Well-Equipped Volunteer: Train & Grow Your Children's Ministry Volunteers

I’m always on the lookout for simple, inexpensive ideas that will enhance the learner’s experience and enrich the teachers’ abilities.

That’s why I as pretty excited when I came across this idea.

It’s a resource for preschool teachers called “The Bible Box.”

Teachers of toddlers, preschoolers, pre-k, and kindergarten will love this easy teaching tool.

1. Put together your own Bible Box.

I love this idea because you can put together a Bible box with little to no budget. Begin by gathering items from around your house that you can use. Next, ask the congregation to contribute. It’s amazing what people have lying around the house. If you have crafty people in your church, then it’s likely someone will have scraps of fabric that you can use.

Check out the supply shelves or resource room at the church. You can find all kinds of treasures!

Next, visit garage sales, thrift stores, and Dollar stores to fill in any blanks. There’s a Bibles for Missions Thrift Store near my house. Between the toy section, household section, and craft section, I can nearly fill my Bible box! And I won’t spend a lot of money to do it.

2. Use it as a visual aid in telling Bible stories.

Instead of pictures or flannel graphs, use your Bible box to help you tell your Bible story. One year when I was teaching preschool Sunday School, I found a nativity set from Tales of Glory. It was a super kid-friendly nativity set. I was going to tell the class the Christmas story and I decided to use the nativity set. I started the story from when the angel appeared to Mary and kept going. Those 4 and 5 year olds were engaged! So, I kept going. I told the story all the way through to the visit of the wise men. I checked the clock when I finished and realized that the story took 20 minutes!! But I had the kid’s attention and interest the whole time. They loved it!
Don’t use the Bible Box every time, it will lose its appeal. But when you do use it, the kids will love it!

3. Let the kids play with the items and interact with the Bible story.

Sunday School classes when you do use the Bible Box, leave the particular pieces you used out and let the kids interact with them. Let them re-tell the story. It’s a great way for the kids to review Bible stories and Bible truth and to interact with the story through play.