My Favourite Station

The light and dark station proved a very popular station, whether it was because it was in a separate room or because of the resources in there, either way they added up to a great environment. That some of the children insisted on going back to play with after the session ended.

The resources to create "art" with were available on the table the OHP was on these included: string, pipe cleaners, lollypop sticks, colour paddles, cocktail stirrers, colour blocks, magnifying glasses, clear acetates and white board markers.

A basic start

Independently created - sunshine design.

Which then turned into "Jesus" in the centre of beams of radiating beams. Jesus was actually one of the wooden Godly play people of God, which I was holding onto a basket of and politely asked for one to create this. But unfortunately Jesus was praying upside down!

So after finding a right way up praying "Jesus" He was joined by the people of the world interspersed between the beams of light.

Who would have imagined that an old OHP, some cocktail stirrers and some wooden people would have created such a theological image.

Creation Stations

For session one of Bible Boot Camp, Creation was the theme. There were a range of "Creation Stations" to represent each of the days of creation.

The children were free to explore each station without explanation as to what they meant- only later after some time of thinking and a bit of detective work did they think what all the stations together may mean. Later confirmed by a talk on creation.

Dark den with lights and glow sticks to put inside. The dark den in completely dark when inside so makes a perfect for the start of creation- generally children don't experience true darkness so a new and exciting experience.

Overhead Projector (Old school OHP- from primary school days. Such a great creative resource) A range of creative resources to project creative images onto the wall.

Popcorn maker- we found there were lots of different reasons that this could have related to creation. Here I have suggested they were clouds.

Water tray on a "waterfall" (humour me), I didn't have an image of the water without additional resources.

A plasma ball for the sunshine.

The OHP used to create a sun.

Soil in trays on land coloured fabric, and herbs, and replica plants.

Seeds to plant in little pots.

Whilst this wasn't an animal station plastic animals were added to add interest.

Water play with birds and fish. In the far corner you can see a fabric bird that makes realistic sounds (and is very annoying when continually activated)

Sea creatures and birds (well mostly ducks)

Fishing game

Animals on a creative mountainous scene.

Playdough people.

Making Gingerbread people.

Resources to make people (or monsters as the case turned out??) out of dolly pegs and wooden spoons.

Click on the link for more ideas of activities that support the the theme of "God Made Me"

God rested...

For more multi sensory ideas go to alljoin.net

Bible Boot Camp

Start of a series of several sessions of Junior church, based on the premise of a team of recruits in boot camp ready to learn all they need to be ready for...everything!

Thank you, Sorry, Please Prayers

In the last post I said that I identified to the children which parts of the Lord's prayer were, thank you, sorry and please. I did this in the context of, we can say the prayer Jesus taught us at anytime but we can also say our own words in prayer. We usually pray prayers that are saying, thank you, please, and sorry. Jesus also did this in the prayer he taught us.

I then showed the children examples of the flowers above, showed them the signs for each word then asked children to choose which one we would do.We then thought of things we wanted to say thank you for then, sorry then please praying each prayer together.
A bit later each child made their own set of flowers, we were available to scribe prayers if they wanted. I explained that God gave flowers what they needed to grow, and when we pray God gives us what we need to grow too.

The Lord's Prayer

Today's session with lovely 3-4 year olds was on prayer but namely "The Lord's Prayer" So I had a nice book, which I used but I needed something for the children to actually get to grips with the prayer. So cue, Godly play inspired session (what a surprise!) I googled, but the two versions I came up with were not at all what I would have done but here's my version.

This is a very special box, it looks like a gift and very special present. (Open slowly)- It is a gift! A gift from Jesus, he told his friends that we could pray this prayer anytime and God will hear. These word's are like a gift from Jesus.
Our Father who is in Heaven, (place white fabric carefully down)

Hallowed by your name (move hands over fabric)

Your kingdom come (place crown half on half off white fabric)

Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. (Place globe above crown also half on half off white fabric)

Give us this day our daily bread (place piece of bread on fabric)

Forgive us our sins (place black felt heart on fabric, have a sad face)

As we forgive those who sin against us (Place a sculpture of two people together on top of heart)

Lead us not into temptation (place two pieces of felt one short straight black, one longer wiggly white strips, as path. Move sand cast foot between two paths then choose white. You could use a little person instead)

But deliver us from evil (trace your finger up the black path with a sad face)

The kingdom, the power and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen (Place the candle down, light optionally or use a battery operated candle)

I then pointed to each part of the strip saying this part is saying "thank you" "please" "sorry" to lead us to next section. We could have done usual wondering and I had planned to do "what is your best part? but I felt on this occasion best not to, as I planned to pray for sometime with the children and attention only goes so far at this age.

Having said that, oh my goodness the children were AMAZING watching the prayer. Absoloutly transfixed, made me rather emotional.

We went on to do our own prayers, but before that we learnt The Lord's prayer with "simple" signs (makaton/ bsl) with a bit of creative licence on meanings