Playgroup

Program Ideas
Year C Term 4

Compiled by the Children & Family Ministry Team

Mission Resourcing SA
CONTENTS

Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 3
Playgroup Themes ................................................................................................................................. 3
A Scheme of Themes............................................................................................................................. 4
Faith Enrichment in Playgroup ............................................................................................................. 5
Professional Development Page (Multiple Intelligences in Children) .......................................... 6
Additional resources .............................................................................................................................. 7

Themes this term

1. A special day ........................................................... Labour Day .................................... 8
2. A special time .............................................................. Christmas .................................... 9
3. A colour ............................................................................... Brown .................................. 10
4. An animal ................................................................................. Bird .................................. 11
5. A story .......................................................................... Noah’s Ark .................................. 13
6. A musical instrument ............................................................ Horn .................................. 14
7. Work people do ................................................................ Builder .................................. 15
8. A place to visit ...................................................................... Bush .................................. 17
9. A part of my body .................................................................. Skin .................................. 18
10. A plant .................................................................................... Peas .................................. 19
11. A relationship ................................................Brothers and sisters .................................. 20

____________
COPYRIGHT
Ideas are seldom truly original. Some of the same ideas can be found from many
different sources. The ideas in this resource may have their origin in a whole range of
personal experience, observation, printed resources or electronic resources. They have
been filtered through memory and modified to meet specific needs. Some poetry has
been included where the ‘original writer’ is unknown.
We have not knowingly breached copyright, but if you are the originator of any
material in Playgroup Program Ideas, please notify us so that we can give you credit in
the future. Email children@sa.uca.org.au

Playgroup Program Ideas 2 Year A Set1

INTRODUCTION
This resource is designed to help leaders of church-based playgroups in planning their program.
This resource is not a set curriculum; it provides ideas that you may pick and choose from or adapt to your
own situation. The themes and activity ideas can fit into whatever format you establish for your playgroup.
A Uniting Church SA Playgroup Manual is also available at www.missionresourcingsa.org.au
The manual is a comprehensive resource that includes: Starting a playgroup, Administration, Safety and
property, Leaders and volunteers, Finances, Getting the church involved, Promotion, Frequently asked
questions and Useful contacts.

PLAYGROUP THEMES
Working with themes: Free play and a regular, predictable program in surroundings that become familiar
are primary ingredients of playgroups. Repetition and predictability help children (and their parents)
develop a sense of comfort, belonging and control.
From about 18 months, children will begin to be able to comprehend the theme ideas. They may look for,
enjoy and benefit from new experiences and challenges. Exact repetition may become a bit too familiar
and perhaps boring for older children.
Session themes allow you to introduce some variety into a familiar format. New, themed songs and rhymes,
for example, can be added to favourite songs and rhymes that are used regularly.
The suggested theme ideas in this resource can help you to plan a program that will stretch children in
their experiences as well as their comprehension, language skills, relationships with one another and with a
variety of adults, gross and fine motor skills, music and movement.
Playgroup Program Ideas gives you ideas for a wide range of themed sessions. You can use a different
theme each week, or you may use themes only once or twice a term as special occasions. Themed
sessions allow your playgroup team to use their creativity. They can provide excitement and some
enjoyable surprises for all involved.
Scheduling themed sessions: Playgroup age children live in the moment. They have limited capacity to
consciously remember what happens from week to week, so each theme suggestion in this resource is a
stand-alone session. The themes can be used in any sequence. Obviously you are likely to schedule
holiday themes (eg Christmas) just before the holiday they relate to. Other themes may be scheduled to
coincide with events in your community (eg you may have a cricket theme when siblings or parents are
involved in cricket competitions). Still other events may be scheduled to suit the availability of special
guests. One suggested theme each term may involve an outing; this may be the first thing you schedule
because it may require the most coordination both within the playgroup and also with the management
of the venue you visit.

NOTE
Throughout this resource the term ‘parent’ is used for the parent, relative or other carer
who brings a child to playgroup.

Playgroup Program Ideas 3 Year A Set1

A SCHEME OF THEMES
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) (11)
A special A special A colour An animal A story Travel or a Work A place to A part of Clothes, Misc
time or day time or day or element musical people do visit my body room or sport,
instrument plant relationship
A1 Australia Easter Air Horse The Lion and the Train Factory Lake / river Hands Bedroom Cricket
Day Mouse worker
A2 Mothers Day Queen’s Green Frog Zacchaeus Bicycle Cleaner Post Office Mouth Blue Jeans Please and
Birthday Thank You
A3 Fathers Day Book Week Red Chicken The Three Billy Bus Playgroup Church Hair Tree Art and
(Books) Goats Gruff helper artists
A4 Christmas Christmas Mud Fish Queen Esther Guitar Firefighter Garden Nose Vegetable Family
Pageant (Shepherds) (Pumpkin)
B1 Valentines Easter Water Dog The Tortoise Car Doctor Beach Feet and Kitchen Caring for the
Day and the Hare toes world
B2 Anzac Day Mothers Day Purple Butterfly Jairus’ Daughter Airplane Farmer Restaurant Eyes Fruit Science &
(Apple) scientists
B3 Fathers Day Book Week Yellow Guinea pig The Ugly Skates & Driver Park Face Shoes & Football
(Author) Duckling skateboard boots
B4 Advent Christmas Pink Lizard Solomon’s Drum Computer Shopping Arms Wheat & Grandparents
(Angels) Prayer tech centre bread
C1 Pancake Easter Sunshine Cat Three Little Pigs Boat Teacher Circus Legs Bathroom Athletics
Day & rain
C2 May Day Mothers Day Orange Bug and Jesus Feeds Wheelbarrow Police Farm Ears Hats Friends at
Spider 5000 & wagon playgroup
C3 Fathers Day Book Week Blue Kangaroo Town and Rocket Ship Minister Playground Tummy Flowers Numbers and
(Library) Country Mice counting
C4 Labour Day Christmas Brown Bird Noah’s Ark Horn Builder Bush Skin Vegetable Brothers and
(Star) (Peas) sisters

