Scare The Children

Gone are the days of the Flannel-Graph, that cutting-edge technology which I was introduced to in Kindergarten at church. Honestly, I was mesmerized by that felt-stick background and the way the paperdoll-people would stick up there as we were taught about Zacheus, little-boy Samuel, and Moses. I also remember a sheet of tin that was used to reenact Bible stories using paper people with magnets glued to their back.

Today, there are countless ways to teach children about God--and in the class my wife and I teach, there are some interesting uses of cardboard and textures that I think work pretty well. Remember, this is for 2 and 3 year-olds, and for them, hearing what the animals sounded like as they boarded Noah's ark, or feeling the texture of the roof where two friends stood as they lowered their invalid friend to see Jesus, I think is important. And on the surface, you might think it would be a nice interactive touch to feel Jesus' beard... but do you see this scene I've pictured? That looks plain scary? You can't even see the Savior's face! It's all beard-yarn! Hilarious. And maybe a little ineffective.