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Original poster

toddler worship - any ideas?

17 replies

miranda2 · 02/03/2004 11:02

Hi all. I'm going to start doing a toddler service (tinies up to c.3) at our church mums and tots group about once a month. Just thought i'd pick your brains and see if anyone had experienced anything good at church or elsewhere that you felt had really got through to a toddler and helped them to worship? I'm investigating 'godly play', which is telling bible stories using little wooden figures, and thought i might put new words to some well-known action nursery rhymes. Any comments/ideas? Thanks! M.

OP posts:
katzguk · 02/03/2004 11:11

i have got a brilliant sunday school cd, which my 18month old loves lots of really lovely bouncy songs, which some we just dance to and others we do actions to, will go and find out the name of it for you or could do you a copy

Marina · 02/03/2004 11:15

Our creche uses a lovely song-book which has all the tried and trusted action song faves such as

Peter and James and John in a sailboat
The wise man built his house upon the rock
Thank you, Lord, for this fine day
One-two-three, Jesus loves me

If these don't already sound horribly familiar, Miranda, I can find out the title of this book on Sunday...

Original poster
miranda2 · 02/03/2004 14:39

Thanks both of you, that would be great. At the moment our creche doesn't do anything religious at all - that waits until they are 4ish and go to sunday school. So noone has any resources here at the church!

OP posts:
marialuisa · 02/03/2004 14:49

i'm the wrong "brand" for you Miranda but they sing a song and light a candle at Kids' Liturgy and at school which they all seem to like, it's a nice quiet moment IYSWIM. There's also a "sorry" song which is to the tune of "If you're happy and you know it", not sure how appropriate that would be for you though.

The littlies were very taken with what you describe as "godly play". One of the volunteers does puppet shows with homemade finger puppets. The older toddlers (2 -4) also like putting on the plays themselves, so they did one about the 3-in-1 and stuff like that.

fisil · 02/03/2004 14:49

We have a fab weekly toddler service. The vicar is wonderful with the littlies (sometimes it is led by a lay reader instead).

We have a small booklet of action songs that we al join in together (and because there aren't many to chose from, we all know them all). We hear a story, and there may be cut out pictures from the story hiden around the church for the children to go and find, or actions to take part in during the reading. Prayers are say & repeat prayers. It lasts about 15 minutes, and then all the children sit around a table together for a snack.

We also have a Sunday morning service for families. It is about 1/2 an hour long and has a very similar format. The procession to the altar is a big thing (oh, and letting the toddlers ring the bell and count the candles at the other service is important too).

Dmum · 02/03/2004 15:10

Just wanted to say that I think it's great to get the kids involved so young. I think puppets are a great idea and most children respond really well. Ikea do some great finger puppets for about £5 a set. Action songs and rhymes with a godly message usually go down well too. I did a "heritage builders" course with Care for the Family and they gave lots of ideas on what to do during family devotional time. Some of these ideas could probably be adapted. I can dig my notes out and have a look, if you like.

mummytojames · 02/03/2004 15:14

i used to do coloring in of stories in the bible it help the little ones understand as they could see what you mean while there coloring in the picture

Bron · 02/03/2004 21:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Janh · 02/03/2004 21:55

Am I the only person who assumed "toddler worship" was along similar lines to "hero worship"?

jodee · 02/03/2004 22:26

No Jan, I'm sorry to say that was the first thought that popped into my head too (and I'm a sunday school teacher!)

Just to add to the great ideas, we also have a family service once a month and the tinies sometimes go up to the front of the church and sing (together with the congregation) an action-type song that that have been learning in creche over the previous weeks. And they love banging their own instruments - which they have great fun making! Some small-shape pasta or rice in a yoghurt pot (sealed up well!) makes a great shaker...or get two paper plates with pasta in the middle et voila! a tamborine.

Another old fave action song is If I were a Butterfly.

squirmyworm · 02/03/2004 22:28

oh wow, is that the one that goes
if I were a wiggly worm, I'd thank god that I could squirm (if so you will see from my name why I like it!)

spacemonkey · 02/03/2004 22:28

I thought exactly the same jan!

jodee · 02/03/2004 22:47

Squirmy, just for you - butterfly song

suzywong · 02/03/2004 23:08

me too spacemonkey and JanH, although the real things sounds most jolly

Zerub · 02/03/2004 23:09

What works at our church is to make sure all the adults are freely, completely, whole-heartedly worshipping (with lively music and plenty of room to move, and no chairs to get in the way ) and then the children join in, because copying adults is what children do.

Except that dd (21 mo) now thinks that you are supposed to stick your hands in the air whenever any music is played...

katzguk · 03/03/2004 09:09

hi miranda2, i rememebered where i got the cd from and it was a charity shop, so went back to look for another but to no avail. So i can do you a copy of my one, its great though and even has if i where a butterfly on it. I'm new to all this so don't know how to contact you so if you know how to then send me an email with your address an di can then post you a cd copy.

squirmyworm · 03/03/2004 22:47

wow thanks jodee!

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