From time to time I like to go all out and teach my kids about great missionary in a way that makes it fun and that sticks it in their mind so that they will all remember from the oldest to the youngest of them!!! And just to make it more fun than our usual school I add a crafts, and snacks and games to the mix. To get into the spirit of thinking and exploring and learning like a missionary I would head straight for the Wycliffe Translation has a resource page for kids, they have got so many brilliant ideas and games and ideas for teaching kids about missions.
- Pick yourself a missionary: There are so many great missionaries to choose from… if you are looking for a list to help you choose then look no further than the Trail Blazer Series Bookshelf page. Sometimes I let everyone choose a name and we just wind our way through the list week by week. Suppose you choose a great missionary like Hudson Taylor… then I will just take you through the step by step process of learning about him.
- What country did they minister in? Learn about that Country. What special features are there, what language do they speak, can you learn a few words online, any special animals or wildlife… I usually google “the countries name for kids”… and when it comes to China you are taken to Activity Village and so you should be!!! They are the best resource for lots of topics and China at Activity Village can’t be beat!!!
- Use Operation World: There are great kidable versions of Operation World but my kids love opening up this big fat book and exploring the world. They have a fabulous website where you just click on the country you are after and all the pertinent country facts are available to you. You can take a look at the Opration World link for China here.
- Pick a snack from the country of choice: Usually there is a national food or recipe you can try. My kids love cooking and food seems to stick a whole lot of facts about a country straight into their heads!!! When it comes to China we have made fortune cookies.
- Play a game from the country of origin: Often playing games that children would play in another country gives your kids a good feel for the country they are learning about. Scholastic has a list of Games from around the world including a printable tangram from China. And would you just look at this lovely pdf from the University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, which is packed, packed, packed with games from around the world.
- Do a related craft: Usually I search for crafts for kids from a particular country… but here is a smattering of around the world crafts for kids:
- SIM has a brilliant website for kids and great activities for South America, Asia and Africa.
- The Crafty Crow did a great series on Crafts Around the World last year…
- KinderArt always has great lessons and activities.
- eHow has a collection of “Crafts Around the World for kids.”
- MakingFriends.com has an Around the World Craft page.
- Read an easy to understand biography: It doesn’t have to be an epic, even a short biography off the web. There are a couple of resources that I always use when we learn about a famous missionaries:
- Glimpses for kids: These are printable sheets made for children’s church bulletin’s… love them. Here are Huson Taylors part one and part two.
- WholesomeWords: Always has a list of biographies of varying difficulties, for the various reading levels in our house. Here is the Hudson Taylor Page.
- The Torchlighters Heroes of Faith Website is fantastic!!! Each DVD has a free movie preview and a great printable workbook for teachers and students… I love them and have used them a lot. YOu have to register to use them but it is so worth the effort.
- Find a real live missionary from that country: Go to the contact page of a relevant mission organization and say that you are looking for a missionary to pray for or write to … they will have someone in mind and be able to help you to get in contact with them. Then pray for them with your kids and send them an encouraging letter. For a study on Hudson Taylor I would head straight for OMF International, and browse their website: you can read about the history of OMF and learn about Hudson Taylor’s involvement in the early days of the organization.
And the Se7en +1th Thing:
That’s us!!! Have fun!!!
I’ve been following your blog for awhile now, and I love how informative and fun your posts are (also you have a fantastic family :))
I particularly love this post because my dad is also a missionary, and so I’ve grown up realizing the importance of missions. It’s a passion to go out and encourage others to do so too.
I realize people often have misconceptions or reservations about missions and missionaries. If every parent would do what you’re doing now I’m sure lots more people will come to a better understanding of it! đŸ™‚
lovely ideas we love reading about missionaries but never thought to reinforce their understanding in this way, this will really be fun and exciting to present it like this.
Okay now, seriously? How awesome is this post?! Thank you for sharing all of your ideas and those fabulous links!
Hi Zi, Wow how to great to meet you!!! You are so right, nothing stops a conversation quite like your child saying: “They want to be a missionary when they grow up!” You will find most adults stumped and then they will say: “yes, you can be whatever you like, like a doctor or a lawyer.” Pause from the kid “… or a missionary!!!” I think it is great for our kids to know that amongst all the career choices out there that this is one they can consider whatever other job they choose!!! Also learning about missionaries is part of their Christian culture and therefore important to learn about!!! Thanks so much for stopping by and have a great day!!!
Hi Melanie… It is such fun to add a few activities into the mix and really it isn’t that much work to just bring the whole topic a little more into our consciousness!!! Hope you guys have a great day… We sure have been enjoying the fabulous weather!!!
April Thank-you!!! You are always such an encouragement!!! I am so glad we could write a post you love!!! Have a fun day!!!
Thank you! I have been looking for more books for my sons and these links look like they will help!
Hi Rebecca, Glad you liked it!!! Hope you have a great week!!!
You are just amazing providing all these resources for us. I hope you never delete your blog as I’d love to come back and follow these leads as my children get older.
Thanks also for your wonderful missions post. Dave and I always hope to find more SA ministries to support, feeling that although we are here in Australia we don’t want to forget the poor in Dave’s first country (and still the only one where he is a permanent resident!). We are so encouraged to read about Samaritan’s Feet.
Hi Sherrin again, I don’t think you can delete what’s out there!!! So never fear!!! I am so glad you enjoyed hearing about Samaritan’s Feet!!! Hope you have a great weekend!!!