Introduction to God's Love

Lesson Overview

Subject: Religious Education
Year Group: Reception
Lesson Duration: 60 minutes
Unit: Discovering God's Love (Lesson 1 of 5)
Curriculum Area: Religious Education (EYFS Development Matters – Personal, Social and Emotional Development, Understanding the World)

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will:

• Understand the concept of love in simple terms.
• Recognise that God's love is for everyone.
• Identify ways they can show love to others.
• Engage in a story-based discussion about love.

Resources Needed

• Storybook: Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney
• Soft heart-shaped cushions or cut-out hearts
• A small mirror
• A selection of toy figurines representing different people
• Coloured paper and crayons
• Gentle background music (e.g., calm instrumental music)

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Lesson Structure

1. Warm-up Activity – Love Reflection (10 minutes)

Objective: Help students connect with feelings of love.

• Gather students in a circle and pass around a small mirror.
• As each student looks into the mirror, say: "The person you see is loved very much!"
• Encourage each child to smile at themselves and repeat: "I am loved!"
• Discuss: Who loves you at home? How do people show they love you?

Teacher Tip:

Use a gentle and reassuring voice to help create a sense of security for children who may not yet fully understand the concept of love.

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2. Storytime – Guess How Much I Love You (15 minutes)

Objective: Introduce the idea of expressing love.

• Read Guess How Much I Love You aloud, using expressive voices.
• Pause occasionally to ask simple questions:
  • How do Little Nutbrown Hare and Big Nutbrown Hare show love to each other?
  • How do you show love to your family or friends?
• Encourage students to act out parts of the story (e.g., stretching their arms wide to show "big love").

Teacher Tip:

Make it interactive—use props like a soft heart cushion to represent love being “passed” between characters.

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3. Discussion – God's Love (10 minutes)

Objective: Introduce God's love as unconditional and always present.

• Show a small selection of toy figurines representing different people (a baby, an elderly person, a teacher, etc.).
• Ask: Does God love each of these people?
• Emphasise: "God loves everyone, no matter who they are!"
• Reinforce with a simple phrase for children to repeat:
  "God’s love is big! God’s love is for everyone!"

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4. Activity – Love Hearts (15 minutes)

Objective: Encourage creative expression of love.

• Give each child a paper heart and crayons.
• Ask them to:
  1. Draw a picture of someone they love.
  2. Draw something they do to show love (e.g., hugging a friend).
• Play calm instrumental music in the background to create a peaceful atmosphere.
• Invite children to share their drawings and say who the person is.

Teacher Tip:

For children who are unsure, model an example by drawing your own “love heart” first.

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5. Reflection and Closing Prayer (10 minutes)

Objective: Reinforce gratitude and love.

• Sit in a quiet circle and ask: "What did we learn about love today?"

• Teach a simple prayer:

  "Dear God,
  Thank you for loving us so much. Help us to share love with others, today and always. Amen."

Teacher Tip:

Encourage a quiet moment of reflection—perhaps ask children to close their eyes and think of someone they love.

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Assessment Opportunities

• Observe students’ participation in discussions and activities.
• Assess understanding through their responses to questions and their engagement in creative tasks.
• Listen to how children express love in their own words.

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Differentiation Strategies

For children who need extra support:

• Provide verbal prompts to help them articulate their feelings.
• Pair them with a “talking buddy” to share ideas.

For children ready for more challenge:

• Encourage them to describe different ways love can be shown beyond family (e.g., kindness to classmates).
• Ask: "How do you think God shows love to people?"

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Next Lesson Preview

Lesson 2: How Love is Shown

• Exploring acts of kindness and how love can be demonstrated in everyday life.

🎉 Well done, wonderful teacher! This lesson will make a real impact on your little learners!