Playgroup Program Ideas 4 Year A Set1

FAITH ENRICHMENT AT PLAYGROUP
Playgroups organised by churches and staffed
by Christians serve young families in many
different ways.
Some church-based playgroups serve primarily
the families of their own congregation and
introduce Christian content into playgroup as
part of their faith-nurturing or Christian
education program.
Most playgroups cater for a wider cross-section
of the community.
Some church-based playgroups have an
agreed policy that the playgroup is simply a
service to their community. Their Christian
character is shown through the development of
caring relationships. Team members do not
mention anything specifically ‘Christian’ unless
the question is raised by a parent or child.
However, many church-based playgroups are
more evangelical in their intent; their playgroup
teams look for ways to go beyond service and
developing relationships. In some cases a
playgroup may actually function as an
alternative ‘church’ for families who have no
other church contact. It can be a place where
families explore the Christian faith.
Parents who choose to come to a church-
based playgroup will not be surprised if there is
some Christian content, however it’s good to
make this clear in your advertising literature and
in conversation with prospective playgroup
families.
Playgroup Program Ideas provides a range of
Faith Enrichment Ideas related to each topic.
They are a resource for introducing ‘Christian’
content into a playgroup program through
activities, songs and stories. These may be used
as a block within the regular playgroup time or
scattered throughout the session.
Or the Faith Enrichment ideas may be used in
an optional ‘Faith Talk Time’ after the session.
Families are invited to stay, but may choose to
leave before it begins.
Some church-based playgroups have a short
parents-only ‘Faith Talk Time’ in a separate room
while the playgroup team supervises the
children. A leader helps parents to think about
the suggested theme, the wondering question
and the Bible story or Bible verse. The leader
may also help parents find ways of introducing
or reinforcing these to their own children at
home.
Playgroup leaders can use one or more of the
Faith Enrichment Ideas to introduce a faith
dimension into the session in a natural way.
Playgroup Program Ideas
For example:
 Key faith concept can be written on a poster
and displayed in playgroup where parents
may see and comment on it (or not). It can
be announced in a group time at the start of
the session. It can be listed along with the
theme title on playgroup program schedules.
It can be written on children’s artwork and
crafts that are taken home. Bible verses and
prayers can be used the same way.
 Christian songs can be used along with other
songs.
 Bible stories: age appropriate versions of the
suggested stories can be used as part of a
range of books/stories for parents to read to
their own children, or for a playgroup team
member to share with children in small
groups.
 Wondering comment can be raised by
playgroup team members at any time it
seems appropriate or it can be a follow-up
to any other Faith Enrichment activity.
 Prayer and Bible verse (and song) can be
used as a simple closing ritual, perhaps
followed by blessing each child as they
leave.
BEYOND PLAYGROUP
Families leave playgroup when children are old
enough to enrol in other educational programs.
If playgroup is the only place where a family
experiences a Christian community, that
connection is severed when they move on.
Congregations that have invested into families
through playgroup need to consider how they
can serve them beyond playgroup. Some
families will fit comfortably into existing worship
and children’s ministry programs. Others will see
this as an alien environment and avoid it.
Alternatives for playgroup ‘graduate’ families
may be:
 monthly Messy Church-style programs (for
more details see www.messychurch.org.uk/
 school holiday programs
 a family day (or evening) during each school
holiday
 a sequence of family events which target
families of children at specific
developmental milestones, for example:
starting kindy, starting primary school, starting
organised sports, entering ‘double digits’,
puberty, starting high school
 parenting support newsletters and invitations
to special events (eg all-age worship
services) of the congregation.
5 Year A Set1
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PAGE
MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES IN CHILDREN
How does our brain work?
How do children’s brains develop?
There has been a lot of research done into
these questions. Brain science is becoming a
more and more popular area of study, but at
this stage no one but the Creator can
completely answer those questions.
There are theories — lots of them. And those
theories are being tested. With each ‘discover’,
new questions are raised.
One theory was proposed by Howard Gardner
thirty years ago in his book Frames of Mind: The
Theory of Multiple Intelligences.
The theory of multiple intelligences has been
widely accepted and proves to be very useful in
planning educational and playgroup programs.
According to the theory, people acquire
information, process information and
communicate information in a variety of
different ways.
Everyone functions, to some extent, in all of the
intelligence areas. Children need to have
experiences using all of the intelligences. They
may have been born with, or will likely, in time,
develop greater strengths in one or two areas
than in the others.
Bodily-kinaesthetic intelligence
The core elements of this intelligence are control
of one's bodily motions and the capacity to
handle objects skilfully. This learning through
movement and feeling is possibly the
intelligence used most by infants.
The Professional Development page for Year B,
Term 3 has more about the development of
motor skills in playgroup.
Linguistic-verbal intelligence
This involves working with words, both spoken
and written.
The Professional Development page for year B,
Term 2 has more about language development
in playgroup.
Logical-mathematical intelligence
This area has to do with logic, abstractions,
reasoning, numbers and cause-effect
relationships.
The Professional Development page for Year A,
Term 2 has more about mathematical and
science skills development in playgroup.
Spatial-visual intelligence
This area deals with spatial judgment and the
ability to visualise with the mind's eye. It involves
primarily, but not exclusively, the sense of sight.
The Professional Development page for Year C,
Term 2 has more about art and craft in
playgroup.
Playgroup Program Ideas
Musical-rhythmic intelligence
This area has to do with sensitivity to sounds,
rhythms, tones, and music.
The Professional Development page for Year A,
Term 4 has more about using music and rhythm
in playgroup.
Naturalistic intelligence
This involves being attuned to the natural
environment, circadian rhythms (day/night),
climate and seasons, as well as animals, plants
and land formations.
The Professional Development page for Year C,
Term 3 has more about outdoor activities in
playgroup.
Interpersonal intelligence
This area involves understanding and relating to
other people and working well in group
situations.
The Professional Development page for Year B,
Term 4 has more about relationships in
playgroup.
Intrapersonal intelligence
This is self-awareness, self-understanding and
processing information in relation to oneself. It
possibly develops later in life than some of the
other intelligences.
Gardner suggests that this list is not
comprehensive. People may, in fact, have other
ways of processing information. One that is
often suggested is Existential-Spiritual
intelligence
The Professional Development page for Year A,
Term 1 has more about faith development as it
applies to playgroup.
-----------
Several important implications for playgroup
leaders come out of the theory of multiple
intelligences:
1) We cannot assume that, because one kind
of learning is an easy way of processing
information for us, it will be the preferred way
of thinking and learning for the children and
parents we work with.
2) We need to respect all forms of intelligence
as God-given and significant.
3) We need to provide experiences that allow
children to develop all their different
intelligences.
6 Year C Term 4
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
MUSIC
Songs and rhymes identified in this resource as ‘Useful Book’ are found in The New
Useful Book (Songs and Ideas from Play School by Henrietta Clark). It contains words
and melody lines for many popular children’s songs. Songs and related activities are
arranged by themes. It is a very ‘useful book’!

