Playgroup Program Ideas

Year A Term 4

Compiled by the Children & Family Ministry Team

Mission Resourcing SA

Playgroup Program Ideas 2 Year A Term 4

CONTENTS

Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 3

Playgroup Themes ................................................................................................................................. 3

A Scheme of Themes ............................................................................................................................. 4

Faith Enrichment in Playgroup ............................................................................................................. 5

Professional Development Page (Music and Rhythm Development in Children)..................... 6

Additional resources .............................................................................................................................. 7

Themes this term

1. A special time ............................................. Christmas Pageant .................................... 8

2. A special time .............................................................. Christmas .................................... 9

3. A part of my world ............................................................... Mud .................................. 10

4. An animal ................................................................................. Fish .................................. 11

5. A story ..................................................................... Queen Esther .................................. 13

6. A musical instrument ......................................................... Guitar .................................. 14

7. A job people do ......................................................... Fire fighter .................................. 15

8. A place to visit ................................................................ Garden .................................. 17

9. A part of my body ............................................................... Nose .................................. 19

10. A plant ............................................................................. Pumpkin .................................. 21

11. A relationship ...................................................................... Family .................................. 22

____________

COPYRIGHT

Ideas are seldom truly original. Some of the same ideas can be found from many

different sources. The ideas in this resource may have their origin in a whole range of

personal experience, observation, printed resources or electronic resources. They have

been filtered through memory and modified to meet specific needs. Some poetry has

been included where the ‘original writer’ is unknown.

We have not knowingly breached copyright, but if you are the originator of any

material in Playgroup Program Ideas, please notify us so that we can give you credit in

the future. Email children@sa.uca.org.au

Playgroup Program Ideas 3 Year A Term 4

INTRODUCTION

This resource is designed to help leaders of church-based playgroups in planning their program.

This resource is not a set curriculum; it provides ideas that you may pick and choose from or adapt to your

own situation. The themes and activity ideas can fit into whatever format you establish for your playgroup.

A Uniting Church SA Playgroup Manual is also available at www.missionresourcingsa.org.au

The manual is a comprehensive resource that includes: Starting a playgroup, Administration, Safety and

property, Leaders and volunteers, Finances, Getting the church involved, Promotion, Frequently asked

questions and Useful contacts.

PLAYGROUP THEMES Working with themes: Free play and a regular, predictable program in surroundings that become familiar

are primary ingredients of playgroups. Repetition and predictability help children (and their parents)

develop a sense of comfort, belonging and control.

From about 18 months, children will begin to be able to comprehend the theme ideas. They may look for,

enjoy and benefit from new experiences and challenges. Exact repetition may become a bit too familiar

and perhaps boring for older children.

Session themes allow you to introduce some variety into a familiar format. New, themed songs and rhymes,

for example, can be added to favourite songs and rhymes that are used regularly.

The suggested theme ideas in this resource can help you to plan a program that will stretch children in

their experiences as well as their comprehension, language skills, relationships with one another and with a

variety of adults, gross and fine motor skills, music and movement.

Playgroup Program Ideas gives you ideas for a wide range of themed sessions. You can use a different

theme each week, or you may use themes only once or twice a term as special occasions. Themed

sessions allow your playgroup team to use their creativity. They can provide excitement and some

enjoyable surprises for all involved.

Scheduling themed sessions: Playgroup age children live in the moment. They have limited capacity to

consciously remember what happens from week to week, so each theme suggestion in this resource is a

stand-alone session. The themes can be used in any sequence. Obviously you are likely to schedule

holiday themes (eg Christmas) just before the holiday they relate to. Other themes may be scheduled to

coincide with events in your community (eg you may have a cricket theme when siblings or parents are

involved in cricket competitions). Still other events may be scheduled to suit the availability of special

guests. One suggested theme each term may involve an outing; this may be the first thing you schedule

because it may require the most coordination both within the playgroup and also with the management

of the venue you visit.

NOTE

Throughout this resource the term ‘parent’ is used for the parent, relative or other carer

who brings a child to playgroup.

Playgroup Program Ideas 4 Year A Term 4

A SCHEME OF THEMES (1)

A special time or day

(2) A special

time or day

(3) A colour

or element

(4) An animal

(5) A story

(6) Travel or a

musical instrument

(7) Work

people do

(8) A place to

visit

(9) A part of my body

(10) Clothes, room or

plant

(11) Misc

sport, relationship

A1 Australia Day

Easter Air Horse The Lion and the Mouse

Train Factory worker

Lake / river Hands Bedroom Cricket

A2 Mothers Day Queen’s Birthday

Green Frog Zacchaeus Bicycle Cleaner Post Office Mouth Blue Jeans Please and Thank You

A3 Fathers Day Book Week (Books)

Red Chicken The Three Billy Goats Gruff

Bus Playgroup helper

Church Hair Tree Art and artists

A4 Christmas Pageant

Christmas (Shepherds)

Mud Fish Queen Esther Guitar Firefighter Garden Nose Vegetable (Pumpkin)

Family

B1 Valentines Day

Easter Water Dog The Tortoise and the Hare

Car Doctor Beach Feet and toes

Kitchen Caring for the world

B2 Anzac Day Mothers Day Purple Butterfly Jairus’ Daughter Airplane Farmer Restaurant Eyes Fruit (Apple)

Science & scientists

B3 Fathers Day Book Week (Author)

Yellow Guinea pig The Ugly Duckling

Skates & skateboard

Driver Park Face Shoes & boots

Football

B4 Advent Christmas (Angels)

Pink Lizard Solomon’s Prayer

Drum Computer tech

Shopping centre

Arms Wheat & bread

Grandparents

C1 Pancake Day

Easter Sunshine & rain

Cat Three Little Pigs Boat Teacher Circus Legs Bathroom Athletics

C2 May Day Mothers Day Orange Bug and Spider

Jesus Feeds 5000

Wheelbarrow & wagon

Police Farm Ears Hats Friends at playgroup

C3 Fathers Day Book Week (Library)

Blue Kangaroo Town and Country Mice

Rocket Ship Minister Playground Tummy Flowers Numbers and counting

C4 Labour Day Christmas (Star)

Brown Bird Noah’s Ark Horn Builder Bush Skin Vegetable (Peas)

Brothers and sisters

Playgroup Program Ideas 5 Year A Term 4

FAITH ENRICHMENT AT PLAYGROUP Playgroups organised by churches and staffed

by Christians serve young families in many

different ways.

