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EDITOR Cara Mott
DEPUTY EDITOR AND KA! JAM CO-ORDINATOR Ibukun Baku
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.
wimbledon GET YOUR RACKETS READY FOR
What will you be doing on Monday (30 June)? For thousands of tennis fans, they’ll spend the day packed into the All England Lawn Tennis Club Wimbledon Grounds (try saying that without taking a breath). They’ll be sitting watching some intense games of tennis, and the Wimbledon Grounds will be very quiet. Many fans will nervously nibble on strawberries covered in cream. But when a player wins a match, the crowd will erupt in cheers that are even louder than a herd of elephants blowing their trunks!
If you haven’t already guessed, these fans will be watching The Championships, Wimbledon 2025. Wimbledon is the United Kingdom’s Grand Slam tournament, and it’s one of the most popular tennis competitions in the world! It’s been running since 1877, which means that for almost 150 years tennis players have been battling it out at Wimbledon to prove that they’re the best of the best.
This year, there will be lots of different events taking place over the next two weeks. Then, on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 July, the winner of each event will be decided in what we imagine will be some incredibly exciting games of tennis. You might not be able to make it to Wimbledon yourself, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t join in with the fun. Why not get yourself a giant bowl full of strawberries and cream, and then watch some ridiculously good tennis on your television?
The Championships, Wimbledon 2025 take place over two weeks from Monday 30 June to Sunday 13 July. You’ll be able to watch matches on BBC One, BBC Two or BBC iPlayer.
I’m not very sporty and neither is my daughter. On her sports day, she didn’t win any races (I didn’t win the mums’ race either!). However, she always gives everything she does her best effort, and when we were talking about us both being a bit rubbish at sport, she said, ‘But I’m an excellent cheerleader!’
This made me smile the biggest smile! Not all of us can be the fastest runner, the best footballer or the strongest tennis player, but we can all be excellent supporters and cheerleaders for those around us. That might be on sports day, but it might also be in class or at church. In the Bible, Paul says in a letter that people should encourage each other and build each other up (1 Thessalonians 5:11).
If we recognise and celebrate all the things those around us are good at, then we can all feel like champions!
Images / Alamy Stock
Photo
HGod’s VIP
ave you ever had guests stay with you?
Perhaps your grandparents live far away and visit for special occasions. Maybe you’ve had friends around for a sleepover.
When guests visit there’s lots to get ready, such as preparing a place for them to sleep and making sure you have things they like to eat and drink. For a celebration, you might get a cake and yummy party food. For a sleepover, I expect you would arrange a room for everyone to sleep in and get some midnight snacks.
When I was going through a tough time, some friends invited me to stay whenever I needed to.
Very Important Invitation
If God was to send an invitation to spend time with him every day, what do you think it would look like? Use this space to design a VIP invitation from God. Maybe you could give it to someone who needs to know they’re special to God.
Read the comment below about how important you are to God
There was always a bed ready for me, lots of yummy food to eat and loads of good company to cheer me up. Even now, I know I could ask to stay and they would welcome me. I think this is what David is describing in Psalm 23:5–6. He knew that God always had time for him and would treat him like a special guest.
I hope you know that God thinks you’re a very important person (VIP). He wants the very best for you and wants to know all about you –what’s worrying you, what you’re celebrating and everything in between. That’s not just on special occasions – God’s got the red carpet ready for you every day!
says Justin Reeves
Check out your Bible –Psalm 23:5–6
Being With God
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.
Good News!
We’re going to look at four different books, all at the same time! These books are called Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Together, they’re known as the Gospels. The word ‘gospel’ means ‘good news’, and that’s what these four books are all about – the good news of Jesus!
The story of the Gospels begins around 400 years after Malachi’s prophecy. In those 400 years, Judah–the home of the Jewish people – had expanded to become an area called Judea, and it was now being run by the Romans! It was a tough time to be a Jew.
One day, a priest called Zechariah was visited by the angel Gabriel! Gabriel told Zechariah that his wife, Elizabeth, was going to have a baby, even though she was very old. Elizabeth and Zechariah’s baby was called John. John’s mission was to get people ready for the work that Jesus was going to do!
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.
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.
Name:
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.
John
There are 195 countries in the world. We’ve explored 25 of them, which means that there’s 1 country left to go!
Z for Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a country in southern Africa. It’s landlocked, which means that it’s surrounded by other countries and doesn’t have any access to the sea. The capital of Zimbabwe is Harare. Harare gets lots of good weather, so it’s also known as the Sunshine City! Zimbabwe is also the home of a massive waterfall called Victoria Falls.
