1 Understanding Children Beginners – Birth to 2 Years Presented by Donna J. Habenicht, Ed.D.

2 Babies are the Beginning

3 “Bring your children in prayer to Jesus, for He has made it possible for them to learn religion as they learn to frame the words of the language.” Ellen G. White The Adventist Home, p. 321 First Spiritual Lessons

4 “If we live in communion with God, we too may expect the divine Spirit to mold our little ones, even from their earliest moments.” Ellen G. White The Desire of Ages, p. 512 Earliest Moments

5 “During the first three years of the life of Samuel the prophet his mother carefully taught him to distinguish between good and evil. By every familiar object surrounding him, she sought to lead his thoughts up to the Creator.” Ellen G. White Child Guidance, p. 197 First Three Years

6 First Spiritual Lessons “As the mother teaches her children to obey her because they love her, she is teaching them the first lessons in the Christian life. The mother’s love represents to the child the love of Christ, and the little ones who trust and obey their mother are learning to trust and obey the Savior.” Ellen G. White The Desire of Ages, p. 515

7 Growing Physically Growing very fast Learning to use body Limited coordination Like to practice body skills Very active Limited singing Immature vision

8 Growing Mentally - 1 Sensorimotor Short attention span Repetition, routine, imitation Do’s & don’ts Learning speech Learning to make mental pictures

9 Growing Mentally - 2 Understand familiar pictures and objects Do not understand numbers or time Love rhythm and rhyme Understand more words than they use Do not understand general principles Tend to concentrate on one thing at a time

10 Growing Socially Learning to trust and love people Shy and timid Eager to please Self-centered Usually play alone Want independence “NO” favorite word

11 Growing Emotionally Learning love & trust Feel everything Easily frightened Need routine Need lovingly firm discipline Dislike hurrying Easily overstimulated

12 Planning Sabbath School for Beginners Include lots of large motor activities Include many manipulatives Alternate active and quieter activities Maintain routines Plan lots of repetition Use familiar ideas – home, family, nature Use rhythm, rhyme, and music

13 Doing Sabbath School for Beginners Keep a loving, calm, happy atmosphere. Use words and ideas babies understand. Allow plenty of time for an activity. Do one thing at a time. Talk relatively slowly. Give everyone a turn – don’t force. Avoid frightening noises and activities.

14 Doing Sabbath School for Beginners - 2 Welcome parents and grandparents. Clean objects babies have handled. Be sure manipulatives are safe. Be sure the entire room is safe. Use chairs with arms. Print words to songs on large cards. Be organized – no gaps. Have lots of help.