Some church-based playgroups serve primarily

the families of their own congregation and

introduce Christian content into playgroup as

part of their faith-nurturing or Christian

education program.

Most playgroups cater for a wider cross-section

of the community.

Some church-based playgroups have an

agreed policy that the playgroup is simply a

service to their community. Their Christian

character is shown through the development of

caring relationships. Team members do not

mention anything specifically ‘Christian’ unless

the question is raised by a parent or child.

However, many church-based playgroups are

more evangelical in their intent; their playgroup

teams look for ways to go beyond service and

developing relationships. In some cases a

playgroup may actually function as an

alternative ‘church’ for families who have no

other church contact. It can be a place where

families explore the Christian faith.

Parents who choose to come to a church-

based playgroup will not be surprised if there is

some Christian content, however it’s good to

make this clear in your advertising literature and

in conversation with prospective playgroup

families.

Playgroup Program Ideas provides a range of

Faith Enrichment Ideas related to each topic.

They are a resource for introducing ‘Christian’

content into a playgroup program through

activities, songs and stories. These may be used

as a block within the regular playgroup time or

scattered throughout the session.

Or the Faith Enrichment ideas may be used in

an optional ‘Faith Talk Time’ after the session.

Families are invited to stay, but may choose to

leave before it begins.

Some church-based playgroups have a short

parents-only ‘Faith Talk Time’ in a separate room

while the playgroup team supervises the

children. A leader helps parents to think about

the suggested theme, the wondering question

and the Bible story or Bible verse. The leader

may also help parents find ways of introducing

or reinforcing these to their own children at

home.

Playgroup leaders can use one or more of the

Faith Enrichment Ideas to introduce a faith

dimension into the session in a natural way.

For example:

Key faith concept can be written on a poster

and displayed in playgroup where parents

may see and comment on it (or not). It can

be announced in a group time at the start of

the session. It can be listed along with the

theme title on playgroup program schedules.

It can be written on children’s artwork and

crafts that are taken home. Bible verses and

prayers can be used the same way.

Christian songs can be used along with other

songs.

Bible stories: age appropriate versions of the

suggested stories can be used as part of a

range of books/stories for parents to read to

their own children, or for a playgroup team

member to share with children in small

groups.

Wondering comment can be raised by

playgroup team members at any time it

seems appropriate or it can be a follow-up

to any other Faith Enrichment activity.

Prayer and Bible verse (and song) can be

used as a simple closing ritual, perhaps

followed by blessing each child as they

leave.

BEYOND PLAYGROUP

Families leave playgroup when children are old

enough to enrol in other educational programs.

If playgroup is the only place where a family

experiences a Christian community, that

connection is severed when they move on.

Congregations that have invested into families

through playgroup need to consider how they

can serve them beyond playgroup. Some

families will fit comfortably into existing worship

and children’s ministry programs. Others will see

this as an alien environment and avoid it.

Alternatives for playgroup ‘graduate’ families

may be:

monthly Messy Church-style programs (for

more details see www.messychurch.org.uk/

school holiday programs

a family day (or evening) during each school

holiday

a sequence of family events which target

families of children at specific

developmental milestones, for example:

starting kindy, starting primary school, starting

organised sports, entering ‘double digits’,

puberty, starting high school

parenting support newsletters and invitations

to special events (eg all-age worship

services) of the congregation.

Playgroup Program Ideas 6 Year A Term 4

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PAGE

MUSIC AND RHYTHM DEVELOPMENT IN CHILDREN

TYPICAL DEVELOPMENT STAGES

Children experience rhythm in

their bodies before they can

consciously recognise rhythmic

sound with their minds.

In the womb foetuses respond to

sounds and music and move to

the beat of their mother’s heart.

Infants

discriminate among

differences in sound,

frequency, rhythm and

melody

sway, bounce, or move their

hands in response to music

they hear

have a wide vocal range

can imitate and experiment

with their voices

can be calmed and soothed

with music.

Purposeful singing can begin at

around twelve months.

Toddlers

love to dance and move to

music

enjoy the repetition of songs

laugh at silly songs and

nonsense rhymes

are able to sit attentively for

a short performance or

recording

make up songs and sing to

themselves as they play

enjoy singing just to be singing,

with no self-consciousness

like songs that repeat words

and melodies, rhythms with a

definite beat, and words that

ask them to do things

like nursery rhymes and songs

about familiar things like toys,

animals, play activities, and

people

sing with or without musical

accompaniment.

Children aged four and five

may be adept at using musical

instruments (alone and in a

group) and are more aware of

the messages in song lyrics.

God has created a universe that is organised in patterns,

vibrates with rhythm and expresses itself in sound.

‘One of the best choices you can make for your children is giving

them the gift of music.’ (The Benefits of Music on Child

Development, Jovanka Ciares and Paul Borgese)

Music is a way of understanding God’s creation that is just as

significant as logical/mathematical, linguistic, spatial,

bodily/kinaesthetic, interpersonal, and intrapersonal intelligences

(Howard Gardner). Music can have a profound influence on the

other intelligences.

‘Making music is as much a basic life skill as walking or talking’

(Peery and Peery, Music and Child Development).

‘It is a birthright for all people to be able to sing a tune and

march to a beat’ (Lili Levinowitz, The Importance of Music in

Early Childhood).

There are two primary aspects of music: (1) hearing and

processing rhythmic sound and (2) performing and using an

instrument (which may be the voice). Both, ideally, begin in early

childhood years.

Benefits of music

Music (particularly musical experiences in childhood) provides a

huge range of benefits.

Through song, dance, and instrumental music we express the full

range of human emotion and pass on ethnic beliefs and values.

Music ignites all areas of development: intellectual, social and

emotional, motor, language, and overall literacy. It helps the

body and the mind work together and strengthens memory skills.

Music listening and music making can improve creativity and

learning (language, reading and mathematics). Singing is a

healthy lung exercise that helps children learn sounds, improve

pronunciation and develop vocabulary.

Making music together provides the joy and value of group

activity.

What does this mean for playgroup?

The simple answer is: provide as many musical experiences as

you can in playgroup and encourage parents to share music

with their children at home. Specifically, we can:

sing and dance — forget our own inhibitions

play background music

use music clues to introduce different activities

mix music with games that require body movement, such as

clapping, waving, jumping and dancing, finger games

make music by singing and chanting together, clapping,

playing percussion instruments

introduce children to various sounds and rhythms, both

natural and instrumental: have children guess what sound

they hear or where it comes from; invite them to reproduce it

provide a range of shakers, whistles, bells, tambourines,

drums, harmonicas for children to use in free play and in

special music times. Help children make their own instruments

dance with children, encourage them to move freely with

music or percussion.

Playgroup Program Ideas 7 Year A, Term 4

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES MUSIC

Songs and rhymes identified in this resource as ‘Useful Book’ are found in The New

Useful Book (Songs and Ideas from Play School by Henrietta Clark). It contains words

and melody lines for many popular children’s songs. Songs and related activities are

arranged by themes. It is a very ‘useful book’!

BOOKS

A variety of story books and non-fiction books are suggested that support each theme.

You can use whatever books suit your group and are available on family bookshelves

or from the local library.

You may also want to build your own playgroup library with purchased or donated age-appropriate

books that children and parents may look at during playgroup — and/or borrow to use at home.

In addition to theme-specific books, your collection could include some books relating to general

theme areas such as colours, animals, transportation, occupations, bodies, food, sports, holidays.

Your collection may include books that expose children to languages other than English and cultures

other than European/Australian, for example:

This set of three books (Body Parts, Counting and

Colours), teach children some basic words in the

Kaurna language. The beautiful photographic

illustrations can be used to foster discussion of

these topics in any language. See

www.fishpond.com.au

Your collection may include age-appropriate Bible story collections, for example:

The Toddler’s Bible

by Bethan James

My First Bible

by Leena Lane

The Beginner’s

Bible

edited by

Catherine DeVries

and prayer books, for example:

I can say a

prayer

by Sophie

Piper

100 Ways to Know

God Loves Me!

by Stephen Elkins

(includes two CDs of

Christian songs)

I imagine:

A Child’s Book

of Prayers

by Rachel

Rivett

ELECTRONIC RESOURCES

Playgroup Program Ideas deliberately limits references to electronic media because, even in this day

and age, you can comfortably run a playgroup with a minimum of technology. However you may

want to use recorded music as background music, to accompany activities such as dancing, or to

support singing.

An internet search engine like Google is an easy way of finding images that you can use to illustrate

themes. Many of the stories and songs we suggest can be found as electronic books (Kindle) or even

on YouTube.

Use these resources if you feel they will contribute to the relationships you want to establish and the

experience you want to provide in your playgroup, and if you have someone on your team who

understands how to make technology work smoothly and effectively.

Playgroup Program Ideas 8 Year A, Term 4

A-4-1

CHRISTMAS PAGEANT A SPECIAL EVENT May be linked with the Credit Union Christmas Pageant in Adelaide or with a local Christmas pageant.

Some options to consider:

Visit the Adelaide Christmas pageant as a group.

Participate in a local Christmas parade as a group — just for fun or to let your community know

about your playgroup — or join with other local playgroups to participate in the parade.

Make your own playgroup mini-parade (the following ideas relate to this plan).

ACTIVITY IDEAS

Invite children and parents to come dressed in their favourite dress-ups and to bring their own wheels

(pram, wagon, tricycle, etc) for the parade.

Dress-ups: As people arrive, greet them and talk about their dress-up costumes. What are you

wearing? Why did you choose it? Where have you worn it before? Provide a full-length mirror so

children can see themselves and know what they look like in the costume.

Pageant talk: Give children an opportunity to talk with an adult other than their parent about any

experience they have relating to Christmas pageants.

Family posters: Parents and children work together to create family posters on cardboard about A3

size. Suggest that the poster can include a picture of their house, the people in the family or

something that is important to the family. It can be decorated in their favourite colour. Provide a

variety of ‘scrap’ items that can be attached to the poster.

Marching music: Play some recorded ‘marching music’. Encourage children to listen to the beat of

the music and move to the music: first roll their head back and forth, then hunch their shoulders,

swing their arms, clap their hands, stamp their feet, march around.

Playgroup parade: Families carry their posters — or attach them to their wagons or bikes — and

parade around your yard (or around the block, if your situation permits). If possible, make a video of

the parade to show later at playgroup and make copies for families.

Alternatively children put together a toy parade or pageant with floats and ‘marchers’ of dolls,

teddies and other items that are regularly available in your playgroup.

Video: Show a video of your own playgroup parade or of a previous Adelaide or local Christmas

pageant.

Story books: Have a number of picture books with the stories that are depicted in the pageant.

Encourage children to look at pictures in the books and tell (or make up) a story about the pictures.

BOOKS TO SHARE Find books in your local library or parents’ collections about parades or Christmas, eg

Disney’s

Christmas

Parade

annuals

Wombat

Divine

by Mem Fox

Dora’s

Christmas

Parade

by Leslie Valdes

and

Dave Aikins

SONGS AND RHYMES

Use nursery rhymes or songs with characters depicted in the Christmas Pageant.

Jingle Bells — give children some bells to play as you sing.

FAITH ENRICHMENT IDEAS

Key faith concept: God loves us and gives us special things to celebrate.

Talk about why we have a Christmas pageant.

Wonder why people put a nativity float in the pageant.

Bible story: Jesus leads a parade into Jerusalem. (Mark 11:1-11)

Song: This is the day that the Lord has made. (breadsite.org/lyrics/614.htm )

Prayer: Thank you, God, for good times like the pageant. Amen.

Bible Verse: God always leads us in the winner’s parade because we belong to Christ.

(2 Corinthians 2:14 NIRV)

Playgroup Program Ideas 9 Year A, Term 4

A-4-2

CHRISTMAS (SHEPHERDS) A SPECIAL TIME

The Bible story of the birth of Jesus is the basis for our celebration of Christmas.

Be sure to invite playgroup families to any activities your church has planned that will allow children

and parents to celebrate together and to learn more about the significance of the Christmas story.

ACTIVITY IDEAS

The story: Tell or read the Bible story of the shepherds on the first Christmas (Luke 2:1-21). One good

technique is to use the illustrations in a children’s picture story book as clues for telling the story in

your own words. An alternative would be for a guest dressed as a shepherd to tell the story.

Nativity scene: Have a store-bought or handmade nativity scene for children to look at with their

parents. Parents help children identify the figures in the scene and their role in the Christmas story.

Shepherd canes: Shepherds in the story had special long canes (sometimes called crooks). Have

some walking sticks (the kind with curved handles) that children can use to mime some of the things

a shepherd had to do, for example: hold the cane upright, hold the straight part to support walking;

hold the straight end and use the curved handle to reach something you can’t reach with your

hand and pull it to you.

Story figures: Children make story figures from plastic cups (illustration).

Shepherd: use coffee-coloured cups; draw on a face with texta.

An adult makes two holes with a large needle or a nail. Insert a pipe cleaner

through the holes; curve one end as a cane.

Angel: use white cups; draw on a face with texta. Glue on paper wings.

Sheep: Use white or coffee-coloured cups. Adult cuts them to half size.

Draw on a face and legs with texta. Glue on a small pompom for a tail.

Act out the story: Children use figures they have made themselves (see above) or figures from a

purchased nativity set to act out the story. They can do this as free play or they can act it as an

adult re-tells the story.

Sorting cards: Provide a large selection of cover pictures from used Christmas cards. Encourage

children to sort through the pictures and find the ones with pictures of shepherds. They may also sort

the cards by size, background colour or picture (eg, bells, people, candles . . .)

Christmas party: Have a playgroup Christmas party. Children and parents decorate a small

Christmas tree with candy canes. The playgroup team may place a small gift for each child under

the tree, for example, a book or a tract with the Christmas message. As a snack have cane- or

sheep-shaped biscuits. Sing: ‘The shepherd (instead of ‘Mary’) had a little lamb’. Consider donating

your tree to someone who does not have one.

BOOKS TO SHARE Find books in a library or parents’ collections about shepherds at Christmas, eg

The Little

Shepherd

Girl

by Juliann

Henry

Room for a

Little One

by Martin

Waddell

The Shepherd's

Christmas Story

by

SONGS AND RHYMES

Away in a manger

In a little stable, far across the sea

FAITH ENRICHMENT IDEAS

Key faith concept: At Christmas we celebrate the birthday of God’s Son, Jesus.

Talk about how people celebrate Christmas.

Wonder why Christmas is so exciting.

Prayer: Happy Birthday, Jesus. Amen.

Bible verse: God loved us so much he sent us his Son. (John 3:16)

IF THIS IS YOUR LAST PLAYGROUP SESSION FOR THE YEAR:

You may want to give special recognition to children who will be ‘graduating’ from playgroup and

moving on to preschool (or another stage of life) next year. Thank them for being part of playgroup.

As families leave, give each one a Christmas blessing: God bless you and keep you at Christmas time.

Playgroup Program Ideas 10 Year A, Term 4

A-4-3

MUD A PART OF MY WORLD Mud here refers to the natural stuff beneath our feet, whatever you call it — mud, earth, soil or dirt.

ACTIVITY IDEAS

Archaeologist dig: Let a large basin of dirt mud dry out for several days. Bury some plastic toys in the

dry mud. Challenge children to search with their hands and discover what they can find.

Good mud: Mud is good for growing plants. If possible go outside and find things that grow in the

ground: trees, plants, grass.

You may prepare ahead of time for this activity by pulling a plant out of the mud and letting it dry,

so children can discover that plants can’t grow and thrive out of the mud.

Mud (ground) is also good for holding things up. Children may discover things (many man-made)

that rest on the earth/ground, but do not grow: houses, cement paths, light poles, etc.

Mud samples: Child and parent dig up several spoonfuls of mud/earth/dirt/soil and put it on a

plastic plate. What does it feel like (hot/cold, wet/dry, smooth/lumpy)? What does it smell like? What

do you see? What colour is it? Is it all one colour? Is it stuck together or in small bits? Are the bits all

the same?

Mud painting: Parents help their children mix water with their mud sample to the consistency of

finger paint. The child uses their hands/fingers to create a painting. Be sure to wash hands after this

activity. (See the following activity.)

Bad mud: Mud is not good for people to eat. [That’s why we avoid making mud pies in playgroup!]

There are things in the mud that can make people sick. That’s why we wash our hands when they

are dirty. Have a basin, soap, warm water, soft nailbrush and paper towels. Parents help children

wash their hands — very thoroughly, rubbing up and down each finger and the palm and the back

of the hand, brushing around fingernails; then drying just as thoroughly.

Different kinds of mud: Have some clear plastic containers with different kinds of mud: two each of,

for example, sand, rocky soil, clay, potting mixture, dust. Children and parents sort the different

types to find the ones that are the same and different.

BOOKS TO SHARE Find books in your local library or parents’ collections about mud or the earth, eg

Mud Tacos!

by Mario Lopez

and Marissa Lopez

Wong

This is the

Mud

by Kathryn

Apel

Big Earth, Little Me

by Thom Wiley and

Kate Endle

SONGS AND RHYMES

Oh, I wish I were a little hunk of mud, hunk of mud. X2 (Tune: If you’re happy and you know it)

I'd ooey and I'd gooey under everybody's shoey.

Oh, I wish I were a little hunk of mud, hunk of mud.

Mud is very nice to feel, all squishy-squash between the toes!

I’d rather wade in wiggly mud, than smell a yellow rose.

Nobody else but the rosebush knows how nice mud feels between the toes. (Polly Chase Boyden)

FAITH ENRICHMENT IDEAS

Key faith concept: God made the world and wants us to take care of it.

Talk about why we need mud.

Wonder why God made different kinds of mud.

Story: A farmer plants seeds in various kinds of soil. (Mark 4:3-8).

Sing: Praise and thanksgiving let everyone bring (Sing to Jesus #28)

Prayer: Thank you, God, for giving us mud. Amen

Bible verse: Everything God created is good. (1 Timothy 4:4)

Playgroup Program Ideas 11 Year A, Term 4

A-4-4

FISH AN ANIMAL Playgroup children can begin to understand that (1) people can live gently among all living things and

not harm them (2) some animals can harm us.

If families have items with fish motifs (eg Finding Nemo figures), ask them to bring along some non-

breakable items.

ACTIVITY IDEAS

Guest: A guest who knows about fish — either as pets or in the natural environment — visits

playgroup. They talk briefly about fish, possibly emphasising how they move and what they eat. Be

sure to emphasise that fish live in water. People can swim in water, but we can’t live in water. They

might bring along a bowl of goldfish or other fish for the children to see. Your guest may help you in

planning other activities.

Fish faces: Have a mirror available where children can see themselves pursing and releasing their

mouths to make fish faces.