BOOKS
A variety of story books and non-fiction books are suggested that support each theme.
You can use whatever books suit your group and are available on family bookshelves
or from the local library.
You may also want to build your own playgroup library with purchased or donated age-appropriate
books that children and parents may look at during playgroup — and/or borrow to use at home.
In addition to theme-specific books, your collection could include some books relating to general
theme areas such as colours, animals, transportation, occupations, bodies, food, sports, holidays.
Your collection may include books that expose children to languages other than English and cultures
other than European/Australian, for example:
This set of three books (Body Parts, Counting and
Colours), teach children some basic words in the
Kaurna language. The beautiful photographic
illustrations can be used to foster discussion of
these topics in any language. See
www.fishpond.com.au

Your collection may include age-appropriate Bible story collections, for example:
The Toddler’s Bible My First Bible The Beginner’s
by Bethan James by Leena Lane Bible
edited by
Catherine DeVries

and prayer books, for example:

I can say a 100 Ways to Know I imagine:
prayer God Loves Me! A Child’s Book
by Sophie by Stephen Elkins of Prayers
Piper (includes two CDs of by Rachel
Christian songs) Rivett

ELECTRONIC RESOURCES
Playgroup Program Ideas deliberately limits references to electronic media because, even in this day
and age, you can comfortably run a playgroup with a minimum of technology. However you may
want to use recorded music as background music, to accompany activities such as dancing, or to
support singing.
An internet search engine like Google is an easy way of finding images that you can use to illustrate
themes. Many of the stories and songs we suggest can be found as electronic books (Kindle) or even
on YouTube.
Use these resources if you feel they will contribute to the relationships you want to establish and the
experience you want to provide in your playgroup, and if you have someone on your team who
understands how to make technology work smoothly and effectively.

Playgroup Program Ideas 7 Year C Set 4

 C-4-1

LABOUR DAY (first Monday in October) A SPECIAL DAY

Labour Day celebrates the efforts of the working person and the original Labour right to the eight-hour
work day (plus eight hours for family and eight hours sleep).
Ask each family to bring a tool that represents the occupation of a member of the family.
ACTIVITY IDEAS:
 Tool talk: A volunteer receives the tools each family brings and asks what the tools are called, how
they are used and what they are used for.
 Tool display: Make a display of work tools. If possible cover a low display table with paper. A
volunteer puts each tool on the paper and quickly draws around it to mark out a silhouette. Then
pile the tools together at one end of the table. Parents help their children place tools on the
matching silhouette. Parents can also show children how the various tools are used.
 Use one or both of the following two working songs from Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,
available on YouTube.
 Whistle while you work: Look at the house cleaning chores being done on the YouTube clip. Who
does that job in our house? How do they do it?
Try miming some ‘jobs’ to music, hammering, sweeping, digging . . . note how music helps
everyone keep together and set up a work rhythm.
 Hi ho, hi ho: Look at the mining tasks. Sing along and march along on the dwarfs’ journey home.
Talk about how workers in your family get to work: car (who drives?), train, bus (where do they
catch it?), bike, walk.
 What worker did that? Parents and children go around the room and look at several things that are
generally a part of playgroup. They talk about the workers who made, sold, transported, installed,
and maintained the item. You may want to mark several items with stars for children to find. This way
you can provide items relating to a number of different workers: woodwork, fabric, food . . .
 Playgroup workers: Come up with a list of simple jobs to be done at playgroup, for
example, wipe off the table, put brushes in a tin, move a mat . . . (enough tasks so
each child has one job). Write the tasks on cards and distribute task cards to children
and their parents. As children work, volunteers observe what they are doing,
compliment them on what they do well and give them a good work sticker or badge.
BOOKS TO SHARE: Find books in a library or parents collections about work people do, for example:
Whose Tools Are The What
These? Berenstain Will I
by Sharon Katz Bears on Be?
Cooper the Job by
Also Whose Hat Is by Stan Wendy
That? by Ron Roy and and Jan Lewison
Rosmarie Hausherr Berenstain
SONGS AND RHYMES
 When I’m grown up, when I’m grown up, (by Elizabeth Scofield, Tune: Frere Jacques)
Big and tall, big and tall.
I will be a [teacher], I will be a [teacher], Children suggest other occupations
When I’m big, when I’m tall.
 Oh, the [workers] go to work and [work] all day, (byJean Warren, Tune: The Wheels On The Bus)
[Work] all day, [work] all day.
Oh, the [workers] go to work and work all day, (Children suggest other occupations, eg
All through the town. bakers/bake; builders/build)
FAITH ENRICHMENT
Key faith concept: God loves us and gives us special things to celebrate.
Talk about how people celebrate Labour Day.
Wonder how we can say thank you to people who do things for us.
Story: Honest workers repair the temple. (2 Kings 12, particularly 11-16)
Song: This is the day that the Lord has made (breadsite.org/lyrics/614.htm)
Prayer: Labour Day is a special time to thank you, God, for people who do work that helps us. Amen.
Bible verse: Workers are worthy of their pay. (Luke 10:7)
Playgroup Program Ideas 8 Year C Set 4
 C-4-2

CHRISTMAS (STAR AND KINGS) A SPECIAL TIME

The Bible story of the birth of Jesus is the basis for our celebration of Christmas.
Be sure to invite playgroup families to any activities your church has planned that will allow children
and parents to celebrate together and to learn more about the significance of the Christmas story.
ACTIVITY IDEAS
 The story: Tell or read the Bible story of the kings following a star to find baby Jesus (Matthew 2:1-12).
A good technique is to use the illustrations from a children’s picture story book as cues for telling the
story in your own words. An alternative would be for a guest dressed as a king to tell the story.
 Nativity scene: Have a store-bought or handmade nativity scene for children to look at with their
parents. Parents help children identify the figures in the scene and their role in the Christmas story.
You may want to take photos of children looking at the nativity scene and use the photo as the
cover for a playgroup Christmas card.
 King puppets: Parents help children make king puppets from paper
towel (or similar) tubes. Cut the tube into three sections to make three
puppets. Have a supply of ‘kingly’ coloured fabrics cut into rectangles
(half the height of the tube sections and long enough to go around
the tube). Children choose the colours they want for their kings.
Parents help them glue the fabric around the tube. Draw a face
above the fabric robe. Fold a 9cm circle of fabric or alfoil over the top
of the tube and secure it with a rubber band, forming the king’s crown.
 Act out the story: Children use king puppets (and a nativity set) to act out the story. They can do this
as free play or they can act it as an adult re-tells the story.
 Sorting cards: Provide a large selection of cover pictures from used Christmas cards. Encourage
children to sort through the pictures and find the ones with pictures of stars and of kings. They may
also sort the cards by size, background colour or picture (eg, bells, people, candles . . .)
 Christmas party: Have a playgroup Christmas party. Children and parents decorate a small
Christmas tree with stars. The playgroup team may place a small gift for each child under the tree,
eg a book or a tract with the Christmas message. Have star-shaped biscuits as a snack. Sing Twinkle,
twinkle, little star. Show children how to do star jumps (or to stand with their bodies in a erkidsstar
shape and shake as if twinkling). Donate your tree to someone who does not have one.
BOOKS TO SHARE Find books in your local library or parents’ collections about the Christmas story, eg
Follow the The Baby who The Christmas
Star Changed the Star
Jesslyn- World by Marcus
DeBoer- by Sheryl Ann Pfister
Crawford

