Teaching Methods by Age Level
Active children need active learning. The chart below lists 77 different Bible learning activities that young children can use to learn God's Word. The chart lists what activities children are likely to be able to do and enjoy and what ages. These are general guidelines. Some children will begin sooner and others later. You can use the chart as a starting point and then tailor it to the children you minister to in Sunday school.
Key to the chart symbols:
 |
fits age level |
 |
use only under close adult supervision |
 |
some in age level may be ready for this method with help |
 |
some in age level may be ready if closely supervised |
Teaching Method |
Babies |
1s & 2s |
3s & 4s |
5s & 6s |
Toys |
||||
Randomly grasp toys |
|
|
||
Put toys in mouth |
|
|
|
|
Choose specific toy |
|
|
|
|
Use toy for specific purpose |
|
|
|
|
Imitate teacher’s use of toy |
|
|
|
|
Share/take turns with toys1 |
|
|
|
|
Act out events with toys |
|
|
|
|
Play Dough |
||||
Squeeze & pinch dough |
NA |
|
|
|
Push objects into play dough |
|
|
|
|
Press cookie cutters into dough |
|
|
|
|
Make free form shapes with dough |
|
|
|
|
Imitate shapes teacher makes |
|
|
|
|
Share play dough with guidance |
|
|
|
|
Blocks/Building |
||||
Grasp block, one at a time |
|
|
|
|
Grasp block in each hand |
|
|
||
Lay blocks in a line |
|
|
|
|
Stack blocks in a tower |
|
|
|
|
Make roads with blocks |
|
|
|
|
Build structures with blocks |
|
|
||
Homeliving |
||||
Hold & pat baby |
|
|
|
|
Try to dress/feed baby |
|
|
|
|
Pretend to talk on phone |
|
|
|
|
Pretend to cook food |
|
|
|
|
Use play food |
|
|
|
|
Pretend play family living |
|
|
||
Apply Bible principles to family life |
|
|
|
|
Art |
||||
Scribble coloring |
|
|
||
Tape down coloring paper , if needed |
|
|||
Use "go anywhere" stickers |
|
|
|
|
Decorate with stickers |
|
|
|
|
Draw abstractly for fun |
|
|
|
|
Draw then names picture |
|
|||
Draw pictures of people/things |
|
|
||
Finger painting with pudding |
|
|
|
|
Finger painting with paints |
|
|
||
Painting with brush |
|
|
||
Printing with stamps |
|
|
|
|
Simple cutting |
|
|
||
Gluing (with specific guidelines) |
|
|
||
Large Muscle Activities |
||||
Crawling through tunnels |
|
|
|
|
Moving around obstacles |
|
|
|
|
Climbing steps |
|
|
|
|
Jumping |
|
|
|
|
Enjoy climbing equipment |
|
|
|
|
Follow the teacher games |
|
|
|
|
Circle games |
|
|
||
Go on pretend trips |
|
|
|
|
Music |
||||
Soothed by praise music |
|
|
|
|
Move to musical rhythm |
|
|
|
|
Shake item/clap hands to rhythm |
|
|
|
|
Try to sing repetitious lyrics |
|
|
|
|
Do motions of action songs |
|
|
|
|
Sing most words of songs |
|
|
||
Explore musical instruments |
|
|
|
|
Praying |
||||
Cover eyes during prayer |
|
|
|
|
Say "Amen" |
|
|
|
|
Repeat "I-say-you-say" prayers |
|
|
|
|
Memorize rhyming prayers |
|
|
||
List prayer needs |
|
|
|
|
Say prayers aloud |
|
|
|
|
Tell about answered prayers |
|
|
||
Bible Storytelling |
||||
Teacher sings about Bible art |
|
|
|
|
Point to items in pictures |
|
|
|
|
Bible board books |
|
|
|
|
Bible picture books |
|
|
||
Story with visuals |
|
|
|
|
Monthly Bible story |
|
|||
Weekly Bible story |
|
|
||
Teacher moves child |
|
|
||
Imitate story actions |
|
|
|
|
Imitate story sounds |
|
|
|
|
Echo story words |
|
|
|
|
Move puppets |
|
|
|
|
Color story backgrounds |
|
|
|
|
Create story backgrounds |
|
|
||
Act out story with help |
|
|
||
Sing about story |
|
|
|
1--Sharing is not an early childhood skill. Preschool children can begin to learn to share if teachers model it, practice it, and reward all attempts to share.
