Love our comic? Check out Morning Praise with Kids Alive! on Salvationist Radio every Saturday and Monday at 7.30–8am and every Sunday at 9–9.30am.
3 The Super Mario Galaxy Movie and Ed’s Bit
4–5 KA! JAM
6 Bumper Bible Breakdown 7 Kiddo 8–9 Giggle in the Middle 10 How to Hear God Competition 11 Colouring Corner 12–13 KA! World 14–15 Your Space
16 Patch’s Pals Robbie’s Robot
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EDITOR Cara Mott
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. Ask your parents or carers to go to sps-shop.com/kids-alive, call 01933 445445 (option 1, option 1) or email subscriptions@satcol.org to set up a subscription. Subscribe* to for £4.33 a month
*A subscription costs just £4.33 a month (or a one-off payment of £52). This subscription offer applies in the UK and Republic of Ireland, with 51 copies delivered over 12 months. Please note that different prices apply to Europe and international orders.
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.
I love Mario and Luigi. I think it’s because I used to play a lot of Mario Kart with my brothers when we were kids, so they remind me of that. My brothers and I don’t see each other as much now, so remembering fun times from our childhoods makes me smile.
My brothers and I are a bit like Mario and Luigi actually – I don’t mean we’re Italian plumbers, of course! I mean we have different skills, but we work well together. Even if we disagree sometimes! Do you have siblings or friends that you feel like that about? People who you can team up with to do something better. God didn’t create us to do life alone. He wants us to have relationships with people who we can share skills with and encourage and help each other. So ‘let’s a go’ find those people and see what we can achieve when we put our skills together!
here are lots of surprises in this week’s Bible cartoon! First, Jesus surprised the disciples by asking them to get a donkey – they didn’t understand why, but they obeyed anyway.
Then Jesus rode that donkey into Jerusalem, but that was a surprise too! Have you ever seen the King’s Birthday Parade? If you haven’t seen it, there are loads of soldiers marching up The Mall in London. There are also huge horses and royal carriages. Every year thousands of people line the sides of the road as they watch the procession.
Now compare what I’ve described above to the cartoon on the right. It’s a bit different, isn’t it? Can you imagine how surprised people would be if King Charles rode a donkey on The Mall instead? That’s why some people in Jerusalem
Palm Puzzle
There are Palm Sunday-related words hidden in the grid on the right. Find them all, then use the pink letters to spell out a surprise message!
Read the comment below about how Jesus surprises people
by Cara Mott
were surprised. They were expecting a great king, and kings usually rode big strong horses and were surrounded by soldiers.
Despite the surprise, many people laid down cloaks, waved palm leaves and shouted praises. Jesus chose to enter Jerusalem like this. It wasn’t a surprise to him – it was planned. He could have arrived like a traditional king, but he chose a different way to show people that he was a different kind of king – the kind that they needed.
The disciples and the crowd might not have understood why Jesus was doing things differently, but they trusted him. Sometimes we won’t understand everything Jesus wants us to do, and he might surprise us. However, we can trust that Jesus has a plan and he knows what we need.
Check out your Bible –Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:28-40
The
First Palm Sunday
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.
John’s Friend
Over the last few weeks, we’ve learnt about the letters that a man called John sent to different churches. This week, our focus is on a letter that John sent to a friend of his called Gaius. John told his pal that he had heard from other Christians that Gaius was living in a way that would make Jesus happy. However, John also knew that the leader of Gaius’s church, a bloke called Diotrephes (have you got anyone with that name in your school class?), wasn’t living how Jesus would like. He was telling lies about John, and he was stopping other Christians from coming to visit the church!
So John encouraged Gaius to make sure that he didn’t become like Diotrephes. He should continue to love others, and he shouldn’t turn other Christians away. Instead, he should welcome them – and he should welcome John, who was planning to come visit him!
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.
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…
Detective Constable
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.
