Are You Happy Happy Happy? Family Plus PS

Hi Parents and Grandparents!

I love this week's idea to help bring the Bible story to life. Your preschooler will love this too. Be sure to take pictures so it will be a forever memory. Build an indoor tent together in your home. Encourage your child to bring in special items to decorate the tent. Have your family devotion inside the tent and talk about how the people worked together to build the tabernacle.

This Sunday, March 30, 2014, your preschooler will learn about this story:
The Tabernacle Was Built Based on Exodus 36–39
Moses called Bezalel and Oholiab and the other workers to get everything the people had brought to build the tabernacle. The people continued to bring offerings. The workers said to Moses, “The people are bringing too much. We have enough to build the tabernacle.” So Moses told the people to stop bringing their offerings.
The workers began to build the tabernacle. First they made 10 curtains from linen with blue, purple, and red yarn. The curtains were joined with gold clasps. The workers made a tent from animal skins. The tent was joined together with clasps of bronze. The tabernacle was built from planks of wood joined together with pegs.
Bezalel built a special box called the ark of the covenant. The box was built from wood and overlaid with gold. Bezalel formed poles so the priests could carry the ark.
The workers built tables and altars. They made lamps and utensils. They made special clothes for the priests to wear in the tabernacle. They used everything the people had brought for an offering. Moses looked at everything the workers had made. They made it just as God had said.

Christ Focus: Jesus gave to help others.
Life Point: People can give and help to do God’s work.
Life Verse: Be happy when you give. 2 Corinthians 9:7

Questions:
How were the offerings of the people used to build the tabernacle?
What was put into the ark of the covenant?


Upcoming Events and Announcements:

• April 11th Mother/Daughter Princess Tea 3 year olds - Kindergarten
• Your preschooler will not want to miss any of the wonderful events we have planned for them. Please make sure you pick up your 2014 calendar for events at any of our information centers.  

Thank you for allowing us to partner with you in guiding your child spiritually.  

Bridget :)

Do You Have A Good Attitude? Family Plus PS

Hi Parents and Grandparents of Preschoolers!

It is important to start teaching our children at a young age to work together with a good attitude. To help teach them that we can do things with a good attitude, here is one simple activity that we we can help them understand a little more  - Choose a simple recipe for a favorite treat (such as trail mix). Assign each child the responsibility of adding an ingredient to the bowl. Talk about how important each item is to making the recipe taste good and how you are working together to build the snack. Remind your child that the people in the Bible worked together to build the tabernacle.


This week, Sunday, March 23, 2014, your child will hear this story:

God Planned the Tabernacle Based on Exodus 35:4-35
God spoke to Moses. “I want you to build a tabernacle (tent church) where My people can worship Me,” God said. “Take an offering from all the people. Tell them what to bring to build the tabernacle.”
Moses spoke to the people. “We must bring an offering to help build the tabernacle,” he said. Moses told the people what to bring.
The people listened to Moses. Some people brought all kinds of gold jewelry and gemstones. Some people brought red, blue, and purple yarn; fine linen; and animal skins. Other people brought wood, oil, and spices. Every part of the offering was important for building the tabernacle.
God chose special men, Bezalel and Oholiab. These men were able to work with all the yarn, linen, animal skins, wood, gold, and gemstones. They would design and make everything for the tabernacle. They were also able to teach others how to do the work. God had a good plan for building His tabernacle.

Christ Focus: Jesus wants people to work together.
Life Point: God wants people to work together.
Life Verse: Work together with a good attitude. Ephesians 6:7

Questions:
What are some things the people brought to help build the tabernacle?
Who made the plans for how the tabernacle would be built?


Upcoming Events and Announcements:

• March 28-29 Father/Son Camp In 3 year olds- Kindergarten Sign up today!! 
  
• April 11th Mother/Daughter Princess Tea 3 year olds - Kindergarten
• Your preschooler will not want to miss any of the wonderful events we have planned for them. Please make sure you pick up your 2014 calendar for events at any of our information centers.  

Thank you for allowing us to partner with you in guiding your child spiritually.  

Bridget :)

Be a Happy Giver - Family Plus PS

Hi Parents and Grandparents of Preschoolers!


I am in New Orleans with our high schoolers on a mission trip. I love being able to serve along side of them. We have great students and I am so proud of them all. But I am always ready to come back to see the preschoolers. I will be back at church on March 16th.

To help your child with our lesson this week about offerings - As your child completes simple chores, pay him or her a small amount in pennies. Help your him or her count out the pennies in groups of ten. Set aside one coin from each set and place in a container as an offering to take to church. Talk with your child about how God provides for us and we can give back to Him by giving an offering to help our church.
This week, Sunday, March 16, 2014, your child will hear this story:
The Widow’s Offering Based on Luke 21:1-4
One day Jesus was teaching His disciples and the people in the temple. Many people came to the temple to worship God. People would bring money to the temple as an offering.
Jesus watched the wealthy people drop their money into the special temple collection containers. It made a loud noise as it dropped into the collection container. He also saw a poor widow drop in two small coins. They hardly made any noise as they dropped into the container.
Jesus said, “This woman has given the most money of all. The wealthy people gave only the extra money they had. She gave all she had.”