SONGS AND RHYMES

 Star light, star bright, where are you leading us tonight?
We wish we may, we wish we might see the new born King tonight.
 In a little stable (www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/Hymns.../in_a_little_stable.htmcross the sea
 Away in a manger
FAITH ENRICHMENT IDEAS
Key faith concept: At Christmas we celebrate the birthday of God’s Son, Jesus.
Talk about gifts (presents) at Christmas and God’s special Christmas gift of the baby Jesus.
Wonder why we like to give and get gifts.
Prayer: Happy Birthday, Jesus. Amen.
Bible verse: God loved us so much he sent us his Son. (John 3:16)

IF THIS IS YOUR LAST PLAYGROUP SESSION FOR THE YEAR:

You may want to give special recognition to children who will be ‘graduating’ from playgroup and
moving on to preschool (or another stage of life) next year. Thank them for being part of playgroup.
As families leave, give each one a Christmas blessing: God bless you and keep you at Christmas time.

Playgroup Program Ideas 9 Year C Set 4

 C-4--3

BROWN A COLOUR

Encourage leaders, parents and children to wear something brown. As children arrive, ask each child
to tell you about the brown item they are wearing. If any child is not wearing brown, tie a brown ribbon
on their wrist or give everyone a brown ribbon so no one is excluded.
ACTIVITY IDEAS
 Brown wool web: Groups of four to six parents and children sit on the floor in a circle. The group has
a ball of thick brown wool. One adult ties the loose end of wool around their waist and rolls (or
passes) the ball to another person. That person winds the wool around their back and rolls or passes
the ball to another person. Watch how the brown web develops. To end the activity, rewind the
wool or cut it between people, with each person retaining a piece to tie around their waist.
 My brown bag: Each child has a brown paper bag (eg lunch bag). Parents use brown markers to
write the child’s name (eg Karl’s Brown Bag). Children decorate their bag with brown crayons
and/or glue on brown items cut from catalogues, or scraps of brown paper or fabric.
 Brown snack: It’s pretty easy to find brown items for snacks. You might provide a plate with a choice
of biscuits in different shades of brown. Consider making chocolate (or Milo) milk with children,
adding chocolate bit by bit and watching the colour change.
 Brown search: Take a walk (outside, if possible) to look for things that are brown:
tree trunks and sticks, houses, cars, birds . . .
 Brownies: The term ‘brownie’ can refer to
1) a kind of cake — have brownies as a snack
2) a junior Girl Guide — a guest who was a Brownie as a child can tell of her
experiences
3) elf-like fairy tale character — use a drawing like this to make a brownie paper
bag puppet and use the puppet as you read the AA Milne poem Brownie.
 Kinds of brown: Children and their parents look at the colour samples on a chart from a paint shop.
Find different kinds of brown (khaki, sand, chocolate, sienna, deep brown). Children do not need to
know the specific names, but they can take colour samples and try to match them to ‘brown’ items
in the room. An alternative would be to match the ‘brown’ shades to people’s skin tones.
 Pick the brown: Display a number of collections of items. Each collection has something that is
brown and several that are other colours, for example, a bunch of leaves; a bowl of fruit and
vegetables (include a brown potato and a brown nut), a string of various coloured beads, a pile of
books, a collection of soft toys, a box of crayons. Children with their parents look at the various
collections. Children pick the brown item and talk about it.
BOOKS TO SHARE Find books in your library or parents’ collections about colours specifically brown, eg
Tan to Tamarind Brown Bear, Brown Brown
by Malathi Bear What Do You Everywhere
Michelle Iyengar See? by Kristin
by Bill Martin, Jr Sterling
and Eric Carle

SONGS AND RHYMES

 If there's brown on your t-shirt stand up quick, (X2) (Tune: If you're happy and you know it)
If there's brown on your t-shirt (X2)
If there's brown on your t-shirt stand up quick! (Change items of clothing and actions.)
 I can sing a rainbow ( © Arthur Hamilton, www.learning4kids.net › Songs for Kids)
FAITH ENRICHMENT IDEAS
 Key faith concept: God made a colourful world.
 Talk about things in nature that are brown.
 Wonder why some leaves change colour, as when leaves dry and turn brown.
 Story: David’s colourful gift for God’s temple (1 Chronicles 29:1,2)
 Sing: God gives . . . (brown things) (God Gives songbook)
 Pray: Thank you, God, for the beautiful world full of colours. Amen.
 Bible verse: God made the world and everything in it. (Acts 17:24)

Playgroup Program Ideas 10 Year C Set 4

 C-4-4

BIRD AN ANIMAL

Playgroup children can begin to understand that (1) people can live gently among all living things and
not harm them (2) some animals can harm us.
Ask families to bring along non-breakable bird-motif items if they have any.
ACTIVITY IDEAS
 Guest: A bird owner brings their pet to playgroup. They tell the children about the bird and how
they care for it. Depending on the nature of the bird, children may be allowed to touch or feed it.
Don’t force children with major fears, but allow parents to give children the experience of a close
encounter to overcome mild fear. The guest may help you plan other activities.
 Hop like a bird in a cage: Children observe how the bird moves and copy the hopping movements.
 Spread your wings and fly: When birds have enough space, they can fly. Encourage children to
spread their arms like wings and fly as the leader gives instructions: Spread your wings, fly up in the
sky, fly higher and higher, fly down, down, down to the ground. Fold your wings and rest.
 Share and compare birds: If children have brought bird items, ask them to place all the birds on a
rug or table. Children with their parents find their own bird in the shared collection. They find other
birds that are the same colour; the same size, larger, smaller than their own.
 Bird watch: Parents and children go outside and look for birds and/or evidence of birds
(eg feathers, footprints or poo on the ground, nest in a bush). Talk about the birds they see.
 Birds and me: Parents name and point to parts of the child’s body. Children consider whether birds
have these same body parts. This is your head. Do birds have heads? This is your hand. Do birds
have hands? These are your ears. Do birds have ears? (Yes, but we can’t see them.)
 Bird dance: Parents get nostalgic and do the bird (aka chicken) dance (With a little bit of this and
a little bit of that). Encourage children to join in.
 Bird puppets. Children make two hand puppets to use with the story rhyme
Two little black birds. Photocopy the pattern (next page) on coloured paper.
Children choose a colour. Seal a DL (business letter size) envelope and cut it in
half. Children decorate their birds, using coloured pencils or crayons. Parents
cut out the bird shapes and help children paste the bird front and back onto
the envelopes. Children tape on some feathers for wings.
 Feather painting: Children paint a picture or design using a bird feather as paintbrush.
 Name that bird: Older children and parents can look at a ‘What bird is that?’ type of book or a
website such as http://birdsinbackyards.net/finder They look for birds they can identify with
specific names, eg cocky, willy-wag-tail, lorikeet, owl . . .
BOOKS TO SHARE Find stories in your library or in parents’ collections about birds, for esample:
Three Little My First Book How the
Birds of Australian Birds
by Cedella Birds Got their
Marley and by Natalie J Colours
Gerald Parker and by Mary
Hausman, Louisa Adam Albert
Based on Bob Marley’s song. (Aboriginal legend)

