| When you deal with preschoolers, one of the | | | | they come back after the children are picked |
| hardest things to do is to keep their | | | | up. |
| attention. Preschoolers have a very short | | | | |
| attention span and continually changed their | | | | Plan Short Activities |
| focus from one activity to the next. If you | | | | |
| are in charge of a classroom full of | | | | If you have your class for about an hour, |
| preschoolers, then the following tips may | | | | then you need several short activities. |
| help you keep their attention during Sunday | | | | Remember that these kids will not have the |
| school. | | | | attention or the ability to engage in long, |
| | | | laborious craft activities or complicated |
| Plan Ahead | | | | games. Make sure that whatever you plan is |
| | | | easy to complete with minimal help from you. |
| When teaching preschoolers during Sunday | | | | Not only does this save you time and |
| school, you should certainly plan ahead. Plan | | | | frustration, but it does give the kids a |
| a couple of days before your lesson and make | | | | sense of accomplishment when they can |
| sure that you have gathered everything you | | | | complete a task on their own. Your activities |
| need. This will help you stay organized and | | | | do not have to be complicated or involved to |
| keep their attention during the lessons. | | | | be fun for your kids. |
| Planning ahead means that you need to make | | | | |
| sure that you know each activity you will do | | | | Plan Extra Activities |
| with the children and that you have all the | | | | |
| necessary equipment and supplies on hand and | | | | It is always a good idea to plan extra |
| at the ready. There will be no need to run to | | | | activities when you teach preschoolers. Have |
| the supply room at the last minute to get an | | | | a folder or a box of several activities that |
| extra pair of scissors or a story book when | | | | you can use as quick fillers. This could be |
| you plan ahead. | | | | as simple as a quick game of duck-duck-goose, |
| | | | or a game of "I Spy". When you have |
| Stay on Task | | | | activities on hand to fill extra time, then |
| | | | your kids will stay engaged. |
| It is not always easy to stay on task when | | | | |
| you teach preschoolers, but when you need to | | | | Stay Realistic |
| keep their attention during Sunday school, | | | | |
| this is one way to do it. If you are not | | | | Last of all, you can help yourself and your |
| focused on the lesson and you allow | | | | class by staying realistic about your |
| interruptions throughout the lesson, you will | | | | lessons. These are preschoolers and you need |
| lose the attention of your children. This | | | | to keep your expectations of what they can |
| includes minimizing interruptions from other | | | | and cannot do at their level. Allow some down |
| teachers, classroom visitors and parents that | | | | time each week and let them have fun being in |
| want to stay in the room to chat. Ask that | | | | your class and visiting with their friends. |