You probably already know that when introducing preschoolers to the Bible, it is important to find ways to engage them so that they don't get bored with the lesson. You also know that one of the best ways to engage the students is to make them involved in the story in whatever way possible. For this reason, you should work to incorporate Bible reenactments into your lessons whenever possible. If this sounds like a good idea to you, and if you think that it is a new, interesting way to keep the children under your care entertained, then check out some of these ideas for reenactments that the kids will love participating in:
The Last Supper
Since you will most likely have snack time or lunch at your preschool facility, one day it might be a good idea to incorporate bread and grape juice into your lesson. Set a plate of bread in front of each child, and instruct them not to eat it yet. Then give them a cup of grape juice with the same instructions--don't drink it yet. After everyone has been served, sit down at the table and explain to them why they are eating bread and drinking grape juice. Tell them the story of the last supper, and then pray over the food and ask God to bless it. Afterward, ask the children to break their bread into pieces and eat part of it, then ask them to drink the grape juice.
As they take each element, explain to them what it means when you say that the bread is the body of Christ, and that the grape juice is his blood. Then, tell them about the sacrifice that Jesus made for them and why communion is such an important event for Christians.
Noah's Ark
One way to have fun with Bible reenactments is to create the story of Noah's ark. This can be tricky, but with a little creativity, it can be pulled off. The first thing you will need to do is cut out a shape of brown butcher paper to look like an ark. Once that is done, tape it up somewhere in the classroom where all the children can see it. Next, give each child a headband with a different color, and then cut out a shape of an animal in each of those colors and tape the animals to the corresponding colored headband. After that, tell them the story of Noah's ark, and designate one child to play the role of Noah. Noah will guide all of the animals, two by two, onto the ark. You will have to narrate the story as this is going on, but it is definitely a great way to make the Bible relevant and fun and to help the children understand this story more.
Palm Sunday
If your preschool celebrates Palm Sunday already, then you should have a fairly easy time explaining to the children what this event is. Simply buy palm fronds that are large enough for the children to wave around, and give one frond to each child. Then have a hobby horse that will stand in for a makeshift donkey (you can tape donkey ears to it if you'd like), and have one child ride into the middle of the crowd on it. Then, as the child is riding into the crowd, have the other children wave their palm fronds on either side of the donkey and the child. You may also want to give the children each a coat or an old shirt that they can lay on the ground as the child and the donkey are approaching. Then, while all of this is going on, explain why Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, and what the significance of that was.
The next time you are short on ideas for fun activities that the students at your preschool can do to be more active in the Scriptures, consider one of the ideas mentioned above. If you use one of these, you shouldn't have any trouble helping them understand these stories, which would normally be challenging for a child to grasp. Not to mention, you'll just be promoting good clean fun among the students, which will make them enjoy their preschool sessions at a religious school like Sammamish Montessori School all the more.
Share5 March 2015
My husband and I are planning to start a family in the near future. Since I’m a former teacher, I’m incredibly interested in my kids’ future education. I’m sometimes frightened by the amount of violence that occurs at some of our nation’s public schools nowadays. Too often, I see or hear about a school shooting or stabbing on the news. To protect my future children, I’m considering sending them to a religious school. In addition to shielding them from violence, I feel that a religious school will teach my kids morals in addition to the usual subjects. On this blog, you will discover the benefits of sending your kids to a religious school.
