Preschool Small Groups
Our Teaching Philosophy
We want our Preschool Ministry to be a place where kids want to come, and when they get here -- they have FUN! We want it to be a wiggly, giggly, touch it, do it, interactive and fun place where they come and get INVOLVED. Our hope is that if we provide this type of environment for our kids as preschoolers, then as they grow and move into our Xtreme Kidz Ministry, they will want to continue coming and being involved, and hopefully develop a personal relationship with Christ.
Our FirstLook Curriculum uses several key strategies:
- Teach Less for More -- it repeats one key truth (Bottom Line) all month long.
- Engage the Five Senses -- It helps the child master the concept through creative activities.
- Teach with the End in Mind -- It helps a child by age five, to believe: 1. God Loves Me 2. God Made Me 3. Jesus Wants to be My Friend Forever.
- Experience Worship -- It encourages children to talk to God any time, any place.
- Connect at Home -- It provides parents with ideas for conversation with their child at home.
Our Structure
In order to teach less for more, we use one lesson for an entire week, and break that lesson down into three different time segments.
1. Sunday School -- Sunday Mornings from 9:30 - 10:30
2. Preschool Worship -- Sunday Mornings from 10:30 - 12
3. Play & Praise -- Wednesday Evenings from 6:30 - 8:00
Bed Babies & Crawlers
We believe that even the Bed Babies and Crawlers, as young as they are, still need to hear God's word. During Sunday School, their teacher will read the bottom line and the Bible verse to them. Even though they cannot understand, they will begin to hear scripture spoken over them. Also, during diaper changes, the Paid Staff will speak their memory verse over them and then say a short prayer for your child. We believe that it is important to incorporate scripture and prayer for even the youngest of children.
Pre-K 1 & Pre-K 2
The Pre-K 1 and Pre-K 2 classes have a structured lesson during the Sunday School hour. It starts with a Make It Fun section, where your child will get introduced to the day's lesson through activities and crafts. Then they will gather around their teacher for the Make It True section, as she teaches the lesson through interactive story telling. And finally they will end the lesson with the Make It Stick portion of the lesson that uses activities and crafts to reinforce the lesson, bottom line, and Bible verse.
Pre-K 3 & Pre-K 4 & Kindergarten
The three, four, and five year old classes start their lesson in Sunday School, but continue it during the Worship time, and on Wednesday during Play & Praise as well. Each week is full of objects for kids to touch, wild and wiggly activities to get them moving, crafts they will love getting into, and real life situations to which they can relate. Our goal is to help each child master one concept at a time by creatively repeating the Bottom Line in a way that will make it stick.
______________________________