Sharon Logo

Teachers Training

Home Page  |  Back to Teacher Training Index

Organising Your Time

Making the most of the time

The Programme:

Firstly, whether you have a class or meet as a group in Children's Church or Sunday School, choose a theme for the day.  Then make each activity you use a true learning experience that will reinforce the lesson or message.  Plan to have one or more activities to create interest and participation.  Children profit most from activities that involve them and are geared to their age-group and interests.

Variety is most important and will keep the meetings fresh.  It will create anticipation in the children if they can expect new, exciting and wonderful things to be happening each week!  This will keep them coming back and encourage them to invite their friends.

Most childrens programmes run for an hour to one and a half hours.  This time needs to be broken down into at least three different activity periods.  Bear in mind that each activity time should match the children's attention span.  After this period the children will tend to get restless, fidget and stop paying attention:

  1.   2-5 years          5 minutes
  2.   6-8 years        10 minutes
  3.   9-12 years      15 minutes

The actual programme can take many forms and could include many of the following items.  A good way is to let three or four leaders form a team and for each one to organise and lead one of the activity areas listed below:

1.  Praise and Worship:

Besides singing, this period can include many activities such as:

  1.  Welcome
  2.  Opening Prayer
  3.  Offering
  4.  Celebration Birthdays
  5.  Welcoming New Children
  6.  Announcements
  7.  Praise and Worship

2.  Lesson or Class Time:

Lessons should include the following parts (see the Lesson Preparation section):

  1.  Introduction
  2.  Bible Reading
  3.  Lesson or Message
  4.  Illustrations
  5.  Application
  6.  Conclusion
  7.  Closing Prayer

Besides giving the lesson, illustrations to clarify it and the application, this time should also include Participation and Activity Times.

3.  Participation Time:

This should ideally involve the children in the lesson and could include one or more of the following:

  1.  Last Week's Lesson Review
  2.  A Memory Verse from the Lesson
  3.  This Week's Lesson Review
  4.  Play or Puppet replay of the Lesson
  5.  Discussion Time (how the lesson will be applied in their lives)
  6.  Prayer time (with group or individual prayers)

4.  Activity Time:

Activities reinforce the lesson and add variety and participation.   This makes for an exciting and satisfying meeting.  Plan to include at least one activity for the children to do.  Activities you could use include:

  1.  A Bible Game or Quiz on work covered previously
  2.  A competition
  3.  A picture to colour
  4.  A puzzle relating to the lesson
  5.  A class project
  6.  Something make and take home
In conclusion, each minute of your class-time is an opportunity to touch the lives of your children and meet their spiritual needs of Salvation and discipleship.  Make that one special hour each week count to the fullest, so that the children in your life can be trained to spend the rest of their lives more profitably in serving Jerus.  Be a wise teacher and do what Proverbs 22:6 says:

"Train up a child in the way he should go,
and when he is old he will not turn from it."

God bless!

 

Copyright © Sharon Children's Ministries

Home Page  |  Back to Teacher Training Index