Sunday School for Preschoolers

We have three groups in the age range you have mentioned. Infants-1yr olds (not taught), 2-3 yr olds, and 4-5 yr olds. They don't move to the next class up until August of each year, so a recently turned 4yr, lets say this month, would not move up until August.

The 2-3yr olds are given moslty coloring paper that are biblical themed. Picture of Jesus, Moses holding the ten commandments, etc...... Then they are told about each of the stories that go along with the character they are coloring.

The 4-5yr olds are done pretty much the same, but they are more geared around hands on crafts, such as a pencil with string and a magnet on the end with cut out fish with a paper clip, then told about Jesus being a fisher of men. You know, more hands on crafts for the story they are being told. They are usually read to out of the Kids Adventure Bible.

Remember, they have very short attention spans to sitting and listening, so while doing arts and crafts, explain the story to them at each step that they have to do.

Hope that helps.

 

I'm curios why KJV is required for a group that cannot read nor possesses a full vocabulary?

 

I am just guessing but the church only uses the KJV?

We would do the same...we only use the KJV and would not use another in a toddler or any other class.

 

Scarlett has given you some wonderful helps. I would add another (I teach in Children's Church on a rotating basis)...object lessons are wonderful as are activity lessons!

For instance...we did a month long unit on Daniel and his friends. When Daniel was in the lion's den we made lion masks from paper plates, yarn and construction paper. In an adjoining room I turned the tables on their side, covered them with sheets and made a lion's den. They took turns being Daniel and being lions. When we studied Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego I made a fiery furnace.

The kids love it, it's fun and they remember the lesson far longer than giving them a piece of paper with a picture Daniel in the lion's den which gets thrown away.

When I teach we always start with our lesson time...we begin with a review of what we've learned to date. I ask questions they answer. It gives them a chance to talk and gets them ready to listen to the next story. Then we sit quiety for three to four minutes and tell the story. I always end with a teaser of what we'll be studying the next week. For instance, "Next week we're going to be learning about the finger that wrote on the wall." Next is snack time and I always try to tie it into the lesson. When we did "lion's den" we had pepperoni...after all, lion's are carnivores...and crackers. When we did Daniel in the King's palace we ate fruit, nuts, veggies and drank water. Everything you do should reinforce the lesson. Then we do our craft project, then is play time. If we don't have a lesson based play time then they can have free time. Before we leave we have music time and prayer.

Here are some links for helps....remember the IDEAS can come from anywhere. You can make it KJV

http://www.sermons4kids.com/hso.htm
http://www.kidssundayschool.com/Gradeschool/Lessons/1daniel01.php
http://dltk-bible.com/

 

ERM.....Their minds are little sponges, They learn incredibly quickly, maybe it will help develop their vocabulary??? Or, don't you have children. My three year old just started singing "Blessed Assurance" the other day....we had no idea she could do this, she just started singing it...Got the first verse and chorus almost perfectly. And, of course, it is also a KJV only Church anyway.

 

Um...probably not. Learning words we use every day doth doest thou that

Got 3 of them, and don't teach them language from 5 centuries ago.

I'm sure a parrot could do the same thing, but that proves nothing.

 

There are more words than that in the kjv...I was raised utilizing it exclusively...It reads to me, and to anyone else raised as I was...like modern English, I don't even recognize the thees thous et. al. Obviously, there is the side point that we maintain that it is the Superior Translation overall. But that is not the point of the thread.

4 centuries...and perhaps you should...Even Latin can be helpful...

A parrot could not....of course they can mimic sound....but she is three, and to her, words are also developing meaning...as of right now, she is quoting Genesis 1:1 nearly perfectly...I don't know where she learned it, except by hearing it and, of course, their minds are sponges...It is not as though we ever "taught" her to speak per se...they just learn. You may have some loathing for those who exclusively use the kjv....fine... loathe them all you want; Neither I nor Lilly were pushing you to be a tee-totalling fundamentalist or insisting your wife never wore trousers of any kind were we? That isn't our policy anyway. :thumbs: She needs S.S. material in KJV...because that is the translation our church uses....that is all....what do you care? Go start some KJV hate thread somewhere...or possibly just give Lilly some advice on quality S.S. material which can be found in KJV.

