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Patch’s Pals Naughty Norman
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EDITOR Cara Mott
DEPUTY EDITOR AND KA! JAM CO-ORDINATOR Ibukun Baku
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.
IDownWSyndrome orld Day
f you’ve ever built a Lego set or cooked a scrumptious dinner, then you might have followed some instructions. Believe it or not, there are also instructions for what makes you amazing and unique – and these are held within your body in chromosomes! Most people are born with 46 chromosomes, but some people have 47. This means that they have something called Down syndrome! People with Down syndrome might need extra help and time to do some things, so you can always ask if you can lend a hand. However, if you have a friend or family member with Down syndrome (or you have Down syndrome yourself), then we’re sure you’ll already understand that they’re no different from anyone else and should be treated equally!
People with Down syndrome can be treated unfairly, which is why World Down Syndrome Day is amazing! This takes place every year on 21 March, and it’s a brilliant opportunity to celebrate the achievements of people with Down syndrome. This year, the Kids Alive! team have had a fab time watching videos of a CBeebies presenter called George Webster and checking out the work of a brilliant model called Ellie Goldstein. We’ve also loved discovering the Electric Eels, which is the first synchronised swimming team in the UK for people with Down syndrome. These are just a few of the people with Down syndrome you could learn about on 21 March – so don’t forget to join in with the celebrations!
Learn more about the Electric Eels by visiting youtube.com and searching for ‘Electric Eels synchro’
Check out page 11 for a colouring which will help you get more excited for World Down Syndrome Day
My family are big Strictly Come Dancing fans. We love it when we meet the new celebrities and see who they’re partnered with. Last year, Ellie Goldstein was partnered with Vito Coppola and we all loved seeing them dance. The most amazing thing about this pair was the joy they had on their faces when they were on the dancefloor. Because Ellie has Down syndrome some people might have thought that she would struggle to learn and remember all the moves. However, Ellie proved them all wrong – she was brilliant! Sometimes in life we might meet people who tell us that we can’t do something. Maybe because we’re too young, too old, too small or not clever enough. Ellie is a great example of the fact that we shouldn’t let people like that stop us from doing something we love! God’s made us perfectly and with his help we can achieve amazing things!
BBC Picture
Sally Anderson News
Check out your Bible –John 6:1-14
Jesus Provides
ARead the comment below about how Jesus cares for everyone
What Can You Give? asks Ibukun
few years ago, footballer Marcus Rashford did isomething pretty amazing. He led a campaign to get food vouchers for kids during their school holidays. Marcus saw that many families were struggling and he used his voice to speak up for them. He probably knew he couldn’t solve every problem, but he used what he had and made a real difference in helping children who were hungry.
In this week’s Bible cartoon, Jesus also saw a need. A huge crowd had been following him all day, listening to him teach. As evening came, people began to feel hungry. Jesus didn’t ignore them or tell the crowd to sort it out themselves. Instead, he cared for them and made sure they were looked after.
If we’re being honest, Jesus could have solved
Baku
the problem all by himself – after all, he helped to make the whole world! But Jesus wanted the disciples to be a part of what God was doing. When he asked Philip where they could buy bread, he was inviting them to help. Jesus was teaching them that in God’s Kingdom everyone can play a part in caring for others.
In this story, more than 5,000 people were fed because a young boy shared his small lunch – just five loaves and two fish. It didn’t seem like much, but when it was given to Jesus, it became more than enough.
So, remember that with whatever you have – kind words, friendship, time or talents – God can use it. When we trust Jesus with the ordinary things in our lives, he can use them to extraordinarily bless others.
More Than Enough
Jesus turned the five loaves of bread and two fish into more than enough food for everyone –there were 12 baskets of leftovers! Can you find all the baskets hidden below?
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.
The Lady and Her Children
A Christian called John wrote a secret message to a church. Since many people were horrible to Christians, John sent the letter to a ‘lady’ and ‘her children’ – only, the ‘lady’ he was writing to was actually a church, and ‘her children’ were actually the people who went to that church! He did this to keep the church from getting into trouble!
John’s letter to this ‘lady’ and ‘her children’ had a very clear message – they needed to love one another. They should do this because showing love was something that Jesus had always taught his followers to do!
As well as loving one another, this church should be careful not to follow bad teachers. If a terrible teacher telling lies about Jesus turned up to the church, they shouldn’t talk to them–and they shouldn’t even be allowed to come into the building!
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:
Address:
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.
