2 year olds Curriculum for Preschoolers October 10, 2010 We want preschoolers to take a first look at who God is and understand... God made me God loves me jesus wants to be my friend forever Editor in Chief: Kathy Hill Copy Editor: Wendi Zebell Curriculum Writers: Kendra Fleming and Ashley Hiers Illustrators: Jodi Blackwell and Joe Goode Graphic Designer: Elloa Davis FL Creative Team: Sue Miller, Lois Pallansch, Kathy Hill, Kendra Fleming, Autumn Ward, Ashley Hiers Chief Executive Officer: Reggie Joiner Chief Operating Officer: Reggie Goodin Executive Director: Sue Miller Technical and Web Support: Hadley Brandt Partner Support: Deb Springer Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved. These resources are intended to be downloaded and printed for use by the subscribing entity only and may not be electronically transferred to or duplicated by other non-subscribing entities. Any unauthorized reproduction of this material or incorporation into a new work is a direct violation of US copyright laws. 2008 First Look. All rights reserved. STATEMENT OF FAITH USER AGREEMENT The rethink Group, Inc. gladly grants permission to churches, schools, and other licensees to tailor First LookTM materials to fit their unique leadership requirements, locale and format preferences, and physical environment needs. However, if you wish to edit the content substantively, including Bible stories, learning activities, scripts, and any other content in which biblical principles and concepts are presented, you are obligated to do so within the doctrinal guidelines we ve expressed in our Statement of Faith.
2 year olds October 10, 2010 Basic Truth God loves me Key Question: Who helps you? Bottom Line: God helps me. Memory Verse: Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid. Deuteronomy 31:6, NLT Bible Story Focus: God can save the day. Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego Daniel 3:10-30 Here s an overview of what you ll be teaching in 2s this week. Make It Fun (Choose one or all of these activities) Helpers Fire Walkers Superhero Puppets Make It True Bible Story and Worship Make It Stick (Choose as many of these activities as you like) Simon Says Moldable Fire Fire in the Furnace Bow Down (Bible story review) Dismiss 2
Key Question: Who helps you? Bottom Line: God helps me. Memory Verse: Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid. Deuteronomy 31:6, NLT Bible Story Focus: God can save the day. Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego Daniel 3:10-30 Prepare to offer one or more of the following activities as your 2-year-olds arrive. Let one or two teachers lead small groups of children in activities throughout the room while another teacher greets parents and kids at the door. At this age not all children will participate, but most will want to be part of the fun. Make it Fun 1. Helpers What You Need: Toy fire trucks, toy police cars, and play fire fighter and police officer hats. What You Do: Let kids act out saving people in need while dressing up as fire fighters and police officers. What You Say: What kind of trucks and hats are these? (Pause.) That s right. What do these people do? (Pause.) They help people! Our Bible story today is about how God saved the day and helped three men who were in big trouble! 2. Fire Walkers What You Need: Red streamers cut in 12-inch lengths. What You Do: Direct the children to stand in a circle. Have three children stand inside the circle. Instruct the circle to wave their hands up and down, waving the red streamers, to mimic a flame. Make sure everyone has a chance to be inside the circle. Repeat as desired. What You Say: At the start of the activity: We are going to play a really fun game. Let s get in a circle. Good job! Now, you three come inside the circle. Everyone in the circle wave your streamers up and down as if they re flames of a fire. Oh, no! Our friends are in the fire. Oh, no! Who can save them? It must be hot in that fire. I hope someone saves you! Great job! Now, let s have some other friends in the fire. (Repeat as often as needed.) At the end of the activity: Today in our story, we ll hear about three guys who were put into a big, fiery furnace and how God saved the day! It s an amazing story! I can t wait for us to hear it! 3
Make it Fun 3. Superhero Puppets What You Need: Talan and Talan on Playground (from the Activity Pages on the Web site), white cardstock, scissors, craft sticks, tape and crayons. You will also need Bailee Classroom from last week. What You Do: Copy and cut out Talan for each child. Let kids color their super heroes as you tell them the story from Talan on Playground. After the story, attach a craft stick to the back of each child s Talan with tape. They will be making a set of puppets throughout the month. Keep Talan on Playground for use throughout the month. What You Say: Look at this super cool superhero! His name is Tough Guy Talan! He uses his muscles and strength to help people in trouble. He s super strong! You can color and decorate him any way you want while I tell you his story. Then, after we play with these today, you ll get to take him home! He can play with the Bailee the Brain you made last week. (Tell story from Talan on Playground. ) Super job with your superheroes! You did such an awesome job! Now we have two superheroes, Tough Guy Talan and Bailey the Brain (Show both pictures). God sure did help them be superheroes! We have three more superheroes from the Bible to hear about today. Let s see how God helps them! 4
