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Preschool Ministry Preschoolers at First Baptist Pearland learn about Jesus in a fun and safe environment.  Preschoolers learn through play.  Our teachers create opportunities for pre-schoolers to learn simple Bible truths as they go busily about their activities. Preschoolers have the opportunity learn in a sunday school setting at 9:00am and a large group worship setting that includes some fun songs at 10:30am on Sunday morning.  Wednesday nights they are apart of our cubbies Awana groups which starts at 6:30pm. Eenie-Meenie Life is full of choices.  Little choices: What will I eat? What will I play? Big choices: How will I act? Will I do what God says?  Preschoolers need practice making little choices to prepare them for making bigger life choices later on - including the choice to follow Jesus.  Plus,  giving preschoolers choices conveys that you value their input and thoughts.  So what kinds of choices can you give preschoolers? Preschoolers can choose who to pray for, which activities to do, which songs to sing, where to sit, where to glue craft pieces, which colors of craft materials to use, and more. Giving preschoolers choices may require more of your time, and some children may need guidance on how to choose activities, especially during free choice or open play.  But extra time and efforts is worth it (and let's be honest, it's not that much extra) because you're helping kids learn that each choice they make has a result or consequence.  Follow these tips so your preschooles' decision-making goes smoothly.     * Offer preschoolers choice only when choice is truly possible.  If everyone's going outside, you probably can't realistically offer the choice of staying inside.  But you can say, "We're going outside.  Do you want to play on the swings or kick the ball?"    * Offer two choices-no more.  Rather than asking, "Where do you want to sit?" ask, "would you like to sit here or there?" and point to the two options.    * Be flexible when kids change their mind.  If a child chooses green paper and then decides blue, give him the blue.  Unless the flip-flop concerns a big decision or it creates a problem, roll with it when kids change a decision.  (After all, how many times do we change our mind when ordering from a menu or trying to pick out clothes?)    * Encourage kids to pray about big choices.  Preschoolers can pray about a special project that they want to do or ways they can help others.  Say, "Let's ask God to help us decide if we should collet clothers or food to give to other people."  Giving kids choices within boundaries will help keep them safe while spurring their development.  It's a simple way to nutre the faith of you preschoolers.                                                                                                                                                      Gigi Schweikert   Tone Control by Dean Riding When my kids were younger, I raised my voice more often than I should have. I'm guessing many parents do the same to get their children to pay attention to ignored requests. Of course, volume is not the only way to get the attention of a child who is in another room — or in another world. I learned the value of taking the extra moment necessary to go sit next to my kids, putting myself between them and whatever distractions were present. Then I spoke in a gentler — and more effective—voice. After I started closing the distance rather than raising my voice, I noticed a clear change in the tone of our home.