Weeks 1-4

PRESCHOOL Curriculum Materials for 1-Year-Olds © June 2020 The Meeting House. All Rights Reserved. | Page 1 of 6

ENCOURAGEMENT God Story: Paul, Priscilla, Aquila, and Us | Acts 18:1-23 Big Idea: We can encourage each other. Key Verse: “Encourage each other.” | from 2 Corinthians 13:11 (NLT) Leader Tip: This month, model how to encourage others. Try to be specific and move beyond simply praising. For example, you could point out when the children try their best at an activity, be appreciative of the ways they’re helpful, or encourage their creativity during craft time. Foster opportunities for your group to work together and value one another’s contributions.

1. Encourage Each Other Free Play Make a bedsheet tent together, then deliver messages that say, “Jesus loves you!”

2. Lacing Cards Free Play Practise lacing skills and review this month’s Bible story.

3. Play Dough Free Play Shape play dough into hearts and talk about Paul, Aquila, and Priscilla.

4. Big Idea Hop Free Play Guide the children to find different coloured signs that highlight the Big Idea.

5. Walk the Line Free Play Travel on fun lines and emphasize that we can encourage each other.

CIRCLE TIME! 6. Music Large Group

Sing and dance along to “Cheer Each Other On” (The Meeting House Kids Music) and “Love One Another” (Little Praise Party: Happy Day Everyday).

7. Bible Story Large Group Read the Paul, Priscilla, Aquila, and Us story panels.

8. Craft Large Group

Refer to pages 5-6 of the lesson plan for weekly craft information.

9. Dismissal

Connect with parents. Remember to give them take-home cards!

!

ENCOURAGEMENT | Weeks 1-4 Big Idea: We can encourage each other.

PRESCHOOL Curriculum Materials for 1-Year-Olds © June 2020 The Meeting House. All Rights Reserved. | Page 2 of 6

1. ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER Supplies: • Bedsheet • Class furniture • Letters

Leader Tip: • Show the children how to high five. This encouraging

action can be used by those who are still developing their language skills.

Instructions: a. During free play, invite a few children at a time to help

you make a tent. b. Drape the bedsheet over a table and/or some chairs. c. Encourage everyone as they contribute in their own

way and guide them to encourage one another. d. Invite the children to gather inside the structure. e. Give them each a letter to deliver to someone in your

group. f. Prompt each letter recipient to open their envelope. g. Read aloud the message inside (“Jesus loves you!”). h. Gather up the letters to re-use.

2. LACING CARDS Supplies: • Lacing cards

Before the Activity: • Place the cards on a table before the children arrive. Instructions: a. Invite the children to take turns playing with the lacing

cards during free play. b. Demonstrate how to lace the yarn in and out of the

holes in a card. Note that there isn’t just one right way to do it—let the children do it however they want!

c. Tell them that the people in today’s story from the Bible worked together to make tents. They also told others about Jesus and encouraged one another. We can encourage each other, too!

3. PLAY DOUGH Supplies: • Allergy alert

sign • Wall-safe tape • Play dough • Rolling pins • Heart-shaped

cutters

Before the Activity: • Hang the allergy alert sign where parents will see it

when they drop off their children. • Set up the play dough supplies on a table. Instructions: a. During free-play time, invite small groups of children

to create with the play dough. b. Guide them to use the rolling pins to flatten the dough

and then cut out heart shapes. c. Encourage their efforts as they shape the play dough.

Prompt them to encourage one another, too. d. Talk about Paul, Priscilla, and Aquilla. They

encouraged one another and told others about Jesus!

ENCOURAGEMENT | Weeks 1-4 Big Idea: We can encourage each other.

PRESCHOOL Curriculum Materials for 1-Year-Olds © June 2020 The Meeting House. All Rights Reserved. | Page 3 of 6

4. BIG IDEA HOP Supplies: • Big Idea Hop

signs • Masking tape

Before the Activity: • Spread out the signs all over the floor. • Be sure to tape down all sides of the paper to prevent

tripping. Leader Tip: • The children will follow your lead if you model

excitement and have fun! Instructions: a. Invite a few children at a time to play Big Idea Hop

during free play. b. Call out one of the sign colours. c. Direct everyone to find that colour sign and take turns

jumping onto it. d. Read the Big Idea aloud. e. Repeat with all the colours.

5. WALK THE LINE Supplies: • Masking tape • Big Idea signs

Before the Activity: • Use masking tape to create three kinds of lines (e.g.,

zigzag, swirls, straight) on the floor. • Tape a Big Idea sign at the end of each line. Instructions: a. Gather a few children at a time at the start of the lines. b. Guide them to follow a line. c. Encourage everyone as they travel toward the signs. d. When someone gets to the end of a line, prompt

them to jump on the sign and join you in saying the Big Idea: We can encourage each other!

e. To wrap up, tell the children that the people in today’s story from the Bible encouraged each other. Paul, Aquila, and Priscilla made tents together. They also told others about Jesus!

