Preschoolers, Sand and God

I told the story of God giving the Ten Commandments to Moses in the desert this morning to 3 classes of preschoolers. The Godly Play method of bible storytelling uses a "desert box", a big rolling box of sand, to tell that, and many other Old Testament stories. That's right, a big box of sand, and preschoolers. I thought it was a good idea at the time. I am new at Godly Play, and new to most of these kids, and the combination of newness, their ages, my last-minute preparation, and oh, did I mention the sand? could have made for disaster. But God was present, like in the desert. Many requests from me for little hands to keep out of the sand during the story. Much delight when each child got to move a figure through the desert. Many of those figures went on ahead up Mt. Sinai to see the smoke and fire and talk to God. Many danced in the circle with Miriam. Most all of us agreed that God must love us to keep us safe in the desert. And did you know that Spiderman and princesses were in the desert with the people of God? Now you know.

Notes for next time:

1. Ask them to raise their hands before talking.
2. Let everyone touch the sand in the desert box early on....they just can't wait until the end.
3. Finish up sooner, and let the older ones draw an art response afterwards.
4. Find the hand vacuum.