He’s big, he’s mean and he’s green – he’s the Hulk! The Hulk is one of Marvel’s greatest heroes, but if things had gone according to plan, he wouldn’t look like he does now. That’s because Marvel had planned for the Hulk to have grey skin! However, a printing mistake meant that the Hulk was made green instead!
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.
When someone wants to get married, they might propose to their partner – this often involves giving them an engagement ring. Gentoo penguins are a bit like humans, because they propose to their partners too! A male gentoo penguin will give their potential partner a shiny rock to show that they want to be with them for ever!
Why aren’t fish good tennis players? Because they don’t like getting close to the net!
Why should you never fall in love with a tennis player? Because to them love means nothing!
Crossword Clues
by Neil Locker
across:
3 Pod vegetable. 5 Pat a ball up and down. 6 Glass container for jam, for example. 7 African mammal (abbreviation).
8 Reef-forming marine creature. 11 Where you go to sleep. 12 Regular quadrilateral. 13 Neckwear garment. down:
Crossword Clues
1 Sharp-tasting. 2 Move forward very slowly.
3 Quick look or a small sound. 4 Type of nut. 6 Blazer, for example. 9 Fragrant flower. 10 Noisy. 11 Outer covering of tree.
Answers on Page 2
Find the Wimbledon-related words in the grid
centre court strawberries ball girls cream advantage game ball boys umpire
love match ace royal box set serve deuce break point the hill rufus the queue
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
WENT SHOT LOVE OPEN
Why did the strawberry go red? It saw the salad dressing!
How do you play quiet tennis?
It’s like regular tennis, but without the racket!
Did you know?
The first Wimbledon Championship took place in 1877, making it the oldest tennis tournament in the world.
What do you serve but not eat? A tennis ball! A straw-berry!
Which US state is famous for tennis? Tennis-see! (Tennessee!)
by Neil Locker
I was born in Ontario, Canada but grew up in Bromley, England. My father is from Romania and my mother is from China. I was a wildcard entry to Wimbledon in 2021. I had been ranked outside the top 300, but successfully reached the 4th round!
Later that year, I became the first British woman since 1977 to win a Grand Slam when I won the US Open without losing a single set. Can you guess who I am?
What’s a horse’s favourite sport? Stable tennis!
Encyclopedia of Animals Competition
What’s your favourite species of animal? Maybe you’re a big fan of fierce animals, such as tigers and crocodiles! Or maybe you can’t get enough of any animal that looks adorable, such as pandas and otters! Whatever animal is at the top of your list of favourites, we’re sure that you can agree that this world is packed full of spectacular creatures.
If you’d like to know more about the animals that live on our planet, then Eyewitness Encyclopedia of Animals is the best place to start. The world’s most amazing animals are in here, from tiny ants to the mighty blue whale. You’ll also get to learn about some of the people who study animals, such as zoologists! With its mix of nerdy knowledge, fun facts and incredible images, this extraordinary book will keep you engaged for hours.
For your opportunity to win your own copy of Eyewitness Encyclopedia of Animals, answer the question below and email your full name, age, address and answer to kidsalive@salvationarmy.org.uk. Remember to put ‘Encyclopedia of Animals Competition’ in the subject box. Your entry needs to reach us by Friday 25 July when the winners will be chosen. You can also enter by filling in the details on the coupon below and posting it to: Encyclopedia of Animals Competition, Kids Alive! 1 Champion Park, London SE5 8FJ.
‘Eyewitness Encyclopedia of Animals: Meet the Amazing Animals Of Our World’. DK, £22. Out now.
Which of these is an expert on animals?
Name:
Address:
Zoologist Archaeologist Chemist
F O U N D E R S ’ D AY C O L O U R I N G
We love celebrating birthdays, and there’s a very special birthday to get excited about this week –The Salvation Army’s! The Salvation Army (who publish Kids Alive!) will be turning 160 years old on Founders’ Day (2 July)! While you add a splash of colour to the design below, why not take some time to think about all the fab work that The Salvation Army has done over the last 160 years and continues to do today? If you’d like to share your artwork with other readers, email your colouring to: kidsalive@salvationarmy.org.uk Make sure you write ‘Founders’ Day 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.
Summer Holiday Challenges
This might sound like a silly question, but how excited are you for the summer holiday? No school, lots of time to do what you enjoy – what’s not to love? However, after just one week away from school, you might find yourself (if you’re being really honest) getting a little bit bored.
