N ow Polly, close your eyes and say your prayers,” murmurs a sleepy little three-year-old curly-top to goodnight prayer before climbing into her own little bed. Sherry didn’t know what a prayer was before she started to the nursery class at Sunday school. Mother was too busy to see her off to bed at night—usually hur rying through supper to get dressed for a party or theater engagement, giving last-minute instructions to the baby-sitter. Then Mrs. Scott next door had told Mother about the home-like nursery class at her church, and persuaded Mother to let her take Sherry with her. In a week or two the child felt so much at ease that Mrs. Scott re turned to her own class. High Chairs & Funny Pictures It was no wonder that the little girl loved to go to Sunday school. Mrs. Evans was her teacher, and she and her helpers all loved the little children and taught lessons they could grasp. There was no sitting stiffly on chairs too high for them or attempting to color funny pictures at an uncomfortable table. There was no squirming in misery while a teach er droned out a story, occasionally peering over the edge of the quarterly behind which her face was hidden. Instead, realizing the need for lay ing a strong spiritual foundation for the child’s life, these teachers made it possible for the little ones to “ learn by doing”— the one method they’d remember longest. In little centers throughout the room, scenes familiar in the child’s home life were reconstructed in min iature. A little tea table which could easily have been a large apple box covered with a bright cloth), with toy dishes, was surrounded by four
little chairs just right to accommodate the short legs of the two’s ’n three’s. Here on special occasions, light re freshments could be served. But with fo d r al or imaginary, the blessing is always asked. Small wonder, then, that little Don nie went home and informed his par ents at the next meal, “ I won’t eat until we talk.” Finally they were able to draw out of him the fact that in nursery class they always “ talk” before they eat. Mother and Dad caught on, and they began including the returning of thanks as a regular part of mealtime, not wanting to set a poor example before the boy. Worship: Indoors & Outdoors At the nature center, pictures and objects of God’s creation are arranged, and a wise, loving teacher is prepared to lead the children who voluntarily gather there. A few words about God’s goodness and kindness in mak ing the world so beautiful may lead the child into an attitude of apprecia tion which he may want to express in a chorus of thanks or a short pray er. A verse of Scripture repeated oft en and naturally during conversation will become easy for the child to re member and associate with everyday experiences; as “ He hath made every thing beautiful.” In the housekeeping center, play stoves and cupboards, a doll bed or cradle all afford opportunity to sug gest and demonstrate helpfulness, and are the teacher’s chance to stress in natural environment little songs like “We Are Helpers” and verses such as “ Love one another.” The play center, with toys and blocks, may be used to help the chil dren learn the joy of sharing. “ A word fitly spoken” here is worth many scolding sentences in a harsh tone. Children readily reflect the
teacher’s mood, and will unconscious ly lapse into imitation. Rolling Out the Story Rug Story-time is made a happy time when the “ story rug” may be un rolled, or the “ sit-upons” (cushions or mats) are brought out and teacher is on a level with pupil. Told briefly in simple child language, stressing one main truth, the story may be illus trated with a large, colored picture or sand table scenes. Or a “ story table” may be made of a large circle of cardboard, turned on a spool center. (For directions for making clothespin- pipe-cleaner Bible characters to illus trate the stories on this table, see “We Like To Go To Church,” the nursery teacher’s quarterly for the fall quar ter, available from Scripture Press, 434 So. Wabash, Chicago). Taken by a friend to such an inter esting nursery class, a pampered lit tle boy named Stevie was so delighted with everything that he begged to go again and again. His indifferent par ents, to whom his whim was their command, were forced to take him, and often remained to see what was going on. Eventually they were en couraged to begin attending a class for their own age-level. When they were unable to bring Stevie, an ador ing neighbor lady, also indifferent to spiritual things, took him. Through his interest, she, too, was brought into the Sunday school, and eventually both the parents and the neighbor found Christ. “And a little child shall lead them.” It may be a little more trouble to a teacher than the old, fruitless method of coloring a page from a funny book, or “hushing” her way through a story in spite of protesting squirms, but the conscientious teacher will find that “ actions speak louder than words” in impressing the truths of God upon these plastic young hearts. END.
her rag doll as she kneels for her
Nursery Department
45
J U L Y , 1955
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