Week 4 - The Great Outdoors

WATER from the Well

Week 4 · September 13, 2026 · 2026–2027 Program Year

Burgers and other “yummy treats” were available at the playhouse all week as many of the kids had the chance to spend a lot of time in our little park. Check out some other fun adventures in the great outdoors described below!

Scroll to the end of each section to see some photos from the week.

THE GARDEN

We started our week by dancing to the weather and choosing to be happy, whether it’s cloudy, rainy, or sunny. It reminds us of the Bible verse: “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” - Psalm 118:24

During worship time, we sang a new song, “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands.”

Then, the children heard about a time in the Bible when God told Adam and Eve not to eat from one special tree in the garden but they chose to eat its fruit anyway. They knew what God had asked them to do, but they chose not to obey. This was the first sin. We reminded them that God loves us and gives us rules to keep us safe. We should listen to God and obey Him always.

At circle time, we played a new game with Mrs. Doreen using an umbrella. We all had to do whatever movement the umbrella did, and it was lots of fun! We also learned a new song and its hand motions, “Open/Shut Them.”

During activity time, we had lots of fun playing dress-up, creating with play dough, and practicing our cutting skills with scissors. In the kitchen, we made delicious ice cream and enjoyed sharing it together. It was a fun-filled time of creativity, learning, and sharing!

Our storytime books this week were: “Creation” and “Does God Sleep?”

SEEDS

In our Worship time, the students continued to learn about the title Jesus gave himself: “The Light of the World.” In this week‘s Bible passage, Jesus not only referred to himself as the light of the world, but also said that his followers would also be lights in the world. Our good works should be reflections of that light, shining so that the whole world can see and glorify God. We also enjoyed singing our worship songs “This is My Father’s World” and Mr. Jean’s original memory verse songs, “Jesus” and “Light of the World.”

There are incredible mammals in God’s creation: big and small. This week in Science, we reviewed the characteristics of mammals and learned more about different kinds of mammals. We also enjoyed a video of the creature feature of the week: the platypus. The video demonstrated how this unique animal is an example of God’s masterful design. We look forward to learning more about primates and aquatic mammals next week.

Finally, the students had a very fun time doing History outside in the park, pretending they were the settlers that sailed from England to Jamestown, Virginia. The kids had to travel “across the ocean” and make a fort using their backpacks in the shape of a triangle (the shape used in the Jamestown colony). Then they covered these supplies with palm branches and sticks to protect them before collecting food from all over the park, like mushrooms, leaves and flowers. Our youngest group made their forts out of legos! It was a very fun time pretending to be colonial settlers from the 1600s.

READINGS

A Guide to God’s Animals
- Pp. 44-49, 66-67

OAKS

In Oaks Science, the students did a great job on their first test and were rewarded with a sweet treat at the end. On Thursday, the Physics students began discussing Newton’s laws of motion and used examples to illustrate concepts like mechanical equilibrium. In Anatomy, the students worked in teams using classroom items to build model cells that they shared with each other at the end of class.

We also continued working on our memory verses from the book of James. We are learning how wisdom can be found in God and that He gives generously to those who ask for it. We were able to apply this to real situations in our lives. We also continued reading, “A Young Person‘s Guide to Knowing God” and used the book to inspire new stories in Mr. Jean’s creative writing class. In History, we read about King James I and the complicated family tree that he was a part of. We learned how he became the first king to unite England, Scotland, and Ireland. We also studied portions of the King James Bible.

Speaking of the Bible, the Oaks students have worked on memorizing James 1:1-8 (Not to be confused with King James I). Go ahead and quiz them at home!

“James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings.
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.”

— James 1:1-8