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Playgroup Program Ideas
Year C Term 1
Compiled by the Children & Family Ministry Team
Mission Resourcing SA
Playgroup Program Ideas 2 Year C Term 1
CONTENTS
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 3
Playgroup Themes ................................................................................................................................. 3
A Scheme of Themes ............................................................................................................................. 4
Faith Enrichment in Playgroup ............................................................................................................. 5
Professional Development Page (Using play with children) .......................................................... 6
Additional resources .............................................................................................................................. 7
Themes this term
1. A special time ....................................................... Pancake Day .................................... 8
2. A special time ..................................................................... Easter .................................... 9
3. A part of my world ........................................ Sunshine and rain .................................. 11
4. An animal ................................................................................. Cat .................................. 12
5. A story .................................................................. Three Little Pigs .................................. 13
6. A way to travel ...................................................................... Boat .................................. 14
7. A job people do ............................................................. Teacher .................................. 15
8. A place to visit ................................................................... Circus .................................. 16
9. A part of my body ................................................................ Legs .................................. 17
10. A room in my house .................................................... Bathroom .................................. 18
11. A sport.............................................................................. Athletics .................................. 19
____________
COPYRIGHT
Ideas are seldom truly original. Some of the same ideas can be found from many
different sources. The ideas in this resource may have their origin in a whole range of
personal experience, observation, printed resources or electronic resources. They have
been filtered through memory and modified to meet specific needs. Some poetry has
been included where the ‘original writer’ is unknown.
We have not knowingly breached copyright, but if you are the originator of any
material in Playgroup Program Ideas, please notify us so that we can give you credit in
the future. Email [email protected]
Playgroup Program Ideas 3 Year C Term 1
INTRODUCTION
This resource is designed to help leaders of church-based playgroups in planning their program.
This resource is not a set curriculum; it provides ideas that you may pick and choose from or adapt to your
own situation. The themes and activity ideas can fit into whatever format you establish for your playgroup.
A Uniting Church SA Playgroup Manual is also available at www.missionresourcingsa.org.au
The manual is a comprehensive resource that includes: Starting a playgroup, Administration, Safety and
property, Leaders and volunteers, Finances, Getting the church involved, Promotion, Frequently asked
questions and Useful contacts.
PLAYGROUP THEMES Working with themes: Free play and a regular, predictable program in surroundings that become familiar
are primary ingredients of playgroups. Repetition and predictability help children (and their parents)
develop a sense of comfort, belonging and control.
From about 18 months, children will begin to be able to comprehend the theme ideas. They may look for,
enjoy and benefit from new experiences and challenges. Exact repetition may become a bit too familiar
and perhaps boring for older children.
Session themes allow you to introduce some variety into a familiar format. New, themed songs and rhymes,
for example, can be added to favourite songs and rhymes that are used regularly.
The suggested theme ideas in this resource can help you to plan a program that will stretch children in
their experiences as well as their comprehension, language skills, relationships with one another and with a
variety of adults, gross and fine motor skills, music and movement.
Playgroup Program Ideas gives you ideas for a wide range of themed sessions. You can use a different
theme each week, or you may use themes only once or twice a term as special occasions. Themed
sessions allow your playgroup team to use their creativity. They can provide excitement and some
enjoyable surprises for all involved.
Scheduling themed sessions: Playgroup age children live in the moment. They have limited capacity to
consciously remember what happens from week to week, so each theme suggestion in this resource is a
stand-alone session. The themes can be used in any sequence. Obviously you are likely to schedule
holiday themes (eg Christmas) just before the holiday they relate to. Other themes may be scheduled to
coincide with events in your community (eg you may have a cricket theme when siblings or parents are
involved in cricket competitions). Still other events may be scheduled to suit the availability of special
guests. One suggested theme each term may involve an outing; this may be the first thing you schedule
because it may require the most coordination both within the playgroup and also with the management
of the venue you visit.
NOTE
Throughout this resource the term ‘parent’ is used for the parent, relative or other carer
who brings a child to playgroup.
Playgroup Program Ideas 4 Year C Term 1
A SCHEME OF THEMES (1)
A special time or day
(2) A special
time or day
(3) A colour
or element
(4) An animal
(5) A story
(6) Travel or a
musical instrument
(7) Work
people do
(8) A place to
visit
(9) A part of my body
(10) Clothes, room or
plant
(11) Misc
sport, relationship
A1 Australia Day
Easter Air Horse The Lion and the Mouse
Train Factory worker
Lake / river Hands Bedroom Cricket
A2 Mothers Day Queen’s Birthday
Green Frog Zacchaeus Bicycle Cleaner Post Office Mouth Blue Jeans Please and Thank You
A3 Fathers Day Book Week (Books)
Red Chicken The Three Billy Goats Gruff
Bus Playgroup helper
Church Hair Tree Art and artists
A4 Christmas Pageant
Christmas (Shepherds)
Mud Fish Queen Esther Guitar Firefighter Garden Nose Vegetable (Pumpkin)
Family
B1 Valentines Day
Easter Water Dog The Tortoise and the Hare
Car Doctor Beach Feet and toes
Kitchen Caring for the world
B2 Anzac Day Mothers Day Purple Butterfly Jairus’ Daughter Airplane Farmer Restaurant Eyes Fruit (Apple)
Science & scientists
B3 Fathers Day Book Week (Author)
Yellow Guinea pig The Ugly Duckling
Skates & skateboard
Driver Park Face Shoes & boots
Football
B4 Advent Christmas (Angels)
Pink Lizard Solomon’s Prayer
Drum Computer tech
Shopping centre
Arms Wheat & bread
Grandparents
C1 Pancake Day
Easter Sunshine & rain
Cat Three Little Pigs Boat Teacher Circus Legs Bathroom Athletics
C2 May Day Mothers Day Orange Bug and Spider
Jesus Feeds 5000
Wheelbarrow & wagon
Police Farm Ears Hats Friends at playgroup
C3 Fathers Day Book Week (Library)
Blue Kangaroo Town and Country Mice
Rocket Ship Minister Playground Tummy Flowers Numbers and counting
C4 Labour Day Christmas (Star)
Brown Bird Noah’s Ark Horn Builder Bush Skin Vegetable (Peas)
Brothers and sisters
Playgroup Program Ideas 5 Year C Term 1
FAITH ENRICHMENT AT PLAYGROUP Playgroups organised by churches and staffed
by Christians serve young families in many
different ways.
Some church-based playgroups serve primarily
the families of their own congregation and
introduce Christian content into playgroup as
part of their faith-nurturing or Christian
education program.
