Teaching 2 year olds

[shout2thelord]

Hey everyone

I work with our 1 and 2 year olds in kids ministry in a fairly large church. we have a short time in our sunday morning services with our 3-5s called KDGS (Kids discipleship groups). I wanted to start something similar with our two year olds in addition to our upfront teaching.

It would involve a leader being with a small group of children at a table and was wondering if anyone does anything similar to this at their church or have any ideas about what I could incorprate in it?

 

[RenaeN]

I love teaching the 1 and 2 year olds at my church. What exactly are you trying to put together? Because I wanna help, but I don't quite understand what you are wanting to do.

 

[jhanie777]

I tried teaching my cousin and my sister about Christ they didnt understand a couple things but even though they didnt I enjoyed teaching them,Is anybody out there who got caught in the same situation as me?

 

[rocklife]

when I was working in nursery, they had Veggie Tales playing on tv for the ones who could sit down. The rest were having snacks or just playing around and napping and etc. It was very loose for the kids, which some of the young ones like in my experience.

 

[Robinsegg]

Puzzles, coloring pages and play dough are very popular at that age. However, you'll have to keep a close eye on them to make sure they don't eat anything!

The other thing you can do is have very colorful flanelgraphs or pictures to use in the story. Also, involving the kids in the story can help . . . say in Noah's Ark, you have the kids make a noise every time an animal name is said. Or they make a sound every time a certain word/phrase is said.

Rachel

 

[HaldenDaPenor]

Back and forth, with their Glans, it's okay to use their hands.

 

[HaldenDaPenor]

Children are like Glans; they like to have their heads rubbed when they stand up and do the right thing.

 

[Syele]

I used to teach the nursery, here is what I did.

I'd make little books (it's one sheet of paper folded into 8 pages) and on each page I'd put a picture as part of the bible story. I'd tell the story several times during class showing them the pictures throughout the class. I had parents coming to tell me that their kids told THEM the bible stories with the books afterwards. Sometimes I'd put some words in them to help the parents read them later, but usually just pictures were enough. For pictures I'd shrink them down from coloring books or from the curriculum.

For some reason, these little 8 page story books really got toddlers attention. I don't have enough posts to link you to instructions on how to make the books but if you google: one page mini-book it's the first link.

 

[Abiel]

Keep telling them God loves them! Teach them to praise God by copying you- very simple phrases. And teach them the name of Jesus.

Then use stories. Lots and lots of stories. MAny stories of Jesus.

 

[Nobility]

I agree with Abiel. I teach 3-5 years in a Christian preschool and I'm sometimes in the under 2's area. It's Christian based many books have Christian influences (but some don't), some (it's played a lot, but not the only music) is Christian, and the teachers are christian. We pray with them when they hurt themselves and just try to "include" Christ in it all.

I guess what I'm saying is we don't "teach" 1 and 2 year olds as such, but we allow them to be in a positive and "Christian" environment as they've got enough things going on that they have to learn anyhow.

 

[BBlessed]

I now co ordinate the childrens ministry in our church, but prior to that I led the Under 5's class.

My focus, as their leader, is to give them the knowledge and experiences they need to come to Christ when they are old enough to make such a decision.
And I think with such little ones, it's the EXPERIENCES that are important. They can not and will not take in a lot of teaching or lessons - but if they come to associate Jesus with love and acceptance and joy and fun, then you've set them on the right path.

Our littlies spend much of their Sunday morning time playing - play dough, drawing, cutting with scissors, and playing with various toys.
We try and read an appropriate story to them, which relates to the overall lesson for the children that week, and I find singing is a great way to teach them.

But I think the focus of ministry to such youngsters is to ensure they love being there and that what they take home is feelings of love and acceptance and enjoyment.

That gives them something solid to build on later.