 

Lily, I echo what Scarlett said. Also, after the story, let the children act out the lesson. If the lesson is Jesus walking on water, put down a blanket and let one of them pretend to be Jesus while the other sit in the boat (the blanket.) IF the lesson is on Noah's ark, give them each an animal to put into the ark, or better yet, let them BE the animals and have them hop, walk, crawl, or whatever into the "ark." It doesn't have to be elaborate. The "ark" can be under the table, or just an area on the floor.

Change their activity every 5 to 7 minutes. Have a five-minute lesson, 5-minute coloring session, 5-minute snack time, etc. Keep them moving--up for 5 minutes, sitting for 5 minutes.

I've seen teachers try to do everything scriptural, like an hour long "class." Nothing against scripture, but after a 5 minute lesson, there's no sin in letting the kids play with play-dough or dress up for a while. This is preschool, not adult worship. Learning to share while playing with toys is just as scriptural as the pastor preaching an hour to the grown-ups. Keep it at their age level, and you will do fine.

 

Never forget, children hear and learn even when you don't THINK they are. Last night at Wed service is a great example. We meet in our fellowship hall and sit around the tables. We let the children go into the carpeted area and play with quiet toys. Little Katie (she's 7) was running around with a stuffed bird (she was "flying") and the pastor said something about children and said, "I'm sure Little Miss Pickle over there heard every word." Katie piped up and said, "I certainly did."

So I agree here...there's nothing sinful in play-doh and dress-up! Just keep talking, singing, saying Bible verses...it all works!

 

What do you care that I asked why 2 and 3 year olds required 12 grade level reading? I don't hate the KJV, I was also raised on it, but I do hate the snobbish KJVO position that I sense in your post. Even the KJV will be paraphrased for preschoolers.

There is also a huge difference in being able to remember and recite something than in actually understanding it. I read through the entire Bible at 7 in the KJV. I read through it again years later using the NKJV. I gleaned the most understanding from reading it through in the NLT, HCSB and even the ESV.

I think Scarlett gave excellent advice, btw. As someone who also works with the preschoolers I can relate.

 

Fwiw, even the KJV is a paraphrase. Its the truth found in the Scripture that is essential and this can be accomplished by just telling them what the verse (should not use more than one for this age) says. Same with Bible stories. Reading it to them in another language (which is what it will seem like to them) and then translating that will tap into their attention span.

 

Incidentally the Flesch-Kincaid readability scale does not consider the kjv "12-grade level."

I think you had a knee-jerk reaction (understandably) as soon as KJV!! popped on your screen. I know how annoying a militant KJV onlyist can be. But we are not that sort....there was nothing "snobbish" about it....we (incidentally) are a KJVO church...but as we like to say..."We are Independent Fundamental Baptists; but we're not mad about it" There was no snobbery in the posts.

Of course.

__________________

 

Lily, I have to agree with Scarlett on this one. PreSchoolers will never "get it" if you try to teach and explain to them. They can't grasp concepts like that. They are spatial learners.

Here's an example. When I did Daniel and we talked about the writing finger, I could have read the verses "In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, Daniel 5:5-6"

OR...."King Belshazzar, can you say that name?? (stop and let them work on Belshazzar a minute), saw finger writing on the wall....no person, just fingers! Can you imagine how scary that must have been for him? But God used those fingers to send that King a message"

Which one grabs their attention and makes them "lean in" to hear more?

If you want to use your KJV pick a verse and teach it to them....it'll take rote learning and keep it simple. For instance if you were teaching them 1Jn 4:10 "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. " You wouldn't try to teach them the whole verse. You'd choose out, "God loved us and sent his son." THAT they would remember. Best way to teach scripture to children is through song.

I understand your need to use KJV materials. Although our church is SBC we are also a KJV church. You take a lot of heat here for being KJV. I tend to ignore the naysayers. :thumbsup: