Heartprints

Reason For The Seasons – Teaching Young Children About God’s World

Tis the season to be…cold or warm? If you live in the northern hemisphere during the month of January you will probably experience cooler temperatures, shorter days, longer nights, snow, sleet, ice, dormant trees and brown grass, and fewer animals roaming around in your backyard.

Tis the season to be…cold or warm? If you live in the northern hemisphere during the month of January you will probably experience cooler temperatures, shorter days, longer nights, snow, sleet, ice, dormant trees and brown grass, and fewer animals roaming around in your backyard.

Many adults, during the winter months, enjoy inside activities such as drinking hot chocolate, sitting in front of the fireplace, reading books, watching movies, playing indoor games, and staying warm from the elements of the outside weather. For children, winter is a fun time to engage in outdoor activities. My childhood memories include playing in the snow with my sister and four cousins. We would spend free time making snowmen, having snowball fights, making snow angels, riding sleds down a big hill on our family property, and going ice skating on our family pond. 

Children need opportunities to explore and learn about God’s creation during the winter months. Teaching children about God’s created world will help them to learn who God is and reinforce His sovereignty, His power, His character, and His attributes. God created the seasons and the changes that take place according to Genesis 1:14. As teachers, parents, grandparents, and guardians it is important to teach children that God created the seasons. All things are part of His perfect plan and His will for our world created for His glory and for us to enjoy.

Below are some ideas to help teach young children about God’s world and the different seasons of the year.

1. Draw God’s Seasons…Start a Scrapbook Journal. At least once a week throughout the year, go on an exploration hike and have children draw what they see. Have them draw those tangible things such as snow, animals, trees, leaves, plants, people and what they are doing (shoveling snow, gathering vegetables, swimming in a pool, raking leaves, etc.) As the children participate in this weekly activity they will notice the changing seasons and changes that take place during different times of the year. After a child has created a picture, don’t forget to put the date and age of the child on the back. Looking back at the art work and changes will be fun in future years.

2. Smells of God’s Seasons…Take a nature walk or a trip to the park and smell the fragrance of the flowers in the spring, enjoy the crisp smell of the winter wind, embrace the smell of camp fires burning in the fall, and experience the smell of the rain on a hot summer day. Give children other opportunities to experience smells associated with each season throughout the year.

3. Taste of God’s Seasons…Go to a vegetable garden, farm, farmers market, orchard or country fair and sample some apples, engage in the sweetness of oranges, crunch on carrots, and enjoy the juiciness of watermelon. Look for fruits, nuts, and vegetables that are in season and give kids the opportunity to enjoy the taste as they learn about their differences and the different harvest seasons each year.

4. Dress for God’s Seasons…Observe how people dress during each season. Ask children to tell you what people are wearing. Are they wearing jackets or coats, shorts or jeans, etc. Talk about how people dress for the season and why they dress the way they do. Do people dress to stay warm, or do they dress to stay cool? Talk about how God has provided clothing to wear so that we can take care of our needs and be comfortable in our environment.

5. A Touch Of God’s Seasons…Take a trip to a park or farm, etc. and touch the tress, leaves, nuts, pine cones. Talk about the difference in textures. Ask questions such as, is this smooth or is this rough, is this soft or is this sharp, etc. Perhaps, you might want to collect these tangible items and make a collage to add to your scrapbook journal.

6. Listen to God’s Seasons…Take a walk in a camp area and observe and listen to the different changes that take place during the different times of year. Listen to birds singing in the spring, leaves crunching in the fall, the quiet sound of snow falling in the winter, and sounds of rain hitting the windows in the summer.

Children learn best as they explore and experience their environment. Give them many opportunities to learn about the world God created as they explore and observe it. Create opportunities for children to talk about God’s creation and the different seasons. As they engage in activities and embrace these things they will learn to appreciate God’s world and take care of His creation.

Did you know in the winter season that…

1. Icicles form most often on the south side of the buildings. 

2. All snowflakes have six sides.

3. Average snowflakes fall at 3.1 mph

4. Ice is a mineral

5. Billions of snowflakes fall during a storm, even a small storm.

6. The largest snowflake recorded fell in Montana and was 15 inches long and 8 inches thick.

(taken from www.aholidayhaven.com)

Have fun this winter and enjoy teaching young children about the reason for the season as they embrace God’s world and enjoy all He has created. Teach them the love of God through all that He has provided to us through His creation. Help them to understand that God is good and His plan is perfect. He loves them and has created a world that is full of exciting things to embrace and enjoy. Happy Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall! 

Lisa Goodyear holds a Master of Arts degree in Christian Education, with a focus in Children's Ministry, from Dallas Theological Seminary. She has over twenty-eight years of local children's ministry, as well as an extensive background in early childhood education and international ministry to children. Currently, she is serving with the family/children’s ministry in her local church in Shawnee, Kansas. Lisa's passion is to see children from every nation, tongue, and tribe trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and grow in their relationship with Him. She is married to Rolla and they have two grown children and three grandchildren and a little Yorkie, Romeo. Lisa lives in Olathe, Kansas.