Swap Shop is a place to exchange ideas for activities in Sunday school; share your success stories in teaching the Bible to children; and provide ways to foster a love for the Bible.

Swap Shop - Helping Little Ones Recognize and Express God-like Qualities

Children’s book author and Sunday school teacher, Alison Inches, shares an idea for helping little children understand their likeness to God.

For pre-school children.

In Genesis 1:26, we are told God made us in His image and likeness. This exercise lets children understand their likeness to God.

I gave each child a blank book with 7 pages. On each page I wrote a synonym for God: Principle, Mind, Soul, Spirit, Life, Truth, and Love. These synonyms are from a definition of “God” in Science and Health With Key to the Scriptures (p.587) by Mary Baker Eddy.

I also typed (in big bold letters) and then cut out qualities of God that could be associated with each of the seven synonyms. I chose words that are very preschooler-friendly, like: fun, fast, happy, silly, snuggly, smart, honest, pure, gentle, thoughtful, loving, friendly, strong, kind, etc.

I put the pile of cut-out qualities in little tins (or baskets) for each child in the class. In another set of containers, I put stickers that showed kids doing different things--expressing their Godlike qualities--like dancing, skiing, rollerblading, etc. I had colored markers available so they could draw pictures in their books, too.

When the children came to Sunday school that week, we reviewed the synonyms for God, and then talked about qualities they express that prove that synonym to be real and true. I invited the children to fill in their blank books with words and stickers and drawings that show how they see themselves expressing God-like qualities in their lives. For example, they drew flowers, rainbows, hearts, and so forth to show Soul. For Love, they found stickers with children helping one another at play, walking hand-in-hand, sharing a piece of a popsicle. For Principle, they drew pictures of obeying mom and dad, feeding the cat, and picking up their toys.

Each child learned something about their innate likeness to God.