Mat Time

Oh by far, my absolute favourite “time”, (have I said that before about another “time”?) what a privilege to be able to capture these children’s minds and impart God’s love for them. This is a time that you hope will stay with them forever, creating memories and setting up Jesus as The Cornerstone of their lives. This is the time that your story (see Lesson Plans Resource) will be the time that you bring alive the Bible and teach them The Word.

So, let’s make it fun, let’s make it interesting and let’s tie in the craft thoughtfully to the subject and then let’s repeat it again, and again, and again.

Sesame Street

Was Sesame Street, the childrens TV show Successful? Yes. Was it televised throughout the World? Yes. What’s their secret? Here it is!

Repeat the message again and again and again.  What do the children get out of this? They get to learn a message because you are repeating it and they get familiar and comfortable with way you do it.

I used to use two hand puppets every week for years, the children loved them, they knew they were hand puppets but they loved them, they were called “Problem Puppy” and “Clever Cow”.  Poor problem puppy always had a problem and yes you’ve got it “Clever Cow” always had the answer, which of course was to pray to God, to go to God and to remember that God was always there.   I would use the hand puppets whenever there was a tricky subject to discuss, or at the end of pray (see Teaspoon Prayers resource) requests.  If this teaching style works for you, then the children will love it.  Just like Big Bird (who always has a problem) and Elmo or Kermit (who would have the answer), you will have the winning formula!

Remember, Count von Count and the Cookie Monster, even Bert, they always, had the same story, the same message and the same learning.  Count von Count would always have a learning maths sum for the children; your teaching should follow the same formula.  The same prayer, the same Jesus, the same God, the same message, “Jesus loves you”, “Jesus is there for you”, “you can talk to Jesus”, same message, same learning. It never changes.

End Well

Your story time and learning time should always end with prayer (see Prayer Resource following the Teaspoon Prayer Method) and then you excitedly talking about the craft and asking them if they can “make this” or “make that” just like in your story eg. The locust that John The Baptist eats!