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SSTN # 34 - April 22, 2004
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IN THIS ISSUE OF THE SSTN e-NEWSLETTER:
Springtime Fellowship Fun!
1) Promotion Day
2) Unruly Child
3) No place to teach?
4) Teaching the Books of the Bible?
Fruit of the Spirit Spinner ... NEW!
5) Teaching Children To Pray
6) Fruit of the Spirit Rap / Song?
7) Prayer Balloon
8) Teaching Children To Pray
9) Teaching Children To Pray
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Springtime Fellowship Fun!
Chalk-It-Up ... 22 Awesome Outdoor Games Kids Draw With Chalk...Fun and
wholesome activities for parties, icebreakers, and friendship building!
Encourages creativity in kids! Use them at church, school, youth groups,
or for family-time fun! Comes with a F- R- E- E pack of marble sidewalk
chalk, a recipe to make your own chalk, and directions to make some unique
game accessories. Includes games for older and younger kids (K-5th grade)!
Get two sample games and learn more at:
http://www.christiancrafters.com/curriculum.html
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1) Promotion Day
On the last day of Sunday school for the year we first have our
devotions/kids worship. Our Sunday school superintendent then does
some sort of thank you for the teachers and covers the summer birthdays
for the kids. The kids then all get promotion certificates. The kids
take their certificates and collect stickers from the teachers for all the
activities they participated in (eg pretzel making, choir, Christmas
pagent, etc). This is then followed by the congregational picnic.
NicC
Ottawa, Canada
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2) Unruly Child
We've had several international adoptions at our church, and in all cases
(except for the infant), the parents put the children in classes a year or
2 younger than their children's acutal ages, due to developmental delays
and lack of understanding of the English language. Robin mentions
"kindergartener" - is he actually in a school, or are they homeschooling
him, or is he "kindergarten" age but not in school yet?
Part of the problem may be that he's a bit behind developmentally and
hasn't learned the necessary skills and self-control to be able to sit as
long as most kindergarteners or to do the crafts or participate in
the games, or maybe he doesn't understand what is expected. I'm not sure
how to approach the parents about it - in our case, the parents chose to
hold the kids back a bit and asked us to accomodate this chioce, which of
course we did. But perhaps the parents could give some idea of what
they've found works for their son, or how to communicate with him better.
If he's actually in school, perhaps his teacher has given them ideas for
working with him that they'd pass along.
I have 3 of the children now (1 adopted from China, 2 from Hungary) and
they're doing well. The 2 from Hungary were about 1 and 2 when adopted,
and they've been in a program for children with developmental delays from
the time they were about 3, and have pretty well caught up with their
peers. The other girl was about 1 when adopted and has 3 older sisters who
played school with her from the beginning, so she's had no problems
adjusting. But I remember when the children arrived from Hungary, and
didn't understand much English yet - their parents had a difficult, and at
times frustrating, time trying to communicate with them at the beginning.
So the language difference may be part of the story.
I don't have any other good suggestions, but hope this might give Robin
some ideas to help reach this little boy.
Linda, also in Ohio :)
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3) No place to teach?
I belong to a very small church. I have a problem and hope you can give me
some advice. The Pastor and I have been disagreeing lately on where I
should teach the children. When she first approached me she told me that
I could use an outside area with tables for the children, however lately
other churches have rented this area out. and I have been push aside. When
I go to the Pastor on this she says that she does not want to make waves.
She tells me to change my lesson plan within two days before church, so
that I don't need to use tables or have a place for the children to sit.
It takes me a week at least to get ready for Sunday school and I feel that
I am unable to just drop what God wants, cause I don't have an area. I
have been offered to go to another church to teach their children and I am
trying to confirm this through others. The parents at this church are not
committed to bringing their children evey sunday sso I never know about
how many children to prepare for. I can prepare for twenty and maybe if I
am lucky one will show, or prepare for five and ten will show. What
should I do?
thank you.
--from SSTN: Sounds like a tough situation. Is there available indoor
space and you can't use it or are the outdoor tables the only available
space? What about bringing beach umbrellas and blankets? Not the best
solution but you'd be guaranteed a space. I also know how frustrating it
is to plan and not have all the kids show up or have more kids show up
than you planned for. In these situations you have to hang lose and
believe that God will provide for the kids that show up on any given day.
Flexibility is the key in these situations. ysic, sarah keith <><
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4) Teaching the Books of the Bible?
I am a new subscriber and really appreciate all the great ideas found on
this website. My church has recently began classes for children ages 4 to
11. We are working on teaching them the books of the bible and I am in
charge of activity time. Another leader leads a song time and 2 other
leaders teach a class. My question is that I am running out of ideas for
activities to do with them on this topic, especially the ones who cannot
read. I have done the "swat game", the balloon busting game, hot potato
(child cites books we have been learning about when they have the potatoe
and a relay game.)
Any fresh, active ideas would be greatly appreciated.
God Bless,
DeeDee in Tennessee
--from SSTN: check the archives too at:
http://christiancrafters.com/archives.html
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Fruit of the Spirit Spinner ... NEW!
Children will learn the Fruit of the Spirit in a fun new way. Each
characteristic is illustrated with a whimsical cartoon fruit for kids to
color, cut, and spin. Download an unlimited supply of patterns for a
onetime fee of only $3.00.
Get a lesson and learn more here:
http://www.christiancrafters.com/lesson_spirit_fruit.html
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5) Teaching Children To Pray
Check out the "Plaster Prayer Hand" in the Christian crafts section at:
http://www.christiancrafters.com/page6.html
The "Prayer Wheel" in the Curriculum Creatives section:
http://www.christiancrafters.com/curriculum.html
AND
Type "Prayer" into the Archives search box at:
http://christiancrafters.com/archives.html
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6) Fruit of the Spirit Rap / Song?
Hi,
I am teaching elementary age Sunday school and the Fruit of the Spirit for
the next few weeks. I am looking for the words to a chant or rap or song
for learning the Fruit of the Spirit.
If anyone has this info, please help.
Mary W.
--from SSTN: you might want to check out the other FOTS activities at:
http://www.christiancrafters.com/lesson_spirit_fruit.html
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7) Prayer Balloon
Hi,
This letter is in reference to teaching children how to pray......I have
6-7 year olds and this is how I taught them about prayer. I purchased a
helium balloon with as little writing on it as possible, we went out
doors and each child gave me their prayer request, each of the teachers
gave a prayer request also. I wrote each one on the balloon we then prayed
together for each request. I then released the balloon and we watched it
until we could not see it any longer. I talked about how our prayers go to
heaven even though we do not see them going before the throne they do and
God then answers each one. I remind the children that some times the
answer may not be what they want....it is very helpful to then wait a
couple of weeks and ask if any prayers were answered, that is why I put
the teachers prayer request on so they would also have input about haw and
when the prayer was answered.
Thank-You,
Gail Lane
Brewer, ME
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8) Teaching Children To Pray
Cindy H asked for help in teaching children how to pray. Cindy - I posted
something about this that might help. I have a booklet I made up about
the Lord's Prayer that has some ideas. Email me at tericout@yahoo.com and
I'll send it to you.
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9) Teaching Children To Pray
Reply to "teaching children to pray. During Children's Church, we
designate a different prayer leader every week. This gives children a
chance to see and hear other children pray, so they are not so
embarrassed. An idea I got from a seminar: Give them a color or a subject
like food or things found around the home. Then go around the room letting
each child thank God for something relating to that subject. OR To make it
more fun use the last letter of the last thing
said(radio-oranges-soccer-rain-news-ect. . . ) This helps them to remember
to thank God for everything he has given us.
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