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
What do you want to be when you grow up? To help you learn about a job that you might be interested in, we’ve asked a grown-up to tell us all about what they do for work. It’s time to meet a…
?
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.
Headteacher
I’m Sue, I’m 53 years old and I work as a headteacher in a primary school. My job is like being the captain of a big ship. I help everyone to have a safe, happy and successful day!
During the day, I walk around the school to see all the amazing learning that is happening in classrooms. I talk with teachers about how we can help children learn even better, and sometimes I help solve problems if something has gone wrong. At our school we have a big lighthouse that reminds us that as teachers we’re there to shine a bright light into our community, and that we should support and celebrate our children and their families!
The best thing about my job is knowing that what I do helps to shape children’s futures and creates a place where people feel safe, valued and able to thrive. I love being with people and helping them be the best they can be!
If you want to do my job when you grow up, you should always be kind and care about people. If you listen to people and treat them with respect, you will be a great leader. Secondly, be brave when solving problems –sometimes you have to make tricky decisions. Finally, be a good team player. A school works well because lots of people work together. A good headteacher helps everyone work as a team.
Sue
What’s a pizza’s favourite type of joke?
Cheesy ones!
What do you call an alligator that’s a detective? An investi-gator!
Crossword Clues
by Neil Locker
across:
Crossword Clues
1 Sycamore, for example. 3 Woodwind instrument. 7 Number or finger. 8 Need to repay a loan. 9 Opposite of night-time. 13 Piece of firewood. 14 Planet’s path around the Sun. 16 Someone who writes poems. 17 Light in the night sky.
down:
1 Movement of the sea. 2 Breakfast food item, boiled _ _ _. 4 Sweeping brush. 5 Level or flat. 6 Place to board a train. 10 Plant-like living things found in water. 11 Lose your footing or skid on ice. 12 Use a teaspoon to mix sugar in a drink. 15 Flying mammal.
Answers on Page 2
Insert the 12 letters given below into the grid so that the same four words read both across and down CCEE
NOOR K K E P
Why did the boy throw his alarm clock out of the window?
To see time fly!
What’s the most expensive fish called? A goldfish!
Where can you find an ocean with no water? On a map!
Ho ho, ha ha, he he! He he, he he!
S
A
S
S
Identify the mystery item in the magnifying glass
water WORDSEARCH
Ho ho, ho ho!
Ha ha, ha ha, ha ha!
Why does it take pirates a long time to learn the alphabet?
He he, he he!
Because they spend years at C!
Why do fish live in saltwater?
Because pepper makes them sneeze!
Knock, knock! Who’s there?
Water!
Water who?
Water you waiting for? Open the door!
To celebrate World Water Day find the water-related words in the grid
clean water oceans
streams taps lakes drizzle drink rain
seas rivers wells
spray wash splash downpour bottles
Ho ho, ha ha, he he!
I was born in London in 2001.
As a baby, I had heart surgery to close the holes in my heart. I began my modelling career when I was 15 years old.
In 2023, I became the first person with Down syndrome to feature on the cover of Vogue and I was also the first model with a disability to represent Gucci.
In 2025, I made my acting debut in the CBBC drama Malory Towers. I was also a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing. Can you guess who I am?
Competition
Bears can be some of the naughtiest animals. Whether they’re stealing food from a campsite or even breaking into someone’s car (yes, bears have done that before), you can never be quite sure what cheeky thing a bear is going to get up to next! With this week’s prize, you have the opportunity to win some baby dolls that are even cheekier than Winnie the Pooh or Paddington Bear – and these babies are also wearing awesome bear costumes!
Rebel Bears are anime-inspired dolls with swappable outfits, matching ID cards and their own special bags. They’re also, just as their name suggests, incredibly rebellious. Each plush doll comes in a blind box, which means that you’ll never know which baby you’re going to get. These bear-costumed babies look like they’re ready for trouble, so do you have what it takes to look after one?
Name:
Address:
For the opportunity to win your own Rebel Bear Mystery Box plush, answer the question below and email your full name, age, address and answer to kidsalive@salvationarmy.org.uk. Remember to put ‘Rebel Bear Competition’ in the subject box. Your entry needs to reach us by Friday 17 April when the winners will be chosen. You can also enter by filling in the details on the coupon below and posting it to: Rebel Bear Competition, Kids Alive! 1 Champion Park, London SE5 8FJ.
Which of the following characters is a bear?
