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One of the most frequently asked questions that we receive concerning the ABCJesusLovesMe Curriculum is how to cover all of the objectives in a week. The goal of ABCJLM is to help adults be intentional with the children in their care and for the adult to incorporate learning into daily activities. But what does “being intentional” mean and how does one pull learning from a normal day?
Each curriculum is made up of objectives – goals that you want the child to learn or be introduced to. The lesson plans break these objectives into 36 weeks of learning and suggested activities to help the child grasp the objectives.
Being intentional means looking for opportunities and then taking the time to teach them. It means making learning part of the day rather than setting aside a specific time for doing things.
Below are real-life situations that will help you incorporate learning without much effort.
– Do Bible time right after breakfast or even as the children are finishing up.
– Review Bible time during devotions at night.
– Wear clothes to match the color of the day.
– Have a fun question/answer session in the car when driving. For example: For our youngest, I ask “What sound does a _____ (i.e. car, animal) make?”. For our oldest, I ask “What sound does the letter ____ make?”. We remove math fact tables as well.
– Count, count, count. Count stairs as you climb, stoplights that you see, pictures in a book.
– Sort silverware and organize drawers in the kitchen.
– Add foam bath letters and numbers to bath time. Ask the child to say the name and sound of the letter. Put the numbers in order.
– We keep a child’s table in our dining room. It can be moved easily into the kitchen so that activities can be done while Mommy is preparing a meal.
– Recite a memory verse at every stop sign or at every meal.
– Talk about God’s creation as you walk on a trail.
– Sing songs during bath time or in the car.
The options are endless! I’ve found that when you learn to pull out the teachable moments and make the learning part of the activities of the day, everyone is successful. The child learns better and the longevity of using the program increases.
What is your favorite daily activity in which to incorporate learning?
More ideas:
– Incorporate Learning into a Day
– Making Learning Part of the Day
– An Example Schedule and So Much Wisdom
