"Therefore encourage and build up one another just as you are doing"

We believe the first five years of a person's life are extremely important in building character, love, and a positive response to Christ and His church. We seek to provide Christian education and care utilizing trained leaders, a clean and safe surrounding, and a well balanced curriculum designed to meet the needs of preschoolers. Your child is very important to us, and we want his or her time with us to be happy, well directed, and profitable.

Preschoolers from infants to Kindergarten are given the greatest of care at Bayshore. Our Preschool Ministry desires to lay the foundation on which children may come to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and grow in relationship with Him. To that end, we strive to:

Weekly Events in the Preschool Ministry Include:

Sunday School

Sunday School provides preschoolers and children with Bible-based teaching through age-appropriate learning activities. Classes are age-graded to meet the individual needs of preschoolers. Each class is designed to teach the basic concepts of the Bible in a way that preschoolers can understand. Infant through Kindergarten classes meet each Sunday at 9:00 a.m.

Extended Session

Extended Session is an extension of the Sunday School program which takes place during the 10:30 am worship service for preschoolers under four years of age.  It includes age-appropriate Bible teaching and provides parents an uninterrupted time of worship while their preschoolers are having fun in the preschool area.

TeamKID

TeamKID is a character-based program for 3-year-olds through 6^th graders. They enjoy Bible study, music, games and fun together in a Christian Setting. This is an exciting discipleship class for children that teaches morals, values, and biblical principles every child should know. Games, snacks and drama make learning about the Bible fun. Join TeamKID on Wednesday nights at 6:30 p.m.

Seasonal Events in the Preschool Ministry Include:

Vacation Bible School

Preschoolers will love this exciting week of fun, Bible study, crafts, music, and adventure. Vacation Bible School is offered each summer to 4-year-olds through 5^th graders.

Other Seasonal events will be scheduled in the future for our preschoolers.  Please check back for upcoming events.

We teach preschoolers about God through activity teaching. Activities are different from play. When children choose and use materials to play with, they do so without the active involvement of an adult, parent, or teacher. Play has no intrinsic goal, but is done for the sheer joy of playing.

Activity teaching occurs when a person uses play to achieve a spiritual purpose. It must be planned with a specific goal in mind. Activities also require the active involvement and guidance of a teacher. Your child will learn Bible truths through activities that involve books, puzzles, home living, nature, music, and art. Each session includes a group Bible-story time.

Preschoolers are taught using curriculum designed especially for them by experts who know how preschoolers.  Occasionally, materials may be sent home with each child to be used by parents to aid in continued teaching at home.

Here are a few suggestions of how you can make your child's experience at church more meaningful:

    Bring your child regularly to church. Consult your pediatrician when making the decision of when to begin bringing your newborn.

   Attend classes and other activities planned for parents of preschoolers.

   Become familiar with the Preschool Policies and procedures.

   Talk to your child positively during the week about going to church. Use the child's teachers' names and other friends in his class frequently when talking about church.

   Abstain from entering the room unless you have a sleeping baby. As your child begins to walk, allow him to walk into his room.

   Do not attempt to slip away from your child when you bring him to his class. Tell him in a kind, firm voice that you are going but will be back to get him soon.