Christ Focus: Jesus gave everything for us.
Life Point: We show love for God when we give.
Life Verse: Be happy when you give. 2 Corinthians 9:7

Questions: How much money did the woman give for her offering?
Why did Jesus say she gave the most?
Upcoming Events and Announcements:

• March 28-29 Father/Son Camp In 3 year olds- Kindergarten 
• April 11th Mother/Daughter Princess Tea 3 year olds - Kindergarten
• Your preschooler will not want to miss any of the wonderful events we have planned for them. Please make sure you pick up your 2014 calendar for events at any of our information centers.  

Thank you for allowing us to partner with you in guiding your child spiritually.  

Bridget :)

Simon Says - Family Plus PS

HI Parents and Grandparents of Preschoolers!

To help teach obedience to your preschooler, play a game of “Simon Says,” or "Mom or Dad Says". Giving simple instructions like Mom says to crawl on the floor around the table, Mom says to hug your brother or Mom says run upstairs. You get the picture. Playing "Simon Says" will help teach obedience. Not just being obedient to their parents but more importantly to God. If you present it in such a way that is entertaining or with excitement they just may think it's fun. If your preschooler will learn to obey you they may find obeying God is just as easy. Discuss how Noah listened and followed God’s instructions. Help your child know that God gives us instructions through the Bible and that we need to be obedient to Him.

This week, Sunday, March 9, 2014, your child will hear this story:

Noah Worked Hard Based on Genesis 6:9-8:19
Noah was a good man who loved God. One day God spoke to Noah. God said, “I will send a flood to cover the whole earth. Build an ark of wood. Make the ark with three levels of rooms on the inside. Cover the ark with pitch inside and outside.” 
Noah and his sons worked hard to build the ark just as God told them. God told Noah, “Bring two of every kind of animal and bird onto the ark. Take every kind of food for your family and for the animals.”
Noah, his family, and all the animals entered the ark, and God shut the door. The rain began to fall. The rain fell for 40 days, and the ark floated on the water. Noah, his family, and all the animals were safe inside the ark. The water continued to rise until it covered the mountains. The water covered the earth for many days.
Finally God caused a wind to blow, and the waters began to go down. At last, the ark came to rest on a mountain. When the earth was dry, Noah and his family and all the animals came out of the ark. Noah had worked hard to care for his family and the animals while God took care of them on the ark.

Christ Focus: Jesus followed through with God’s plan.
Life Point: God shows people what to do.
Life Verse: Work together with a good attitude. Ephesians 6:7

Questions:
What work did God give Noah?
How did God help Noah in his work?


Upcoming Events and Announcements:

• March 28-29 Father/Son Camp In 3 year olds- Kindergarten 
  
• April 11th Mother/Daughter Princess Tea 3 year olds - Kindergarten
   
• Your preschooler will not want to miss any of the wonderful events we have planned for them. Please make sure you pick up your 2014 calendar for events at any of our information centers.  

Thank you for allowing us to partner with you in guiding your child spiritually.  

Bridget :)

Work Matters! Family Plus Preschool

Hi Parents and Grandparents!!

 

Sometimes it can be tough to carve out time to spend quality time with our children, especially the smaller ones in our families. Here's an idea that might help bring you together as a family while helping your little one feel like a part of something important. Sit down with your preschooler and brainstorm about some projects that you could do together as a family. It might be as simple as

donating their gently used books and DVDs to a local children’s hospital or decorate the brown grocery bags that our church gave out last week and fill them for our food pantry at church. Once you have your list together, cut some strips of paper to write down the ideas - then fold them up and put them in a basket. Have your preschooler reach in and pick out one of the ideas. Make sure you have them shut their eyes REALLY tight!

After they have pulled out a strip of paper - read the activity and then complete it as a family. You could pick out another one on each day this week or throughout the weekend as you have time. The main thing is making a big deal out of the help your preschooler is bringing to the project. Make sure you empower THEM to be the heroes of your working time together!

You can use this opportunity as a way to encourage your child to have a good attitude during work. You can model a good attitude by thanking God with your preschooler for the ability to spend the time together and to complete such an important project for and with your family. Two main things: 1 - Have fun and make it fun for your preschooler, 2 - Look for and maximize on the opportunities to connect your time to your faith in God.