Most playgroups cater for a wider cross-section
of the community.
Some church-based playgroups have an
agreed policy that the playgroup is simply a
service to their community. Their Christian
character is shown through the development of
caring relationships. Team members do not
mention anything specifically ‘Christian’ unless
the question is raised by a parent or child.
However, many church-based playgroups are
more evangelical in their intent; their playgroup
teams look for ways to go beyond service and
developing relationships. In some cases a
playgroup may actually function as an
alternative ‘church’ for families who have no
other church contact. It can be a place where
families explore the Christian faith.
Parents who choose to come to a church-
based playgroup will not be surprised if there is
some Christian content, however it’s good to
make this clear in your advertising literature and
in conversation with prospective playgroup
families.
Playgroup Program Ideas provides a range of
Faith Enrichment Ideas related to each topic.
They are a resource for introducing ‘Christian’
content into a playgroup program through
activities, songs and stories. These may be used
as a block within the regular playgroup time or
scattered throughout the session.
Or the Faith Enrichment ideas may be used in
an optional ‘Faith Talk Time’ after the session.
Families are invited to stay, but may choose to
leave before it begins.
Some church-based playgroups have a short
parents-only ‘Faith Talk Time’ in a separate room
while the playgroup team supervises the
children. A leader helps parents to think about
the suggested theme, the wondering question
and the Bible story or Bible verse. The leader
may also help parents find ways of introducing
or reinforcing these to their own children at
home.
Playgroup leaders can use one or more of the
Faith Enrichment Ideas to introduce a faith
dimension into the session in a natural way.
For example:
Key faith concept can be written on a poster
and displayed in playgroup where parents
may see and comment on it (or not). It can
be announced in a group time at the start of
the session. It can be listed along with the
theme title on playgroup program schedules.
It can be written on children’s artwork and
crafts that are taken home. Bible verses and
prayers can be used the same way.
Christian songs can be used along with other
songs.
Bible stories: age appropriate versions of the
suggested stories can be used as part of a
range of books/stories for parents to read to
their own children, or for a playgroup team
member to share with children in small
groups.
Wondering comment can be raised by
playgroup team members at any time it
seems appropriate or it can be a follow-up
to any other Faith Enrichment activity.
Prayer and Bible verse (and song) can be
used as a simple closing ritual, perhaps
followed by blessing each child as they
leave.
BEYOND PLAYGROUP
Families leave playgroup when children are old
enough to enrol in other educational programs.
If playgroup is the only place where a family
experiences a Christian community, that
connection is severed when they move on.
Congregations that have invested into families
through playgroup need to consider how they
can serve them beyond playgroup. Some
families will fit comfortably into existing worship
and children’s ministry programs. Others will see
this as an alien environment and avoid it.
Alternatives for playgroup ‘graduate’ families
may be:
monthly Messy Church-style programs (for
more details see www.messychurch.org.uk/
school holiday programs
a family day (or evening) during each school
holiday
a sequence of family events which target
families of children at specific
developmental milestones, for example:
starting kindy, starting primary school, starting
organised sports, entering ‘double digits’,
puberty, starting high school
parenting support newsletters and invitations
to special events (eg all-age worship
services) of the congregation.
Playgroup Program Ideas 6 Year C Term 1
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PAGE
USING PLAY WITH CHILDREN
Play is widely recognised as a critical aspect of
childhood and child development. Every child
has a right to ‘. . . engage in play and
recreational activities appropriate to the age of
the child . . .’ [United Nations Convention on the
Rights of the Child (1989) Article 31]
WHAT IS PLAY?
What do you think of when you hear the word
‘play’?
Defining play is not ‘child’s play’. Play has
received a great deal of academic study and
theorising in recent years. A fairly commonly
agreed understanding of play is: activity
(physical, manipulative, social, mental or
imaginary) that is voluntary and associated with
pleasure. It occurs without specific expected
outcomes or unnecessary rules.
These elements are associated with children’s
play: it is enjoyable, spontaneous, voluntary,
engaging, process-oriented, child-initiated and
intermittent.
Play is not wasted time, but rather time spent
building new knowledge from previous
experience.
If parents and other adults have specific
requirements for the activity, then it becomes
work, or, in some cases, a game.
The three main types of play are social play,
loco motor (body) play and play with objects
(props, tools, toys). Some researchers add
language and fantasy.
Play is essentially an activity which is enjoyed
alone, though it can involve others. Young
children seldom play with one another: they
play alone, then beside other children before
actually interacting with them.
Though we may think of play as non-serious
activity, young children may be highly serious
and totally absorbed while engaging in play.
WHY IS PLAY IMPORTANT?
Maria Montessori is credited with the statement:
‘Play is the work of the child’.
Through play, children develop social and
cognitive skills, mature emotionally, and gain
self-confidence to try new experiences and
engage with new environments. Play is a way of
expanding children’s natural curiosity and helps
them to make sense of their world.
Much of what children do in play is copying the
behaviour of adults and thus learning specific
skills. Some experts claim this is the primary
purpose of play — the preparation of skills to be
used later.
Others argue that play is actually about training
a general flexibility of mind. Researcher John
Byers suggests that play is not so much about
practising exact behaviours, as about building
general connections in the brain.
However play is not just for children; all people
need the opportunity and the ability to play
and imagine. Play can be seen as the basis of
all creative activity.
Play can occur only when other needs
(adequate food, comfort and safety) have
been met. Thinking and acting playfully is
important for the emotional well-being of all
people. ‘The opposite of play is not work’, says
Brian Sutton-Smith, ‘It is depression.’
PLAY IN YOUR PLAYGROUP
A playgroup is a place for play — for children
and their carers. Here are some ways playgroup
leaders can promote play:
model positive attitudes towards play
encourage play
provide a balance of indoor and outdoor
exploration and play
join in play, guiding, shaping and extending
play, but not dictating or dominating it
prepare appropriate, stress-free
environments for play. The play environment
should allow children to make choices and
to explore possibilities
offer a variety of materials and experiences
at varying levels of difficulty
observe children in their play. Observation
provides information about the child’s
interests, abilities and strengths. It opens
opportunities for further development
Research has uncovered another interesting
fact about play: the level of children’s play rises
when adults play with them. The variety of play
children engage in also increases when adults
join in. Joining in is different from controlling.
Controlling makes children follow their parent’s
agenda and does not lead to as much
cognitive development as when parents follow
their children’s lead.
