As a Sunday school teacher, you have the unique opportunity to see the friendships grow in your classes each year. It’s wonderful to see a little girl who is shy and reserved walk into her class and come out with a tremendous amount of confidence as she moves into a new class. Yes, making friends makes life so much more enjoyable. What are ways you can foster friendships in your Sunday School class?
Let parents know what happens in class
The best friendships happen when two or more people click. You may notice that Sally and Jill always sit together, laugh and play all the time. They are more or less inseparable. It may alert the parents of these two budding friends about their friendship, and maybe this will turn into playdates outside of church. Preschoolers only have an hour or two to spend together each week in their class, and being able to be friends outside of church can help that friendship grow even more.
Provide plenty of teamwork opportunities
Young children learn to be friends by being kind to each other and working together. Inspire friendships through team building games that you can play in class. Games like bowling, a team scavenger hunt, or any game that requires kids to share parts are a great idea. When children learn that a game is not just about “me”, they learn that it is more fun to work in a group with friends.
Have a show and tell
Show and Tell can accomplish three important tasks. First, children can show pride in something they want to share with the rest of the class. It can be their Bible, their favorite stuffed animal, or anything else that brings them joy and comfort. Show and Tell helps children discover other children who share the same interests as them. This opens the way to conversation and friendship. This activity also gives you a chance to get to know your preschoolers better and tune in to the things they like.
Accept natural friendships
One of the best things you can do in your Sunday school class is to recognize that not every child is going to be friends with every other child in the class. You probably see two girls clinging to each other, while another group of friends consists of the same five guys every week. As long as every kid in your class has at least one other kid to be friends with, things are going great. You want to emphasize the importance of getting along with everyone, but that doesn’t necessarily mean making sure everyone is friends. There’s a difference between knowing how to be “friendly” and being a true friend.”
Teaching preschool Sunday school is a blessing. You are giving your time to help young children understand the Bible and know that Jesus loves each of them very much. Jesus says a lot about the importance of being friends in the Bible, and this is the most important reason why you should also teach it in your class.