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Five ways to use natural objects to explore a Bible story
—Going outside immediately gives you access to a whole range of free and ready to use resources. From crunchy leaves to fallen flower petals to mud and pebbles, natural objects provide children with a great way to creatively explore a Bible story. Here’s five ways you could use natural objects to explore a Bible story...
- Create a picture of your favourite part of the story or create what you think is the most important part of the story. Don’t forget to admire each other’s creations and chat about what you’ve made and why.
- Create the characters from the story and then describe them. Watch in wonder as some children create life size images, others tiny representations and others 3D models they attempt to stand. Can they show the correct facial expression of the character? Add in mini whiteboards and markers and they can add dialogue, thought bubbles or words to describe the character.
- Create objects from the story. Turn this into a fun challenge by racing against each other. Which group will beat the clock to create a sheep or a packed lunch or a crown?
- Use the natural objects to create “faces” to express how the characters were feeling. This is a great activity to intersperse amongst chat and questions. “How was this character feeling at this part of the story?” The children must create the answer rather than simply tell you.
- Use natural objects to make props to help you retell the story. Invite the children to act out the story using only natural objects as props and watch their imaginations run riot!
Don’t forget:
- Set a boundary for collecting natural objects.
- Remind children not to pick living objects or to pick up litter.
- A rectangle of cloth makes a great “piece of paper” to create pictures on.
- To be ready to take photos of the children’s creations. They’ll want to be able to remember them.
Download our free resources for more outdoor learning ideas.
