Issue #32 - September 28, 2010              For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them. ~ Jesus  

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1) Structuring a Nursery
2) Church Nursery Resources
3) God's Return Policy - Devotion
4) Halloween Sermons?
5) Man Walks on Moon - Devotional
6) WWJD / WWJS Game?

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1) Structuring a Nursery

Hi Jackie,

I don’t know if this will help, but you know how some ages mix well and some don’t mix well at all? I put birth – 2 years old as my nursery ages and found it was a BIG MISTAKE! The toddlers ran over the babies with little lawn mowers and grocery carts. It wasn’t their fault. It’s what 2 year-olds like to push around to help balance themselves. 

I finally changed my nursery ages to Birth-18 months. I put the lock-together brightly colored baby gates together to make a “corral” for the little babies along with soft, spongy alphabet blocks on the floor and I keep my babies inside the gated area. Toddlers can play to their hearts content outside of the gated area. Toddlers don’t ask to come in because they enjoy rolling their toys outside the gated area. They enjoy their freedom.

I keep Praise Baby and other Christian baby music playing and often find my teachers singing to the babies when I come in the room. Babies soak up “atmosphere”. They know if they are in a calm place where they are loved. We want our parents to feel good about leaving their babies and going to church and being fed. The stated goal for our nursery is to “feel God’s love”. 

Somewhere between 18 months – 2 years (Nursery staff advises leaders when a child is getting too rowdy or bored for the nursery then we speak with the parents.) We move them up to Little Lambs where they start getting a 2 minute story at some point in the morning. They are also invited to make a craft and served a snack. This is the age where you can start to find curriculum. I like “Buzz” and “Hands On” the best. 

I understand that you may not have the facility or volunteers you need to divide like this, but birth to 3 years old is a HUGE developmental difference. 

God bless you as you navigate the Nursery zone. Being the arms of Jesus is a wonderful calling!

Jeannie Foss
Director of Children's Ministry
Damascus Road Community Church

2) Church Nursery Resources

"Nursery Smart Pages" has useful advice for organizing your church nursery, including tips on recruiting nursery caregivers, health and safety considerations, room equipment and supplies, and programs for the kids. It also includes many reproducible forms and notices which could be used directly from the book, or adapted for your church's needs.

"Tippy Towers and Boo Blankets--Bible Play for Tiny Tots" has age-appropriate, Bible-based play that engages tiny tots from infants to preschoolers! 

--from SSTN: both books are available in our affiliate bookstore. Just type their titles into the search box on the following page:
http://www.sundayschoolnetwork.com/bookstore.html 

3) God's Return Policy

Devotion Theme: Child Dedication Service

Object: Print off Return Policy Signs found Online

Scripture: 3 John 1:4 “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in the truth.”

I brought some signs with me today. What do you think they are for? That’s right… they are store return policy signs. Did you know God has a return policy for kids? Do you know what a baby dedication is? It’s a time when parents dedicate themselves to raising their kids in the ways of God. Our kids are a gift from God and they belong to Him. Most of your parents were overjoyed when you were born. That’s right I said MOST... 

...to get the rest of God's Return Policy, go to the Anytime Bible Lessons page at:
http://www.sundayschoolnetwork.com/lessons-Bible.html

4) Halloween Sermons?

Do you have any children's sermons for Halloween?

--from SSTN: Yes, check out the following link: http://www.sundayschoolnetwork.com/sermons.html
look for "Fall, Thanksgiving, Halloween"

5) Man Walks on Moon - Devotional - Outline

Space race between America and Russia: America – astronauts, Russia – cosmonauts.
Russia put first man into space – Uri Gagarin – 12 April 1961.
America put first man on moon - Neil Armstrong followed by Buzz Aldrin – 20 July 1969

They spent 21 hours on the moon’s surface and brought back moon rocks. It was history in the making and it was all over the newspapers, TV, radio. If it were happening today, it would be on teletext and the internet too!

Almost 2,000 years ago history was also made: "Son of God Walks on Earth."

We talked about and celebrated His birth just a few weeks ago but that was only the start of His human life. For 33 years Jesus lived on planet earth. For the last 3 and a half years he went about doing good, healing the sick, giving sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf, even raising people from the dead.

There were no newspapers, TV, radio, teletext or internet but it’s all recorded for us in the Bible. Even more important, the real reason for Jesus being born was so He could die and rise again to save us from the punishment we deserve for our sins.

Which do you think was the most important event?

~Molly V.

6) WWJD / WWJS Game?

I would like more questions sent for the WWJD -WS game thank you

--from SSTN: You can write additional questions that are relevant to your lesson, or type "Bible Trivia" into our affiliate bookstore to find more Bible related questions: http://www.sundayschoolnetwork.com/bookstore.html

For anyone else interested in the game, follow this link: http://sundayschoolnetwork.com/game_wwjd.html

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