Puzzle Answers
A3. B12. C5. D10. E11. F14. G13. H7.
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Hey there, readers! We hope you’ve enjoyed reading this issue of Kids Alive! If you would like to get your own copy of Kids Alive! delivered to your home every week, why not ask your parents or carers to take out a subscription* for you? Every week, Kids Alive! includes a cartoon Bible story, a competition, puzzles, jokes, comic strips and topical activities and articles for you to enjoy.
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EDITOR Cara Mott
DEPUTY EDITOR AND KA! JAM CO-ORDINATOR Ibukun Baku
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Jacob Adams
GRAPHIC DESIGNER Philippa Elliott
PROOFREADER Chris Horne
CONTACT US Phone Office – 020 7367 4910
Territorial Headquarters Switchboard – 0845 634 0101
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.
INTERNATIONAL DAY OF CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE DAY PEOPLE
Valentine’s Day, Hoppers, World Wildlife Day – we feature so many spectacular things in Kids Alive! However, we reckon not much is quite as spectacular as what this week’s issue is all about – you! This week’s issue really is a celebration of every single one of our readers, because it’s all about the International Day of Children and Young People. This amazing event takes place tomorrow (26 April), and it’s been organised by The Salvation Army – who publish Kids Alive! This is because they want to recognise that children are spectacular, and that they deserve to be listened to. So us grown-ups want to say a big thank you for … well, being you!
The theme of this year’s International Day of Children and Young People (try saying that without taking a breath) is ‘In the Light’. It’s all about recognising that the world we live in can be full of darkness, but that every kid (including you) can shine a light into the lives of the people around them. You can do this because God loves you and is always with you!
So this IDCYP (let’s call it that, because there’s no way anyone’s getting us to write the full name again), join in with celebrating how brilliant kids can be. And make sure to show the love of Jesus to everyone around you!
Lots of Salvation Army churches will be putting on a special service for IDCYP. You can find a church near you by heading to salvationarmy.org.uk/map-page
Malachi’s
To celebrate IDCYP, this week’s issue features contributions from our readers (below and on pages 12–15)
Did you know that light is mentioned around 300 times in the Bible? Jesus even calls himself the Light of the World! But what does that actually mean for us when we wake up every morning?
Think about your bedroom in the dark. You might feel nervous or confused because you can’t see what’s around you – you’re lost! But when you flip the light switch, everything changes and you can see clearly again. That’s exactly what Jesus does for our hearts.
The awesome thing about being friends with Jesus is that you get to be a light too! In Matthew 5:16, Jesus tells us to let our lights shine so others can see our good works and give glory to God. Imagine yourself as a human torch. When you are kind to someone who is sad, or tell the truth when it’s hard, you are shining your light. When we shine, people can see the truth – they can see Jesus! So today, ask yourself, ‘How can I be a light and help others feel God’s love too?’
WRead the comment below about how Jesus' presence changes things
Make Every Day Special
hat do you have for breakfast? Maybe a bowl of cereal or some toast, or maybe something more exciting – such as pancakes! My kids will often request pancakes, but there’s no time on a school day, so we have to wait for a weekend or school holiday to have those for breakfast. Pancakes are more of a special breakfast in our house.
In this week’s Bible cartoon, the disciples were enjoying an ordinary morning for them – fishing. However, things weren’t going well! They’d caught nothing all night, but then everything changed. Jesus appeared on the beach and told the disciples to try fishing on the other side of the boat. The disciples didn’t recognise it was Jesus, but listened anyway. When the net came back in
by Cara Mott
full, they suddenly realised who was on the beach! When Jesus turned up on that ordinary morning, everything changed for the better and they all enjoyed the most special breakfast on the beach (better than my pancakes for sure!).
There are lots of ordinary moments in our lives – going to school, doing homework, tidying our bedrooms or eating the same dinner again. It can be easy to forget that Jesus is with us in all the ordinary parts of our lives, can’t it? He doesn’t just turn up for our special occasions – or when there are pancakes for breakfast! And more than that, if we listen to him, he can help us make our everyday lives even better. With Jesus in our lives, our everyday becomes special!
Fish Counter
There are plenty of fish in the net to the left, but a few have fallen out and are hiding on these two pages! Can you find and count them all, including the ones in the net?
Jesus on the Beach
Bumper Bible Breakdown
We’ve made it to the end of our Bumper Bible Breakdown series (which began all the way back in the 2 March 2024 issue of Kids Alive!). To celebrate, let’s take another look at the big story of the Bible, as we discover why God made the world, what went wrong, and how Jesus saved us!
