Monday, March 30, 2015

Introducing Pentecost to Preschoolers


Today we are joining with My Mundane and Miraculous Life's Jesus-Storybook Bible Blog Hop, once again. If you're wanting to start teaching your child about the Bible and Jesus' life more intentionally this blog hop is a fantastic place to start. Just click the words in blue and you'll be taken to a list of over 40 interactive activities beginning with the story of creation and finishing with John's 'dream of heaven'.

I must confess that I completely forgot I was meant to be sharing our adventures of learning about Pentecost so photos aren't quite what they should be and I'm a bit late! My apologies!
 








Introducing the story 
To introduce the girls to the story, I read "God send help" from the Jesus Storybook Bible at bedtime and then I sang a Pentecost song from The Donut Man, "They Had To Wait"

 Light Table Play
Once the girls were asleep I rescued their little people from our Zaccheus Cloud Dough bin and placed them on the light table. I added our kitchen clock and then placed a handful of orange glass beads and a whistle in a basket next to the light table.


When the girls awoke the next day, we sat next to the light table and read "God sends help" again from the Jesus Storybook Bible. Bubbles and Squiggles both had fun acting the story out with the figurines as I read the story. 

As I reached page 329, I invited the girls to use the whistles quietly. As we reached the second sentence I flicked on the light table and the girls placed an orange bead next to each of the little people.


Bubbles decided we needed to add some party things as we read on page 330 about "And the little room was filled with happy noises. Dancing feet, singing, laughing." So we added some colourful pom poms to act as mini balloons.

This story is so well written in the Jesus Storybook Bible-it had me close to tears and the joy was so apparent on Bubbles face as I read to her about "God's Love-God's Never Stopping, Never Giving Up, Unbreaking, Always and Forever Love."




Who is the Holy Spirit? Our story play lead to questions about the Holy Trinity-who is God? Jesus? The Holy Spirit? How can they be the same and different? 

This is such a hard concept for me to get my head around still, it's one of those things I take on faith and place in the "too hard to comprehend basket" in my brain. I decided to share an analogy I discovered whilst I was in uni with Bubbles. Imagine the tallest mountain ever, a rope is hanging down, all you can see at the top is a bright light behind a cloud and a giant hand reaching down towards you. As you climb the mountain you see nooks have already been cut out of the rock face. I imagine the hand being God the father, waiting lovingly reaching out and encouraging me to come to him. The nooks I see as being put there by Jesus guiding me and showing me the way. The rope is the Holy Spirit-showing me the way and supporting me when I falter. I have no idea how "theologically correct" this is, but it's helped me in walk with God.


I wasn't sure if this would go over Bubbles' head but she totally got it! In fact she came up with a new analogy-"Like when I'm at the park and you stand next to me as I climb, the rope helps me climb like the Holy Spirit helps me get close to God and the steps help me know the way like Jesus' has shown us the way and you're there to pull me up or catch me if I need you like God." (I'm such a proud Mummy!)

Follow Up Activities

http://www.andnextcomesl.com/2015/02/metallic-dyed-beans-sensory-play.html

Bubbles' is at daycare today but I plan on following up tomorrow with a fiery sensory bin made with And Next Comes L's fantastic beads-I can't wait to see how the girls explore the Pentecost story with them!
http://onetimethrough.com/firefighter-birthday-party-fiery-arts-crafts/

Creating One Time Through's fiery mason jars to remind us of the tongues of fire.


http://www.catholicicing.com/celebrate-pentecost-sunday-with-pentecost-sundaes/

And tonight we're having Catholic Icing's Pentecost Sundaes for tea-not only yummy but they're chock full of Holy Spirit and Pentecost symbolism!


Giveaway
Don't have a Jesus Storybook Bible? I'm so excited to share a giveaway with you generously sponsored by Zonderkidz.  One lucky winner will receive the Collector’s Edition of the Jesus Storybook Bible valued at $44.99! This package includes  a beautiful copy of the book, the audio rendition of every story (extremely well done!), and a DVD collection with animated versions of the stories. What a great gift to give a child for Easter! Be sure to follow The Jesus Storybook Bible Facebook Page for more information, and stay tuned for the rest of the Jesus Storybook Bible Hands On Activity Series.

Unfortunately the giveaway is open to the US only and ends at 12:00 am CST on April 1, 2015. Please enter using the Rafflecopter form below. If you have trouble seeing the entry form on a mobile device switch to the classic version or click here to enter.


a Rafflecopter giveaway
 


Please always supervise your infant/child at play.  Please stay within arms reach and never leave infants/children unattended.  You know you're infant/child best, use your own judgement-considering your infant/child's temperament, habits, behaviour and development before you play with a new play medium.


If you liked this post you may also like:
http://squigglesandbubbles.blogspot.com.au/2014/02/three-sensory-tubs-to-explore-christian.htmlor http://squigglesandbubbles.blogspot.com.au/2015/03/zacchaeus-for-toddlers-and-preschoolers.html

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