What do you believe?

We believe that Jesus is the Son of God and came to earth as fully God and fully human. He died on the cross fro the sin of humankind, was resurrected and is alive. We believe that the Bible is the Word of God. We believe that there is one God, who exists as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We believe people receive forgiveness of sins and eternal life through Christ. 

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Why are PLAY and SIGN so important in early development?

There is much research on why PLAY and SIGN are helpful in development. Here are a few resources: 

- Teaching Your Baby Sign Language Can Benefit the Both of You 

- Is Baby Sign Language Worthwhile?

- Play is More Than Fun 

- Scientist's Say Child's Play Helps Build a Better Brain 

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Will using sign delay my child from talking?

There is no compelling evidence that teaching signs to babies will delay them from speaking. There actually is some evidence to show that it can help support language development. Sign can also reduce frustration in the early stages since the motor movements of the hands develop sooner than the precise movements of the articulators. Read this article from Parents for more information. We always suggest saying the word as you sign it in order to strengthen the language input for the child. 

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Can signing and playing with the babies and children really teach them about God?

God created us all to know Hm and to be in relationship with Him. Babies may not be able to cognitively "understand" who God is In the early stages of life, and yet, they are fully capable of receiving and experiencing love. They are also at the age where they are taking in the sights and sounds of everything around them and they benefit from appropriate stimulation. As caregivers to these precious little ones, let's make the most of these formative months and years and not only teach babies about mama, dada, milk, and more -- but also about their Creator, who loves them immensely. We can allow them to experience God and His love through the spaces, love, and play that Kingdom PLAY can help with. 

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How will I know if the babies are learning anything?

Babies that are looking, moving, vocalizing, hearing and using their hands and feet are typically learning. They can actually be learning even if they don't look like they are paying attention! From our experience, it is often the case that the babies will spend a good amount of time initially just watching and observing. This is one of the reasons we repeat the same lesson (with minor tweaks to keep it fresh) for the babies. Because over the weeks, they begin to become familiar with the activities and tend to participate more, whether that is anticipating what is next, signing more, interacting more...and playing more!

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Do I really need the specific props and quantity you suggest?

No, you don't  =). These are just suggestions and an ideal amount. There is a lot of flexibility in what you use to teach and play with your babies. One main guideline would be to keep it child-safe (nothing with small parts that could cause choking, nothing sharp, nothing plastic that could cause suffocation, etc). especially if the kids are touching and playing with the items. Sometimes the teacher uses items as an example, but this is rare. We want the kids to get their hands on the props and actually play. Kids should always be under the supervision of an adult when playing with props and during Kingdom Play. In terms of quantity, it would be great if the kids can actually get their hands on the toys/props so that they truly are playing for the duration of the lesson. They can definitely share props if you are able to keep them sanitary during the lesson. Other than that, be creative and have fun! If you ever need suggestions on what you can use instead of a suggested prop, please feel free to contact us for ideas. We love this kind of collaboration!

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How can I involve parents?

Involving parents/guardians is ideal since they are the ones with the babies most of the time. Not only will interacting with them allow you to equip and support them as they teach their children about God, but interacting with them will also allow you the opportunity to build relationships with them as you seek to grow the community in your church/school. You can invite them to join something like a "Baby and Me" type Kingdom Play session during your Sunday programs or even as a play group during the week. You can also host an online gathering to share some of the play activities you are using to teach their little one about God and how they can use them at home as well. Simple parent handouts are also provided for you to send home. 

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