SONGS AND RHYMES

Two little black (or yellow, pink, blue . . .) birds sitting on a hill. ....... Hold bird puppets side by side
One named Jack and the other named Jill. ...................................... Jiggle each the bird when named
Fly away Jack. Fly away Jill. ................................................................... Fly each bird away when named.
Come back Jack. Come back Jill. ...................................................... Bring each bird back when named.
FAITH ENRICHMENT IDEAS
 Key faith concept: God made animals and wants us to take care of them
 Talk about animals that fly
 Wonder how God takes care of birds.
 Story: Birds bring food to Elijah. (1 Kings 17:1–6)
 Song: All things bright and beautiful (www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh147.sht)
 Pray: Thank you, God, for making beautiful birds. Amen.
 Bible verse: Look at the birds in the sky! . . . [God] takes care of them. (Matthew 6:26)
Playgroup Program Ideas 11 Year C Set 4
BIRD PUPPET

Playgroup Program Ideas 12 Year C Set 4

 C-4-5

NOAH’S ARK A STORY

The session is based on the Bible story of God saving Noah and the animals in the big flood (Genesis 6-9).
ACTIVITY IDEAS
 Bibles: Show children a large, impressive Bible. Explain that it is a very special book and has lots of
stories about God. The Bible is a book for grown-ups. Show a colourful children’s Bible (or several
children’s Bibles) and explain ‘The stories about God are for little people too. We can find the stories
in books with words written for children and pictures to help children understand the stories.’
 Story telling: Tell the story of Noah’s Ark in one or more ways, for example, use your own words
(possibly using pictures from a children’s book or puppets), read it from a children’s book, or watch a
video. Story-telling can be a whole group activity or a small group activity or each parent can read
it to their child alone.
 Re-tell the story: Provide a commercially made Noah’s ark set or a variety of toy animals and a boat
(box) that children can use to act out the story.
 Two by two (1): The animals went into the ark in pairs. Help children to line up two by two (of similar
size) and walk around the playgroup area.
 Two by two (2): Have a selection of toy animals on a low table. Parents help children to find pairs of
animals of the same kind. They can name the animals.
 Rainbow ribbons: God gave Noah a rainbow as a sign of his promise that he would never again
destroy the world with a flood. Children make a rainbow of ribbons to wave. Have available rolls of
ribbons (or crepe paper) in the seven rainbow colours: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and
violet (or combine indigo and violet as purple). Parents help children name each colour; cut off a
strip of the colour (30-40 cm) and tape the strips to the end of a chopstick or similar stick.
 Noises in the ark: Have cards with pictures of familiar animals, such as horse, frog, chicken dog, pig,
cat, sheep, monkey, lion. As you show a picture, encourage children to make the sound of that
animal. Later you may give each family a picture and on a signal all of them make their different
animal sounds at the same time. On your signal to stop, children stop their noises. Children can talk
with their parents about how they feel when there is noise like that.
 What animal is that? Have several plastic or wooden toy animal shapes. Parents put one shape in a
cloth bag. The child reaches into the bag to feel the toy and say what animal it is. Take the animal
out to confirm the child’s identification. Repeat using two toys and then three toys in the bag.
 An ark is a boat: Have some toy boats that children can float in a tub of water.
BOOKS TO SHARE: Find individual books of the story, or children’s Bibles containing it, for example:
All Afloat on Noah’s The Toddler
Noah’s Big Boat Ark Bible
by Tony Mitton by by Bethan
Peter James and
Spier Yorgos
Sgouros

SONGS AND RHYMES

 Rise and shine and give God the glory, glory. / The Lord said to Noah to build him an arkey, arkey.
Play a recording of the song. Children wave their rainbow ribbons as they listen to the song.
Alternatively show a video from YouTube, eg ‘Arky, Arky, Noah Cartoon’.
FAITH ENRICHMENT IDEAS
 Key faith concept: The Bible is God’s special book.
 Talk about the Bible tells us that God takes care of animals and people.
 Wonder why God cares about all the animals.
 Story: show children the location of Noah’s story in a Bible; read out Genesis 6:22: ‘Noah did
everything exactly as God commanded him.’
 Song: I open my Bible book and read (https://au.songselect.com/songs/4623485/i-open-my-bible-
book-and-read)
 Prayer: Thank you, God, for the good stories in your special book. Amen.
 Bible verse: Give thanks to God, because he is good. (1 Chronicles 16:34)