Key Question: Who helps you? Bottom Line: God helps me. Memory Verse: Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid. Deuteronomy 31:6, NLT Bible Story Focus: God can save the day. Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego Daniel 3:10-30 After children have participated in Make It Fun, tell the Bible story and then encourage the kids to have fun singing with you. When sharing the Bible story, guide kids to gather around you on the floor. Some kids (especially the younger ones) may wander. That s OK. They re still listening and learning! Make it True Bible Story What You Need: A Bible, a crown, and a red sheet or blanket. STORYTELLER: I am so glad you are here today. (Holding up your Bible) I have a GREAT Bible story to tell you today. Do you want to hear it? (Kids respond.) Our story today is about three guys one, two, three (holding up your fingers as you count). Can you count with me? (Kids count and hold up their fingers.) Very good. There is also a mean king. (Every time you talk about the king, make your voice lower and mean sounding. Also, put the crown on your head and your hands on your hips.) And guess what else is in our story? Can you guess? (Pick up the blanket and wave it up and down to help the kids guess.) It s a fire a great, big fire! Whenever you see the fire, I want you say, Whoo, whoo, whoo, just like a fire siren on a fire truck. (Wave your hands up and down and make a siren noise.) You guys wave your hands, and I ll wave our fire. Are you ready? Fire! Fire! Fire! (Wave the blanket as you lead the kids to say, Whoo, whoo, whoo and wave their hands up and down.) Good job! Okay, so let s practice one more time. There were three men one, two, three (holding up your fingers as you count). (In a low, mean sounding voice) There was a mean king. (Put on the crown and put your hands on your hips.) And there was a big fire! (Wave the blanket as you lead the kids to say, Whoo, whoo, whoo and wave their hands up and down.) Okay, I think you guys are ready for our story. And boy, is it a good one! Our story starts with our three men one, two, three (hold up your fingers as you count). Our three men were good men. They loved God. They believed in God. They knew God loved them and would help them. Who helps you? That s right! God helps me. Well, one day, a mean king (speaking in a low, mean voice, putting on the crown, and putting your hands on your hips) came and told the three men that they could not worship or follow God anymore. Oh, no! This really mean king (doing the motions) was serious. He said, NO MORE! You cannot worship God! Instead, he told them they had to worship a silly statue. (Take off the crown.) Oh, no! What were our three men one, two, three (holding up your fingers as you count) going to do? They loved God. They believed in God. They were not going to worship an old statue. They did not want to do what that mean king told them to do. But this was a really bad king. He said if they did not stop praying to God, he would throw them into a big fire! (Pick up the blanket and wave it. Get the kids to do the fire motions.) Did you hear that, kids? I said a great, big fire! (Kids respond, Whoo, whoo, whoo! ) 5
Make it True That s right! The three men one, two, three (holding up your fingers as you count) must have been scared. But they knew God would help them. Who helps you? KIDS and STORYTELLER: God helps me! STORYTELLER: That s right! God helps you, and God helps me! And God helped our three men, too. God saved them from the really mean king. God helped the three men one, two, three (holding up your fingers as you count). He saved them from the fire. (Pick up the blanket and wave it. Get the kids to do the fire motions.) Did you hear me? I said God saved them from the fire! (Kids respond, Whoo, whoo, whoo! ) That s right. God is big and strong, and He will help us. God loves me, and God loves you. He loves to help us. Who helps you? KIDS and STORYTELLER: God helps me! STORYTELLER: Yes! God helped the three men one, two, three (holding up your fingers as you count) and God will help you, too. Let s close our eyes and pray. Let s thank God for helping us. Prayer LEADER: Dear God, You love us and help us. Even when we are in big trouble, You care about us. Thank You for helping us. Thank You for loving us. Amen. Worship What You Need: A CD player; My God Is So Big, available at www. amberskyrecords.com or on the One Big Gulp CD; and the motions for the song. WORSHIP LEADER: God loves me, and God loves you. And just like the three men in our story, God wants to help you! Who helps you? KIDS and WORSHIP LEADER: God helps me! WORSHIP LEADER: That s right! Our God is bigger than a mean king and bigger than fire! Our God is big and strong. He loves to help us. Let s sing our song about how God helps us all day long! (Walk them through the motions and then lead them to sing the song to the tune of B-I-N-G-O. Repeat it several times, getting faster and slower. Make it fun!) I know my God is big and strong (both pointer fingers pointing straight up in the air with one arm coming down to flex a muscle on big and the other arm coming down to flex a muscle on strong ). 6
Make it True He helps me all day long. (Stretch out your arms and stretch out the word long. Slow the song a little on this line, and then speed up the ending lines.) God is big and strong (both pointer fingers pointing straight up in the air with one arm coming down to flex a muscle on big and the other arm coming down to flex a muscle on strong ). Helps me all day long. (Stretch out your arms and stretch out the word long. ) Nothing He can t do. (Cross your arms back and forth in front of you several times like an umpire calling safe while shaking your head no. ) God helps me, and God helps you. (Point to yourself and then out to the kids.) WORSHIP LEADER: Yeah! That was fun! God loves to help you. He is always there, and He is big and strong. Who helps you? KIDS and WORSHIP LEADER: God helps me! WORSHIP LEADER: Do you want to sing another song about our big, strong God? Let s sing so loud that EVERYONE can hear about Him! Lead children in singing My God Is So Big. WORSHIP LEADER: I am so glad God helps me. He really loves me, and He really loves you, too. Let s go play together and learn more about our big, strong God! 7
