"What would Mrs. Potato Head and George Washington Carver have in common?"
Glad you asked. They both were used to teach children the quality of Attentiveness, while studying a unit on "Hearing God's Voice."
I used Mrs. Potato Head to show how to keep... feet and hands from distracting... mouths quiet... ears listening... and eyes looking at the speaker. To gain attention at times, I will say, "Children, if you're not looking, then I know you're not"... (and then children will call out the answer), "LISTENING!" That quiets them immediately.
Available from Child Evangelism Fellowship, "Discovering With God," the story of George Washington Carver is a perfect one to focus on "Hearing God's Voice." To reinforce the teaching, we planted peanuts! After soaking raw peanuts overnight, they are ready to plant.
Children planted 3 peanuts in a paper cup full of potting soil.
I made labels to tape to the cups, and included instructions to care for their plants at home.
The kids were thrilled to take their planted peanuts home, and I've heard back that they did indeed grow. My own children did this one year, transplanting to a flower bed, where they harvested quite a crop.
By Google-ing "George Washington Carver coloring page," you can find a number to choose from. On the one I chose, I added appropriate text for our lesson.
Yes, George Washington Carver spent a lifetime being attentive to God, rising at 4 AM each morning to ask God's orders for the day. Studying his life through the years has caused me to place him in the top ten of my personal "Heroes of the Faith!"
And who could resist the charm of Mrs. Potato Head? She was a weekly reminder to the children to remain attentive.
So... go for it! Use those peanuts... and Potato Heads... and teach memorable lessons!