Fish snack: Children use fish- shaped biscuit cutters to cut sheets of puff pastry. An adult bakes the

fish according to packet instructions. If you have a glass door on your oven, children may enjoy

watching the fish puff up as they bake. When baked and cooled, serve the fish as a snack.

Share and compare fish: If families have brought fish items, ask them to place them all in a lake (a

dry wading pool). Children with their parents find their own fish in the shared collection. They find

other fish that are the same colour as; the same kind or size as; larger or smaller than their own.

Many kinds of fish: Make up two sets of fish cards (enlarge and colour from the next page).

Parents look at the pictures with their child. Use words that describe the different fish.

Play a game of ‘Memory’ with the cards. Begin with two pairs of matching cards lying face down.

Child tries to pick up matching pairs. Play again, adding another pair of matching cards.

Continue adding while child’s interest holds.

Move like a fish: Play some background music with water sounds. Parents and children wiggle like

fish. They can do this lying on the ground. Alternatively, parents hold their child on their arms, lying on

their tummy and ‘swim’ them around like a fish in water.

Play dough fish: Parents help children make a basic fish shape with play dough. Help children

change the shape of their fish: rounder, skinnier, longer, shorter . . .

‘Stain glass’ fish: Cut a simple fish shape out of the centre of black or dark blue construction paper.

Place a sheet of clear contact paper over the fish shape. This will leave a sticky, fish-shaped surface

onto which children stick small pieces of tissue paper in a variety of colours. Trim excess tissue paper.

BOOKS TO SHARE Find books in your local library or in parents’ collections about fish, for example

Fabulous

Fishes

by Susan

Stockdale

God Made Fish

by Brad Harrub

Not Norman:

A Goldfish Story

by Kelly Bennett

SONGS AND RHYMES

One, two, three, four five; once I caught a fish alive; six, seven, eight, nine ten, then I let him go again.

Why did you let him go? Because he bit my finger so. Which finger did he bite? This little finger on the right.

All the fish (Useful Book)

FAITH ENRICHMENT IDEAS

Key faith concept: God made animals and wants us to take care of them.

Talk about places animals live — in water

Wonder why God made fish to swim so well.

Story: A big fish helps Jonah. (Jonah 2,3)

Song: All things bright and beautiful (www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/a/l/allthing.htm )

Prayer: Fish are great swimmers. Thank you, God, for fish and other animals. Amen.

Bible verse: God made . . . the fish that swim in the seas. (Psalm 8:8, modified)

Playgroup Program Ideas 12 Year A, Term 4

FISH PICTURES

Playgroup Program Ideas 13 Year A, Term 4

A-4-5

QUEEN ESTHER A STORY This session is based on the Bible story of Esther, the young girl who became a queen and saved her

people (Esther 1-10). Esther’s story is celebrated annually in the Jewish festival of Purim.

ACTIVITY IDEAS

Visitor: Invite a person familiar with the Jewish festival of Purim to come and tell the children about

the celebration, particularly children’s participation.

Bible story: Tell the story of Queen Esther in one or more ways. Read it from a good, age

appropriate children’s Bible storybook or tell the story. A good technique is to use the illustrations in

the children’s Bible as a prompt for telling the story in your own words.

Traditionally in the telling of this story the ‘audience’ boos when the name Haman is mentioned and

cheers when the name Esther is mentioned.

And/or watch Veggie Tales' Esther, the girl who became queen.

Play the story: Children use dolls to act out the story. This can be either free play, or they can play it

as someone re-tells the story.

Esther crowns: Children make a medallion to put on the front of a crown. Choose a plastic biscuit

cutter shape. Dip it in craft glue (put a thin layer in a plastic take-away container lid). Carefully

press the glue-dipped cutter onto a circle of card. Shake glitter (if you’re game) or sequins over the

glue. While the glue is drying, parents fit a strip of card to their child’s head and staple the ends

together to form the band of the crown. When the medallion glue is dry, shake off excess sequins

and staple the medallion onto the crown band. Cover the backs of staples with masking tape for

safety. Children may wear the crowns for the rest of the session.

Haman’s hat snack: According to tradition, Haman wore a three-corned hat.

Hamantaschen — bikkies shaped like his hat — are a popular Purim treat.

Parents can help children make hamantaschen: Roll out sugar cookie dough

and cut into circles. Place a dollop of jam in the centre of the circle. Fold up

three sides of the circle to form a triangle. Bake according to your recipe and,

when cooled, serve for a snack.

BOOKS TO SHARE Find books in your local library or parents’ collections about Purim or Queen Esther, eg

Queen Esther Helps

God’s people

Zondervan

Beginners Bible

series

Just in

time Esther

by Carol

Wedeven

Brave Queen

Esther

by Rondi

DeBoer

NURSERY RHYMES AND SONGS

Purim song (Tune: If you’re happy and you know it.

If you hear the name of Haman, stamp your feet (stamp feet twice)

If you hear the name of Esther, clap your hands

If you hear the name of Ahasurerus, turn around.

If you hear the name of Mordecai, shout hooray.

Esther Loved God. (Raise arms upward)

She loved others, too. (Spread hands, palms up.)

I love God (Raise arms upward.)

And I love you. (Hugs for everyone.)

FAITH ENRICHMENT IDEAS

Key faith concept: The Bible is God’s special book.

Talk about the Bible shows us that God has special things for people to do.

Wonder what plan God has for you.

Story: show children a complete Bible and the location of Esther. Read out 9:28: ’Every family will

remember Esther.’

Song: I open my Bible book and read (https://au.songselect.com/songs/4623485/i-open-my-bible-

book-and-read )

Prayer: Thank you, God, for the good stories in your special book. Amen.

Bible verse: Give thanks to God, because he is good. (1 Chronicles 16:34)

Playgroup Program Ideas 14 Year A, Term 4

A-4-6

GUITAR A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Adapt this theme for any string instrument.

ACTIVITY IDEAS

Guest: A guest guitarist (professional or amateur) visits playgroup. They play for the children, talk

about their playing (how they got started and what they do), and show children how the guitar

works. If they have an old/inexpensive instrument they might help children to make music by

strumming while the guitarist holds the guitar and changes the chords.

Air guitar: As your guitarist guest (or a record) plays some familiar music on guitar, children (and

parents) play along on air guitars. Encourage them to be as active as possible and really express

themselves through movement.

I’m a guitar: Parents hold little children as if they were guitars. They strum their tummies as they sing a

song. Alternatively, parents might ask children to make a particular sound when they strum their

nose, ear, shoulder, elbow, etc.

Rubber band guitar: Parents help children make box guitars. You’ll need empty tissue boxes (that

have ready-made holes in them) and a variety of rubber bands. Choose several rubber bands of

different thicknesses and loop them around the box, going over the hole. Pluck the bands and note

the different sounds made by the different rubber bands. You could also use masking tape to attach

a paper towel roll (or a length or cardboard) to form the neck of the guitar. Caution: avoid

stretching rubber bands to breaking point.

Musical instruments: Have a selection of different toy musical instruments that the children can play

with. Parents with their children name the different instruments.

Pitch: A parent — with help from a volunteer with some musical ability — uses a guitar (or a

keyboard or any other instrument) to help their child discover pitch.

Play three different tones: one high (g), one low (c), one in-between (e).

Help the child indicate high, low, in-between with their hands as they hear the tones.

Play pairs of notes, ask child to identify the second one as higher, lower, same.

Play a simple tune, eg ‘Mary had a little lamb’. See if children can identify the song by the tune

and sing along.

BOOKS TO SHARE Find music books in your local library or parents’ collections —

Beginners’ books for playing

guitar.

Look at illustrations of how

to hold the instrument and

how to make sounds with it.

My Tata’s Guitar

by Ethriam Cash

Brammer

Zin! Zin! Zin! a Violin

by Lloyd Moss

SONGS AND RHYMES

If you’re happy and you know it . . . play guitar

Hear me playing my guitar, tar (big strum on ‘tar’) (Tune: I’ll take you riding in my car)

The playgroup band has come to town so early in the morning. (Tune: Mulberry bush)

This is the way we play guitar play guitar, play guitar; (Pretend to play guitars.)

This is the way we play guitar so early in the morning.

FAITH ENRICHMENT IDEAS

Key faith concept: God gives us music.

Talk about happy music, sad music, quiet music, loud music.

Wonder why God made music.

Story: David plays music to make King Saul feel better. (1 Samuel 16:14-23)

Song; a children’s Gospel song, for example, ‘Jesus loves me, this I know’ and play air or rubber

band guitar.

Prayer: Thank you, God, for music. Amen.

Bible Verse: I will make music to the Lord. (Judges 5:3)

Playgroup Program Ideas 15 Year A, Term 4

A-4-7

FIREFIGHTER A JOB PEOPLE DO If you have a guest firefighter, ask them to go through a fire safety check of your facilities and work with

your playgroup team to make sure your practices are fire-safe and you have an emergency plan in

case of fire.

ACTIVITY IDEAS

Guest: A firefighter (paid or voluntary) visits playgroup and talks about what they do and how what

they do helps people. They may also talk with children and parents about fire safety. They may

bring along some of their gear to show the children. The guest may help you in planning activities.

Hot and cold: Have a number of paired items: one cool (room temperature) the other hot, for

example, hot water bottles, wheat bags, freshly baked bikkies. Place the items on a low table.

Parents and children talk about the items. Which is cold? Which is hot? How did it get hot? Why is it

dangerous to touch things that are really hot? What are some things at our house that are really hot

and could hurt you?

Fire: Supervise this activity very carefully; it is designed to help children recognize what fire is. Have a

candle in a sturdy candle holder. A parent lights the candle with a match. Explains to the children

that matches are for grown-ups; not children. The match makes fire. Now the candle has fire. Note

the colour of the fire. If the parent wants to, the can hold the child’s hand closer and closer to the

flame and talk about how it gets hotter and hotter. They don’t want to actually touch the fire

because it would hurt.

Fire truck picture: Copy the picture from the next page. Children colour the fire engine red.

Parents help them attach 4.5 cm cardboard wheels with split pins so they can turn the wheels.

Have children practice some of these protective actions as games, not to make them fearful.

Calling 000: Parents of children who are learning to speak can help children learn to say their full

name, address, phone number and parent/guardian’s name. They may practise dialling ‘000’ on a

phone and giving the information to the operator.

Stop, drop, and roll: Demonstrate the stop, drop and roll technique that should be used if clothes

catch fire. Parents instruct their own child to ‘stop’ ‘drop’ and ‘roll’ when they give the commands.

Explain to the children that if their clothes ever catch on fire, they should stop, drop, and roll until the

fire is out or until a grown up comes to help.

Crawl below the smoke Use a bed sheet and let some children hold the sheet on each side.

Some parents shake the sheet up and down to make pretend smoke. Children and fitter parents

practice crawling under the sheet on their hands and knees to escape the smoke.

BOOKS TO SHARE: Find books in your local library or parents’ collections about fire service people, eg.

Fireman Small

by Wong

Herbert Yee

Big Frank’s

Fire Truck

by Leslie

McGuire

What Do People

Do All Day?

by Richard Scarry

SONGS AND RHYMES

A fireman is a person in your neighbourhood (www.metrolyrics.com/peopleinyour neighbourhood)

Five little fire-fighters sleeping in their bed: (Do this with actions.)

The first one said, ‘Put your helmet on your head!’ The second one said, ‘Down the pole we'll slide.’

The third one said, ‘Get ready to ride The fourth one said, ‘Put your gas mask on your nose.’

The fifth one said, ‘I'll grab the hose!’ Then Woooo went the siren and out went the fire

And the five little firemen could finally retire!

FAITH ENRICHMENT IDEAS

Key faith concept: God loves us and gives us people who help us.

Talk about what firefighters do.

Wonder how God helps firefighters.

Story: Work is important. (Proverbs 10:4)

Song: God’s helpers everywhere (Sing to Jesus #205)

Prayer: Thank you, God, for people who keep us safe from fires. Amen.

Bible verse: Each person is given something to do that shows who God is. (1 Corinthians 12:4, Message)

Playgroup Program Ideas 16 Year A, Term 4

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Playgroup Program Ideas 17 Year A, Term 4

A-4-8

GARDEN A PLACE TO VISIT If possible, organise an outing to a garden. Visit a civic garden and possibly spend the whole session in

the garden. Or visit a nearby home garden. With a large playgroup, you may want to take the children

in groups of no more than six at a time for short visits to the home garden. Plan your activities around

the type of garden you visit — a flower garden or a vegetable garden.