Playgroup Program Ideas 13 Year C Set 4

 C-4-6

HORN A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT

Adapt this them to any woodwind or brass instrument

ACTIVITY IDEAS
 Guest: A guest musician (professional or amateur) who plays a ‘horn’ — brass or woodwind
instrument — visits playgroup. They play for the children, talk about their playing (how they got
started and what they do), and show children how the instrument works. If they have an
old/inexpensive instrument they might help children to make music with it.
 Air horn: As your guest musician (or a record) plays some familiar music on a horn, children (and
parents) play along on air instruments. Encourage them to be as active as possible and really
express themselves through movement.
 I’m a horn: Parents hold little children as if they were horns. Blow on their tummies, humming a song.
Alternatively, parents might ask children to make a particular sound when they blow on their ear,
shoulder, elbow, etc.
 Paper horn: Parents help children make a paper horn. Choose gold/brass
coloured paper. Use a compass to draw an arc with the radius of the short side of
the paper. Cut the paper on the arc line. Holding on to one corner of the paper,
roll the paper into a cone. Children help tape the paper so the cone stays rolled.
They blow or hum into the pointy end.
For a slightly more complex horn, take a plastic straw, flatten one end, cut the corners off the flat
end. Insert this mouthpiece into the pointy end of the horn and tape it in place, Children blow on
the mouthpiece.
 Pitch: A parent — with help from a volunteer with some musical ability — uses a horn to help their
child discover pitch.
- Play three different tones: one high (g), one low (c), one in-between (e).
- Help the child indicate high, low, in-between with their hands as they hear the tones.
- Play pairs of notes, ask child to identify the second one as higher, lower, same.
- Play a simple tune, eg ‘Mary had a little lamb’. See if children can identify the song by the tune
and sing along.
BOOKS TO SHARE Find music books in your local library or parents’ collections, for example
Beginners books for playing a A Day in the Life Listen to my
woodwind or brass instrument. of a Rock Trumpet
Look at illustrations of how to Musician by Mo Willems
hold the instrument and how to by David Paige
make sounds with it.

SONGS AND RHYMES

 If you’re happy and you know it . . . blow a horn
 Hear me blowing on my horn, horn. (Tune: I’ll take you riding in my car)
 O we can blow on the big brass horn (Useful Book: O we can play on the big bass drum)
 The play group band has come to town so early in the morning. (Tune: Mulberry bush)
This is the way we play the horn, play the horn, play the horn; (Pretend to play horns)
This is the way we play the horn so early in the morning.
FAITH ENRICHMENT IDEAS
 Key faith concept: God gives us music.
 Talk about happy music/sad music, quiet music/loud music, fast music/slow music.
 Wonder why God made music.
 Story: The party with music and dancing for the lost son who returned. (Luke 15:15 (11-27))
 Song: a children’s Gospel song, eg ‘Jesus loves me. Play air or toy horn with the singing.
 Pray: Thank you, God, for music. Amen.
 Bible Verse: I will make music to the Lord. (Judges 5:3)
C-4-7

Playgroup Program Ideas 14 Year C Set 4

BUILDER WORK PEOPLE DO

There are quite a number of trades in the construction industry. Concentrate on just one trade, or have
a taste of several. Use the little house plan (next page) as children look at some of the different trades.
ACTIVITY IDEAS
 Guest: A person who works in one of the building trades visits playgroup and talks about what they
do and how what they do helps people. The guest may come dressed as they dress for work and
explain the safety gear they wear. They may demonstrate their tools and techniques.
 Architects and engineers: Architects plan how to make a house that looks nice and has the right
rooms and windows and doors. Engineers plan how all the building can be done safely. Have
architect plans of a building. Parents and children look at the plans and trace the outside wall with a
finger, count the rooms, find the doors. Children and parents look at their little house plan (next
page). Parents help children cut along the solid lines.
 Carpenters: Carpenters build with wood. Children and parents look around for things made of
wood, eg cabinets, window frames, doors, floor, beams. Children feel the wood. They may be able
to spot how wood is joined and where nails have been used.
Use a brown pencil or marker to draw wood around the windows and door of their little house.
 Electricians: Electricity can be dangerous. Electricians have special training to be able to work with
electricity safely. Electricians put in wiring for lights and power points. Children and parents look for
lights and power points. With parent supervision children can plug in a lamp and note that it works
only when the electricity is turned on. Talk about the danger of touching the sockets.
Children find the small rectangular power points in their little house. They can draw some wires from
one to the other.
 Plumbers: Plumbers work with the pipes that bring water into buildings. Children and parents look for
water taps. Turn them on and off. If possible, look under the basin to see the pipes. They can draw
some pipes from the tap to the floor of their little house.
 Painters: Painters paint houses inside and outside. They need to do it carefully.
Parents help children assemble their little houses. Fold the extra paper squares to the inside to help
strengthen the construction. Children paint or colour the outside walls of their little house; then
parents tape the corners to hold the walls in place.
 Roofers: Roofers build roofs. Roofers know how to climb safely on top of buildings. Mostly roofers
make roofs of tiles or corrugated steel. Have samples of both that children can examine.
Children fold a piece of corrugated craft cardboard (6cm X 9cm) in half to form a peaked roof to
put on top of their little house. Parents help them tape it in place.
 Bricklayers: Have foam rubber cut to building brick size and shape. Children can make a pile or
build a wall or bridge with the bricks. Then they can enjoy knocking down their creation and jumping
on the soft bricks. (Keep these bricks for future playgroup sessions.)
BOOKS TO SHARE: Find books in your local library or parents’ collections about building trades, eg:
A Day in the Life I want to be What Do
of a Construction a Builder People
Worker by Dan Do All Day?
by Heather Liebman by Richard
Adamson and (Firefly series) Scarry
Ronald J Ramos

SONGS AND RHYMES

 Did you ever see a builder. . . go this way and that? (Tune: Did you ever see a lassie?)
Make up and mime verses for different building trades.
FAITH ENRICHMENT IDEAS
 Key faith concept: God loves us and gives us people who help us.
 Talk about how builders help people.
 Wonder how God helps builders.
 Story: Jesus parable of the two builders (Matthew 7:24–27)
 Song: God’s helpers everywhere (Sing to Jesus #205)
 Pray: Thank you, God, for people who build houses for us. Amen.
 Bible verse: Each person is given something to do that shows who God is. (1 Corinthians 12:4, Message)

Playgroup Program Ideas 15 Year C Set 4

MY LITTLE HOUSE PLAN

One door, three windows, one sink and two power points are shown.
The square in the centre is the floor of the one-room house.
Cut on solid lines. Fold on dotted lines

