The little children in our schools and ministries are so very precious to God. He calls them by name just as He calls us. It is a blessing to be a part of God’s family and share the Good News with the little learners attending our schools and early childhood centers. When teachers sing Bible songs with the children (‘Jesus Loves Me’ or so many others) and share stories about how much God loves them, the children feel that love in their hearts.
Sharing the Kingdom of God with Children
In Matthew 19:14, we see how Jesus fervently wished for children to know Him.
Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”
While His disciples thought the children might be an annoyance or an obstacle to Jesus’ mission, Jesus affirmed that children are precious in His sight— absolutely worthy of His time and attention.
Discover how schools and early childhood centers have incorporated Enduring Faith® Religion Curriculum for Early Childhood into their classrooms to bring little ones to Jesus. This is such a solid, yet simple way for the children to begin their walk with Him!
Enduring Faith for Early Childhood
The components of the early childhood curriculum give teachers so many ideas and avenues to utilize in their class’s time with Jesus each day.
The Teacher Guide comes in a sturdy kit box. It contains the following tools:
- an easel (14.5" × 10.5"), featuring bright, engaging Bible story illustrations on one side and teacher notes on the reverse
- 300 three-hole-punched pages of additional activities for each lesson, reproducible story-telling figure for each lesson, and more
- one sample of Family Materials
- Available for additional purchase, each pack of Family Materials consists of two-sided 8.5” × 11” sheets corresponding with the seventy lessons to open up faith conversations at home.
Several early childhood teachers in the Northern Illinois District of the LCMS shared their perspectives about these resources. Most of these teachers have used the resources for two or three years. Here are some of the teachers’ favorite resources and how they are being implemented in classrooms:
1. The easel helps students and teachers follow along.
With vivid Bible illustrations for students on one side, and a teacher outline on the reverse, the included easel flip chart is a favorite resource for many teachers. It keeps the children engaged and anticipating the story. I saw a classroom where the children were using the flip chart to retell the story they had learned! When I’ve been invited in to share Jesus time in preschool classrooms, I find the flip chart to be convenient and a great addition to the resources.
Several teachers of three-year olds shared,
“I absolutely love the flip chart! It keeps the children engaged and excited about the Bible story.”
2. The lessons are flexible for various schedules.
Some teachers like to stretch each lesson across two days, for example. This allows them to incorporate their own resources—like stickers, crafts, and time for review—on the second day to reinforce the Bible lesson!
3. Family Materials create a great connection between home and school.
The children love to retell the stories to their family. It builds engagement. A teacher shared,
“The family page that is sent home helps bridge school to home. The children share with me that they review the story with their family.”
4. There is plenty of content to cover in one school year.
The breadth of seventy lessons offers thoroughness and flexibility. Some teachers choose certain stories and leave others out, but circle back at a later time. To that point, some teachers choose to insert the Christmas and Easter stories at the appropriate time of the year.
5. The lesson extenders are helpful in preschool.
“Do & Learn” and “Move & Learn” activity suggestions help to engage children and curate classroom time to the unique needs of students. The teachers also regularly use their own puppets to help tell the stories. Each lesson comes with Storytelling Figures that can be printed, cut, and colored to help children retell the narrative, too!
6. The color-coding makes for easy reference.
Lessons in the teacher guide pages are color-coded by unit on the edge of the page, making it easy for teachers to flip through and identify the lessons they need. Several teachers shared,
“I really appreciate the color-coding. It assists greatly in planning.”
7. The online resources are helpful in adding content.
Teachers noted that when they log in to the Enduring Faith digital resources, their grade level shows up right away, reducing ‘hunting time’. Here they can find teacher devotions, music recordings, unit videos, and more.
8. Teachers appreciate the introduction to unfamiliar stories.
Seventy lessons allow classrooms to dig deep into Bible narratives. While children learn for the first time, teachers have the opportunity to review alongside them—nurturing Bible learning across the board.
“The less familiar stories cause me, the teacher, to review and learn.”
There are endless ways to utilize the Enduring Faith resources in Early Childhood classrooms. Be creative as you share Jesus with the littlest learners and hold them in prayer!
Scripture: ESV®.
Introduce little ones to key Bible narratives with the tools and support you need with Enduring Faith Religion Curriculum for Early Childhood.
