My Wonder Studio

Here is a 30- to 40-minute lesson plan that highlights the following lesson objectives: “Learn that through God’s help one can overcome obstacles and difficulties, and find peace and triumph despite setbacks” (Christian Life and Faith: Biblical and Christian Foundation: Overcoming Obstacles-2b) and “Understand that sometimes God allows difficulties and hardships in one’s life as a test of one’s faith, to cause one to draw closer to Him for help and support, which results in a happier life; learn the importance of trusting God despite difficult circumstances” (Christian Life and Faith: Biblical and Christian Foundation: Faith-2d).

Read “Restored.”

Explain that there is a difference between feeling bad about a mistake, a bad habit, a wrong attitude, or a shortcoming that pushes you to make amends and do better, and debilitating guilt that can sometimes make it very hard to forgive yourself and try again. Learning to grow and change from mistakes or shortcomings is an important part of life, but you shouldn’t let those past mistakes prevent you from wanting to try again or do something new. Many successes in life come after a failure.

Read “The Value of Making Mistakes.”

Talk about mistakes, bad habits or attitudes, or shortcomings in life that after the initial error could be a benefit or point of growth. For example, a conflict in a friendship that is worked through with communication and kindness can strengthen a friendship, while an error in judgment and a resultant bad decision can help you become more aware of pitfalls you might encounter so that the next time around you can do better. Explain how the key to moving forward after making mistakes (or falling into bad habits or attitudes and shortcomings) is that you don’t try to hide or ignore them, but instead you ask God for help and learn from where you went wrong so you can improve in the future.

Read “Remove the ‘Do Not Disturb’ Signs.”

Discuss ways that you can get God’s help for an area in your life that you’re struggling with. Some successful ways to do this are:

1. Admit that you made a mistake, did something wrong, or have a bad habit/attitude.
2. Look to those who can help you—your parents, counselors, spiritual leaders, etc. Ask them for counsel.
3. Study God’s Word for instruction and guidance that can help you change.
4. Make a plan for how to improve. Having steps you can take, even if you’re trying to change something difficult like a bad habit or attitude, gives you something practical to do on the road to change.
5. Don’t give up or get discouraged. Making changes takes time and effort, but it’s worth it!
6. Remember that God is always there to help you when you stumble or need a boost of encouragement.

Listen to “Never Too Late.”

Pray together for faith and courage to work through personal errors, bad habits, and wrong attitudes. Ask God for the willingness to change and perseverance to stay with it as you continue on the route of change.

Print out and memorize “I Will Help You.” Encourage the children to post this somewhere they can see it and be reminded that God’s help is always available.

My Wonder Studio is rich with resources that families can use with their children during times of uncertainties in our world. Below are tag links to help you get started in finding activities to do with your children and articles on applicable topics. Not all of the articles under the tags listed will be beneficial for you, but we hope this list can give you a starting point in searching for materials that could be useful to you and your children during difficult and uncertain times.

In loving support,

My Wonder Studio staff

Articles to boost faith during trying times:

0–5:

• comfort
• courage
• faith
• god’s care and protection
• god’s love and care
• healing
• health and sickness
• miracles
• peace

Level 1:

• adversity
• courage
• death and afterlife
• faith
• god’s care and protection
• god’s love and care
• healing
• health and sickness
• miracles
• miracles in the bible

Level 2:

• adversity
• courage
• faith
• god’s care and protection
• god’s love and care
• god’s power
• god’s promises
• healing
• health and sickness
• heaven

Parents & Teachers:

• adversity
• courage
• god’s love and care
• god’s power
• god’s care and protection
• healing
• health and sickness
• heaven
• miracles
• problem solving

Articles to encourage being a help to others when they are facing difficult times:

0–5:

• compassion
• empathy
• generosity
• giving
• initiative
• kindness and courtesy

Level 1:

• compassion
• generosity
• kindness and courtesy
• the life of friends
• tolerance

Level 2:

• compassion
• generosity
• giving
• kindness and courtesy
• service

Parents & Teachers:

• compassion
• generosity
• giving
• kindness and courtesy
• service

Activities and coloring pages: Though the following links are not specific to difficult or uncertain times, they are listed here as a resource to use when there is a need for activities to keep your child's mind busy and focused positively.

Activities:

• 0–5
• Level 1
• Level 2

Coloring pages:

• 0–5
• Level 1
• Level 2

Note to parent or teacher: Here is a 30-minute 0–5 lesson plan on God’s love and care for His children and the benefits of the guidance and instruction one receives in life.

Read “More Magnificent than Trees.”

Talk with your children about the gifts and qualities that they are blessed with, and take a moment to thank God for those gifts or qualities.

Read “Pruning for Growth.”

Think of one area or skill that needs additional work and how discipline and training would be important when working on something that is challenging. Discuss why it is important to work on something that might be difficult (e.g., it teaches perseverance, helps improve a needed albeit difficult skill, etc.). Also discuss how it’s important to receive guidance and instruction for recognizing and overcoming weak points that one might have when developing a new skill.

Read “A Sapling’s Support.”

