Day 1 preschool

Day 1

 The Good Shepherd knows me

Preschool

Active Learning Time

·         Set up chairs/furniture to make an imaginary sheep fold. (There will be different times during the week when the children could play ‘pretend sheep’ so if you want to make the sheep fold something that just stays up for the week of vbs, that would be fun as well.)

Let the children pretend to be sheep and go in and out of the sheep fold. Assign a child(or you could do this) to be the ‘shepherd’. Have the shepherd call each child by name to come out of the sheep fold.  Then let the sheep follow the shepherd around.  

·         Help the children play a variation of the game ‘Simon says’  really to focus on the things that make each child unique in the calling of the children .

For example

Shepherd says, “If you are wearing red, jump up and down”

Shepherd says, “If you have long hair, touch your nose.”

Shepherd says, “If you like to watch TV, turn around in a circle.”

Carpet Learning Time

Call each child by name to join you on the carpet for story time. 

Today we are learning that Jesus the Good Shepherd knows us! He knows us from the top of our head all the way down to the tips of our toes!

I want you all to wiggle your toes. Are your toes dirty? Do some of you have colors on your toes? Are your toes in shoes?  (allow for responses)

Did you know what?  Jesus the Good Shepherd knows what each one of your Toes looks like even when they are in socks and shoes!

Now I want you to think about your legs. Can you feel the pants you have on? Does anyone have scrapes on your knees or band aids on?

Did you know what?  Jesus the Good Shepherd sees every boo boo you ever get? And he likes to watch you run and play with your legs?

Everyone put your hands on your belly, and rub it. Does your tummy feel hungry sometimes?

Do you know what? Jesus the Good Shepherd knows when you are hungry.

Everyone put your hand where your heart is.

Do you know what? Jesus the Good Shepherd knows how many times your heart has beat since we got to VBS today!

Everyone wiggle your fingers and bend your elbows! Sometimes it can be hard to keep our fingers to ourselves. Sometimes we can do fun stuff with our fingers like pet the dog, or paint a picture.

Do you know what? Jesus the Good Shepherd knows all about your fingers! He knows when it is hard to keep your fingers to yourself. He knows when you use your fingers to be kind and gentle. He is sad if you use your fingers or hands to hurt or hit someone.

Now everyone put your fingers up in your hair.

Do you know what? Jesus the Good Shepherd knows exactly how many hairs are on your head. Isn’t that neat?

Do you know what else? 

Jesus the Good Shepherd knows when you are happy! (Get all the children to make a happy face)

Jesus the Good Shepherd knows when we are sad. (Get everyone to make a sad face)

Jesus the Good Shepherd knows when we are angry (get everyone to make angry faces)

Jesus the Good Shepherd knows when we are surprised! (get everyone to show you a surprised face)

Jesus the Good Shepherd knows us!

Now let’s all stand in place and review our Bible verse again!

I am the Good Shepherd. I know my sheep and my sheep know me John 10:14

Invite the children to repeat after you and add actions!

I am the Good Shepherd

(kids make a shepherd staff with their hands)

I

(point at self)

Know my sheep

(point at each other)

And my sheep

(point at each other)

Know me

(point to self)
John 10:14

Table Learning Time

Supplies needed

-Sheep to decorate template here

-Pom poms  and cotton balls

-Glue

-Markers/Crayons
-handouts for Day 1
-Sheep stickers

Hand out project:

·         Give each child their hand out for today. Have them put sheep stickers on the hills on page 2.

·         Talk about how Jesus the Good Shepherd knows where each of the sheep are and he knows where each of us is too!

·         Make sure you put each child’s name on their take home page.

Craft project:

Instructions:

·         Have the children make the sheep by gluing pom poms /cotton balls onto the sheep body. Allow the children to color the cotton balls with markers if the would like to.

·         Decorate and glue on head(add goggle eyes if wanted)

·         Remind the children just like our sheep all look different, we all look different too. But Jesus the Good Shepherd knows exactly who we are.

·         Put each child’s name on their sheep craft.

Snack Time

Depending on how you have arranged to do things with the snack department, either have snack time in your room or go to where the watering hole is for snack.