The Big Picture, Part 1
When God made the world, he made the first humans – Adam and Eve. However, Adam and Eve decided to not follow God. As a result, the relationship between humans and God was incredibly damaged. Over the coming years, humans continued to do awful things – but God had an amazing plan to fix humanity’s relationship with him. Starting with a man called Abraham, God created a special group of people called the Israelites. He even gave them their own land to live in, which was called Israel! However, the Israelites were just like Adam and Eve –they didn’t want to follow God as well. After a brilliant king called David died, the Israelites’ kingdom split into two. For a while, the people were even captured by other nations. However, God’s amazing plan was in place. A great-great-great (add a lot more greats) grandson of David would be born, and this child would save the whole world!
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.
Name:
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.
Address:
Date of birth:
Postcode:
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!
PLEASE USE BLOCK CAPITALS.
When I Grow Up
We hope you’ve been inspired by the grown-ups who’ve shared the wonderful work they do. So this week we’d love for you to tell us what your dream job is and why. Then draw yourself in the photo frame doing your job and having fun!
I would
Patch’s Problem...? ? ? ? ? ?
HELLO, READERS, I’VE LOST A VERY IMPORTANT OBJECT SOMEWHERE IN THE ISSUE. WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO HELP ME FIND IT? I HAVE A CLUE OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE HERE.
What did the duck say to the waiter?
‘Put it on my bill!’
What do you call a bagel that can fly? A plane bagel!
What bird is always out of breath? A puffin!
What bears like to go out in the rain? Drizzly bears!
Starting at row 1, use the letters from the row above to make a new word in each row until you arrive at the base of the pyramid with a six-letter word. Clue: Light source.
Why didn’t the slice of bread laugh when someone told it a joke? It was a little stale!
by Neil Locker
What do you call a dinosaur that wears glasses? A Doyouthinkhesaraus!
He he, he he!
Ho ho, ha ha, he he!
Find the In the Light-related words in the grid
How do you make a skeleton laugh?
Tickle its funny bone!
What do cats eat at birthday parties? Cake and mice cream!
How do snails get their shells all shiny and clean? They use snail polish!
How does a penguin feel when its friend moves away? Ice-olated!
Answers on Page 2
across:
3 Very warm. 5 Car shelter or workshop. 6 Pastry-topped food item. 7 Rest on liquid without sinking. 8 Waterbird known to be aggressive. 11 Adult male. 12 Scared or nervous. 13 Zero in football, for example.
down:
Crossword Clues
1 Entrance to garden or field. 2 Fifty per cent. 3 Male star of story. 4 Scottish fabric design. 6 Bird that makes a cooing sound. 9 Spoken exam. 10 Currencyunit in France, for example. 11 Post or letters.
PUZZLE PAGE PUZZLE
Explore this week’s ‘Kids Alive!’ to work out which pages these images are taken from
by Neil Locker
Crossword Clues
A C E B D F G H PAGE
Which animal looks the cutest as a baby?
If you’ve ever seen a duckling, which is the name for a baby duck, then we wouldn’t be surprised if they’re right at the top of your list! With their fluffy yellow fur, tiny wings and cute beaks, ducklings never fail to make the Kids Alive! team say ‘aww’ whenever we see them. That’s why we think this prize might just be the cutest ever!
Happy Haul Duckalooz Snack Quack are little plushies that are made to clip on to key rings and backpacks –and they’re absolutely adorable! That’s because they’re designed to look like ducklings dressed in foodrelated outfits, such as a hot dog, fried egg, avocado or chips. Although their costumes might be a bit quackers … we mean crackers, these plushies will be sure to make you say ‘aww’ every time you see them!
For the opportunity to win your own Happy Haul Duckalooz Snack Quack clip-on plushie, answer the question below and email your full name, age, address and answer to kidsalive@salvationarmy.org.uk. Remember to put ‘Happy Haul Competition’ in the subject box. Your entry needs to reach us by Friday 22 May when the winners will be chosen. You can also enter by filling in the details on the coupon below and posting it to: Happy Haul Competition, Kids Alive! 1 Champion Park, London SE5 8FJ.
Name: Address:
You’re Invited Card
Where do you get your issues of Kids Alive! from? Perhaps you always pick up the latest issue at an after-school club or during a Sunday school lesson at church. Wherever you get your Kids Alive! from, why not celebrate IDCYP (check out page 3 to find out what that means) by inviting a friend to come along too? We’ve designed this brilliant card to give to a friend that you’d like to invite – all you’ve got to do is cut it out, write a message and add a splash of colour!