(Einstein Never Used Flash Cards, Kathy Hirsh-
Pasek, Roberta Michnick Goinkoff, Diane Eyer)
Playgroup Program Ideas 7 Year C Term 1
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES MUSIC
Songs and rhymes identified in this resource as ‘Useful Book’ are found in The New
Useful Book (Songs and Ideas from Play School by Henrietta Clark). It contains words
and melody lines for many popular children’s songs. Songs and related activities are
arranged by themes. It is a very ‘useful book’!
BOOKS
A variety of story books and non-fiction books are suggested that support each theme.
You can use whatever books suit your group and are available on family bookshelves
or from the local library.
You may also want to build your own playgroup library with purchased or donated age-appropriate
books that children and parents may look at during playgroup — and/or borrow to use at home.
In addition to theme-specific books, your collection could include some books relating to general
theme areas such as colours, animals, transportation, occupations, bodies, food, sports, holidays.
Your collection may include books that expose children to languages other than English and cultures
other than European/Australian, for example:
This set of three books (Body Parts, Counting and
Colours), teach children some basic words in the
Kaurna language. The beautiful photographic
illustrations can be used to foster discussion of
these topics in any language. See
www.fishpond.com.au
Your collection may include age-appropriate Bible story collections, for example:
The Toddler’s Bible
by Bethan James
My First Bible
by Leena Lane
The Beginner’s
Bible
edited by
Catherine DeVries
and prayer books, for example:
I can say a
prayer
by Sophie
Piper
100 Ways to Know
God Loves Me!
by Stephen Elkins
(includes two CDs of
Christian songs)
I imagine:
A Child’s Book
of Prayers
by Rachel
Rivett
ELECTRONIC RESOURCES
Playgroup Program Ideas deliberately limits references to electronic media because, even in this day
and age, you can comfortably run a playgroup with a minimum of technology. However you may
want to use recorded music as background music, to accompany activities such as dancing, or to
support singing.
An internet search engine like Google is an easy way of finding images that you can use to illustrate
themes. Many of the stories and songs we suggest can be found as electronic books (Kindle) or even
on YouTube.
Use these resources if you feel they will contribute to the relationships you want to establish and the
experience you want to provide in your playgroup, and if you have someone on your team who
understands how to make technology work smoothly and effectively.
Playgroup Program Ideas 8 Year C Term 1
C-1-1
PANCAKE DAY A SPECIAL TIME The Tuesday before the start of Lent in the Christian calendar has come to be observed as Pancake
Day. It is a celebration before the sombre season and a clearing out from pantries of things that will be
‘given up’ for Lent (making them into pancakes). Pancake Day is also a major fundraising event for
UnitingCare in South Australia. You may want to consider a Pancake Day fund raiser.
ACTIVITY IDEAS
Guest (1): Someone involved in UnitingCare’s Pancake Day visits playgroup and talks with the
children and parents about the event.
Guest (2): Someone from a culture where a form of pancake is a staple food visits playgroup and
talks about their use of pancakes. They may demonstrate how they make the pancakes and
perhaps give children a chance to taste them.
Play dough pancakes: Children make pancakes and topping out of play dough.
Pancake shop: Set up a pancake ‘shop’ (can be simply a table or bookshelf) with a range of
packaged ingredients for pancakes (see recipe below) and pancake mixes. Parents and children
look at the display and pick out what they would need to have to make pancakes at home.
Pancake sort: Have a tray with a variety of pancakes (possibly some from different cultures
represented in your playgroup). Parents and children look at the pancakes. They can group them by
size or colour or arrange them smallest to largest. These pancakes are for handling, not eating.
Pancake recipe: Read the instructions for making pancakes from a recipe book; children mime the
actions for preparing and eating pancakes.
My little pancake: Parents lay children (their little pancakes )in their laps and do this play.
You’re my little pancake, round and sweet ....................... (parent draws circle on child’s tummy).
cooking on the cook top heat.
When the bubbles pop out — there, and there, and there . . . .......... (parent kisses child’s tummy)
I’ll flip you over to cook some more, ........................................................................ (parent flips child)
When you’re ready, I’ll spread you with honey ......................................... (parent rubs child’s back)
and eat you up....................................................................................... (parent pretends to eat child)
Pancake snack: Children decorate precooked small pancakes with a variety of toppings and eat
them as a snack. Wash hands before this activity!
Pancake recipe (makes four small pancakes)
1 cup plain flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp sugar, 1 pinch salt,
1 cup of milk, 1 egg and 1 tsp salad oil
Mix all ingredients until just mixed. Pour into a hot oiled pan.
Flip when you see bubbles forming on the pancakes.
Remove from pan when the second side is light brown.
BOOKS TO SHARE find books in the library or parents’ collections about pancakes and Pancake Day, eg
The Runaway
Pancake
by Mairi
Mackinnon
Mama Panya’s
Pancakes
by Mary and
Rich
Chamberlin
Little Grey
Rabbit’s
Pancake Day
by Alison
Uttley
SONGS AND RHYMES
Pat–A-Cake
Singin’ in the kitchen (Playschool’s Oomba Baroomba CD)
FAITH ENRICHMENT IDEAS
Key faith concept: God loves us and provides the food we need.
Talk about Lent and any child- family-friendly activities your church is planning for Lent.
Wonder how God makes sure I have all the food I need . . .
Story: A widow gives food to Elijah. (1 Kings 17:8-16).
Song: God gives . . . (God Gives Songs for Kids Book 3)
Prayer: Pancake Day is a special time to thank you, God, for our food, Amen.
Bible verse: All their food comes from God. (Psalm 104:21)
Playgroup Program Ideas 9 Year C Term 1
C-1-2
EASTER (EASTER EGGS) A SPECIAL TIME
The Bible story of Jesus’ death and resurrection is the basis for our celebration of Easter. It’s a difficult
story to use with young children, so the playgroup session will focus more on the way we observe Easter
than on the actual Bible account.
You may want to have a tract with the Easter story that you can give to parents. A variety of tracts are
available from Lutheran Tract Mission (www.lll.org.au) at about 20c each.
You may also want to have invitations and information about Easter observances in your church or
community that would be appropriate for playgroup families.
ACTIVITY IDEAS
My Easter story: An older member of your faith community visits playgroup and tells the children
about two or three happy Easter experiences they remember from their childhood. It would be
good if they can demonstrate, illustrate, or involve children in acting out the experiences.
Eggs: Talk briefly about eggs: hens (chickens) lay eggs. Eggs don’t look like they are alive: they don’t
move or make noise. If the hen looks after the egg, a new chick will hatch that is alive; it moves
around and makes noise, and will grow up to be a big chicken. At Easter we think about surprising
ways new life can begin. (Check Google images for illustrations and colouring-in sheets.)
