Prep: make pretend cameras for all kids. A cardboard square with a eye hole in the top, and a small cardboard tube stuck on the front.
Place around the room beforehand two puppet birds and puppeteers, a snake, and another toy bird or animal hard to see.
A car lock 'beep beep' sound effect is a bonus
Hey kids, it's time for a children's adventure. Come down the front.
Hi kids. Today we're going to go on a little adventure. We're going to copy the steps of an adventure a man had out in the Australian bush.
This man loved bird watching. Does anyone here like bird watching?
How about anyone in the audience?
This man loves birds, actually, he loved any sort of animal, and he loved to take photos of whatever he could find out in the bush.
So we’re all gong to go on a little bush walk, like this man, to see what animals we can photograph around the church.
Do you all have a camera here? You don't? I have some you can have. (hand out)
Ok, all got your cameras? Great. Lets drive out to the bush then. Everyone stand up. And hop into your car. And off we drive (walking around), across the stage, around the edge, and back over to the other side, it's a long drive into the bush.
Here we are! Everyone hop out of your car. Got your camera? Lock the car (Beep beep)
Put the car keys in your pocket, And off we go looking for some birds.
Oh, I've spotted a bird already. Get your cameras! Can you see it. Take a photo.
Let go see what else we can find. Through these bushes (between rows of chairs where some people are sitting) There were some tracks in the bush were this man went but he did a lot of walking though waste high busses, just like this, as he chased birds to photograph.
Oh there's another one! See it? Take a photo. It's a very quiet bird. Everyone be quiet and lets see if we can hear it calling.... Mr birdy,we can't her you calling. Oh... sounds like a bit of an old/sick bird that one.
Lets keep coming (between rows of chairs where some people are sitting) Watch out for any wombats
Oh, there's a snake! Don't get too close. It's sleeping, take a pic.
Lets keep coming (between rows of chairs where some people are sitting)
Oh another little bird! See way up there, take a pic.
This man walked thorough the bushes all afternoon, and all around and it started to get dark.
So we should head back to our cars as it's now getting dark.
And while this man was getting back to his car he... hang on.... where's my car keys? I'm sure I put them in my pocket! Oh oh…. this man's keys had fallen out of his pocket.There was a hole in his pocket!
Where did he drop his keys?
He’d been walking through the bushes everywhere.
Started looking trying to retrace his steps . Which was quite impossible because he’d been all sorts of places. And.... can we see the first picture, (first pic), this is an actual picture of what he'd been walking through.
While he was looking can you guess what else he was doing? Praying!
Praying "God please help me find my keys. It's getting dark and I'm so far away from town"
And you know what happened. HE FOUND THEM. Do you know where he found them? (Next pic)
He spotted a tiny shine bit in the corner of his sight, and there they were - hiding right down low covered in tall grass.
There was great rejoicing! And thanking God for helping find his lost keys before it got too dark.
God won't always help you find things you lose. There are many reasons God doesn't answer a pray how you want it answered. But God always hears you and always wants to help you, if that's the best thing for you in the long term, He will do it for you.
Do any of you remember any parables Jesus told about some lost things? (sheep, coin, son)
Yeah and our pastor's going to be talking about one of these lost stories, not the lost car keys.
You can take your cameras home or put them back on the box - up to you.
Have a photo-tastic Sabbath.
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Presentation: Castle Hill Seventh-day Adventist Church - October 10, 2026
Actual bush the man was walking though:
Actual photo of the keys when discovered:
