Sheep – Playtime with a Purpose

Preschool Bible teachers seem to have many opportunities to talk about sheep! Bible stories for kids are filled with lessons about them! From Easter to Christmas…and everything in between…sheep and shepherds are a common biblical theme.

The following is a fun finger play for preschoolers written by Susan M. Dailey that would be a great complement to any lesson involving sheep.

I will be utilizing it this week as I teach the Parable of the Lost Sheep to kindergarteners. I think it will be one that will be recycled in many future lessons!

Please follow the link below to find the original fingerplay and accompanying song.

Dancing Sheep Finger Play by Susan M. Dailey

Dancing Sheep

Shhh! It’s time to go to sleep
(put finger to mouth, pretend to sleep)
But into my bedroom one sheep creeps.
(creep fingers)

“Don’t go to bed,” the one sheep said.
“I would rather dance instead!”

Soon he was… (draw these words out)
Dancing on the ceiling!
(move hands above head in “dancing” motion)
He was dancing on the floor!
(move hands on floor as mentioned above)
He was dancing on the window!
(move hands to one side)
He was dancing on the door!
(move hands to other side)

He kept on…

Dancing on the ceiling!
(sing faster)
He was dancing on the floor!
He was dancing on the window!
He was dancing on the door!
(repeat several times getting faster each time through)

“Stop that dancing, silly sheep.
It is time to go to sleep!”

Soon the sheep lay on the floor.
Soon the sheep began to snore.

So I started … (draw these words out)
Dancing on the ceiling!
I was dancing on the floor!
I was dancing on the window!
I was dancing on the door!

-written by Susan M. Bailey

Where is the Green Sheep by Mem Fox is a great companion book when teaching The Parable of the Lost Sheep to preschoolers. Although Ms. Fox’s book is not based on the biblical lesson, it is a fun rhyming book about a lost sheep (that is found in the end) that would complement the parable in a way that preschoolers would enjoy.

Below is a link to a You Tube storyteller reading the book:

Where is the Green Sheep

You can find the book online at various retailers.

I made a large version to read to my class from coloring pages based on the book purchased here:

Where is the Green Sheep Coloring pages

We can remind the children that just like we looked for the green sheep in the story…Jesus searches for us when we are lost.

Tag: Sheep

Dancing Sheep

Where is the Green Sheep?