Wally Wombat

Sunday

10.00 am at St George’s Anglican Church, Tamborine

For children from 0 to 3 years

A Wally Wombat Club session

Normally, the little one or toddler would be with either Mum or Dad or a carer. The accompanying adult is an active participant who encourages their child do their own thing (within the limits of their capability), especially when they are working with the materials. This is more important in the first 18 months, after which the adult accompanying the child becomes a keen observer.

It is important that the atrium session (early years session) be a peaceful time with opportunity for the child to engage. And while each has short attention spans for a particular activity, we want the overall time to be one of simple enjoyment, a feeling of wanting to be there, a time of no pressure, a time when child and carer are able to work in ways they feel led to do as active or as inactive as that may be.

The session runs normally as follows

1.       A gathering time, of about 10 to 15 minutes when the child can explore and do whatever they feel attracted to. A time of settling in.

2.       Then a time on the mat with their adult with them or nearby. A formal welcome, a short prayer and a beginning song followed by 2 or 3 songs involving plenty of movement. At the end of this time the children are shown how to use one or two materials. This all lasts for about 15 minutes.

3.       Then there is a time of individual work with the materials. This can include plant watering or other outside activity, even sitting with their adult and looking at story books. Again, for about 15 minutes

4.       Then they gather in the story area for story time, for about 10 minutes

5.       Move to the Prayer table for a song and some prayers, for about, 5 minutes followed by

6.       A final action song, then

7.       A time having a drink and some fruit to eat together. About 10 minutes.

Total time about an hour and a quarter, followed by outdoor play, while the adults enjoy coffee.

Some Background

The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) , have developed a 0 to 3 years toddler atrium concept. This is the backbone of Wally Wombat Club.

 It was always a work that Sofia Cavalletti (who originated CGS based on principles commenced by Maria Montessori) considered to be of great importance and in the 10 years since her passing the CGS organisation has worked to create the 0 to 3 work. It is very clear from early child development, physiology, and observation that the child from birth, even before birth have developmental urges. At about six months invitro the unborn child has the capability of listening. In fact, they are born with significant vocabulary but cannot at first speak because of the temporary configuration of their mouth and throat. They are listening well before birth.

 It is well accepted that the child is born with a God part in their inner being. This can be thought of as a spiritual urging from within to connect with the Good Shepherd. In some ways it is like the urgings, they have to crawl, walk, speak, master hand eye coordination and so on. The spiritual part  never goes away but can become buried by culture, tradition, human life commands and a myriad of other happenings. This urging can be nourished before birth in various ways including spiritual input such as attendance at worship, singing or listening to Christian songs, reading the Bible and praying. There is a continuum that continues to thirst for the spiritual things of God. If one tries to work with God in ways like we seek to accomplish in the Wally Wombat Club, then it can be very satisfying for the little one.

There is the inner urge to explore things and master various actions and skills. This is done by simply showing what skills are needed and then to let the child try to master the work for themselves. They may need to be shown again at some point. but it is important to them that they master it for themselves. The same happens spiritually if we are allowing an openness to the Holy Spirit, or in other words we are not attempting any teaching just being with the child doing things together about God, then there is this beautiful inner conversing going on between the child’s urge and the deeply loving, sensitive spirit of the Risen Lord that gives the child moments of deep joy that they can’t express but deep down are aware of.

This is why, these first few years are so important, a time when the little one is developing life skills and is enabled to drink freely from the well of living water. They draw close to the Good Shepherd Jesus and become more and more open to his deep and wonderful love for them and in fact in so doing are cooperating with the building of a deep foundation for a victorious life.

We as adults have to be careful, because behind all the boisterous energy, mess and often unfinished work there is this vitally important inner conversation going on and we don’t want to be a distraction but more a background servant in this precious time.

For further information please contact John on 0477 839 136