Egg roll: Children tuck themselves into a tight egg shape and parents push/ roll them around.
You may do this to music.
Decorate Easter eggs: Have a hard-boiled egg for each child. (Try to find eggs with white or pale
shells.) Children draw on the eggshells with white wax crayon or candle.
In a separate area, prepare dye for the eggs. Add food colouring to several clear
glass containers half-full of very hot water. Children choose a colour. They watch as
their parent carefully lowers their egg into the cup with a spoon.
Let the egg remain in the water until it takes on the desired colour and the children’s design is clearly
visible. Remove the coloured egg from the water and place in an egg carton where it can dry.
Easter basket egg holder: Prepare a template that parents can use, or pre-cut basket shapes from
‘basket-coloured’ card. Old manila folders are ideal. Parents help their child make a holder for their
egg. See the pattern on the next page.
Easter egg hunt: Use coloured paper cut-out in egg shapes — enough for each child to have three.
Hide the eggs in a safe area separate from where you meet for playgroup. Show children what they
are looking for. They keep the first three they find. If they find more, they give them to other children.
After children find their eggs, each child can tell their story to an adult, for example: I have three
eggs. Two are blue and one is yellow. I found them . . .
Children may glue all the coloured eggs onto a large sheet of paper as background for a poster
with an Easter greeting from playgroup to the community.
BOOKS TO SHARE Find books in your local library or parents’ collections about Easter, eg
The Easter
Day Surprise
by Jane L
Fryar
The Legend
of the Easter
Egg
by Lori
Walburg
What is
Easter?
Michelle
Medlock
Adams
SONGS AND RHYMES
Easter eggs! Easter eggs! Hidden all away; (Tune; Jingle bells; Words: Virginia Baker)
let's go find our Easter eggs, on this Easter Day.
Easter eggs! Easter eggs! What a pretty sight;
blue and pink and yellow, too, purple, green and white.
FAITH ENRICHMENT IDEAS
Key faith concept: At Easter we celebrate that Jesus, God’s Son, lives forever
Talk about how people celebrate Easter.
Wonder what it means to be alive.
Story: Jesus comes back to life (John 20:1-18)
Song: Happy Easter we will say; our Lord Jesus lives today (Tune: Alphabet song)
Prayer: Easter is the special time to thank you, God, for giving us life. Amen.
Bible verse: Jesus said: ‘I want you to have life in the best possible way.’ (John 10:10, adapted)
Playgroup Program Ideas 10 Year C Term 1
EASTER BASKET EGG HOLDER Photocopy the pattern onto light card.
For each basket, cut two identical shapes from light card.
Glue the two pieces together at sides, and across the arch (handle. Do not glue between the dotted
lines.
Fold where indicated by dotted lines to form a square tube into which you can place an egg.
If you wish, decorate the basket with a bow, artificial flowers or the child’s name.
Cut out
fold
Jesus said: ‘I want
you to have life
in the best possible way.’ (John 10:10)
Playgroup Program Ideas 11 Year C Term 1
C-1--3
SUNSHINE AND RAIN A PART OF MY WORLD ACTIVITY IDEAS
Guest: A guest who is a gardener may talk to the children about how plants need both sunshine and
rain (water) to grow properly.
Sunshine and rain symbols: Draw weather symbols on a whiteboard or poster.
Parents look at the symbols with their children and talk about what kind of weather
each one represents.
Older children may pretend to be TV weather broadcasters, pointing to the various
symbols and telling what the weather is like in those spots.
Today’s weather is . . . Children go outdoors and tell parents whether it’s raining or
sunny. They decide which of the weather symbols is closest to the weather at the
moment. Children can then make a picture of today’s weather. They may just
draw/paint their picture or you may provide items that they can glue on: yellow
paper disks for sun; cotton balls for clouds and bits of foil paper cut in strips for rain.
Sun catchers: You’ll need two used CDs for each child, some yellow and orange
card cut into triangles and some string or yarn. Place one CD with the shiny side
down. Parents help children glue alternating yellow and orange triangles
around the edge of the coloured (labelled) side of the CD. Then place a piece
of ribbon with a large knot at the end onto the CD with the knot in the centre
hold. Glue the second CD on top of the first: coloured (labelled) sides together, paper and string
sandwiched in between.
Hang the sun catchers in your playgroup space, or children take them home. Hang them near a
window so they catch the sun and reflect it around the room as a rainbow.
Walk with an umbrella: Children can go outside and walk with an umbrella. If the sun is shining,
parents help them discover that the umbrella makes a shadow that keeps the sunshine off of them.
On a bright, sunny day they may be able to watch the shadow made by their umbrella; if it’s
raining, they can discover that the umbrella keeps the rain off them.
Weather clothing: Have some clothing on display: items that children need to be sun-safe when it’s
sunny and items that children need to keep dry when it’s raining. Children and parents talk about
when they might need each item. Children may try on the various items.
BOOKS TO SHARE Find books in your local library or parents’ collections about weather, for example:
Kipper’s
Book of
Weather
by Mick
Inkpen
Weather
by Jan
Pienkowski
Where Does
the Butterfly Go
When It Rains?
by May
Garelich
SONGS AND RHYMES
Rain, rain, go away
It’s raining, It’s pouring
When the rain is falling down (Useful Book)
Good morning, merry sunshine
FAITH ENRICHMENT IDEAS
Key faith concept: God gives us sunshine and rain.
Talk about why we need both sunshine and rain.
Wonder what happens when there is no rain.
Story: Joseph helps the Egyptians in a time of drought. (Genesis 37:28, 39:23b, 41:15-57)
Sing: And God said the sun should shine (Little Golden Book of Hymns, page 4, on YouTube)
Prayer: Thank you, God, for sunshine and rain. Amen.
Bible Verse: God makes his sun to shine and he sends rain. (Matthew 5:45)
Playgroup Program Ideas 12 Year C Term 1
C-1-4
CAT AN ANIMAL
Playgroup children can begin to understand that (1) people can live gently among all living things and
not harm them (2) some animals can harm us.
If any of the families have items with cat motifs, ask them to bring along some non-breakable items.
ACTIVITY IDEAS
Guest: The owner of a cat/kitten brings their pet for a visit to playgroup. They tell the children about
the pet and how they care for it. Depending on the nature of the pet, children may be allowed to
hold or pat it. Don’t force children with serious fears, but allow parents to give children the
experience of a close encounter to overcome mild fear.
This can be done with all the children together, but it might be better to work with groups of three or
four children. Your guest may help you in planning other activities.