Playgroup Program Ideas 16 Year C Set 4

 C-4-8

BUSH A PLACE TO VISIT

If possible, organise an outing to a bush area. The session may simply be an opportunity for parents to
explore and play in the area with their children, or you may have some organised activities and snack.
Rangers in larger wildlife areas with may arrange a program for you, but a smaller local reserve can be
a good place to explore on your own. Consider pram-friendly places/paths and car parking access.
Let parents know your plans, and exactly when and where to meet. Suggest that parents bring a
change of clothes for their child. Be sure you have your trained first aider and first aid equipment with
you for the outing.
Alternatively, explore the bush theme in your regular playgroup venue. Spend as much time outdoors
as possible or bring some branches and other bush material inside.
ACTIVITY IDEAS
 Guest: A ranger or someone who works in fauna rescue or another person who is knowledgeable
about the bush to talks with the children about what they do and why they do it. The guest may be
able to help you plan related activities suitable for your children.
 Sandpit: Children have free play in a sandpit. Alternatively, provide a pile of dirt or a pile of leaves in
which children can play using sandpit equipment.
 Bush talk: Give each child the opportunity to tell an adult other than their parent about any
experiences they have had in the bush.
 Bush collage: Children collect leaves, grass, feathers and other small items from outdoors and glue
them onto a piece of corrugated cardboard (eg cut from a carton) to form a collage. They can
make individual collages or one large collage that will stay at playgroup as a reminder of the day.
An alternative is to make a bush weaving. Wrap string tightly round and round a piece of
corrugated cardboard. Children weave their bush items through the string.
If you take photos of children doing bush activities, add the photos to the collage or weaving.
 Bush smells: Have a number of bush items with distinctive smells, for example fresh eucalyptus
leaves, rotting leaves. Children and parents smell the items and identify them.
 I spy: A leader locates a natural object and says: ‘I spy a tree’. Children go to the item mentioned.
Continue with: ‘I spy a rock’, ‘I spy some grass’ . . .
 It lives in the bush: Have pictures of things that live in the bush. (You may know a bush-loving
photographer who has a collection they would be happy to share.) Parents help children name the
animal or plant in a picture: This is a wallaby. Wallabies live in the bush.
 Going on a bush walk: Use your imagination to turn Michael Rosen’s song We’re going on a bear
hunt into ‘We’re going on a bush walk’ and take your children and parents on an imaginary bush
walk through grass and a stream, over rocks and fallen trees, etc.
BOOKS TO SHARE Find books in your local library or parents’ collections about the Australian bush.
For parents you may download A Parents’ Guide to Nature Play from www.greenheartsinc.org
In the Bush Bush Babies My Aussie Bush
by Roland by Kim Dale Adventure
Harvey by Jo Rothwell

SONGS AND RHYMES

 Let’s go walking in the bush, bush (Tune: I’ll take you riding in my car, car)
 How does a Kangaroo go? (Useful Book)
 Give me a home among the gum trees (Useful Book)
FAITH ENRICHMENT IDEAS
 Key faith concept: God loves us and is with us wherever we go.
 Talk about going to the bush: how you get there and what you do there.
 Wonder how God takes care of us when we are in bushland.
 Story: Jesus promises to be with his friends always. (Matthew 28:16–20)
 Song: In our work and in our play, God is with us every day.
We are loved and we can sing, God takes care of everything.
Stay at home or go away, God is with us every day. (tune in www.cyberhymnal.org)
 Pray: Thank you, God, for bushlands. Thank you for taking care of us when we go there. Amen.
 Bible verse: God says: ‘I will be with you wherever you go.’ (Joshua 1:9)
Playgroup Program Ideas 17 Year C Set 4
 C-4-9

SKIN A PART OF MY BODY

Young children can begin to understand that each part of the body is important and helps us do
different things; we need to take care of our body. Our senses (including the skin for feeling) help us
discover and understand the world around us. Skin care for littlies involves regular washing and possibly
moisturising with lotion or oil, and general good nutrition.
Skin care may also require first aid treatment for scratches, cuts, burns, etc. Make sure your playgroup
first aid cabinet is adequately supplied.
ACTIVITY IDEAS
 Guest: A trained first aider talks with children and parents about correct treatment of minor
scratches, cuts, burns, etc. They may demonstrate on children who want to get bandaids. They may
also suggest to parents what first aid equipment they should have at home and talk about how to
get help with more serious injuries.
 Sun smart skin: In Australia it is important to protect skin from the sun. Play a game with children. Use
a fairly strong torch. A parent shines the torch so it lights their child’s arm. Talk about how shirt sleeves
cover the skin so the light (sunshine) doesn’t touch it. Do something similar, lighting the parent’s
head and finding a hat to cover it. Shine the light on a white paper, look at the lit paper with and
without sun glasses. www.sunsmart.com.au/.../sun_protection_babies_toddlers_info_sheet.pd...
 Inside outside: (1) Display on a low table a number of items that are covered or that have skin, for
example, a banana, an apple, an orange, a wrapped parcel, a tin of food, a bottle of water.
Parents and children look at the items and talk about the outside and the inside. Can we see the
outside? Can we feel the outside? Can we see what’s inside? Why not? Can we feel what’s inside?
Why not?
(2) Parents and children look at the child in a mirror and talk about skin. Skin covers all of our body.
Can you see your skin? Can you feel your skin? (Do it.) Can you see what’s inside? Why not?
 Body rub: Parents rub their child’s skin with baby oil or lotion. Talk about how soft their skin is, how
warm their skin is, what a beautiful colour the skin is. Children may rub lotion onto their parent’s skin.
 A picture of my skin: Children paint a self portrait. Before they start, parents work with their child to
select the colour paint that is most like the child’s skin tone. Have available a selection of colours:
red, yellow, blue, green, white, black and several different shades of pinkish brown. Parents could
help children mix colours to get as close a match to skin tone as possible.
 Touching skin: (1) Parents ask their child to close their eyes. They touch their child on the leg and ask:
Where am I touching you? When the child replies, parents confirm Yes, you can feel me touching
the skin on your leg. Rub the spot a bit harder or tickle it. Do the same for different parts of the body.
(2) Play a similar game, but instead of touching different areas of skin; touch the same area with
different items, eg a feather, sandpaper, a damp face washer, a spoon, an ice cube. Let the child
see the items, then close their eyes and guess which one the parent is using.
BOOKS TO SHARE Find books about human bodies, particularly skin, in library or parents’ collections eg
It’s Okay to Be My Five All of Me!
Different Senses by Molly Bang
by Todd Parr by Aliki

SONGS AND RHYMES

 I like the skin I’m in. I like the skin I’m in. (Tune: The farmer in the dell)
It covers all the rest of me. I like the skin I’m in.
FAITH ENRICHMENT IDEAS
 Key faith concept: God loves us, and made us with wonderful bodies.
 Talk about different kinds of skin people have.
 Wonder why God gave people skin.
 Story: Jesus heals a man with a skin disease (leprosy). (Matthew 8:1-4)
 Song: Two little eyes to look to God (http://sundayfolder.com/)
 Prayer: Thank you, God, for loving us and giving us skin to hold our body together. Amen.
 Bible verse: God has placed each part in the body just as he wanted it to be. (1 Corinthians 12:18)
Playgroup Program Ideas 18 Year C Set 4
 C-4-10

