Children's church Bible curricula

[beansprouts]

I am considering taking on the children's program at our church. To be perfectly honest right now the program stinks. Almost every week my kids watch videos which are both Biblically and historically inaccurate. There is no strong leadership, no clear direction, and I have either reached the point where I need to either step up or shut up.

 

So... (God help me!) I think I am going to offer to direct the program. The age group is 1st through 6th grades, and they are currently split into two groups. I believe I want an academic Bible curriculum with historical context - a classical approach :001_smile: I like the way Memoria Press's "Christian Studies" curriculum goes through the entire Bible over a three year period. But I do need something scripted so that any volunteer can pick up the book and teach a lesson. I may not have a consistant group of students, so a child will need to be able to pick up on the lesson even if they miss church or begin in the middle of the year. I need lessons that are appropriate for 1st - 3rd graders, and 4th - 6th graders. I am willing to keep the groups seperate and use different curricula if necessary.

 

So... What have you got? What other ideas do you have?

[Carol in Cal.]

I really like their SS program, and it is very age-appropriate.

 

I do the Sunday School openings every week for the 3YO's through 8th graders. I try to relate their learning to what the adults are doing in church that day. (But we bring our children to church and have separate SS, so it's more important for us maybe.) I make them all up based on the Bible readings and hymns and church year seasons. I think that it is good to have something devotional like that in addition to the Sunday School lessons.

[forwardbyfaith]

Check out the stuff by Positive Action. I bought the third and fourth grade books last year, but didn't end up finishing them. The content was good, but I felt it was more geared towards a church or Sunday school setting. What ages are in your children's church?

[tsuche]

Hi,

when my husband did Childrens church he really liked CEF material. (Child Evangelism Fellowship)

http://www.cefonline.com/ Check them out

Blessings,

TErry

[Harriet Vane]

I spent several years directing Sunday School at two different churches. I have evaluated many a curriculum and come away sick and disappointed.

 

However, I find the curriculum offered by Children Desiring God to be a cut about the rest. My current church has used this with a great deal of success--the teachers were overjoyed when we switched to this curriculum. It's been a couple years now, and we still really like it.

 

http://www.childrendesiringgod.org/index.php

 

I would also HIGHLY recommend this book as a resource:

 

http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=10953&netp_id=213554&event=ESRCN&item_code=WW&view=details

 

This book is absolutely the best training tool I have ever come across for anyone teaching Bible to children. The chapters are short and very practical. I cannot recommend it highly enough.