My name is Lynette and I’m 46 years old. I love spending time with my family and friends. I’m also a detective constable in the police. At the moment, I work for a team that keeps children safe, but when I first joined the police I worked as a response officer – this means that I went out to help people when they called us. When I was a response officer, there was never really a normal day. We responded to whatever emergency had been reported. This could be helping a family with an argument, checking on an injured animal or closing a road if it wasn’t safe. Days were always busy, and sometimes we hardly had time to sit down! But it was very rewarding to help people. Now, as a specialist officer working on children’s safety, I often visit families or go into schools to work with people to find the best ways to keep children safe.
The best thing about my job is meeting people that I wouldn’t normally meet and being able to help people when they need it most. If you like helping people too, and you’re interested in the unexpected, being a police officer could be a great job for you. You need patience, understanding and kindness, but most of all you need to care about helping others.
Lynette
What’s
Who builds everything in Super Mario World? The Hammer Brothers!
Starting from the outer segments and working towards the middle, write the answers to the clues so they all end with the same letter. Some letters have been included to help you. If answered correctly the outer segments will spell out a new word. Clue: type of fastening.
Why is Toad invited to every party? Because he’s a fun-gi!
What did Mario say to Princess Peach in the underground? ‘I lava you!’
What did Luigi say to the Koopa on the cloud?
‘Look at you!’ (Lakitu!)
What is Mario’s favourite musical? Mamma Mia!
Why does Mario want to be a celebrity? Because being a star makes you invincible!
What happens when you bring a Koopa Troopa to a party? It becomes a shell-ebration!
Identify the mystery object in the magnifying glass
across:
Crossword Clues
by Neil Locker
Crossword Clues
3 Official on a football pitch (abbreviation). 5 Glass or plastic container for milk, for example.
6 Part of fish that helps it swim.
7 Money pouch. 8 Period of darkness. 11 Bump on plant that grows into a flower or leaf, for example. 12 Bird’s harsh cry. 13 Decay.
down:
1 Cereal grass. 2 Halt. 3 Back part of something. 4 Chum. 6 Hand digit.
9 Abrupt rush of wind. 10 Travel around, for example singers. 11 Dish for cereal or soup.
How to Hear God Competition
Have you ever talked to someone and felt like they’ve not been listening to you? Perhaps you’ve been telling a buddy at church all about a film you watched the night before. Or maybe you’ve been talking to a parent or carer about the day you’ve just had at school. But instead of listening to you, you might have noticed that they’re completely distracted by something else! Sometimes when God talks to us, we can be terrible at listening to him too. That’s why How to Hear God: A Guide for Young Explorers is such a fab book to read. Written by Pete Greig, this book challenges us to learn about different ways that God might speak to us –and it encourages us to have the confidence to speak to him as well. Jam-packed with stories, activities and inspirational people, we’re sure this book will help you to adventure with God in prayer. For the opportunity to win your own copy of How to Hear God: A Guide for Young Explorers, answer the question below and email your full name, age, address and answer to kidsalive@salvationarmy.org.uk. Remember to put ‘How to Hear God Competition’ in the subject box. Your entry needs to reach us by Friday 24 April when the winners will be chosen. You can also enter by filling in the details on the coupon below and posting it to: How to Hear God Competition, Kids Alive! 1 Champion Park, London SE5 8FJ.
Name:
Address:
How many prayer-hand emojis are hidden on this page?
Three five seven
PALM SUNDAY COLOURING
Are you looking forward to Easter? If you are, then you’ll be pleased to know that tomorrow (29 March) marks the one-week countdown, and it starts with a special day called Palm Sunday. This is when people remember Jesus’ royal welcome into Jerusalem by an excited crowd shouting ‘Hosanna’ and waving palm branches. Hosanna means ‘save us’ and Jesus did that by making a way for people to become part of God’s family. So to celebrate Jesus’ triumphant arrival, why not add a splash of colour to the design below? If you’d like to share your artwork with other readers, email your colouring to: kidsalive@salvationarmy.org.uk. Make sure you write ‘Palm Sunday 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:
Address:
Postcode:
Living a healthy and active lifestyle, and caring for your physical, mental and spiritual
well-being
International Children’s Book Day
Picture this – you’re out for a walk and you discover a huge tree in the woods. This tree is so tall that it looks like it reaches the clouds and it’s big enough to be the home of some amazing magical creatures!