Cats and me (1): Parents name and point to parts of the child’s body. Children consider whether
cats have these same body parts. This is your head. Do cats have heads? This is your hand. Do cats
have hands?(Yes, but we call them paws.) These are your ears. Do cats have ears?
Cats and me (2): Cats have two things children don’t have: whiskers and tails. Parents can give
children whiskers by drawing them on with face paint. Parents can give children tails by tying a
length of ribbon (or a strip cut from polar fleece cloth, or stuffed hosiery) onto the child’s belt or
around their waist. Have a mirror so children can see what they look like with whiskers and a tail.
Move like a cat: Children may observe the guest cat and mimic its movements.
Encourage children to walk on hands and feet like a cat; arch their back like a cat, bat at a ball
suspended from a string and clean their ‘paw’ by licking it.
Share and compare cats: If families have brought cat items, place all the cats on a rug or table.
Children with their parents find their own cat in the shared collection. They find other
cats that are the same colour; the same size; larger; smaller than their own.
Feely cat: Provide each child with a simple cat shape cut from card. Have a supply of
‘cat-coloured’ tissue paper and cloth scraps cut into different shaped pieces about
2 cm in size, as well as short pieces of wool and any other textured items you can round
up. Parents help glue different textured items onto the cat shape using craft glue (in jar
lids or other shallow containers).Once it is dry, children can ‘pat’ their feely cats and
discover how they feel.
Miaow like a cat: Demonstrate a cat sound. Let the children practise making the sound. Think of
how the sound changes when the cat is angry or afraid or contented.
BOOKS TO SHARE Find stories in your library or in parents’ collections about cats, for example:
Millions of
cats
by Wanda
Gag
Mog the
forgetful
cat
by Judith
Kerr
There are cats in
this book
by Viviane
Schwarz
SONGS AND RHYMES
I love little kitty, her coat is so warm. (Children may hold their feely cat as they sing or say this.)
Pussy cat, pussy cat, where have you been?
Adapt Tom Jones’s What’s new pussycat?, singing just the chorus: Pussy cat, pussy cat, I love you.
Yes I do. You and your pussycat eyes, ears, paws . . .
FAITH ENRICHMENT IDEAS
Key faith concept: God made animals and wants us to take care of them.
Talk about why it’s nice to have animals to take care of.
Wonder how God wants us to take care of cats.
Story: Isaiah sees a vision of all animals living peacefully together (Isaiah 11 6-9, omit 8b)
Song: All things bright and beautiful (http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/a/l/allthing.htm)
Prayer: Cats can be good friends. Thank you, God, for cats and other animals. Amen.
Bible verse: All people and animals are in God’s care. (Psalm 36:6, modified)
Playgroup Program Ideas 13 Year C Term 1
C-1-5
THREE LITTLE PIGS A STORY
This session is based on the fairy tale of the Three Little Pigs. Originally written in the mid 1800s, it
resembles other older stories. Some young children will find parts of the story scary. You may emphasise
that this is the story of a family that is successful when they work together.
ACTIVITY IDEAS
Storytelling: Tell the story of the Three Little Pigs in one or more ways, for example, use your own
words (possibly using pictures from a children’s book or puppets), read it from a children’s book or
watch a video. Storytelling can be a whole group activity, or a small group activity or each parent
can read to their child alone.
You might use three simple houses for your story. Stack two bricks to make the brick house. Use
folded paper to make two houses (about the same size and shape as the brick house). Children can
glue straw onto one of the paper houses and small sticks onto the other. During the story children
can huff and puff and blow the two houses down, but not the brick one.
Re-tell the story: Children can re-tell the story using water bottle pigs that they make.
Water bottle pig: Parents help children make little pigs from water bottles. You
may colour the bottles by putting a bit of pink paint inside and shaking it
around, but it’s fine to leave the bottle transparent. You’ll need the cap from
the bottle for a snout plus four other spare bottle caps (or corks) for legs. Use
craft glue to attach bottle cap legs and paper or felt ears. Tape on a twisted
pipe-cleaner tail. Use textas to draw on two eyes and two dots on the bottle
cap snout.
Families: The pig family in the story is made up of three brothers. Parents talk with
their own children about their own family: who are the parents, the brothers and sisters, other
people. How did the brother pigs help each other in the story? How do people help one another in
your family?
Houses: Take a short walk around the neighbourhood (one volunteer with two or three families).
Identify the materials that houses are made of. In some neighbourhoods you will probably see only
brick. That’s fine. Remind children that brick makes strong houses. If there’s a house under
construction you may have a chance to see the other things that go into a house (wood or steel
frames, glass windows, etc). Alternatively look at pictures of houses to see what they are made from.
Three little things: On a table, lay out an assortment of items, such as: apples, shoes, brushes. Have
at least three of each item. Children group all the apples, all the shoes, etc. They count them: ‘One
little apple; two little apples; three little apples’. Mix up all the items for the next child to sort.
This little piggie: Children sit with their parents. Remove shoes. Parents give children’s feet a
massage. Parents hold each of the child’s toes while reciting the rhyme: This little pig went to market;
this little pig stayed home; this little pig had roast beef; this little pig had none. And this little pig cried
all the way home. Or use a version more familiar to your families.
BOOKS TO SHARE: Find individual books of the story, or collections containing it, in your local library or
parents’ collections. You may also find other books about pigs or houses.
Three Little
Pigs
(Disney/Little
Golden Book)
TheThree Little
Pigs
by Paul
Galdone
The Three
Little Pigs
by James
Marshall
SONGS AND RHYMES
Who’s afraid of the big bad wolf? (Disney)
FAITH ENRICHMENT IDEAS
Key faith concept: God loves us and gives us families.
Talk about how people in families help one another.
Wonder why God gives us families
Song: This is the day that the Lord has made (www.hymnal.net/hymn.php/c/4 )
Prayer: Thank you for our families. Amen.
Bible verse: They help each other. They say to one another, ‘Be strong!’ (Isaiah 41:6)
Playgroup Program Ideas 14 Year C Term 1
C-1-6
BOAT A WAY TO TRAVEL If possible, have a real boat, for example, an inflatable dinghy that children can sit in for some of the
activities and/or have a children’s wading pool or other water container in which children can sail toy
boats.
SAFETY FIRST: Ensure that children are well supervised when playing with water. Even a few inches of
water in a pail could drown a child.
ACTIVITY IDEAS
Guest: Someone who is involved in boating visits playgroup and tells the children about some of their
experiences. If they can demonstrate, illustrate, or involve children in acting out the experience, that
would be better than simply telling the story. The guest may help you plan other activities.
