Flash back to the early 1990s: Coffee Break, a ministry of Christian Reformed Home Missions, is drawing women by the hundreds to small group Bible studies. Many women are meeting Christ for the first time and, through a program called Story Hour, many of their young children are too.
But the Story Hour curriculum was written for 4- and 5-year-olds. What about the toddlers at Coffee Break? Can they learn about Jesus too?
A big lightbulb goes on, and two writers named Susan Verwys and Sheri Triezenberg-Ippel get to work. Soon a program called Little Lambs is born. It’s a play-centered curriculum that introduces the youngest children to God and his Word. As children move from pounding Play-Doh to coloring pictures to playing house, caring leaders guide their play and help them make connections to the day’s Bible story.
Since 1992, churches from more than 30 denominations have come to love the Little Lambs program, which is now published by Faith Alive Christian Resources.
This fall, Faith Alive released a revised edition of Little Lambs that gives the curriculum a fresh look, updated lesson plans, and helpful new components.
In this edition, colorful new take-home story cards help families reinforce the Bible stories their children hear. A 34-song CD brings music to life in the classroom and at home. Each lesson has been revised and updated, with many new stories added. Little Lambs leaders who used the previous edition will discover a new lesson structure in the revised edition, with Circle Time and Story Time at the beginning of the session rather than at the end.
“Telling the Bible story first gives leaders even more opportunities to reinforce the concepts as children play,” says Faith Alive editor and project manager Marlene Brands. “This revised edition has made a wonderful curriculum even more user-friendly, effective, and engaging.”
About the Author
Sandy Swartzentruber serves as the resource coordinator for Faith Formation Ministries and is a member of Sherman Street CRC in Grand Rapids, Mich.
