Father Says...

Mid-July. So, I guess it's time to start thinking about this autumn's CCD classes!

So, do your kids ever get antsy and start squirming in their seats? (Okay, you can stop laughing now.) REALITY CHECK: most kids, especially those who have been in school all day or who just came from Mass, cannot easily sit still for a whole hour of CCD. So what do you do? Scold them, struggle the rest of the class time with their inattention and lose your temper? (Okay, maybe it's just me who has done this.) Of course you don't do that. You help them manage their sensory needs. (i.e. You let them move.) So, how do you do this without losing valuable teaching time? Ah, that's where Father Says comes in.

I had an absolutely brilliant 2nd grade teacher, Mrs. Hite. Just when we kids were about to melt down, miraculously, it was time for song, usually with movements! Amazing, huh? I can still sing songs about Father Abraham (with the crazy body movements) and counting to 10 in Spanish. So, in imitation of this wise woman and under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, I decided we would have a game, with MOVEMENT, during each class. The most popular of these games was Father Says.

Father Says is just like Simon Says, except the children are practicing words and movements they need to know to worship God. Since I have first graders, this covers a lot! Rules of the game are exactly the same. Here's the basic content I used:

Father says...
Do the Sign of the Cross
Genuflect
Kneel
Stand up
Bow
"The Lord be with you." (R - "And also with you.")
"Alleluia!" (R - "Alleluia) Not during Lent
"Lord have mercy." (R - "Lord have mercy.")

It only takes a few minutes, and it a great deal of fun. And, as you know, repetition is very important to learning new things! See what else you can add to my list. Then stand up and move a bit!

Blessed be God.