ENCOURAGEMENT | Weeks 1-4 Big Idea: We can encourage each other.

PRESCHOOL Curriculum Materials for 1-Year-Olds © June 2020 The Meeting House. All Rights Reserved. | Page 4 of 6

CIRCLE TIME! Supplies: • Media player • Tidy up and/or circle time songs Instructions: a. Make sure the media player is easy to access during circle time. b. Play music while clearing space on the floor. c. Gather the children into a circle to do the following activities together. d. Change the order of the circle time activities so they work well for your group.

6. MUSIC Supplies: • Song lyrics • Wall-safe tape • Media player • “Cheer Each

Other On” (The Meeting House Kids Music)

• “Love One Another” (Little Praise Party: Happy Day Everyday)

• (Optional) Scarves or musical instruments

Before the Activity: • Hang the lyrics where leaders can read them easily. Leader Tip: • Be enthusiastic to set the tone for the children! Instructions: a. Gather everyone together during circle time. b. (Optional) Give each child a scarf or instrument. c. Mix it up each week! Play the music and:

• do a fun freeze-style dance. • wave around the scarves. • use the musical instruments. • make up fun actions that go with the songs.

d. To wrap up, guide the children to return any supplies to the bin.

7. BIBLE STORY Supplies: • Paul, Priscilla,

Aquila, and Us story panels (from Acts 18:1- 23)

Leader Tips: • This story is the core of the lesson. Build up to it and

be sure to refer to it in other activities. • Ask the children recall questions to review it. • Use the story to start conversations about God with

the children. Instructions: a. During circle time, gather the children to sit with you. b. Explain that today’s story about Paul and his friends is

from the Bible. c. Read the story out loud. Use an expressive voice and

show everyone the pictures. d. Pray and ask God to help us encourage each other!

ENCOURAGEMENT | Weeks 1-4 Big Idea: We can encourage each other.

PRESCHOOL Curriculum Materials for 1-Year-Olds © June 2020 The Meeting House. All Rights Reserved. | Page 5 of 6

8. CRAFT Leader Tips: • Depending on what works best for your group, gather all the children at the

tables, work with small groups of two to three children, or do the crafts one-on-one.

• Help them hand over hand if needed. • Make sure to write the children’s names on their crafts each week. JUNE 7 Supplies: • Tent activity

pages • Chalk

Leader Tip: • Roll up the children’s sleeves to keep them from

getting chalk dust on them. Instructions: a. Give each child an activity page and a piece of chalk. b. Direct everyone to colour their page. Prompt them to

share their chalk to get different colours. c. As everyone works on their crafts, talk about how

Aquila and Priscilla made tents with Paul, so they could all go and tell others about Jesus.

JUNE 14 Supplies: • Doorknob

hangers • Stickers • Crayons

Instructions: a. Give each child a doorknob hanger as well as some

stickers and crayons. b. Direct them to decorate their hangers. c. As the children work, review this month’s Bible story

and the Big Idea: We can encourage each other! JUNE 21 Supplies: • Paper plate

turtles • Green collage

materials (e.g., felt, shiny paper, tissue paper squares)

• Father’s Day message

• (Alternate) Key Verse

• Glue sticks

Leader Tip: • There are two versions of the craft. If it’s not Father’s

Day, use the Key Verse instead (shown below). Instructions: a. Give each child a turtle, about five pieces of each of

the collage materials, a message, and a glue stick. b. Demonstrate how to glue the green materials onto

the paper plate to decorate the turtle. c. Direct everyone to use plenty of collage materials on

their crafts. Help them as needed. d. Read aloud the

message. e. Direct the

children to glue it onto their turtle.

f. If it’s Father’s Day, explain that they can give it to their dad or another special person. It’s a great way to encourage them!

ENCOURAGEMENT | Weeks 1-4 Big Idea: We can encourage each other.

PRESCHOOL Curriculum Materials for 1-Year-Olds © June 2020 The Meeting House. All Rights Reserved. | Page 6 of 6

JUNE 28 Supplies: • Paper bag

Priscilla and Aquila puppets

• Stickers • Crayons

Instructions: a. Give each child one of each puppet, some stickers,

and some crayons. b. Guide everyone to decorate their puppets. Encourage

them to share their supplies with others around them. c. Show the children how to place their finished puppets

on their hands. d. Review this month’s story as they play with their

puppets.

9. DISMISSAL Supplies: • Children’s crafts • Take-home

cards • Key Verse

colouring pages

Before Dismissal: • Place any take-home materials where everyone can

access them easily. Leader Tip: • Take a moment to share with parents about their

children’s experiences. Many parents will only hear about the morning from you.

Instructions: a. Greet parents as they arrive to pick up their children. b. Give everyone take-home cards. c. If they have not yet gotten a colouring page for the

month, offer them one. d. Remind them to take any crafts. e. Make sure the children’s security numbers match

parents’ numbers before they leave.