PEAS A PLANT

ACTIVITY IDEAS
 Guest: Someone who grows peas in their garden visits playgroup and tells how they look after the
peas, how the peas grow, and how they pick the peas. If possible they can bring pictures of the vine
at different stages: newly planted, growing, with blossoms, with baby pea pods and with ripe pods.
 What’s in the pod? Have some pea pods. Children guess/predict what’s inside the pod. Ask how
they think you can find out for sure. Break open the pod. Do you see what you thought you would
see?
Give each child a pea pod. They feel the skin and shape.
Children break open their pods and see what’s inside. They count and feel the individual peas.
Children place all their peas in a cooking pot and all their pods in a compost bowl.
Peas can be eaten raw, but it’s not advisable with small children.
 Vegetables: Have a number of raw vegetables in a grocery bag. Children repeat what the leader
says and mime the leader’s actions.
Vegetables are good to eat. Take out a vegetable (a pea pod) and hold it up,
This vegetable is a . . . Children respond ‘pea’.
Rub the pea. ‘My pea is green . . . smooth.’
Make a winding motion with the pea. Peas grow on a vine round and round a stake.
Repeat this pattern for several other vegetables.
 Sampling vegetables: Have a number of different vegetables laid out on a table with a sample of
the raw vegetable beside a bowl of the vegetable that has been cooked to soft. Try to include a
couple that are less common (or come from the tradition of people in your group from different
cultures). Parents and children have plastic spoons. They taste the cooked vegetable and tell one
another why they like it.
 Find the peas: Show a picture of a pea patch with pea pods hiding under leaves. Hide some pea
pods under mats (or blankets or soft toys) that are ordinarily in your play area. Challenge children to
find the peas and bring them to you. Collect the peas for making mushy peas.
 Mushy pea snack: Cook up the peas with water until soft. Children can help make some mushy
peas. Add a bit of margarine and salt and mash with a potato masher. Serve on dry biscuits.
 Play dough peas: Children make pea pods and peas from play dough. Roll out a flat oval for the
pod. Roll up some tiny balls for peas. Place the peas down the middle of the pod and fold it over,
squeezing the edges to seal them closed.
BOOKS TO SHARE Find books in your library or parents’ collections about peas and other vegetables, eg
Pea Pod Peas! Growing
Babies (It’s Not Easy Vegetable
by Karen Being Peas-y) Soup
Baker by Andy Cullen by Lois Ehlert

SONGS AND RHYMES

 Five fat peas in a pea pod pressed. (hold hand in a fist) ( from preschool rainbow.org)
One grew, two grew, so did all the rest. (put thumb and fingers up one by one)
They grew and grew (raise hand in the air very slowly)
And did not stop, until one day the pod went POP! (clap hands together)
 Fruit and veg are good for you, good for you, good for you. (X3) (Tune: Mary had a little lamb)
So eat them every day.
They’ll make you grow up big and strong, big and strong, big and strong. (X3)
So eat them every day.
FAITH ENRICHMENT IDEAS
 Key faith concept: God loves us and gives us food.
 Talk about food that helps us grow strong.
 Wonder why God gives us different kinds of food.
 Story: Daniel and his friends choose healthy food. (Daniel 1:1-7)
 Song: O who can make the peas grow (wonder song, http://www.hallelujahpraise.net/)
 Pray: Thank you, God, for peas and other good food. Amen.
 Bible verse: God said, ‘I give you every seed-bearing plant . . . They will be yours for food’. (Genesis 1:29)
Playgroup Program Ideas 19 Year C Set 4
 C-4-11

BROTHERS AND SISTERS A RELATIONSHIP

ACTIVITY IDEAS
 Guest: Two older people who are siblings visit playgroup and talk to children about their family;
particularly what brothers and sisters did together as children (may include some squabbles) and
why they still appreciate having the sister or brother.
 Family talk: Give each child a chance to tell an adult other than their parent about their brothers or
sisters (or cousins or close friends). What are their names? Are they big or little? What are they good
at? What do you do together?
 Play brothers and sisters: In a free play situation with two dolls, children act out what brothers and
sisters do together.
 Family configuration: Have a set (a dozen or so) of simple cardboard cut out figures, male and
female, two of each size; add one pregnant female. Children with their parents use the figures to lay
out their own family configuration. Place the child in the centre; older (larger) brothers and sisters on
one side; younger (smaller) brothers and sisters on the other side. Children name each figure: ‘This is
me, Kyle.’ ‘This is my little brother Sam.’ OR ‘This is me, Lisa.’ ’I don’t have any brothers or sisters, but
this is my neighbour Rene.’
Families can do this in English or in another language used in their home.
 Family picture: After all families have had a chance to do the family configuration (above), use the
same cut-out pictures for this activity. Attach paper to an easel. Arrange the child’s brothers and
sisters on the paper. Hold them in place with a bit of Blu Tack. Parents help children use a spray
bottle of to spray water-based paint over the paper. Carefully remove the card figures, leaving
white spots on the paper. When the paint has dried, parents help children write the names of each
family member.
 I’m a brother/I’m a sister: A leader calls different family roles and asks everyone who has that role to
stand, eg ‘brother’, everyone (child or adult) who is a brother stands. If possible, each one tells their
story, eg I’m Shauna’s brother. Do the same for sister, mother, father (any other adult relationship at
playgroup), daughter, son, cousin.
 Animal brothers and sisters: Make your own puzzles. Begin with pictures of litters of newborn puppies,
kittens or other animals. Glue a picture on to card. Cut each card into pieces (separating the
members of the family). Children put together the puzzle, identifying that brothers and sisters are
(generally) like one another.
BOOKS TO SHARE: Find books about brothers and sisters in your library or in parents’ collections, eg
Vera’s Big brothers The Not-So-
Baby Sister don’t take Only Child
by Vera naps by Heather
Rosenberry by Louise Jopling
Borden

SONGS AND RHYMES

 It’s so nice to have a cuddle (Useful Book)
 Are you sleeping, are you sleeping, brother John, brother John?
Children can use different names and actions, eg Are you dancing, sister Sue?
FAITH ENRICHMENT IDEAS
 Key faith concept: God loves us and gives us people who love us and people we can love back.
 Talk about being in Jesus’ family. He loves you and takes care of you like a good big brother.
 Wonder: I wonder why Jesus wants you to be in his family.
 Story: Jesus describes his followers as his family. (Matthew 12:46-50)
 Song: God loves you and I love you . . .
Sharing/Caring, Gerard Holmes, 1990, God Gives Songs for Kids Book 3)
 Pray: Thank you, God for my family.
 Bible verse: God put the lonely in families. (Psalm 68:6)

Playgroup Program Ideas 20 Year C Set 4