Teach Them Diligently

And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. Deuteronomy 6:7

School has begun. My wonderful and concerned parents say, "I can't get him to be still and learn." School just "ain't"  what it used to be - for the better!!

Several years ago, in celebration of Johnny Appleseed's birthday, our class planted two apple trees on the hill behind the playground. We've enjoyed a few spring blossoms, but this year we finally have fall apples.

So, how did we learn without sitting still this week?

• singing apple songs
• picking apples
• tasting a variety of apples

Yes, I read non-fiction books to them, but they didn't find books all that interesting before we visited our apple trees and not before 

• making our housekeeping area into an apple stand 
• learning to use a cash register
• dividing apples into little bags and cups
• making the science center into a place to weigh apples with heavy blocks
• pouring and measuring cider
• making price tags
• passing out pennies to buy apples and cider 
• inviting others to come to the apple stand
• dressing up like Johnny Appleseed 
• making playdough apples
• using an apple peeler
• cooking real applesauce
• smelling cinnamon
• eating our own cooking

Then after we'd finally exhausted our week, children began to sit, or rather kneel to investigate the pictures and words they had already experienced.

All of this to say, sitting with your child for daily family devotions is a wonderful thing, but unless we give them experiences throughout the day, not much meaningful learning will come from even the best devotions.

The Bible tells us to talk to our families while we walk, sit and when you get up. It's an experiential day of seeing God in all we think, and say, and DO!

What better time of the year than the cool days of autumn to get out and walk and talk and experience the mighty works of God?

What experiences have you had this week?

Hey Kids:

Have you climbed a tree this week? What could you see?

Have you thought about Zacchaeus? He finally got high enough to see above the crowd. Remember who he saw? Luke 19:2-9

Did you meet an old turtle crossing the road? Did you get a chance to examine his shell? Turtle shell patterns can be amazing. Could it be because God cared enough to make each one special? Psalms 139:13-15

Have a skipped a rock across a pond or splashed a really big one in the stream? God told Joshua to pick up rocks out of the river. Do you know what he did with them? Joshua 4

Discovering God's plan in His creation my help you discover God's plan for you!

Here's a few books you might want to meander through when you begin to experience God's wonderful creation.

  

Blessings,

Gail