Ask the children to think of themselves as plants in God’s garden. Discuss some things that would be needed to keep a plant growing healthy and strong, and then talk about how that could apply to everyday life. (For example, a plant needs proper food and a good environment to grow well, just like a child needs a good home environment, nourishment, and care to thrive.)

Read “Tend the Garden of Your Heart.”

Select one or more of the following coloring pages for the children to color:

• “Coloring Book: More Magnificent than Trees”
• “Coloring Pages: Pruning for Growth”
• “Coloring Pages: A Sapling’s Support”
• “Coloring Page: Tend the Garden of Your Heart”

Listen to “Building on a Rock” and “Me and You” while your children color.

“In God’s Garden, Part 1” is a 40-minute 0–5 lesson plan featuring several “In the Garden” articles that focus on God’s love and care and how He helps His children to grow in faith, joy, and contentment.

Read “Just the Right Kind of Care.”

Talk about things that happen in your child’s day that may cause him or her to compare with others; for example, things that a friend or sibling has/received that your child didn’t. Then discuss why things can still be “fair” even when everyone doesn’t have or get exactly the same thing. (Possible answers: (1) Everyone has different needs. (2) Not everyone needs or appreciates the same thing, so rewards and blessings are meted out differently. (3) Sometimes something is more important to someone at a given time—something they have worked hard for and receive as a reward, a replacement for something lost or broken, etc.)

Watch “The Garden.”

Discuss the importance of being content with who you are and how you are made. God created each person, and there is something special about each person, and we should praise Him for that uniqueness.

Read “A Happy, Healthy Garden.”

Ask the children to think of themselves as plants in God’s garden. Discuss some of the things that would be needed to keep a plant growing healthy and strong, and then talk about how that could apply to everyday life. (For example, a plant needs proper soil and the right environment to grow well, just like people need a good environment and proper food and care to develop properly.)

Read “The Sun Will Shine Again.”

Talk about something that each child might be struggling with, then brainstorm something that each one can do to persevere through the struggle, and then list what steps can be taken to get there.

Read “Cling like a Vine.”

Tell of a difficulty you struggled with and how your relationship with Jesus grew through it.

Select one or more coloring pages from these options: “Coloring Page: A Happy, Healthy Garden” or “Coloring Pages: Cling like a Vine.”

Listen to “Me and You” while coloring.

Note to parent or teacher: Here is a 30- to 40-minute 0–5 lesson plan on everyday blessings (e.g., God’s love, friendship, family) that fill up one’s day, and how to appreciate and be grateful for those gifts.

Read “Everyday Gifts.”

Write a list of some of the everyday gifts, like those listed in the article, which you might experience. Discuss how even though those gifts might seem ordinary, they can bring joy to your day. Put this list up somewhere you can see it to remind you of some of the gifts that you are blessed with.

Read “The Blessing of Family and Friends.”

Ask each child to name something special about a person in their family, and how that special something makes you or others happy. For example, “My sister Alice is fun to play with. She makes our games exciting,” or “Grandma is caring and thoughtful. She makes me feel loved.”

Read “Building Friendships” and “One Kind Deed at a Time: Build a Better Friendship.”

Discuss how friendship is another everyday gift that can be given and received. Talk about some of the things that make a friendship special, and how to give the gift of friendship to someone.

Read “Jesus Is with You!” and “Jesus, Friend of Little Children.”

Talk about how the best gift you can have is Jesus. Jesus will always be there to guide, love, help, and be your friend, no matter what.

Color one or more of the following coloring pages, and listen to the audio “Me and You.”

• “Coloring Page: Building Friendships”
• “Coloring Page: Character ABC: B Is for Be a Friend”
• “Coloring Page: Jesus, Friend of Little Children”
• “Coloring page: Me and You”

Additional material:

• “Time Spent with Jesus”
• “The Secret to Making Friends”
• “Character ABC: Be a Friend, Benton”

Note to parent or teacher: Here is a 30-minute 0–5 lesson plan on Easter and God’s great love for us, and how we can demonstrate some of the qualities witnessed in Jesus’ life on earth in our everyday actions.

Read “Pray a Way: Easter.”

Watch “He’s Alive.”

Explain how Jesus lived a life that was filled with love, honesty, courage, and kindness. Even though Jesus left earth, He promised to always be near His children and would help them to teach other people about God.

Memorize the Bible verse, “And be sure of this: I am with you always.”¹

Read “Jesus’ Love for Us.”

Talk about ways to follow Jesus’ example every day, and in so doing, make the world a better place. For example, building your faith in God and drawing closer to Him, being kind to others, being brave even when facing a difficult situation, being truthful, etc.

Read “Bright Pebbles: So Much Love.”

Stand up and get ready to hop. Hop once, then thank God for His love for you. Hop again and tell someone in your family how much you love him or her. Then hop and tell God about your love for Him. Hop again, and say something loving to one of your family. Do this until you have said something loving to each person in your family.²

Additional material:

• Coloring Page: Pray a Way: Easter
• Bright Pebbles: Jesus Is God’s Gift of Love
• The Little Red Hen

Footnotes:

¹ Matthew 28:20 NLT
² Katiuscia Giusti. Bright Pebbles: Love Is All Around