As a Sunday school teacher, you get an average of 45 minutes to an hour, perhaps longer, to teach preschoolers about the Bible and biblical truths. While this is a meaningful time in their lives, it is a short time to get to know your class on a more personal basis. It's hard to individually talk to a child when you have a class of about 8 to 15 kids. That's why the idea of a Shepherding program is being used in Children's Ministry around the globe.
You may hear the idea of a Shepherding program being referred to as mentoring. It is the same concept with a different name. The idea is to organize a fun event at least once a quarter, sometimes even once a month, with the preschoolers in your Sunday school class and their parents. By meeting outside of church, you have the chance to chat with parents and play with your kids in a relaxed environment. You can ask each child questions and have time to really get to know their likes and dislikes. And, they have the opportunity to see you as a friend and not only a "teacher."
Shepherding programs not only give you the chance to know your class even better. It also helps flourish friendships between classmates. These are children that will hopefully grow together throughout the years and know each other through church for a long time. It may be that these children only see each other every week during Sunday school class, and a Shepherding program gives them the opportunity to spend more time together. Plus, it gives preschoolers something to look forward to when they know they will have fun with church friends.
Do you need some ideas for Shepherding program outings? Here are some favorites:
1. Organize a play date at a park. Preschoolers love to play.
2. Hold a cookout at your house. You supply the meats and buns, and families can bring the side dishes and desserts.
3. Take a trip an ice cream parlor. That's a tasty treat anyone would look forward to, even the parents.
4. Plan a pool outing, if you or one of the parents belongs to a community pool or has one in their backyard.
A movie or museum may not be the best idea. Although they are plenty of fun, you really want to concentrate on activities where children and adults can mingle and move around.
Another important part of implementing a Shepherding program is to go the extra mile to show your class that you care about each student individually. This means sending postcards to the class, paying special attention to children who are sick or facing a problem in their personal life, and calling missing students just to say, "I hope you are having a great week. I look forward to seeing you in class soon."
The perks of a Shepherding program are many. Are you ready to get one going with your preschoolers? Talk with your Children's Ministry pastor or director and get their ideas on the subject as well. They will probably want to implement such a program across the whole Sunday school team to include the elementary classes as well. It's up to you to get the ball rolling in your church.
Author Resource:-
Denise Oliveri is owner of Preschool Sunday School Central, a site designed to help preschool Sunday School teachers find the best resources for helping with Bible lesson planning. There are tons of free resources, as well as membership. Join today for a free preschool curriculum!
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