These resources are aimed at supporting parishes and deaneries to engage with children and families in their early years.
Diocese of York Big Bible Storybook Toddler Resource
This resource provides a potential 9-10 sessions for each of the six school terms for toddler group leaders to choose from to suit the term length of their group and to provide variety when the programme is repeated the next year.
Each session utilises all five senses, movement, repetition, wondering and story.
Every term features: stories from the Old Testament in chronological order; stories from the New Testament in thematic order i.e. Christmas in Autumn Term 2; and a story that Jesus told. Try to make sure that you include a balance of all three in your plan for each half term. All the stories help us to understand more about the character of God:
- a powerful creator God represented by the image of the perfect parent
- who loves and cares for us as seen in Jesus who loved everyone he met and made their lives better • And
- who helps us to be more loving and caring people who make his world a better place.
The aim is to ensure that over the half term leaders provide a good balance of stories reflecting these three themes. The resource helps everyone to place the story in God’s story by saying for the Old Testament – this story took place, or this poem was written, a long time before Jesus was born. For the New Testament – this is a story about Jesus, or this story took place after Jesus went back to heaven.
Imaginor resources for use with Early Years
We have been recommending Imaginor products to our schools for some time, and now they have produced resources for use in churches with early years.
Jack the loveable Labrador puppet has been a huge success in schools – he’s now returned in this brand new resource for churches. The two year programme designed especially for 3 – 6 year old children has been developed by Early Years specialists who are also children’s leaders in churches. Worship sessions follow a familiar, repeated pattern with fun songs set to well-known tunes and a variety of learning strategies guaranteed to engage young children in the Bible stories.
Each session includes Hello Time, Story Time, Thinking Time, Prayer Time, Goodbye Time and ideas for practical activities to Explore Together. Jack’s Takeaway, an A5 size handout then provides parents with information about what has been learnt and ideas to talk further with their children at home.
Diddy Disciples
Diddy Disciples is a resource designed for working with babies, toddler and young children. Why not try one of the free samples available to see if this is something that could enhance your ministry with this age group?