Boat talk: Give each child has the opportunity to tell an adult other than their parent about
experiences they have had riding in a boat or playing with a boat.
Life vests: Have a few child-size life vests that children can try on. Have a mirror so they can see what
they look like in the vest. While doing this, remind parents and children about water safety: basically,
keep children away from water unless they are with an adult!
This may be a good time also to talk about and demonstrate the general slip slop slap seek and slide
sun-safe guidelines for boating and other outdoor activities.
Boat hunt: Find as many pictures of boats, ships, canoes, ferries, etc as possible. You’ll need two
copies of each picture. Check colouring books and boating magazines (avoid pictures of scantily
clad models). Display one copy of each boat picture on the wall, at child height (or tape them onto
a low table). Have the other pictures in a box. Children take a loose picture. Parents help their
children find the matching boat and talk about the features of the boat. Return the loose boat
pictures to the box for the next child.
Boats on the water: Allow children to have free time playing with boats in a wading pool. You might
invest in sets of small plastic boats (party favours from a dollar store).
Make a boat: Give each child a small rectangular polystyrene meat tray and
some play dough. They place a blob of play dough in the centre of the tray
to hold a mast and sail. Use a drinking straw for a mast. Cut the sail from
paper. As a rule of thumb, mark the shape of the boat on a piece of paper
and mark across it diagonally to form a triangular sail. Tape the sail to the
straw or punch holes and weave the sail onto the straw. Children can use
extra play dough to make people or cargo to put in their boat. Children can
have a go at sailing their boats or racing them on water in a wading pool.
Land and water transport: Provide a simple map of Australia. Parents point out to children that ‘blue’
areas on the map are water; other areas are land. We need boats to travel on water; we can use
wheeled things (cars and bikes) on land. We can use planes over water and land. Parents can help
children locate your home town on the map. Then locate some other places they have been. Did
they go over any water? How did they travel?
BOOKS TO SHARE Find books in your local library or parents’ collections about boats and boating, eg
Boats
by Byron
Barton
Row, row,
row your
boat
by Angie
Lionetto-Civa
Twice Yours
(a parable of
God’s love)
by Nan
Gurley
SONGS AND RHYMES
Row, row, row your boat . . .
A sailor went to sea, sea, sea . . .
FAITH ENRICHMENT IDEAS
Key faith concept: God takes care of people wherever they go.
Talk about why people ride on boats.
Wonder how God takes care of people when they travel in boats.
Story: Jesus and his friends travelled in a boat and Jesus took care of them. (Matthew 8:23-27)
Prayer: Thank you, God, for boats and for taking care of us when we ride in them. Amen.
Bible verse: God says: ‘I will be with you wherever you go.’ (Joshua 1:9)
Playgroup Program Ideas 15 Year C Term 1
C-1-7
TEACHER A JOB PEOPLE DO ACTIVITY IDEAS
Guest: Invite a teacher (perhaps a teacher children will actually encounter when they move from
playgroup to kindergarten) to visit playgroup. They may talk about what they do and why they like
doing it. They may talk a bit about how school is the same as and different from playgroup. They
may show some pictures of their school and their students.
Who goes to school: Arrange children in a school-like formation:
children seated on the floor, facing the leader/teacher.
Have a white board beside the teacher, cut-out paper figures, BluTack, texta.
Leader draws a large rectangle on the whiteboard, and says: ’This is a school’. The leader then calls a child’s name: ‘[Erin] knows someone who goes to school; it is ...’
The child [Erin] says the name of someone they know who goes to school: ’Sam’.
The leader (or a helper) says: ‘I’m writing Sam’s name’. Write the student’s name on a paper figure.
The leader invites the child [Erin] to help put the named figure on the board inside the school shape.
The leader points to the figure and says: ‘I can read Sam’s name. This is Sam. Sam goes to school.’
The leader helps all the children repeat: ‘This is Sam. Sam goes to school.’
The leader counts the number of figures on the board: ‘One. There is one child in our school.’
Do the same for all the children. Leave the figures on the board.
Reading (1): Children look at the named figures on the whiteboard. They find and ‘read’ the name
of the student they have named.
Reading (2): Parents with their own child look through an alphabet book, or look at an alphabet
chart. Name the letters. Sing the alphabet song.
Writing (1): Give each child a cut-out paper person shape. Parents (or volunteers) write their own
child’s name on the shape with glue. As they write, they say: ‘I am writing [Erin]’s name. E-r-i-n’. Use
craft glue that can be squeezed out in a thin line and dries fairly quickly. Place the figure in a baking
tray. Children use a shaker to shake sand or glitter or a spice over the figure. Gently shake off the
extra material so the name stands out. Allow the figure to dry before touching it.
Writing (2): When the glue is dry, children can trace over their name on their figure. Parents help
children name the letters as they do so.
‘Rithmetic (1): Parents help their own child count the named figures on the whiteboard. Arrange
them in groups of five. Look at combinations of five: 4 and 1; 3 and 2.
‘Rithmetic (2): Children count other things they see in the playgroup area. If you have families who
use a language other than English in their home; they can tell how they count (to five).
Playing school: Encourage children to play school with dolls in any way they choose.
BOOKS TO SHARE: Find books in your library or parents’ collections about teachers or going to school, eg
Teacher!
Sharing,
Helping, Caring
by Patricia
Hubbell
I want to be
a Teacher
by Daniel
Liebman
Molly Is New
by Nick Turpin
and Sylvia
Raga
SONGS AND RHYMES
The alphabet song — You may use a chart of alphabet letters and point to the letters as you sing.
Counting songs, such as Five little ducks went out to play
We’re going to the school, school, school; isn’t that cool, cool, cool [Tune: We’re going to the zoo]
FAITH ENRICHMENT IDEAS
Key faith concept: God loves us and gives us people who help us.
Talk about how teachers help children (and parents).
Wonder how God helps teachers.
Story: Paul’s talks to Timothy about being a teacher (1 Timothy 4:6–16)
Song: God’s helpers everywhere (Sing to Jesus #205)
Prayer: Thank you, God, for teachers who help us learn lots of things. Amen.
Bible verse: Each person is given something to do that shows who God is (1 Corinthians 12:4, Message)
Playgroup Program Ideas 16 Year C Term 1
C-1-8
CIRCUS A PLACE TO VISIT
An outing to a circus is not generally appropriate for a playgroup. Explore the theme in your regular
playgroup venue. Consider showing a film/video of a circus experience and/or decorating your
playgroup area with circus posters.
