These suggestions are for use with the 3’s and under who are in worship with you. Or use them during the week to keep connecting with Sunday’s worship.
You may need to organise some resources before Sunday and place in a special Church Bag so you can pick it up and run and have everything with you to share worship with your little one.
You might need to visit these sites to read or download
https://www.lostsheep.com.au/stories/cecil-and-psalm-23/
http://www.catholicicing.com/diy-printable-nativity-for-kids/
https://store.illustratedchildrensministry.com/collections/illustrated-worship-resources/products/bible-story-coloring-pages-spring-2018ill get you 14 colouring in pages, that is 14 Sundays worth and I will refer to them over the coming weeks. To reduce the cost further, you could share with other families or ask your church to purchase them for you. Note this is a USA publication so the season for them is Spring, and the price is in US$, so it will cost a little more and possible attract international transaction charges depending on whom your credit card is with)
https://lettheirlightshine.com/2017/07/31/paper-plate-lion/ scroll down the right side
https://www.lostsheep.com.au/stories/cecil-the-lost-sheep/
Check you have these books
Snuggle Time Psalms by Gleyns Nellist https://www.word.com.au/Snuggle-Time-Psalms/Glenys-Nellist/9780310749257 If you can buy this book do so as i will refer to it in the coming weeks.
The Lion Story Bible https://www.koorong.com/search/product/the-lion-story-bible-sophie-piper-ruth-rivers/9780745964003.jhtml
The Lion Picture Bible https://www.koorong.com/search/product/the-lion-picture-bible-sarah-dodd/9780745963037.jhtml
The Beginners Bible for Toddlers https://www.koorong.com/search/product/the-beginners-bible-for-toddlers-kelly-pulley-illus/9781859857410.jhtml
The Beginners Bible Timeless Children’s stories THE BEGINNERS BIBLE TIMELESS CHILDREN’S STORIES https://www.koorong.com/search/product/the-beginners-bible-timeless-childrens-stories-beginners-bible/9780310750130.jhtml
Found by Sally Lloyd-Jones and Jago https://www.word.com.au/Found/Sally-Lloyd-Jones/9780310757504 Well worth purchasing as Psalm 23 is such asn important Psalm in many peoples lives, also it appears in the lectionary each year.
God Loves by Stephanie Carmichael https://www.koorong.com/search/product/god-loves-books-for-little-ones-series-stephanie/9781922206886.jhtml
When I’m Feeling Loved by trace Moroney sold individually at David Jones or as a boxed set at Kmart
You may also need
green material
Blue material
sheep, cuddly, plastic from a farm yard set, or from the nativity set (make sure they are age appropriate )
Shepherd (from the nativity set)
Journal or colouring in paper
Texta’s Note: age appropriate, washable, my choice is Crayola.
FIRST READING Acts 4:5-12
READ: Lion Story Book Bible: A miracle by the Temple pp.230-231.
OR The Lion Picture Bible p.351
OR The Beginners Bible Timeless Children’s stories p.487
OR for an explanation of what the bible passage means try
suggested by http://storypath.upsem.edu/lectionary-links-rcl-april-22-2018/
PLAY: play with blocks. The verses using the building block as a simile are not in any of the Children’s versions mentioned above, but if the passage is read aloud they might relate to this section of it. Take a way a piece and see what happens to the building.
PRAY:
God you are the building block (clench fist and put one one above the other as if building a tower)
Of my Life (point to you)
Amen
PSALM 23
READ: Found by Sally Lloyd Jones and Jago
OR Cecil and Psalm 23 https://www.lostsheep.com.au/stories/cecil-and-psalm-23/
OR Snuggle Time Psalms by Gleyns Nellist
COLOURING-IN: https://www.lostsheep.com.au/stories/cecil-and-psalm-23/ at bottom of the page
if you want more activities (especially if you have older children) you can purchase more at the very end of the page https://www.lostsheep.com.au/stories/cecil-and-psalm-23/
PLAY: You will need, green material (from Spotlight) and Blue material (form Spotlight)
sheep, cuddly, plastic from a farm yard set, or from the nativity set (make sure they are age appropriate )
Shepherd from the nativity set
OR make one https://lettheirlightshine.com/2017/07/31/paper-plate-lion/ scroll down the right side
or http://www.catholicicing.com/diy-printable-nativity-for-kids/
SECOND READING 1 John 3:16-24
READ: God Loves by Stephanie Carmichael
OR When i’m Feeling Loved by Trace Moroney
DRAW: a love heart and draw activities that show someones love in action eg. planting a pot with Grandpa, or holding the pegs for the washing, etc, inside the heart.
PRAY: God help me show my love (draw a love heart with your finger),
to others (flick fingers away from you)
Amen
PLAY: with dolls or soft toys, doing kind loving things such as feeding, putting to bed, etc.
GOSPEL READING John 10:11-18
READ/WATCH
MOST OF THE CHILDREN’S BIBLE STORY BOOKS, TELL THE STORY OF THE SYNOPTIC GOSPEL STORY OF THE LOST SHEEP. TODAYS READING IS FROM JOHN AND EMPHASISES THE TRAITS OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD. IF YOU READ ANY CHANGE THE EMPHASIS TO THE SHEPHERD I HAVE MADE PAGE SUGGESTIONS TO HELP MAKE THIS EASIER
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4I9GiHqIshU the Godly Play version of the Good Shepherd It is long but dip in and out as their attention wains, for it is the best children’s version of today’s reading.
YOU WILL FIND LOST SHEEP STORIES HERE: Cecil the lost sheep https://www.lostsheep.com.au/stories/cecil-the-lost-sheep/
THE LION PICTURE BOOK BIBLE the lost sheep pp.p.294-297 don’t read the last sentence
The Beginners Bible Timeless Children’s Stories: The lost sheep, pp.392-394
The Beginners Bible for Toddlers: pp.121-123
COLOURING IN:
if you want more activities (especially if you have older children) you can purchase more at the very end of the Cecil the Lost sheep page https://www.lostsheep.com.au/stories/cecil-the-lost-sheep/
PLAY :the same as for the Psalm
You will need, green material (from Spotlight) and Blue material (form Spotlight)
sheep, cuddly, plastic from a farm yard set, or from the nativity set (make sure they are age appropriate )
Shepherd from the nativity set
OR make one https://lettheirlightshine.com/2017/07/31/paper-plate-lion/ scroll down the right side
or http://www.catholicicing.com/diy-printable-nativity-for-kids/
The Cross in My Backyard 