This week I watched kids use brooms, mops, spray bottles, and brushes all over one center. I saw hammering and sawing with blocks in another center. As they worked, I talked about Josiah's plan to clean and repair the temple. We talked about the scroll that was found and what happened after that. In other places in the room, kids made scrolls and used play dough to spell out the word BIBLE.
My job as a teacher is much easier when the planning is done well. Each of these activities helped me talk about the Bible story and the purpose of the session. (The Bible is the most important book because it teaches us what God wants us to know.) These particular activities led directly to what I wanted to teach. Kids could connect their play to the Bible truths, reinforcing personal application of the Bible teaching. Group time was a recap of what we had done and pulled together the "bits of learning" that happened during the morning.
I can tell the days that the activities fit well and the days that I should have planned better. The kids always seem to have fun, but that fun should be purposeful, leading them to connect with God's message for them.
Plan well. Choose activities that support the Bible truths you are teaching. Choose fun play that is purposeful, helping lead kids to hear, know, and do what the Bible says.
How do you help kids make those connections? How does the planning you do and the activities you choose help or hinder the learning in your classroom?
Photo by R. Scott Wiley