There are many aspects of circus that you might look at, eg big top, performing animals, acrobats.
These notes focus mainly on clowns. Most children will have encountered a clown somewhere along
the line. For some, the initial reaction to a clown may be fear, for others joy.
ACTIVITY IDEAS
Guest: A clown visits playgroup and performs for the children and parents. The guest may come as
their true persona and talk about how they transform themself into a clown with costume and make-
up. By doing this in front of the children, with parents very close-by, you may calm children’s anxiety
about clowns. The clown does not need to be a professional; an amateur who can do a couple of
tricks or a funny dance or model balloons would be fine. The clown can also help children copy
something they do. Don’t force children to interact with the clown (or even pictures of clowns) if
they find this seriously disturbing.
Circus talk: Any child who has been to a circus talks with an adult about the experience.
Clown emotions: The guest clown demonstrates how clowns show emotions: happy, sad, angry.
Children can mimic the clown and talk with their parent about times when they felt that way.
Clown faces: With parental approval, a face-painter gives children simple clown
make-up. Children may decorate their parent’s faces. Alternatively children
make clown face masks by drawing or pasting pre-cut shapes on paper plates.
Clown costumes: Children dress up like clowns in brightly coloured,
oversize clothing and shoes.
Circus acts: Display pictures that show some circus acts. (You may use colouring-
in sheets from the web, eg www.123colouring.com) Children and their parents talk about the
pictures, then children do some elementary version of the circus skills. As a juggler they might toss
and catch a beanbag or soft ball. As a tight rope walker they might walk along a line on the
ground, as an acrobat, do rolls or summersaults, as ring master, blow a whistle and make
announcements with a toy microphone or as animals, mimic the animal’s movement.
Clown face food: Children design clown faces (like Veggieman on the ‘2 fruit; 5 veg’ TV ads)
arranging small pieces of pre-cut vegetables on plates. Be sure children wash hands before
touching the food. You may take photos of children with their creations before they eat them.
Circus parade: Children and parents parade around the playgroup area marching to circus music
(eg Fucik’s Entry of the Gladiators). They may go around several times, moving a different way each
time, eg prancing like a circus horse, swinging your trunk like a circus elephant, dancing like a circus
clown, creeping like a circus lion.
BOOKS TO SHARE Find books in your local library or parents’ collections about circus or clowns, eg
C is for Clown
by Stan and Jan
Berenstain
Big Top Circus
(Lamaze)
Paddington Bear
at the Circus
by Michael Bond
SONGS AND RHYMES
Did you ever see a clown go this way and that? (Tune: Did you ever see a lassie?)
Children stand in a circle. One child in the middle does an action that the others follow as they sing
FAITH ENRICHMENT IDEAS
Key faith concept: God loves us and is with us wherever we go.
Talk about going to a circus and what happens there.
Wonder how God takes care of us when we go to a circus.
Story: Having God with you is all you need. (Psalm 16:5–11)
Song: In our work and in our play, God is with us every day.
We are loved and we can sing, God takes care of everything.
Stay at home or go away, God is with us every day. (tune in www.cyberhymnal.org)
Prayer: Thank you, God, for circuses and other fun places to go. Amen.
Bible verse: God says: ‘I will be with you wherever you go.’ (Joshua 1:9)
Playgroup Program Ideas 17 Year C Term 1
C-1-9
LEGS A PART OF MY BODY Young children can begin to understand that: each part of the body is important and helps us do
different things; we need to take care of our body. Leg care for littlies involves exercise and general
good nutrition.
ACTIVITY IDEAS
Paper bag puppet: Children make hand puppets from small paper bags. Children or
parents draw a body (no legs) on the bag. Children add legs. They can choose from a
range of media, eg ribbon, cardboard strips, paper folded concertina style, which parents
can help them staple onto the bag. Children can then dance and walk their puppets.
Parts of the leg: Have some dolls (preferably jointed dolls). Parents help children identify the
legs of several dolls and their own legs. Older children can learn to name and identify: hip,
thigh, knee, calf, ankle and foot. You may also have some toy animals (four-legged and two-
legged) and ask children to count the legs and to group the animals according to number of legs.
Leg massage: Children lie on the floor, parents sit beside them. Parents give the child’s legs a gentle
massage while talking to the child about how wonderful their legs are and what they can do with
their legs. Parents ask children to close their eyes. Tell me when you feel me touch your leg. Parents
can touch the legs in different ways, for esample, tickle, rub, gentle pinch or poke.
Leg exercises: Children lie on the floor. With music playing, the leader gives movement instructions,
for example: legs up, legs down. Legs bent, legs straight, legs to the side, legs to the other side.
Parents help children move, following the instructions.
Kick a ball: Place a small beach ball on the floor. Challenge a child to move the ball (like a soccer
player) to a specific point (a wall) using just their feet and legs.
What I can do with my legs: Ask children to name and demonstrate some things they can do with
their legs: crawl, push, walk (forward, backwards, on tiptoes), stand (two feet and one foot), dance,
jump in place and to the side.
Clothes for legs: Have some trousers, socks and boots in a dress-up box that children can use to
dress themselves. A mirror close by will help them enjoy what they look like in
different kinds of clothes.
Mixed up legs: Make up a set of five or more two-part puzzles. Start with
simple pictures (eg from a children’s colouring book). Cut them in half so that
the legs of each picture are on one puzzle piece and the rest of the body on
the other piece. Children play with the puzzles. See if they can make funny
combinations and see if they can make the ‘correct’ pictures.
BOOKS TO SHARE Find books in your library or parents’ collections about human bodies, particularly legs, eg
Legs
by Mike Artell
(available as an
iPhone app)
My Legs and
Feet
by Lloyd G
Douglas
All of Me!
by Molly
Bang
SONGS AND RHYMES
Let’s go walking, walking, walking
Let’s go walking far, far away.
Let’s walk back again, back again, back again.
Let’s walk back again, back the same way.
Arms were made to hug and squeeze/ Knees were made to wobble and shake (Peter Combe)
FAITH ENRICHMENT IDEAS
Key faith concept: God loves us, and made us with wonderful bodies
Talk about the many things we can do with our legs.
Wonder why God wants people to walk and run.
Story: Jesus heals a man who could not walk. (Mark 2:1-12)
Song: Dem bones (leg bone’s connected to the thigh bone) (http://sundayfolder.com/)
Prayer: Thank you, God, for loving us and giving us legs to walk with. Amen.
Bible verse: God says: ’I made you to bring glory to me. I formed you and made you.’ (Isaiah 43:7)
Children mime the actions of the song
and suggest other ways to move, eg
jumping, crawling, hopping, skipping.
