Bible Teaching and Play
Bible Story: Cain & Abel
Objective: God will help me stay calm even when I am upset.
Scripture: Genesis 4
Character Trait: Peace
Definition: Being calm at appropriate times; still
Opposite: Holding grudges; jealous; fighting and in disagreement; angry
Big Thoughts for Little People: Letter Q
Books of the Bible: I, II Corinthians
If you're unsure about introducing this emotional story to children, consider reviewing these helpful tips and the accompanying story script.
Use this story as an opportunity to discuss the concept of tithing. The key idea behind tithing is recognizing that everything we have belongs to God, and He asks us to give back to Him with a cheerful heart. To reinforce this, create a simple bank using a cylindrical container. Cut a slit in the lid and decorate it with the words, "I Can Give to God." Encourage the child to place coins or money in the bank, which can be given to the church, missionaries, or other ministries.
Print the Cain and Abel worksheet and provide finger paint for the child to decorate it. Begin by discussing the story of Cain and Abel, emphasizing their offerings to God and the emotions involved. Encourage the child to think about the different feelings of Cain and Abel as they paint—perhaps using different colors to represent those emotions. For example, use bright colors to represent Abel’s joy and darker colors to represent Cain's anger.
As they paint, ask open-ended questions to help them process the story and emotions:
Many children find it challenging to understand and identify facial expressions and emotions. Use the Teaching Emotions worksheets to help the child recognize and understand different emotions they may encounter in their lives. The Teaching Emotions page on the website offers additional ideas for further exploration. To tie this activity into a Bible story, discuss the following questions:
Watch a child confidently learn through engaging, hands-on activities in the ABCJesusLovesMe Preschool Curriculum. With a focus on both academics and biblical values, this program nurtures development in every area, all while making learning fun. Click to discover how we can support a child's educational journey!
Academic Teaching and PlayFormation Chants:
Xx - Criss, cross
Weeks 5-9 focus on "angled-line letters." This week focus on letters Xx. Start by creating the characters using short and long craft sticks and move to writing the characters on the Angled Line Characters #1 worksheet.
This week review the formation of each letter in the child’s last name using tactile letters. Remember to use an uppercase for the first letter and lowercase for the rest of the letters. Lay the tactile letters in order so the child begins to think of the letters as a "word" instead of individual letters. If letters are doubled, you may need to make extra tactile letters.
The handwriting activities have been completely remodeled in the Complete 4 Year and Handwriting Curricula. I encourage you to look at one of these if you have questions or need assistance in teaching handwriting.
High, Low, Up, Down, Above, Below, Near, Far
Take a walk around the neighborhood or park and collect various items from nature, like leaves, flowers, rocks, or sticks. As you explore, use spatial words to describe the location of the items you find. For example, you might say, "Look, there’s a leaf up high in the tree," or "I found a red flower below the rocks." Use the other spatial words as you observe and describe the surroundings.
Once you return home, gather all the collected items and create a Nature Poster. Take a large piece of cardboard and glue the items onto it, arranging them in interesting ways. Discuss the items using spatial words you used during the walk, like "The leaf is above the flower," or "The twig is next to the rock." Add the title "Our Nature Walk" to the poster.
Help your little ones master early numeracy skills with our vibrant Number Posters, featuring numbers 0-10, fun rhymes, and interactive counting with apples. Ideal for both classrooms and homes, these posters turn learning numbers into an exciting and engaging experience!
Pre-Reading Learning
By Gene Zion, enjoy this charming story about a white dog named Harry who hates baths. To avoid getting one, Harry runs away and gets so dirty that he becomes unrecognizable. When he finally returns home, his family doesn’t recognize him, but Harry's cleverness and love for his family help him find his way back.
Using the Harry the Dirty Dog printable, color or paint one dog dirty and one clean.
Tune: Old MacDonald Had a Farm (Sing very slowly.)
Puppet clown, oh, puppet clown
Moving left, and right, and down
Puppet clown, oh, puppet clown
Always smiling, never frown
Join us for a heart-to-heart with friends who truly get your parenting journey. Co-hosted by Heidi Franz, creator of ABCJesusLovesMe, this podcast provides a cozy, supportive space for practical advice, shared experiences, and heartfelt encouragement. Tune in on your favorite app or right here on the web!
Developmental Learning and Play
Place a bowl of craft pom poms or cotton balls on the child's right side and an empty bowl on the left. Provide plastic tweezers, tongs, or clothespins, and have the child use these tools to transfer each pom pom from one bowl to the other. Afterward, switch the bowls so the child moves the pom poms from left to right. This activity supports fine motor skills and encourages crossing the midline, which is important for overall coordination and brain development.
Have your child stand about seven feet away from you, facing you. Begin by holding a large, soft ball or beach ball in your hands. Before tossing the ball, say a spatial word like "up," "down," "low," "high," or "catch." Based on your word, throw the ball in relation to your child’s body. For example, if you say "up," throw the ball above her head, or if you say "low," toss it toward the ground. If you say "catch," throw the ball straight toward her for her to catch.
To add an extra challenge, have your child predict where the ball will go after you say the word, pointing to the area where she expects the ball to land. As she gets better, reduce the time you give her to react, increasing the difficulty of the game. This exercise helps improve spatial awareness and quick thinking while making it fun and engaging.
Roll-a-Picture games are a fun way to boost fine motor skills, sharpen visual perception skills, and practice taking turns - all while enjoying time together! It's like a game of Cootie, but with a pencil and a whole lot of creativity. Play one of the Roll-a-Picture games to work on spatial awareness.
This page may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
