guess who I am?
Ho ho, ha ha, he he!
Ha ha, ha ha, ha ha!
Ho ho, ha ha, he he!
Ho ho, ho ho!
He he, he he!
love using their powers for good. There have been around 20 Power Ranger teams since 1993, but we reckon that the best team might be the very first one – the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers! With the release of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Re-Ignition, you can now have your very own action figures of the first (and best) Power Rangers. These action figures can be changed (or morphed) from being teenagers to helmeted heroes just by pressing down on a lever on their backs. It’s also really easy to move them around and change their poses, so you can create your own awesome battles! For your opportunity to win your own Mighty Morphin Power Ranger action figure, answer the question below and email your full name, age, address and answer to kidsalive@salvationarmy.org.uk. Remember to put ‘Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Re-Ignition Competition’ in the subject box. Your entry needs to reach us by Friday 19 September when the winners will be chosen. You can also enter by filling in the details on the coupon below and posting it to: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Re-Ignition Competition, Kids Alive! 1 Champion Park, London SE5 8FJ.
Name:
Address:
Which of the following became the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers?
Babies Teenagers Grandparents
Postcode:
NOTTING HILL CARNIVAL COLOURING
Steel bands, spectacular outfits and food that would make anyone’s mouth water – those are just a few reasons why we think Notting Hill Carnival is brilliant! Notting Hill Carnival is a massive street festival in London, and this year it takes place on Sunday 24 and Monday 25 August! Since this carnival is a magnificent celebration of Caribbean culture, why not add a splash of colour to the design below, which features different Caribbean flags? If you’d like to share your artwork with other readers, email your colouring to: kidsalive@salvationarmy.org.uk. Make sure you write ‘Notting Hill Carnival Colouring’ in the subject box and give us your full name, age and address. Alternatively you can post your colouring to: Your Space, Kids Alive! 1 Champion Park, London SE5 8FJ. One last reminder, if you’re sending by post remember to fill in the details below so we know who you are. We send a gift to everyone whose colouring we publish, so don’t miss out!
Name: Age:
Address:
Postcode:
Living a healthy and an active lifestyle and caring for your physical, mental and spiritual well-being.
Bonjour! Olá! Guten Tag! Do you know what any of those words mean?
They’re all greetings in different languages. If you recognised one or more of them, perhaps you’ve already started learning a different language at school. Or maybe your family is from another country, so you can already speak more than one language. Learning to speak different languages as a kid is such a good idea.
Learning a Language Take It All In
While you’re children, your brains are like sponges – it’s so much easier for kids to learn new things than grown-ups. So you’ll pick up new languages much faster than your parents or carers. Being able to speak more than one language is a great skill that will be really helpful when you grow up –some people believe it can help someone be more confident or get certain jobs. Learning to speak a different language can also help you understand different cultures, meet new friends and, most of all, have fun!
Most primary schools in the UK now offer language lessons – lots of students learn French, Spanish or German, but some also learn other languages, such as Italian or Mandarin Chinese.
Home School
You don’t have to wait for your school to teach you a different language. If there’s something you want to learn, you can start learning at home using books, apps or even watching videos on YouTube. If you’re looking for a good place to start, sit down with your parents or carers and check out little-linguist.co.uk –this website has loads of different things to buy that might help you to learn languages. It even has popular children’s books published in different languages – so you can read la Grosse Pêche (James and the Giant Peach Dahl in French) or Stockmann Donaldson in German). Remember, listening to songs or stories in other languages can help you learn how to pronounce words. The BBC website also has learning resources for some primary school languages –bbc.co.uk/bitesize/primary
It’s a Sign
Another language you can learn that isn’t spoken is sign language! Sign language is used by people who have hearing problems to communicate with others. It is a system of face or body gestures and signs that represent letters and words. There are different types of sign language, but most people in the UK use British Sign Language.
You don’t need to have hearing problems to learn sign language –anyone can! Check out british-sign.co.uk for more information.
Test Your Skills
Match these different ways to say, ‘I love you’ to the language they come from.
Cool Colourings
Isabel
Age? 9.
Favourite colour?
Any blue, purple.
Favourite food? Lamb chops.
Favourite sport? Basketball.
This fabulous colouring was sent by Hudson, aged 7. Hudson also told us that his sister is a member of the Grenadier Guards – just like in his colouring!
Favourite bit of Kids Alive!? Colouring page.
Favourite Bible story and why?
The blind man, because I can always know Jesus and God are with me.
Favourite TV programme?
Sam and Cat, Garfield, Masha and the Bear.
What do you want to be when you’re older? A doctor.
Brilliant job, Hudson! Tell your sister that I think she has a very cool job!
Hobbies? Sleeping, English, eating. Tell us a joke. What do you call a fish with no gills? A fisch! What special skill or talent do you have? I can do the three clover tongue.
Tell us something interesting about yourself. When I eat a lot, I’m still so skinny.
G e t I n T o u c h !
The Kids Alive! team loves to hear from its readers. And guess what –other readers love reading your news! So why not get in touch? You can email or post your own colourings, drawings and letters. Or you could ask your Sunday school, church or corps leaders to email us or write to us with any news about the fun stuff you’ve been doing at your church or corps.
Email: kidsalive@salvationarmy.org.uk
Post: Kids Alive! 1 Champion Park, London SE5 8FJ
Check out this wonderful wildlife colouring that’s been created by Alana, aged 9. It’s so pretty!
Maddie, aged 7, coloured in this ‘turtley’ awesome picture for World Ocean Day. We love all the colour!
Otis, aged 7, has designed some new uniforms for these Guards! They look like superheroes and we love it – do you think King Charles would too?
Thomas, aged 6, has put lots of detail in his colouring! If you look closely at the bearskins, you’ll see he’s got the right coloured plumes for each Guards regiment!
Here’s another colourful creation – we’ve never seen such a beautiful butterfly! It was sent to us by Eloisa, aged 7.
Elisha, aged 10, also sent us a colouring for World Ocean Day. It’s been coloured in so neatly and we love the stripy fish!
COULD YOU MOW THE LAWN FOR ME, PLEASE, ROBOT?
SURE, ROBBIE!
WHAT’S THE MATTER, ROBOT?
ROBBIE
ASKED ME TO MOW THE LAWN, BUT I’VE GOT WATER IN THE ENGINE.
DON’T WORRY, ROBOT, I’M SURE IT CAN BE SORTED OUT. WHERE’S THE MOWER NOW?