Bluey Paddington Timon
DESIGN YOUR OWN SOCKS
One of the ways people will be celebrating World Down Syndrome Day today (which you can find out about by reading page 3) is by taking part in an event called Lots of Socks! The idea of Lots of Socks is very simple – everyone should wear their boldest, brightest and most eye-catching socks. This is to show that just like people can’t help but pay attention to incredibly colourful socks, we should pay just as much attention to the Down syndrome community. To join in with Lots of Socks, why not put on a pair of colourful socks and then design your own using the drawing below? If you’d like to share your artwork with other readers, email your design to: kidsalive@salvationarmy.org.uk. Make sure you write ‘Design Your Own Socks’ in the subject box and give us your full name, age and address. Alternatively, you can post your artwork 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 active lifestyle, and caring for your physical, mental and spiritual well-being
World Water Day
When was the last time you had a drink of water? Forget fizzy drinks, blackcurrant squash or hot chocolate – water really is the best drink in the world!
Every person needs water to live, because it helps our bodies to work properly. Water is so good for us that it’s recommended by experts that we drink four to eight cups of water a day!
Water Crisis
For most people living in the UK, it’s really easy to get a drink of water. If you wanted to have some water right now, you could go to your kitchen, turn on a tap and fill up a glass!
However, for many people around the world, finding safe water to drink is incredibly difficult. In fact, there are 8.3 billion people living in the world right now and 2.2 billion of them don’t have access to safe drinking water!
Time to Learn!
You might not have known that so many people don’t have safe water to drink, but learning about this massive problem is exactly what World Water Day is all about!
It’s World Water Day on 22 March, and this day is the perfect opportunity to find out more about how not having access to clean water can make the lives of lots of people very tricky! It’s also a brilliant day to discover how we can help to make this situation better.
You might be struggling to imagine what it would be like to not have access to safe water, so we want to introduce you to someone. This person isn’t real, but there are so many people around the world whose lives are just like what we’re about to describe. It’s time to…
Meet Maria!
Maria lives in a country called Honduras. While her brothers go to school, Maria is made to walk four miles every day to find water for her family to drink! She sometimes has to take very dangerous routes to get to where she needs to go.
Maria’s Struggles
Maria has to carry very heavy cans of water over long distances, which has given her permanent problems with her neck and back. In the future, it might be hard for Maria to find work because of her injuries!
Even though Maria puts in so much effort to find water, the water she brings home will probably still not be safe to drink. In fact, it might make her family sick!
Making a Change!
Maria’s story might make you feel sad, but it’s important to know that charities such as The Salvation Army (who publish Kids Alive!) are doing all that they can to make brilliant changes to the lives of people like Maria. Because of their hard work, many people around the world now have access to safe water. The Salvation Army helps people by…
Creating holes in the ground to provide safe groundwater to drink.
Raising awareness of the need to provide clean water for everyone.
Building toilets so that disease isn’t spread through water in communities that don’t have much.
Your Turn
Just like The Salvation Army is helping to make a difference, you can get involved too! You can…
Be thoughtful. You can make sure there’s enough clean water for everyone by being careful with the amount of water you use. This can look like turning off taps when you’re not using them and taking shorter showers! Join the mission to provide everyone with safe water to drink! Find out more at salvationarmy.org.uk/international-development/areas-work/clean-water
Fight plastic pollution. Plastic often ends up in water supplies, which makes water dirty. We can fight plastic pollution by using reusable water bottles and plastic bags, and by not using plastic straws!
Cool Colourings
We were blown away by this beautiful Bird Colouring from Jasmin, aged 7. We’d love to see that colourful bird in the wild!
The bear in this Valentine’s Day Dot-to-Dot has a lovely bunch of flowers! It was sent to us by Ruby, aged 9, and it’s full of creative flair!
We really love this Valentine’s Day Dotto-Dot from Freddie, aged 6. That bear looks so adorable holding the heart and flowers!
Jayden, aged 9, has also coloured a bird for us. This one is singing a happy spring song. Great work, Jayden!
New Junior Soldiers
A junior soldier is a young member of The Salvation Army Carter-Rose, Washington, Maidenhead; Amy, Anna, Lexi, Lily, Portadown; Anthony, Ben, Caeleb, Kayden, Lydia, Peter, Rachael, Shiremoor.
H a p p y 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
21 March
Hollie Kelly – age 13
22 March
Jasmine Hundal – age 13
23 March
Bella Massey – age 10
Ethan can speak three different languages! That’s seriously impressive. But I want to know one thing – can you speak dog? Ruff, ruff!
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.