Key Question: Who helps you? Bottom Line: God helps me. Memory Verse: Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid. Deuteronomy 31:6, NLT Bible Story Focus: God can save the day. Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego Daniel 3:10-30 Choose two or more of the following activities to help make the Bottom Line stick. Lead the activities with small groups of children. Encourage children to play on their own if they do not wish to take part in an activity. Make it Stick 1. Simon Says What You Need: No supplies are needed. What You Do: Play a typical game of Simon Says. However, at this age, nobody needs to be out. What You Say: During the activity: Simon says to jump up and down. (Pause for responses.) Simon says to touch your nose. (Pause.) Touch your head. (Pause.) Oh, I didn t say, Simon says! Simon says turn around. (Pause.) Great job! (Continue as long as interest holds.) At the end of the activity: You guys did an amazing job of doing what Simon said to do. In our story today, we heard about those three guys with the funny names who believed in God. Did they do what that mean king said to do and bow down and worship a statue? NO! They weren t going to bow down to someone or something that wasn t the one and only God. They told the king, No way! So the king threw them in a fiery furnace! But never fear, because the three men knew that God would help them! And He did! Yay, God! God helped the three men and God can help you too. Who helps you? God helps me. 2. Moldable Fire What You Need: Fisher-Price Little People and red, yellow, and orange Play-Doh. What You Do: Make fire and flames out of the Play-Doh and place them around the Little People. What You Say: We heard a cool Bible story about three men who refused to bow down to a statue because they knew that God is the one and only true God. The king did not like this, so he threw them into a fiery furnace! But the guys in the furnace were not afraid. They knew God would help them, and He did! God helped the three men in the fiery furnace. And God helps me. Take some of this Play-Doh and roll it all around and make some flames from a fire. How many people were in the furnace? (Pause.) Three! But wait; there was someone else there too. God was there! God was there to help them! Who helps you? God helps me. 3. Fire in the Furnace What You Need: Furnace Fire (from the Activity Pages on the Web site), white cardstock, red, yellow, and orange tissue paper squares and glue sticks. What You Do: Before the activity: Make a copy of the Activity Page for each child. During the activity: Encourage children to glue tissue paper squares on the flames as you talk about the picture. 8
Make it Stick What You Say: Look at this picture and tell me what you see as you color. (Pause.) Yes, it s a fire! Most people see the colors red, yellow, and orange when they look at fire. Let s glue some red, yellow and orange tissue paper on our fire. In our story today, the mean king put three men into the fiery furnace because they would not bown down and worship a statue. Who did they worship? (Pause.) That s right! They worshiped the one, true God! Who helped these three men? (Pause.) Exactly! God saved the day and kept the three men from getting hurt! God helped them, and God can help you too. Who helps you? God helps me. 4. Bow Down What You Need: No supplies are needed. What You Do: Have children gather around you and do the hand motions as you review the Bible story. What You Say: Wasn t our Bible Story amazing? Those three men really believed in God. They loved Him so much that when the king wanted them to bow down to a statue, these three guys said, NO WAY! Never! Do you remember what the king said would happen if they didn t bow down? (Pause.) The king said he would throw them all in a fiery furnace! Yikes! But the three men knew that God would help them, so they prayed to God the one and only God. Do you remember what happened? (Pause.) God showed up! They were saved! They were not hurt. They didn t even get hot! Our God is awesome! He is the one and only true God. I want you to repeat after me so we can remember how awesome God is. Ready? Bow down! (Kids echo.) Right now! (Echo.) Fire s burning! (Echo.) So hot! (Echo.) In the fire! (Echo.) God s there! (Echo.) No one s burning! (Echo.) God s there! (Echo.) Our God is the biggest (both pointer fingers pointing straight up in the air) and the strongest (flex biceps) and the ONE and ONLY God (hold up one finger and emphasize each word with your finger). Who is the biggest and strongest (doing arm movements)? (Pause.) That s right, God is! Who is the ONE and ONLY (doing motions)? (Pause.) That s right, GOD is! Let s do the arm movements as we say it together one more time. (Leading kids) Our God is the biggest (both pointer fingers pointing straight up in the air) and the strongest (flex biceps) and the ONE and ONLY God (hold up one finger and emphasize each word with your finger). Awesome! God helped the three men and God can help you too. Who helps you? God helps me. 9
Key Question: Who helps you? Bottom Line: God helps me. Memory Verse: Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid. Deuteronomy 31:6, NLT Bible Story Focus: God can save the day. Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego Daniel 3:10-30 Dismiss Set any take-home creations where you or parents can get them easily. Greet parents at the door and let parents know that this month preschoolers are learning that God helps me. Encourage parents to repeat the Bottom Line at home and help their child understand that God helps me. Have this month s Small Talk available for parents to pick up or send it in a monthly email. Encourage parents to use the activities found in Small Talk to reinforce this month s Bottom Line: God helps me. 10