What You Need
The design on the right or a print of the design on the right. A piece of A5 card (or cut a piece of A4 card in half). Scissors. Paints, pens, pencils and crayons for colouring in. Bright and colourful stuff to cut out and stick on to make a collage. Glue. A grown-up to help. Your imagination.
What
To Do
1 Cut out the ‘You’re Invited’ design and stick it onto a piece of A5 card or print it on a piece of card and cut it out.
2 Use paints, pens, pencils and crayons to colour in and add to the design. Or cut out some bright and colourful shiny stuff and stick it on to make a collage.
3 Fold the card in half.
4 Write a message to someone you would like to invite inside the card and give it to them.
Let’s Celebrate!
Because it’s International Day of Children and Young People this weekend (26 April), we wanted to feature as many contributions from Kids Alive! readers as possible. So we’ve got four Your Space pages packed with a reader profile, news, birthdays and lots and lots of Cool Colourings! Thank you to everyone who sent in something – keep it up, because we love seeing what you send us.
If you’ve never sent us something before, why not give it a go? All the details are in the ‘Get in Touch’ box on page 15!
Storytelling Competition!
Kids Alive! is teaming up with Salvationist for our first ever joint writing competition! We want to hear your versions of Bible stories, retold however you want to retell them! That might be a favourite parable or a Bible story you think more people should know about – we only ask that you keep it faithful to the Bible and that you avoid writing about Christmas or Easter.
Entries will be printed in the 27 June issues of Kids Alive! and Salvationist to mark National Writing Day on 24 June. It’s open to all ages – just email kidsalive@salvationarmy.org.uk or salvationist@salvationarmy.org.uk by 8 June. We can’t wait to read what you write!
Spud Saviour
Margaret from Nunhead Salvation Army celebrated World Book Day by creating a potato Jesus! She had been asked to create her favourite book character in potato form, so she decided to create Jesus carrying the cross up the hill.
As Margaret proudly carried her creation to school, she shared the story of Jesus with her school friends and others who stopped to admire the potato creation. What a wonderful and unique way to share the story of Jesus with others! Well done, Margaret!
New Junior Soldiers
A junior soldier is a young member of The Salvation Army
Martha, Felixstowe; Amy, Ethan, Oliver, Notting Hill.
H a p p y
B i r t h d a y
t o y o u !
To see your name and birthday printed in a future issue of KA! email your full name and date of birth to kidsalive@salvationarmy.org.uk
25 April
Harrison Bryce – age 13
26 April
Amelia Campbell – age 13
Alekhya Macharla – age 5
27 April
Isla Foster – age 12
28 April
Katie-Ann Webb – age 9
Olivia Redman – age 9
1 May
Sienna
Charlotte Kinsey – age 10
Age? 7.
Favourite colour? Blue.
Favourite food? Pasta.
Favourite sport? Running.
Favourite bit of Kids Alive! Your Space – Cool Colourings. Favourite Bible story and why? Easter, because it’s a story of hope and love.
Favourite TV programme? Unicorn Academy
What do you want to be when you’re older? Scientist.
Pets? A dog called Winston. Hobbies? Swimming, parkrun and dance.
Tell us a joke. Knock, knock! Who’s there? Six! Six who? Six seven!
What special skill or talent do you have? Being kind and patient to my younger brother.
Tell us something interesting about yourself. I have a special scar on my belly from when I was a baby. I call it my story.
Is there anything else you would like to tell us? I am very helpful and like organising.
Cool Colourings
Ayo, aged 9, sent us this mer-mazing Gabby’s Dollhouse Colouring! Gabby looks fin-tastic, doesn’t she?
Look at this stunning Happy Easter Colouring from Dallas, aged 5. We love the colour choices – they’re perfect for spring!
This lovely Happy Easter Colouring was created by Luke, aged 7. We love the sparkly silver cross and the pink sunbeams!
There are many amazing colourings on these pages! Aren’t our readers so creative? The Happy Easter ones are particularly lovely, because they remind me of the fact that Jesus is alive!
Here’s a pukka Palm Sunday Colouring. This one was coloured by Leo, aged 7. That is one super-cute donkey!
This Happy Easter Colouring was sent by Daria, aged 8. Our favourite part is the beautiful blue flowers!
Tomas, aged 12, has been busy colouring and has created this Bird Colouring for us. We love it!
Gregory, aged 12, has coloured in this very neat Palm Sunday Colouring. We love the orange and yellow background and the details on the donkey.
George, aged 11, has also been busy creating more cool colourings. This bird one is particularly beautiful!
This Happy Easter Colouring created by Nico, aged 11, is so fabulous. The awesome colours remind us how amazing the Easter story is.
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
