The Good Shepherd: A Devotion for Toddlers

It’s Spring! It sure doesn’t feel like it in Minnesnowta. There is a blizzard swirling outside as I write this. However, for everywhere else in the world it is Spring. And if anything can be associated with Spring, it’s sweet little lambs. So in hopes of coaxing along the weather, we are learning about “The Good Shepherd” and how we are his sheep. Here’s what we’re doing this week:

Read: The Good Shepherd

We read the “Parable of the Good Shepherd” every day in our baby Bible. We had fun counting the sheep on each page (just like the shepherd counted the sheep) and practicing our sheep sound “Baaaaa!”

Sensory: Good Shepherd Sensory Bin

We played with a “Good Shepherd” sensory bin.

Materials Needed:

• Colored Rice
• Toy Sheep, Farmer, and Hay
• Spoons and scoops

Baby girl had fun scooping up the rice and pouring it out. Similar to the corn kernel sensory bin we used in The Parable of the Sower. She also enjoyed having me hide the sheep in the rice and her having to find them, just like the Shepherd in the story.

Skills: Counting

We are, again working on our counting. I know, a little repetitive, but that’s how kiddos learn, through repetition. Also, it seems like a natural skill to work on, since the shepherd counted his 100 sheep. We have been working on this skill organically, taking the time to count everything from tea cups, to cotton balls and everything in between.

Arts and Crafts: Paper Plate Sheep

This is a classic Sunday School craft and so simple. Here’s what you need:

Materials:

• Paper Plate
• Cotton balls
• Glue
• Black construction paper
• Googly eyes

Now here’s what you do:

1. Glue cotton balls to paper plate. I simply squeezed a bunch of glue onto the plate and let my toddler cover it with cotton balls (or pompoms as she likes to call them).
2. Cut 1 circle (head), 2 ovals (ears), and 2 rectangles (legs) out from the black construction paper.
3. Help toddler glue ovals to the circle. Then add the googly eyes. We bought self-adhesive ones with eyelashes from Target during Valentine’s Day. Hence the flashy googly eyes on ours.
4. Then glue the head to the cotton ball body.
5. Finally, glue the legs to the body and you have a lovely sheep.

Snack: Popcorn

We love popcorn over here. They say not to feed it to kiddos under 2, because it’s a choking hazard, so use your discretion. But we had popcorn, because they kind of look like sheep, and it’s so countable. Plus we air pop ours, and our toddler loves to watch the popcorn pop and spill out of the popper. Some alternatives to this could be puffcorn or marshmallows.

Media

We’ve been watching The Donut Man Camp Harmony. The whole episode is packed with Bible-based songs, so we watch the full episode. However the songs for this lesson are:

• “Skip Behind the Shepherd” (Starting at 6:40)
• “The Good Shepherd” (27:40)

This past week, I also learned about a Twin Cities-based band called With Harp and Lyre. They’re a couple of parents that wanted to use music to teach their son scripture. However they couldn’t find any that fit their tastes (I understand the struggle). So they made their own. Their songs are straight scripture, so this is a great tool to help with scripture memorization when the time comes. This week we’re listening to their song Luke 12: 32, 34. This passage (and song) talks about how the Lord is our shepherd and it is his desire to take care of us.

Finally, for Spanish media we have been watching ¿Donde Esta Mi Oveja?”by Pequeños Heroes. This is a retelling of “The Good Shepherd” with some modern twists and in Spanish to help us with our bilingualism.

What ideas do you have for teaching the “Parable of the Good Shepherd” to your kiddos? Comment Below!