Ep 44: Nurturing Little Souls: Teaching God's Word to Young Children with Melissa McKenzie

My guest today is Melissa McKenzie.  Melissa holds a Master's Degree in Early Childhood Education from Stephen F. Austin University and is one of our favorite presenters at live conferences every year. She is an Early Childhood Professional who is committed to making learning a joyful journey. She has written faith-based and movement curricula and taught in a large Early Childhood Center, she was the FCS Childhood Guidance/Human Resource Practicum Teacher, and Preschool Director for Cypress Ranch Preschool for the last seven years. Today, she is a new grandmother and takes care of her grandson while his parents are at work. In this podcast episode, I get to ask Melissa about her passion for teaching young children about God's word. She is going to emphasize the importance of making the Bible concrete and relatable for children, rather than just telling them stories, and share with us her conviction that children rely on adults to teach them about God and it is an important task we shouldn't take lightly. Melissa shares practical examples of how she teaches the Bible to babies and toddlers, using object lessons and active participation. She also will discuss the importance of praying with young children and making it a personal and meaningful experience for them. She will give us insight into how repetition and reinforcement of lessons through various methods, such as weekly notes home and monthly activities for families can help as a tool. Overall, Melissa emphasizes the need for adults to approach teaching children about God with creativity, passion, and a deep understanding of the impact it can have on their lives. It's easy to tell that Melissa is passionate about teaching young children the truth of God's word at their level. I hope you will be inspired (maybe even a little bit convicted) to do better as you teach these little souls who God is.  Weave spiritual truth into your everyday interactions as much as you can and also be intentional about what you're teaching.  Melissa is a wonderful resource and you can find her on her website (linked below).  We'd love to hear how YOU make God more real to the young children in your care!  Let us know your best ideas via email or our social media channels.  We'd love to connect.   Melissa's website: https://mosaicconceptions.com/ As always, we would love to connect with you on Instagram and on Facebook