In many churches, leaders and volunteers have a desire to “teach kids on their level,” but sometimes need practical ideas for laying a foundation of faith at every age. How do we begin supporting children’s faith development in infancy and continue that commitment all the way through the teen years and into young adulthood? Outlined here are some practical steps for churches and families to effectively minister to children at each step of development.
An important note about child development is that each child matures at his or her own pace and timing. There is a broad spectrum of emotional, cognitive, and social abilities that all fall within the scope of typical child development. The ages and characteristics outlined below represent a general guideline, versus a rigid timetable.
Infancy 0-1 years
Babies first begin to learn about the love of God through loving caregivers who meet their needs and provide comfort. An infant whose needs are met with love and care develops a sense of hope and trust in caregivers and the world around them. This lays a foundation for later understanding the love and trustworthiness of God.
As ministry leaders, we want our church nurseries to be welcoming environments for babies, where needs are consistently met with comfort and tenderness. We have the opportunity from birth to foster a love for God and His people through our church nurseries. In infancy we begin communicating that the family of God is one of love and care.
As ministry leaders, we can encourage babies class volunteers to sing hymns, recite scripture, and pray over babies each Sunday. It can be helpful to place a weekly or monthly verse over the changing table with a related prayer prompt to remind volunteers to pray for children and families. Bible story picture books are a great way to introduce Bible truths and communicate love and care to babies as they are read to and held.
Toddler 1-2 years
The toddler years are a time of developmental leaps, increasing independence, and BIG emotions! But they are also a wonderful opportunity to introduce simple biblical concepts, favorite Bible stories, and scripture memorization.
Toddlers have a growing desire for independence and love opportunities to try their hand at new, developmentally appropriate tasks. Activities like sticking stickers, digging toys related to the Bible story out of a bucket of sand or dry rice, using paint daubers for a craft, and squishing playdough are all ways toddlers can gain developmentally appropriate independence through new and fun activities.
Toddlers also learn through repetition and consistency. Singing the same children’s Bible songs from week to week may seem boring to adults, but toddlers thrive on predictability and repetition. A simple class schedule that remains consistent week-to-week also creates a sense of security. Knowing that first is song time, then snack, then Bible story time, etc. helps toddlers transition from one activity to the next more smoothly.
Toddlers, and all young children, have a difficult time taking the perspective of another person. Small children can only see from their own point of view, which is one of the many reasons why sharing and taking turns is hard. Toddlers need consistent reminders of rules and expectations. Learning obedience to external rules lays a foundation for later understanding God as the ultimate Ruler who deserves our obedience.
Toddlers also see explosive growth in vocabulary and language acquisition. If a child can talk, he or she can memorize scripture, especially scripture that is set to music. Helping children hide God’s Word in their heart from a young age is a gift that will stand the test of time. We can also focus on teaching basic biblical concepts, such as “God made you,” “God made sun/flowers/clouds/etc.” and “God loves you very much!” Giving toddlers the opportunity to pray out loud teaches them that they are welcome to participate in the spiritual life of their church or family.
As a parent of twin toddlers, I have delighted in seeing these concepts unfold in the lives of my own children. Our two and half year old daughter has requested the story of David and Goliath every night at bedtime for weeks on end. Her twin brother opened an empty Easter egg and exclaimed, “There’s no Jesus in there! This tomb’s empty!” While flipping through the pages of her picture Bible, our daughter said, “God made zebras and Moses and people and clouds and city…”
We cannot underestimate the depth and breadth of biblical knowledge toddlers can acquire. We need not wait to begin teaching them key biblical truths, favorite Bible passages, and scripture memory.
Preschool 3-5 years
The first three years of life see numerous developmental milestones. Tiny babies turn into walking, talking small people with big personalities and strong opinions! The first three years of life are also characterized by explosive brain development. In a process called synaptic pruning children’s brains are honed and refined as lesser used neural pathways are pruned away. Simultaneously, children also develop and strengthen new neural pathways as they learn and gain new skills. All of these changes in the brain are shaped by the experiences and the environment of the child. Christians have an opportunity to create an environment in early childhood that is marked by love of Christ and focus on His Word.
Preschoolers often have difficulty distinguishing between reality and fiction. Beloved cartoon characters may seem as real as Jesus or Moses. Adults can lay a foundation that while fictitious characters are just pretend, Jesus and other Bible figures are real people, who really lived long ago. Every time I teach preschoolers – or really children of any age – I always hold up my Bible and say, “This is the Bible. This is God’s Holy Word for us. Everything in it is true and we can trust it.”
Preschoolers continue to need increased independence and autonomy. We can support this need in the classroom by giving preschoolers options of different activities in various stations or centers around the room. For example, in a lesson on Jesus feeding the 5,000, preschoolers could choose between assembling puzzles of fish, making a pretend meal of toy fish and bread in the home living center, or a craft of weaving paper to look like a basket and gluing paper fish and bread on top. We can also encourage independence by giving preschoolers small jobs in the classroom. Each week, one child can hand out boxes of crayons, while another picks them up at the end of the coloring time; one child is the line leader, and another is the caboose; etc.
Preschoolers also learn best through activity, play, and movement. Attention spans can be calculated at about one minute per year of life, and teachers need to plan ways for preschoolers to move and stay active every 3 – 5 minutes. Hand motions, songs, review games, and activities are all great ways to keep teaching time active and engaging for preschoolers.
Most preschoolers cannot read yet, and using pictures and symbols to accompany Bible teaching can help children focus. Preschoolers can continue memorizing scripture, and begin learning other Bible skills, such as memorizing the books of the Bible in song. Teachers can also build on previous biblical concepts as preschoolers mature, “God loves you” can become “God loves you, and wants you to love others too.”
Early childhood is a precious time to give a child a firm foundation in God’s Word. The first five years of life are a time of unparalleled growth and development. As believers, we have the wonderful opportunity to make a Kingdom impact in the life of a child beginning in infancy.
First published here on Faithly.
KidMin with Dr. Val and Dr. Virginia 