Chats With God's Little Ones

Book cover: 'Chats With God's Little Ones'
Author(s): 
Mrs. Margaret Mary Myers
Number of pages: 
94 pages
Copyright: 
2000
Publisher: 
Lepanto Press
Binding: 
Spiralbound
Subject(s): 
Grade / Age level: 
Resource Type: 
Review: 

Chats With God's Little Ones is a unique Catholic religion course for the youngest of students from pre-kindergarten up through the second grade. Written to the teacher, the lessons are designed to be used orally with the student in a Charlotte Mason three-step style of asking the child, answering with the child, and the re-telling by the child. The lessons are presented as guided scripts for the teacher, who can personalize them and adapt them to the needs and interest of the child. In the words of the author, "I have written a step by step guide to enable you to arouse the child's interest, apply the Faith to his daily life, and convey to him your love of Jesus and Mary and of the child himself. Our chief aim, after all, is to inflame his heart with love of God and His Holy Mother, and enkindle in him the desire to please God."

Chats With God's Little Ones is a 94 page, spiral-bound book with a laminated over. The binding allows the book to lie flat so that is can be used during the lesson time with the child. At first glance, the book seems very simple; it isn't! There are 63 lessons of new material arranged into 24 chapters, in addition to 24 review lessons, one at the end of each chapter. The lessons begin with the teaching of the basic Catholic prayers and the meaning of these prayers. The lessons continue with instruction in all of the basic catechism lessons, intermixed with an introduction to Bible History. The back of the book includes simple drawings and suggestions for art projects for each of the chapters. This is a full-year religion course for Pre-K, Kindergarten, and First Grade. It is designed to also be used in the first semester of Second Grade, with sacramental preparation taking place in the second semester.

I really like this course, and I am using it both in Kindergarten as an introduction to our Faith and in First Grade, with an eye toward mastery and understanding. In our family, we tend toward a Charlotte Mason-based approach in the youngest years, and the style of this course fits in very nicely.

Perspective: 
Catholic
Reviewed by: 
First reviewed: 
8-10-01