If you’re from Scotland and your summer holiday starts this week, then you might already be desperate for some fun ideas to keep you entertained! If that’s the case, then look no further – we’re here to help! We’ve packed these two pages with as many fun summer holiday challenges as we possibly could.
Become an Explorer
One of the best things about the summer is that the weather is often lovely. That means that it’s a great time to get outside! So here’s a challenge for you – we want you to try to do something outdoors every single day! That’s not just because being outdoors is fun. It’s also because getting active is really good for your physical and mental health. So, you could…
Go on a scavenger hunt! You could go to the woods or the park, and then try to find as many beautiful flowers as you can! Or you could look out for minibeasts, such as woodlice.
Go on a bike ride! You could explore a local park by going on a bike ride with your family and friends. If you don’t have a bike, you could go on a walk together.
Put together an obstacle course! You could use objects from around your house to put together an obstacle course for your family and friends to take on. They might have to kick a ball around a line of garden gnomes, and then stack cups as quickly as they can.
Here’s another challenge for you… Why not use the summer holiday to develop your cooking and craft skills? Every week, you could try to cook or make something new! You could build a rocket out of old toilet rolls, or you could bake a delicious cake. To find easy recipes that you could try to follow at home, check out bbc.co.uk/food/collections/10_easy_recipes_for_kids
Cooking and Crafts Get Reading Summer Reading Challenge
When you pick up a book, you never quite know what adventure it will take you on. It might take you on a journey to learn about the Tudors, or it might take you to the far future to discover strange robots! There are books about absolutely everything – and that’s one of the reasons why we think reading as much as you can this summer would be a fab idea.
The Summer Reading Challenge started last Saturday (21 June), but there’s still time to join in. The aim is to get kids to read as many books as they possibly can. The theme of this year’s challenge is ‘Story Garden’, so kids are being encouraged to read books about the great outdoors. If you want to join in, you can find plenty of books to read at your local library. You can join the challenge by visiting your local library or heading to summerreadingchallenge.org.uk.
Even More Ideas
Don’t worry, we’re not quite finished yet – we’ve got even more ideas for what you could get up to this summer!
Visit museums to learn more about history and the world around you. You can find a museum near you by checking out museums.co.uk
Make a board game! Come up with your own game that you can play with family and friends.
Learn how to play a musical instrument! You could ask a musical person at your church to teach you, or you could get lessons.
Build a den in the woods with your family and friends, or make a big fort inside your home!
We hope you have a ridiculously fun summer!
Antonia, aged 8, sent us this awesome comic she created. We think Super Quince is such a cool character – we can’t wait to find out what happens next!
Cool Comics
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
This excellent comic was sent to us by Harry, aged 9. We think he’s done such a fantastic job - it really made the team smile!
G e t I n T o u c h !
28 June Evan Perry – age 8
29 June Bella Sutherland – age 12
30 June
Phoebe Mott – age 4
2 July
Jaycee Coulsden – age 10
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
Age? 12.
Sophie
Favourite colour? Pink.
Favourite food? Spaghetti Bolognese.
Favourite sport? Gymnastics.
Favourite bit of Kids Alive! The crossword.
Favourite Bible story and why?
Joseph, because God looked after Joseph and had a plan for him.
Favourite TV programme?
Topsy and Tim.
What do you want to be when you’re older? A weather presenter.
Pets? No.
Hobbies? Doing crafts.
Tell us a joke. What did the policeman say to his tummy?
‘You’re under a vest!’
What special skill or talent do you have? I am good at dancing. Tell us something interesting about yourself. I was born in Saudi Arabia.
Is there anything else you would I love going to church and Sunday school.
Nikita
Age? 5.
Favourite colour? Purple.
Favourite food? Lettuce.
Favourite sport? Dancing.
Favourite bit of Kids Alive! Reader profile.
Favourite Bible story and why?
Christmas story, because Mary and Joseph had baby Jesus and the shepherds came to visit them.
Favourite TV programme? The Inbestigators from Netflix.
What do you want to be when you’re older? All the jobs in the world!
Pets? Two cats – Patch and Gucci.
Hobbies? Playing tag, colouring. What special skill or talent do you have? I’m good at tag.
Tell us something interesting about yourself. I love Monday Mayhem (at church) and I want there to be Tuesday Mayhem, Wednesday Mayhem … I want to go every day!
Is there anything else you would like to tell us? I like making cake, helping Grandma and playing with Blue Tack.
in what way, eric?
Hi, Patch!
I’m just helping aaron with his phone.
i’m charging up his mobile phone...
...using my electrical charge. is there any difference between that and normal electricity? this is eelectricity! there certainly is!
