Curriculum:
There are several publishers who have developed curriculum for the 1-and 2-year olds. We chose to develop our own year-long curriculum that works well for us. I share it here simply to spark ideas for what can be done.
We have tweaked our curriculum several times, but this is the general plan. As you can see, we spend December through Easter focused solely on Jesus. In October and November we quickly review other people who are mentioned in the Bible including Moses, Daniel, and Jonah. We end that study by emphasizing that Jesus is the Super-Hero of the entire Bible.
My favorite time to teach is the Advent season. I bring my Fisher-Price nativity set and we utilize it every week, adding new figures as the story progresses. The kids are each given a figure to hold until we reach the point in the story where that figure joins the story, then they get to place it into the stable area. After the lesson we move the nativity pieces to the floor or a low table and encourage the kids to retell the story while playing with the pieces. It’s a magical time of hands-on teaching.
What have we learned about curriculum so far:
-Introduce the kids to the Bible and teach from it. -They are picking up more than you might think!
Beyond
Today is Ivy’s birthday. She’ll be leaving our 1s and 2s class and moving up to the “big kids” class next week. I’ll miss Ivy…her sweet smile, her knack for knowing when another child could use a toy and voluntarily sharing hers, and her willingness to answer a question when I’m teaching.
I’ve gotten to know Ivy and her family well over the two years she has been in my class. When her little brother, Micah, was born my husband and I took them a meal. Soon Micah will replace Ivy in our class! Their mom serves at the preschool check-in station. Their dad helps in our class once a month where he passes out high fives and welcomes any kiddos who want to climb into his lap. I remember the Sunday he came to drop Ivy off, but another child who was having a rough morning clung to him. He ended up staying—and holding this other child—all morning. What a blessing this family is to me and this ministry!
When I found out that Klaira’s family was moving to another state it hit me hard. She was just beginning to come out of her shell and play with others in class. Since they live near me, I offered to watch Klaira one evening so her parents could have a date night before they move. Instead of taking me up on my babysitting offer, they invited me to come visit them in their home. So, I stopped by with a small gift for Klaira to open that day, and another for her to open in the car during their long road trip. Klaira’s parents and I sat and visited and played with Klaira for an hour or so. It was a magical time of connecting with this special family. I made sure to get their new address so I can send them a Christmas card this year. It will be a great opportunity to ask them how they are enjoying their new home — and plugging into a new church.
Loving on the “littles” in our sunny, toy-packed classroom is a joy to me. But to connect with them outside the classroom is just as important. I’ve made it a point to look for “my” kids whenever I’m in the church lobby between services. I gently touch their arm or leg as their mom or dad holds them. I simply say, “Good morning” or tell their parents something adorable their child did in class recently. Just a smile in the lobby can help a child adjust to joining us in our classroom.
JANUARY-FEBRUARY: Jesus Grew Up & Loved People
MARCH-APRIL: Jesus as a Man
MAY: Noah and the Ark
JUNE: God Made Everything
JULY: God Made People
AUGUST: God Made Me!
SEPTEMBER: God Made Families
OCTOBER-NOVEMBER: Bible Heroes
DECEMBER: Advent/Christmas
You can access this entire magazine for free here: Edition 42