Alternatively, explore the garden concept in your regular playgroup venue.

ACTIVITY IDEAS

Meet the gardener: The gardener or owner of the garden shows the children around, points out

what is growing and how they take care of it. They may let children try some gardening activities.

Garden talk: Give each child a chance to tell a grown-up other than their parent about the garden

they have at home or any other experience they have had in a garden.

Paper plate flowers: Children make flowers from paper plates. Have different flower components

pre-cut from coloured paper or crepe paper (next page).

First, children name the green leaves (or sepals) and paste them on the plate. These protect the

flower before it blooms.

Second, children name and paste on several petals.

Finally they paste scrunched up crepe paper in the centre, naming it the pollen holder.

Thank you card: Children make a plate flower (similar to above) for the gardener they visited. Have

one paper petal for each child. Parents help them write their name on the petal. An adult can glue

the petals on carefully with glue on only the half towards the centre of the flower so petals can

overlap and bend up. Write ‘Thank you’ and the name of the gardener on the round centre piece.

A garden of children: Children hold the paper plate flowers in front of their faces (or parents can

hang the paper plates around children’s necks with string or ribbon. Leader describes various

movements of the flowers and children mime the actions. Flowers stems stay in one place in the

ground, so try not to move your feet. When the wind blows, the flowers bend this way. When the sun

is shining over here, the flowers reach out to the sun.

Seeds and flowers: Carefully cut the top off several seed packets. Parents and children look at the

picture of the blooming flower (or fruit or vegetable). They name the plant then examine a seed

from which the plant will grow.

Make a garden: Give children a block of florist foam. Parents help children stick on bits and pieces

they collected (with permission from the gardener) during their garden visit. They may add some

small artificial flowers.

BOOKS TO SHARE Find books in your local library or parents’ collections about gardens, eg

The Curious

Garden

by Peter

Brown

Zinnia’s Flower

Garden

by Monica

Wellington

Let’s Grow a

Garden

by Alison

Reynolds

NURSERY RHYMES AND SONGS

Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow

Oats, peas, beans and barley grow

FAITH ENRICHMENT IDEAS

Key faith concept: God loves us and is with us wherever we go.

Talk about going to a garden: what you find there.

Wonder: I wonder how God takes care of people when they are in a garden.

Story: God’s promise of a new, better day. (Amos 9:13-15)

Song: In our work and in our play, God is with us every day.

We are loved and we can sing, God takes care of everything.

Stay at home or go away, God is with us every day. (tune in www.cyberhymnal.org)

Prayer: Thank you, God, for gardens where people grow flowers and food. Amen.

Bible verse: God says: ‘I will be with you wherever you go.’ (Joshua 1:9)

Playgroup Program Ideas 18 Year A, Term 4

FLOWER PIECES

ANY COLOUR

PETAL

BLACK OR

BROWN

CENTRE

GREEN

SEPAL

Playgroup Program Ideas 19 Year A, Term 4

A-4-9

NOSE A PART OF MY BODY Young children can begin to understand that: each part of the body is important and helps us do

different things; we need to take care of our body. Our senses help us discover and understand the

world around us.

ACTIVITY IDEAS

All kinds of noses: Have pictures of various animals. Children with parents look at the pictures, name

the animal, find the nose, and describe the nose

My nose knows: Have a number of items with distinctive smells that the children are familiar with (eg

baby powder or soap, smelly nappy, orange). Have each item hidden under a cloth. Children

attempt to identify the item just by smell, without seeing it.

My nose, your nose: Parent and child together look into a mirror. They touch ‘My nose/your nose’ in

person and the image in the mirror. Talk about how the noses are the same and how they are

different. Experiment with wiggling the tip of the nose, pushing it up and down and sideways.

Stick the nose on the clown: Have a poster of a clown face with no nose (next page). Give child a

paper nose with Blu Tack on the back. Child puts the nose on the clown where they think it looks

best. They also try putting the nose where it looks funniest. You could give every child a different

colour or shape of nose.

Breathing and sneezing: Child can hold a strip of tissue paper under the parent’s nose. Note what

happens when the parent breathes in and out. Parent talks with the child about breathing: how

important it is for air to go into the body. Child can try to breathe deeply and feel the air going into

and coming out of their nose. Parent can demonstrate unusual things that sometimes happen with

noses, eg sneezing and snuffing.

Nose safety: Talk about taking care of noses. Wear sunscreen outside, don’t put anything in your

nose because it can hurt and can stop you from breathing, wipe it when you sneeze.

Scratch and sniff paint: To ordinary poster paint add a small amount of craft glue and a few drops of

cooking essence (eg orange essence with orange paint, lemon with yellow, mint with green,

strawberry with red). Children paint thick stripes of each colour on paper. When the paint has dried,

they can scratch the different colours (use a pop stick) and smell the different aromas.

BOOKS TO SHARE Find books in a library or parents’ collections about noses and the sense of smell, eg

My nose, your

nose

by Melanie

Walsh

Is This My Nose?

illustrated by

Georgie Birkett

My Five

Senses

by Aliki

SONGS AND RHYMES

Little Peter Rabbit had a fly upon his nose

I use my nose to smell, I use my nose to smell, (Tune: The Farmer in the dell)

and when I want to smell a flower, I use my nose to smell.

Put your finger on your nose, on your nose (x4)

Arms were made to hug and squeeze (Peter Combe); Noses were made to sniff and sneeze.

FAITH ENRICHMENT IDEAS

Key faith concept: God loves us, and made us with wonderful bodies.

Talk about how important it is to breathe and how we need noses to breathe.

Wonder why God wants us to breathe.

Story: God creates the first person. (Genesis 2:4–7)

Song: Two little eyes to look to God (‘one little nose to breathe fresh air’) (http://sundayfolder.com/)

Prayer: Thank you, God, for loving us and giving us noses to breathe and smell with. Amen.

Bible verse: God formed the first person out of dirt from the ground and blew into his nostrils the

breath of life. (Genesis 2:7)

Playgroup Program Ideas 20 Year A, Term 4

Playgroup Program Ideas 21 Year A, Term 4

A-4-10

PUMPKIN A PLANT ACTIVITY IDEAS

Guest: Someone who has a pumpkin patch visits playgroup and tells how they look after the

pumpkins, how the pumpkins grow, and how they pick the pumpkins. If possible, they can bring

pictures of the vine at different stages: new, with blossoms, with developing and with ripe pumpkins.

