Teaching Sunday School

[KeilanS]

Well, I am doing my fourth week of sunday school teaching this sunday and I am already out of ideas.

The kids are from 7 to 12 years old, so quite an age range. I spend half an hour with the kids, about 10 minutes of it is singing, and then 15-20 is the story. Now I am finding that I am often done in far less than that because I just can't fill the time. So two things I need help with:

1) Where should I get Kids Church music from? Does anyone know any good CD's that have those happy little kids songs on them?

2) How can I make the story more interesting? Anyone who has tired just reading a story to a 7 year old knows that they have a very short attention span. So do any of you have any ideas for making the story a bit more captivating?

[terter]

Let them use their imagination - let everyone experience the lesson - 1) be Jacob wrestling with the angel; 2) (have staffs so they can be taking care of the sheep, etc Moses "seeing" a burning bush - where were they when this happened? what are some thoughts and feelings they must have had? 3) You or someone else come dressed as the Biblical character and speak the lesson - first person 4) ask several times during the lesson if anyone has a question or comment. 5) Assign parts and present a "play" of the lesson such as on the birth of Christ Jesus - you read the story - they just put the motion to the story - lots of kids could be angels and sing or shepherds - you could use those staffs again.

Just learned that their family histories were craved into their staffs - so that could be a class project - list their kin, use adhesive labels? I can see where it would really help in covering Abraham & Isaac.

Anyway,

Have a period of time so they can talk about difficulties at school and advise them on how to handle those situations.

Make sure they have a children's Bible or Bible story book (if you can find out that's scripturally sound) and ask them to tell about something they've read recently.

How does Yahweh see them?

How to listen for His voice and the ways He communicates to us?

Teach them things to be thankful for - read at a banquet where the guests were going to be ask for donations to feed the hungry, instead of a nice meal, they served the "average" meal for those in need.

Teach them to pray and let them pray in front of the others.

[nebula]

The kids are from 7 to 12 years old,

Yikes! The 11-12 yr old are on a different level than the 7-8 year old. That does make it very tricky.

1) Where should I get Kids Church music from? Does anyone know any good CD's that have those happy little kids songs on them?

There's always Veggie Tales.

Some other kids Christian music:

Psalty's Kids Company

Deliberate Kids - from Phil Joel of the Newsboys

Hoop Dogz - Mercy Me wrote the song "Ten Simple Rules" (a children's version of the 10 Commandments) for this.

Here's a kids radio show web site: Kids Cookie Break

Go to the "Favorite Links" box to find links to artists and children's ministries.

Other children's resources:

Children's resources - Christianbook.com - you can refine your search via the links on the left and right sides.

Adventures in Odyssey - this is a radio show meant for kids, but all ages can enjoy it (I know I do!)

I hope this helps!

[Guest camkmommy]

I used to teach 6 and 7 year olds. They always enjoyed acting out the bible lesson and doing fun little crafts that apply to the bible lesson. We used to sing songs that went with the lesson. For example Father Abraham for story of Abraham or David and Goliath has a song to go with that. Usually you can find cute little kids cds at your local christian book store. Hope this helps a little.

[Carol R]

Hi there,

I taught the 6 -8 year olds for a while. What we often do is have some run around games for about15 minutes , it wears them out then they sit and listen better. It wears you out too..lol

Have you thought of using puppets?

Songs you can dance to - action songs, Doug Horley, Ishmael, there are a few, these are british so don't know if you can get them over there. But there are bound to be similar in the u.s. market.

All the best.

[patricia1]

I am laughing a bit. You have a large range of ages here. This use to happen to me often. The older can benefit from a simple message and you will be suprised that the little ones understand more than one would think.

There are times I will have a twelve year old teach something about a scripture that means something to him or her.

I have told the story of esther, short version, How one person changed the whole world by obeying God. Then afterwards ask them what they would like to change .

The story of passover and how the blood of Jesus protected them from evil. In this day and age we all need to hear that. What to they fear...the blood of Jesus will take care of it.

Emotions--- can cause us to make wrong decisions. Peter cutting off the ear of the soldier but How much Jesus loves us and willing to Forgive and clean up our messes.

Do not underestimate them.

Teach them about The Holy Spirit which is there comfortor and friend, using biblical examples, thier helper.

ask them to write down a question they have about God. Put them in a basket and pull out one. Keep going until time is gone ending in prayer for furthering their understanding. I have found the more demonstrative , the more interaction with the children they remember easier.

I always went over the previous teaching a short time prior to your final teaching.

They may have thought of some questions during the week.

Ask them if they are having any difficulties in school.

Ask them how they treat their classmates, are there bullies, Loners and so on.

The peer pressure is horrible out there even for seven year olds.

P.M me if you need more ideas.... patricia1