This is exactly what a new film called The Magic Faraway Tree
This film came out in cinemas yesterday (27 March), but the story it’s based on is actually far older. In fact, it’s inspired by a children’s book series which started being released all the way back in 1939!
Spectacular Stories
The Enchanted Wood (which is the book that The Magic Faraway Tree is based on) is just one of millions of stories which have been written for children! We reckon you could name quite a few right now, if you tried. Why not write down the name of your favourite children’s book in the space below?
Time to Celebrate
Since there are so many fab stories which have been written for kids to enjoy, we think that these stories deserve celebrating! That’s why we think International Children’s Book Day (which is also known as ICBD) is such a brilliant idea.
ICBD takes place on 2 April, which is the birthday of a famous author who lived a long time ago called Hans Christian Andersen. This day is the perfect opportunity to remember some of the books that have inspired you!
Who’s in Charge?
Every year, a different country is given the job of deciding what ICBD will be about. This year, a country called Cyprus is in charge. They’ve come up with a magnificent theme: ‘Plant stories and the world will bloom’.
When someone plants a tree, they’ll put a seed into the soil so that it can grow (although hopefully it won’t become quite as tall as the Faraway Tree)! So the idea of planting stories might sound a bit strange at first. Before you panic, we’re not asking you to take all your favourite books and bury them in the garden!
Planting Stories
What this theme is actually saying is that when we read stories, it’s like little seeds are planted in our minds. That’s because the ideas from those stories can grow and change in our thoughts and can even inspire us to do amazing things. In other words, the stories you read can help you to view the world differently and to make it a better place!
Your Turn
Here are some suggestions for how you can celebrate ICBD…
Visit a library and check out a book. Local libraries are excellent places to find lots of books to read, and one of the best things about them is that they’re free. You can find a library near you by heading to gov.uk/local-library-services
Challenge yourself to read a book about something you know nothing about! It could be a book about a country you’ve never heard of, or about a historical event you didn’t know took place. Learn something new!
Swap books with a friend. Lend your pal your favourite book and then borrow one of theirs! This will help you to understand your friend better, and it will definitely give you something to talk about.
Create your own story. You could write a short story, come up with a catchy poem or draw an awesome comic book!
Let’s celebrate our favourite stories this ICBD!
Age? 6.
Creative Crafts
The kids at Arbroath Salvation Army had a fantastic time at their Kids Creative Wardrobe event. Families came along for a morning full of creativity – there were stations for designing outfits, crafting accessories and colouring. The organisers of the event loved seeing all the children exploring, making and expressing themselves and can’t wait to do it again soon!
Sophie
Favourite colour? Blue and purple.
Favourite food? Black pudding.
Favourite sport? Ice skating.
Favourite bit of Kids Alive!?
Colouring Corner.
Favourite Bible story and why? Noah’s ark, because Noah helped all the animals from drowning.
Favourite TV programme? Paw Patrol.
What do you want to be when you’re older? A vet.
Pets? None.
Hobbies? Ice skating, reading and drawing.
Tell us a joke. What gets wet when it dries? A towel!
What special skill or talent do you have? Learning Spanish. Tell us something interesting about yourself. I love singing songs. Is there anything else you would like to tell us?
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
Cool Colourings
What a Weekend
Sophie, aged 6 (who is also the star of this week’s reader profile), has coloured this rainbow bird! It’s beautiful!
Here’s another brilliant Bird Colouring. This one is from Nina, aged 5, and we love the choice of colours!
Cwmbran Salvation Army had a brilliant prizegiving weekend with special visitors Jonny and Kat Whitmore (who are the leaders of children and youth work for The Salvation Army). The weekend had a lively start as Jonny and Kat joined the young people for bowling and food on the Saturday afternoon. Then the Sunday morning service, led by Jonny and Kat, was themed ‘being part of the body of Christ’. After the service, Cwmbran’s children’s leader, Sarah, led a time of playing games before everyone shared a meal.
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