This week, Sunday, March 2, 2014, your child will hear this story:

God’s Plan for People  Based on Genesis 2:4-24
God had created a beautiful world. He planted a lovely garden with trees and plants that gave food. A river ran through the garden to water all the plants and trees.
God placed Adam, the man He created, in the garden. He told Adam to watch over the garden and care for it. God said, “You may eat from any tree in the garden, except for one tree in the middle of the garden.”
God brought every wild animal and every bird He had created to Adam. When Adam saw each kind of animal, he gave it a name. Adam named all the animals and the birds. He named the horses and cows, lions and crocodiles, rabbits and ostriches. God looked at everything He created but did not see a helper for Adam. God made Adam go to sleep. God took a rib from Adam and made it into a woman. God brought the woman to Adam. Adam called the woman Eve.

Christ Focus: Jesus came to do God’s work.
Life Point: God expects us to work.
Life Verse: Work together with a good attitude. Ephesians 6:7

Questions:
What work did Adam do?
What is some important work we do in our family?
 
Upcoming Events and Announcements

• March 28-29 Father/Son Camp In 3 year olds- Kindergarten

• Your preschooler will not want to miss any of the wonderful events we have planned for them. Please make sure you pick up your 2014 calendar for events at any of our information centers.
  

Thank you for allowing us to partner with you in guiding your child spiritually.  

Bridget :)

Be Careful Who You Listen to Family Plus Preschool

HI Parents and Grandparents of Preschoolers!

Just about every time I am with your preschooler we talk about making good choices. I will ask them questions like... "If your mom or daddy ask you to pick up your toys and you don't, is that making a good choice?" or "When mom or daddy tells you it is time for bed and you come up with all kinds of excuses of why you shouldn't, is that a good choice?" They know what good choices are. We even go a little further and discuss why or why not we should make good or right choices. I think it's a good idea to remind them, especially when they do make the right choice. This week remind your child that God made them and they are able to make choices. Help your preschooler think about and name right choices and wrong choices. Point out that God wants us to make right choices.


This week, Sunday, February 23, 2014, your child will hear this story:
Adam and Eve Based on Genesis 2:15–3:24
God made a man and a woman. The man was named Adam, and the woman was named Eve. Adam and Eve lived in a beautiful garden. God told the man and woman to take care of the garden. God said, “You may eat any of the fruit of this garden except from this one tree in the middle of the garden. Do not eat from this tree. It is a wrong choice.”  
One day Eve was in the middle of the garden. Eve chose to eat the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden. Then she offered some to Adam. He also ate the fruit. Adam and Eve disobeyed God. Disobeying God is sin.
God was unhappy when He learned that Adam and Eve disobeyed Him. He made Adam and Eve leave the beautiful garden. God told them, “You will have to work hard to make food grow from the ground so you can eat.” Adam and Eve had to leave the garden because they made the wrong choice and disobeyed God.


Christ Focus: Jesus wants us to do what is right.
Life Point: God wants us to obey Him.
Life Verse: I will do what God says. Psalm 119:34

Questions:
What wrong choice did Adam and Eve make?
What did God do when they disobeyed Him?

Upcoming Events and Announcements

• March 28-29 Father/Son Camp In 3 year olds- Kindergarten

• Your preschooler will not want to miss any of the wonderful events we have planned for them. Please make sure you pick up your 2014 calendar for events at any of our information centers.
  

Thank you for allowing us to partner with you in guiding your child spiritually.  

Bridget :)

Wonderful Creation - Family Plus

HI Parents and Grandparents of Preschoolers!

God made the world for us to enjoy and care for. Use an opportunity spent outside to praise God for His wonderful creation. Whether you are enjoying grass, water, the weather, the sunshine, or animals, emphasize to your child that God created these things. Thank God for His wonderful creation.


This week, Sunday, February 16, 2014, your child will hear this story:

God’s Wonderful World - Based on Genesis 1
In the beginning only God existed. God decided to create a wonderful world. On the first day God created light. God called the light day and the darkness night.
On the second day God made the sky. God saw that what He had made was good.
On the third day God made the dry land appear and gathered the water together. He called the dry land earth and the water seas. God saw that the earth and the seas He had made were good.
On the fourth day God made the lights in the sky. He made the sun to shine in the daytime and the moon and stars to shine at night. God saw that everything He had made was good.
On the fifth day God filled the waters and skies with living animals. He made different kinds of fish to live in the water. He made many kinds of birds to fly in the sky. God saw that everything He had made was good.
On the sixth day God made land animals and creeping things. Then God made His most important creation. God made people. He made a man and a woman. God told the man and woman to take care of the earth. God saw that everything He had made was good.


Christ Focus: Before the world was created, Jesus existed.
Life Point: God made the world and everything in it.
Life Verse: There is no other God. Isaiah 45:22

Questions:
Name your favorite part of God’s creation.
What was the most special thing God made?

Upcoming Events and Announcements

• February 21- Pajama Party ages 3 years old - Kindergarten  Deadline February 16th
• Your preschooler will not want to miss any of the wonderful events we have planned for them. Please make sure you pick up your 2014 calendar for events at any of our information centers.
  

Thank you for allowing us to partner with you in guiding your child spiritually.  

Bridget :)