This year I’m going to be creating an Advent Lapbook to help support the understanding of Advent. I’m going to be drawing on a variety of sources and using different parts of resources that other people have created to make this suitable for the child I am supporting. The wonderful thing is that all children are different so we can make sure we are ‘playing to their strengths’ when we are teaching them about the Faith rather than setting up further barriers to learning.
For the cover of my lapbook I am using a purple file insert and I have printed off the Advent colouring page ‘What Advent Looks Like’ from Look to Him and Be Radiant.
I have coloured this in myself (Colouring isn’t my forte!) and used glue to mount it on the front cover of the lapbook. Some children will love to colour this in themselves but the particular child this is for has barriers relating to this so I have taken this step out but have the lovely illustrations to share and talk about when we talk what we will see this Advent.
On the first page of the book I will be using the Advent fold up book from Look to Him and be Radiant as I have found previously that concertina resources tend to be really popular for inclusive catechesis and the illustrations on this one are clear and will help discuss the Advent Wreath and the 4 weeks of Advent.
The rest of the book will be created over 4 Sundays and I have identified several resources that can be used but the onus is on using 1 resource that helps the child rather than pushing them to do several things when they have lost interest or feel overwhelmed. The resources I am using are:
The Advent Colouring Book for Kids from Catholic Sprouts (I will be using one section per week and this could be coloured by the child or pre-coloured by the supporting adult depending on how you want to use the resource.)
The Hope Resource Pack from Twinkl There are several different activities within this pack but I have selected the ones that will work for this particular child to support the understanding of what ‘Hope’ is. (There is a charge to join Twinkl but I find they have excellent resources on a range of topics)
The Peace Resource Pack from Twinkl As with the Hope pack I have selected the Peace activity I think will work and will pair this with the relevant part of the Catholic Sprouts colouring book for the second week of Advent.
The Joy Resource Pack from Twinkl (as above)
The Love Resource Pack from Twinkl (as above)
Sometimes I find that I get really excited to find a variety of resources that cover a topic I’m researching but I have now learned that the key is to ensure any resource I use suits that particular child and that I don’t give the child too much to do and over face them. We all learn best when we are happy and engaged to its important to make sure that activities match the attention span and abilities of the person you are supporting.
My hope is that the finished lap book will make the child feel a sense of achievement at having learned about Advent and that the contents will act as a memory jogger when they look through in the future: my bigger hope is that learning about Advent helps this little one build his relationship with his Heavenly Father.
As always, all views and opinions are my own and the ideas I share won’t suit every child but may help someone.
Remarkably & Wonderfully Made 