Author Archives: Rachel Ball

Praying for toddler groups

Posted in National Month of Prayer for Toddler Groups, Prayer ideas, praying for toddler group, Printable by

A few weeks ago the children’s talk in church was about prayer. The question was ‘What is prayer?’ The answer came from Psalm 62:8, ‘Pour out your heart to him’.

This seemed to me to be such a simple and straightforward way to think about talking to God. We simply pour our heart out to him. The person who does this in the Bible is Hannah as she prays for a child.

It made me think – ‘what are the things on my heart when it comes to the toddler groups that I either lead or help at each week?’ Sometimes there have been specific health concerns of parents, sometimes we’ve struggled with either too few people coming or too many. Sometimes there haven’t been enough helpers. Sometimes I have felt really nervous about leading the singing.

This June we have (in the UK) a month of prayer for Toddler Groups so I decided to make a visual aid for myself. You are very welcome to download the two ideas. My aim is to pray each day for the things that are on my heart.

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2019 – Pour out your heart

2019 – Pour out your heart 2

Thank you God for family and friends

Posted in Actions for storytelling, Craft, Family and friends craft, Family craft idea, Thank you God for family and friends, Toddler craft, Toddler Group by

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To make – sugar paper, tissue paper, cut up petit four cases, heart shapes, wool, crayons, glue, people shapes

(bought from Amazon – girl shapes and boy shapes) These can be cut into individual people.

Let the children choose how many people to add to their family and friends picture.

Our five senses craft

Posted in Craft, Our senses crafts, Pdf file, Toddler craft, Toddlers - our senses, Toddlers - we are wonderfully made by

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All you need for these crafts ….

Sugar paper, glue, pictures cut from catalogues and magazines, felt, feathers, satin type fabric, wool, ribbon, stars, pictures of birds singing, pictures of musical instruments and paper plates. For ‘Things I like to smell’ spray the pictures with perfume beforehand. (If you can have some real items for the children to smell – lemons, herbs and sweetpeas are all good. For ‘Things I like to hear’ it would be great to have a table of musical instruments for the children to use.) I also used printed labels, ‘Things I like to… smell/taste/see/touch or hear’.

Label (3×8) ‘Things I like to taste’

Label (3×8) ‘Things I like to smell’

Label (3×8) ‘Things I like to see’

Label (3×8) ‘Things I like to hear’

Label (3×8) ‘Things I like to touch’

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God is good! He gives us the beautiful world.

Posted in Craft, Creation, Genesis 1, God gives us the beautiful world, God is good.. he gives us the beautiful world by

There’s been a lot in the news about how our planet is in danger. We are losing biodiversity at a faster rate than ever before. We need to be grateful for the beautiful creation that God has given to us. Even young children can be encouraged to value the natural world and care for it.

Here is one idea –

Begin with ‘God is good!’ (Simple actions for this – point up for God and thumbs up for good)

Then as you name the things he has given to us take them from the story bag.

You could begin with a globe and if it lights up all the better!

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Other items you could take from the story bag…..

craft idea – use gardening catalogues, tissue paper, pictures from magazines, pasta stars, feathers and anything suitable!

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Songs to sing … click on the highlighted links to go to youtube and hear the songs.

He’s got the whole world in his hands

I love the sun it shines on me, God made the sun and God made me. 

 

Jesus goes back to heaven

Posted in Ascension, Jesus goes back to heaven by

We ended our last Toddler Group story at Easter – Jesus was alive! Our first session back will be about something that happened next. There are several stories that you could tell; The Road to Emmaus, Thomas and/or Breakfast on the Beach but this week we are going straight on to the Ascension. I’m using pictures from ‘Tiddlywinks Stories and Pictures New Testament’ and ‘Tiddlywinks More Stories and Pictures New Testament’ published by Scripture Union and Written by Maggie Barfield and Illustrated by Sonia Canals. These books are really good to have. Great pictures and simple story ideas that you can use as they are or adapt and expand.

Story from Luke 24:50-53 and Acts 1:6-11

Jesus had died but was alive again! His friend saw him and spoke to him. Lots of people saw him. He wasn’t a ghost. He could eat food! He was really alive again.

He had a job for his friends to do, ‘I want you to tell other people all about me. Tell them about the things that I said and the things that I did. Tell them how I died for them and came alive again.’

Jesus told his friends to tell everyone the Good News that he was the Saviour. They were to tell everyone in all the world.

When Jesus had spent time with his friends they went for a walk together. Then something very special happened. Jesus was taken back to heaven. He went up, up, up and into the sky and was gone. They couldn’t see him anymore.

While they were looking up into the sky two angels came and spoke to them, ‘Why are you looking up into the sky? This same Jesus who has gone up to heaven will come back again. ‘

One day Jesus will come back to earth again. He won’t come as a baby. He will come as the King.

Craft idea – colouring and collage from a photocopiable picture from Tiddlywinks

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Easter and Spring craft ideas

Posted in Actions for storytelling, All age craft, Easter, Easter chicken, Easter crafts, Easter egg messy craft, Easter Garden for Toddlers, Easter Garden to make, Easter with toddlers, Easter wreath craft/DIY, Easter wreath decoration by

Here are some Easter and Spring craft ideas that I’ve enjoyed making over the past few years.

palm leaf suncatcher
Easter/Spring wreath
Easter Garden to make

The Last Supper – Luke 22

Posted in Easter, Easter with toddlers, Last Supper, luke 22, Pdf file by

As part of the bigger Easter Story we’ve told the story of Jesus’ last meal with his disciples from Luke 22:7-20

The story

Jerusalem was full of people! They had come to the big city to celebrate Passover. Passover is a special meal – it reminds God’s people of how God saved them from being slaves in Egypt.

Jesus wanted to eat the special Passover meal with his friends. But there were so many people and there were people who wanted to hurt Jesus that the meal needed to be kept a secret! (Everyone say ‘shush’)

Jesus sent Peter and John into the city. ‘When you see a man carrying a water jar on his head follow him! He will go to the house where you can get the meal ready.’

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Peter and John did what Jesus said and soon the meal was ready.

The Passover Meal is very special. Part of the meal would have been bread and wine (Show these).

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Jesus said to his friends, ‘This is the last time I will be able to eat this special Passover meal with you. When you eat it in the future I want you to remember me.’

Jesus was going to rescue many people. he wanted his friends to remember that he was the rescuer.

Today Christians remember Jesus with a special meal – with bread and wine. (If possible have the items that your church uses for Communion to show the children)

Craft Idea – with a printable Lord’s Supper – Cup and Bread (1)

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