Pumpkin line-up: Display pumpkins of various shapes and sizes. Parents and children talk about what

make the pumpkins different: size, colour, shape.

What’s in the pumpkin: Children guess/predict what’s inside the pumpkin. Ask how they think you

can find out for sure. Cut open the pumpkin (You’ll need a cutting board and big sharp knife. Be

careful of little hands). Ask: Do you see what you thought you would see?

Let children feel the seeds, membranes and flesh of the pumpkin.

Pumpkin snack: Serve pumpkin scones made from Flo Bjelke-Peterson’s famous recipe (see

www.abc.net.au/queensland/stories/s1143809.htm ) Alternatively, serve pumpkin soup or cubes of

roasted pumpkin. Pumpkin seeds are edible and nutritious, but not appropriate for young children.

Dotty pumpkins: Give each child a pumpkin shape cut out of white card. The child chooses a

pumpkin colour of paint. The child uses a sponge (or a finger) dipped in paint to cover the pumpkin

shape with coloured dots.

Find the pumpkins: Show a picture of a pumpkin patch with pumpkins hiding under leaves. Create a

pretend pumpkin patch with small pumpkins (or balls) hidden under mats (or blankets or soft toys).

Challenge children to find the pumpkins and bring them to you. You may surreptitiously re-hide the

pumpkins so more children can find more pumpkins. For older children make up a tally sheet and

put a mark beside the child’s name each time they bring you a pumpkin.

Vegetables: Have a number of raw vegetables in a grocery bag. Children repeat what the leader

says and copy the leader’s actions.

‘Vegetables are good to eat.’ Take out a vegetable (a pumpkin) and hold it up,

‘This vegetable is a . . . ‘ Children respond ‘pumpkin’.

Rub the pumpkin. ‘My pumpkin is orange/green . . . round . . . big.’

Put the pumpkin on the floor. ‘Pumpkins grow on a vine on the ground.’

Repeat this pattern for several other vegetables.

Pumpkin head hats: Set out a large pumpkin with a face drawn on it. Have a variety of hats

available. As you sing the ‘Mr Pumpkin Head’ song, children can place the different hats on and

take them off the pumpkin.

BOOKS TO SHARE Find books in your local library or parents’ collections about pumpkins, for example:

Pumpkin

Pumpkin

by Jeanne

Titherington

Pumpkins

by Ken

Robbins

Apples and

Pumpkins

by Anne

Rockwell

SONGS AND RHYMES

Peter, Peter pumpkin eater

Come and meet Mr Pumpkin Head, (tune: ‘The Muffin Man’)

Mr Pumpkin Head, Mr Pumpkin Head,

Come and meet Mr Pumpkin Head. With a red hat (or whatever color it is) on his head.

Fruit and veg are good for you, good for you, good for you. (Tune: Mary had a little lamb)

Fruit and veg are good for you, So eat them every day.

They’ll make you grow up big and strong, big and strong, big and strong.

They’ll make you grow up big and strong, So eat them every day.

FAITH ENRICHMENT IDEAS

Key faith concept: God loves us and gives us food.

Talk about food that tastes good.

Wonder why God gives us different kinds of food.

Story: Daniel and his friends choose healthy food. (Daniel 1:1-7)

Song: O who can make a pumpkin (wonder song, http://www.hallelujahpraise.net/)

Prayer: Thank you, God, for pumpkins and other good food. Amen.

Bible verse: God said, ‘I give you every seed-bearing plant . . . They will be yours for food’. (Genesis 1:29)

Playgroup Program Ideas 22 Year A, Term 4

A-4-11

FAMILY A RELATIONSHIP Leaders and volunteers, please remember that you have a legal duty of care for the families who

come to your playgroup. If anything occurs in this (or any other session) that leads you to suspect that a

child is being abused or neglected, you must record and report what you observed to the Child Abuse

Report Line 13 14 78.

Invite families to bring family photos or family photo albums to share.

ACTIVITY IDEAS

Family talk: Make a time for each child to show a grown-up their family photo and tell the grown-up

about their family. The child can name each person in the picture. Find out what ‘family’ means to

the child. Who lives in their house? Are there people in the family who live somewhere else?

If families with different cultural background have different words for family relationships, children will

hear some of these words.

Playing family: In a free play setting provide dolls, possibly a doll’s house and dress-ups, Encourage

children to play families.

You may talk with children as they play, and ask, for example: Who is this in the family? (Daddy)

What do daddies do?

All kinds of families: Have pictures of various configurations of families; include large, small, in-

between, different races, etc. Parents and children look at the pictures, count the number of people

in the family and find the family that is most like their own.

Family portrait: Children paint a portrait of their family; or the people who live in

their house. Alternatively, provide cut out triangle and circle shapes in various

sizes and colours. Children glue circle and triangle figures onto paper to create

their family portrait.

Together: Stand or sit in a circle, parents with their children. Ask a family: What

does your family do together? (eg eat) Mime the action, as you say ‘Claire’s family eat together’.

Repeat for another family. You may make this cumulative, repeating all the previous family activities.

Family puzzles: Make your own puzzles. Begin with pictures of families — choose families (human or

animal) that children are familiar with from popular children’s book and the media. Glue the picture

to card. Cut each card into pieces (separating the members of the family). Children put together

the puzzle families and name the people in the family.

BOOKS TO SHARE Find stories in your local library or parents’ collections about families, for example:

Caillou

a New Family

by Christine

l’Heureux

My Family

a play and tote

book by

Merry North

The Family

Book

by Todd Parr

SONGS AND RHYMES

Traditional rhymes and songs often assume ‘traditional’ families. Be careful with your selection.

This is a family (hold up one hand, fingers spread);

let's count them and see,

how many there are, and who they can be (count 1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

It’s so nice to have a cuddle (Useful Book)

In my family, in my family, God gave me a mother. (Elizabeth Sparrow, Sing to Jesus #220)

For my family, for my family, Thank you, thank you, God. (Add other family members.)

FAITH ENRICHMENT IDEAS

Key faith concept: God gives us families that love us and people we can love back.

Talk about who are the people in your family.

Wonder why God gives us families.

Story: Jesus tells who his family is. (Luke 8 19–21).

Song: God loves you and I love you

Pray: Thank you, God, for families. Amen.

Bible Verse: God put the lonely in families. (Psalm 68:6)