Is your group of preschoolers more interested in playing with the Velcro on their shoes than listening to the Bible story during circle time? I know your pain.
I wondered if a new series of lessons I’d planned for a group of three-year-olds would work. How could I hold their attention? How would I make lesson time more appealing than the room full of toys that surrounded them? After some nail biting and lots of prayer, an idea floated down like a morsel from heaven. I wouldn’t tell the story. Miss Pockets would.
A friend caught my vision of a brightly colored apron plastered with interesting pockets and whipped it together on her sewing machine. The apron transformed me into a character named Miss Pockets, a welcomed visitor who always had interesting things to show.
Before each lesson, I gathered small objects that related to the story. While other pockets had various items to engage one or more of the five senses, the top pocket always held my most treasured object, a small Bible. Our time together began with the opened Bible and proceeded as I pulled objects representing each part of the story. The last pocket usually held a surprise for my listening friends. Most often, the surprise related to the story in some way.
The Miss Pockets apron is a simple solution for holding the attention of young children
during lesson time. It is also a valuable, easy-to-pack resource for mission trips. The
photo above is of me preparing for Bible story time in Peru. Communicating with the
kids was much easier when I had physical objects to represent each part of the Bible
story I shared through an interpreter.
You don’t have to be a seamstress to create a custom-designed apron. Purchase a
ready-made one. Adding pockets from squares of fun prints will be a simple task for
anyone who owns a machine. Don’t forget to include a special pocket for your most
treasured item… the Bible!
© 2023 Frances McFarland
Every idea here is shared with love. Enjoy and share them freely, but kindly avoid profiting from them or presenting them as your own.
Miss Pockets, What an amazing idea your apron is! I bet those precious children are mesmerized as you unveil the mysteries. What a wonderful idea to share God's Word! 👏