This is something that I repeat every time the group meets.  Teaching them that the prayer before we eat is a regular as snack time and both things come together will teach them that it is good to pray before we eat.

This is an amazing teaching opportunity not to be missed out on.  It’s not quick but I consistently repeatedly, without fail teach at snack time without fail.

I ask two questions of the children, yes two questions, same questions week in week out! It works.

The first question – Why do we pray before we eat? – It’s simple Jesus told us to – and because we need to say thank you!  If you have been with your group for a little while you will have taken them through the “Easter Lesson”, so some of them may know the answer.  If however, they haven’t then you do the quickest childlike recite of the last supper known to man!

However, when someone gives us something we should always say “thank you”, I say “what do you say when someone gives you a present” they reply – Thank you! So we need to thank God for all the food he is giving us now for our snack.  I say to them “Oh did you think the food came from the supermarket, did the crackers come from the supermarket”, they reply “yes” but I say “how did the crackers get in the supermarket where did they come from”, eventually after “lorries” and “mummies” we lead them to the crackers came from flour that was made from wheat that came from a seed, and “who made the seed” – God did, as everything comes from God and he made everything.  SO, God gave us the crackers, which is why we need to say thank you to God.

There is a heap of learning there and it would be so sad to miss out on it.  I have said the same thing for so many years, repeating the same message that I am able to get it out pretty quickly in an exciting way.  Once you start saying the same messages in parrot fashion, you too will be able to get through them in a fun and quick way whilst the children in your group grow patience waiting for their snack!

As I said previously I put the snacks into individual bowls, I once had a whole heap of bowls with a heap of children, the first week I insanely used the two pink bowls! Never again, the girls shouted and screamed for the pink bowls. In the future I placed the two pink bowls up high ontop of the cupboard and when they asked for them I pointed to them, saying we weren’t using them, this confused those little 4 year olds!

The snack in the rooms I have taught in, consists of a piece of small fruit and crackers, I obviously avoid anything that can be choked on and anything to salty or sweet. I make all the bowls consistent so there is no peering over to each others bowl with little ones feeling left out of a lovely snack that their neighbour has. I also encourage my helpers to prepare the snack bowls way before Snack Time.