Playgroup Program Ideas 18 Year C Term 1
C-1-10
BATHROOM A ROOM IN MY HOUSE As you plan to explore this topic, be careful not to make untrue assumptions about the playgroup
families’ houses and the way they use those houses. We use ‘bathroom’ here for both bathing and
toileting areas. Toilet training can be a big issue in families with preschool age children. You may want
to provide time for parents to share experiences and hints, but playgroup is not the place to set down
rules or to judge different parents’ approaches.
This session may be a reminder to check your playgroup toilet facilities for safety, cleanliness,
accessibility and child-friendliness.
ACTIVITY IDEAS
Visit the toilet: Provide time for each parent with their child to visit your toilet facility with a volunteer
so that both parent and child know what is available. Talk about ways this toilet is the same as and
different from what they have at home. Talk about ‘rules’ for safety in the toilet, when using the
toilet, washing hands and leaving the place clean for the next person.
Children and parents wash their hands using the basin. This will give children a chance to see how to
get the soap, turn on and off the water, get towels or use a hand dryer in a public toilet. They may
talk about when they should wash their hands and why it is important.
Bathing baby: Have washable baby dolls and some towels. Children bathe and dry the dolls.
Toileting baby: Have a toilet of a size appropriate to your dolls. Children ‘toilet’ the dolls.
You can make a doll-size toilet from a cube-shaped box and a flat rectangular box. Tape the cube
(base) to the rectangle (back). Cut an oval hole in the top of the base. Tape on (to hinge) a ‘seat’
with a matching hole and a lid. Draw a flushing mechanism on the back of your toilet.
My house: Parents make a picture (a rough sketch of the floor plan) of their home and talk with the
children about the different rooms and what happens in each room.
My bathroom picture: Children make a picture of their bathroom using paints or crayons or play
dough. Parents can talk with children about the items/people they put in their picture.
What’s in the bathroom: If possible have model bathroom items from a doll house. Parents help
children name each item and talk about what they are used for.
People from different ethnic groups can share their name for the items.
Find a basin: Have copies of Kitchens and Bathrooms or another decorating magazine with pictures
of bathrooms. Parents challenge their children to ‘find a hand basin’, ‘find a bath tub’, etc.
Girls and boys: Public toilets are generally designated as ‘male‘and ‘female’. Show
children some gender signs and ask children to identify which one applies to them.
Call out some terms that are commonly used: male/female, boys/girls, men/women,
gentlemen/ladies. Ask children to identify which terms apply to them.
You may also introduce the wheelchair accessibility symbol and talk about how some
people require special facilities.
BOOKS TO SHARE Find books in your library or parents’ collections about bathrooms and houses, eg
In My Bath
by Beth
Bence Reinke
Follow the line
through the house
by Laura Ljungkvist
Everyone Poops
by Taro Gomi
SONGS AND RHYMES
This is the way we . . . (wash our hands, take a bath, flush the loo . . . )
I can wash my face (Google ‘super simple songs + the bath song’ for a youTube demonstration
FAITH ENRICHMENT IDEAS
Key faith concept: God loves us and gives us homes to live in.
Talk about why we need some where to live (wash and toilet).
Wonder why God wants us to be clean.
Story: Abraham’s hospitality includes hand-washing. (Genesis 18:2-8)
Song: The thankyou song (God gives, book 2)
Prayer: Thank you, God, for giving us a house and a place to wash and go to the toilet. Amen.
Bible verse: The Lord blesses the home of every good person. (Proverbs 3:33, modified)
Playgroup Program Ideas 19 Year C Term 1
C-1-11
ATHLETICS A SPORT Sportsmanship is an important value for Australians. In this session use the idea of ‘doing your best’ as an
early step in good sportsmanship. If there is a Little Athletics organisation in your community you might
invite a representative of the group to come and show some of their activities.
ACTIVITY IDEAS
Guest: A guest who is involved in some form of athletic competition visits playgroup and talks with
the children about good sportsmanship (doing your best, trying hard). They may tell why they
particularly enjoy the sport they play. They may also talk about the health benefits of being active.
They may bring along their sports equipment and let children examine it.
Athletics talk: Give children a chance to tell an adult about any experiences they have had playing
athletics or watching athletics matches. In an Olympics year, talk about athletics at the Olympics.
Athletics medals: Make an athletic medal for each participant, child and adult. Use a round plastic
food container cover as a disk. Copy the medal (see next page) onto gold paper, Parents write the
participant’s name on the medal and cut it out. Children can add decorations if they wish and glue
the medal onto the disk. An adult cuts a slit near the top edge of the disk. Thread a ribbon through
the slit. Tie the ribbon so that participants can wear their medal around their neck.
Playing athletics: You’ll need some clear spaces for this. Teams of two families try a number of
athletic activities. You may set up your area as a circuit so that groups can rotate through the
different activities. You’ll need an extra adult to supervise each event.
running (walking or crawling): Children move as fast as they can from a start to a finish line.
ball toss: Children throw (roll) a tennis ball from a starting line as far as they can make it go.
long jump: Children begin at a starting line and see how far they can jump.
high jump: Children jump over one book. If they are successful, put a second book on top of
the first and children try to jump over the pile.
weight lifting: Parents lie on the floor on their backs. They put their child on their chest, then see
how many times they can lift the child into the air.
handball: An adult handballs a football to a child who attempts to catch it.
You can make up other exercises. Be sure to cheer for successful tries. At each event the person
supervising the event adds a sticker to the participant’s medal.
BOOKS TO SHARE Find stories in your local library or parents’ collections about the Olympics and
athletics, for example:
My First Book of
Sports and Games
by Michaela
Grace
The Mud Flat
Olympics
by James
Stevenson
Wiggle
by Doreen
Cronin
SONGS AND RHYMES
This is the way we [run a race, lift a weight . . . reflecting the activities you choose)
FAITH ENRICHMENT IDEAS
Key faith concept: God wants us to do the best we can with what he gives us.
Talk about things athletes can do.
Wonder what it means to do your best at playgroup . . . at home. . .
Story: Paul says that following Jesus is like being in a race. (1 Corinthians 9:24,25)
Song: This is the day that the Lord has made (http://www.hymnal.net/hymn.php/c/4)
Prayer: Thank you, God, for giving us bodies that can do amazing things like running and jumping
and throwing and . . . Help us always to do our best. Amen.
Bible verse: . . . Do your best . . . (2 Timothy 2:15)
Playgroup Program Ideas 20 Year C Term 1
ATHLETICS MEDAL
