Perhaps you have been tempted by the thought, It’s a lot of work setting up the activities suggested in Mission Friends Leader each week. I’ll tell the mission story and they can just play the rest of the time.

However, taking time to prepare interest areas for your preschoolers gives purpose to their play and greatly enhances their learning about missions. 

Interest areas extend learning beyond the more structured group time. As a preschooler engages in an activity, a leader can share information about the missionary or missions area related to the activity. These snippets of information help preschoolers understand what the missionaries do and the challenges they may face. Preschoolers learn by repetition as they move from activity to activity, hearing more about the missionary in each interest area.

What Are Interest Areas? 

Interest areas are learning activities set up around a preschool room. Preschoolers are encouraged to choose the activities that interest them. In Mission Friends, the activities are designed so that preschoolers gain knowledge and understanding of what a missionary does and the area where they serve. For instance, a child who enjoys building with blocks may join other preschoolers building a house like the missionary lives in.  

What Types of Interest Areas Are There? 

Interest area activities related to the missionary, the missions area, and the Christian concept area for the month are found each week in Mission Friends Leader. Each week the leader may choose a few activities from among Art, Blocks, Books, Homeliving, Music and Movement, Nature, and Puzzles and Manipulatives.

How Do Interest Areas Help Preschoolers Develop? 

Interest areas promote growth in many ways. For example, using art supplies and playing active games strengthens muscles. As preschoolers talk about what they are doing, they increase verbal skills. Exploring unfamiliar materials promotes curiosity. Preschoolers develop socially as they learn to play together, sharing and taking turns. They learn to ask for help, and in turn, they learn that they can help others.

How Do Interest Areas Help Preschooler Explore New Things? 

Interest areas help preschoolers develop new interests. Perhaps a preschooler isn’t a fan of coloring, but may discover she enjoys painting. Sometimes looking at books on subjects related to the missionary or missions area can inspire further learning.  

How Do Interest Areas Help Preschoolers Spiritually? 

Interest areas can enrich the spiritual growth of preschoolers. Each month focuses on one of the nine Christian concept areas such as God, Jesus, or World. As a preschooler experiences a helping others role-playing activity, he may learn that he can show God’s love to others. As a leader initiates a thank-you prayer while a preschooler is examining nature items, he learns to talk to God anytime, anywhere.

How Do Interest Areas Serve Various Learning Styles? 

Interest areas allow a leader to provide for different learning styles through a variety of choices for their preschoolers. Preschoolers enjoy choosing an activity that interests them. Leaders choose activities that will facilitate learning about the missionary or missions area. That’s a win-win.

So, What Is the Value of Interest Areas in Mission Friends? 

Interest areas are an excellent choice to provide meaningful learning experiences for preschoolers. Yes, preparing interest areas takes time and effort. But preparing engaging interest areas is time well spent when it leads to developing a heart for missions in your preschoolers. 

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by Vivian Howell