Use these water into wine activities to teach your toddler about grapes, obedience and kindness. Read the story of when Jesus changes water into wine miracle in your toddler’s Bible in John2:1. The spiritual principles that are shown in this story from Jesus’ life are of obedience (following instructions) and kindness.

Obedience activity

Get toddler to follow a set of instructions like the examples below. This is also a developmental milestone, particularly for younger toddlers. As Jesus gave exact directions to the stewards at the wedding feast, so we can give our toddler’s exact instructions in our home and train them to cheerful obedience.

It would be a good idea when doing this activity to make sure it culminates in a fun activity.

Instruction set for younger toddler

You will need: A packet of balloons (never leave balloons with your toddler when you are not around to closely supervise!). Or a jar of bubble mixture or a small pack of toys cars or farm animals.

Hide the item of choice in a place determined by yourself that you can direct your child to. Perhaps under a bedroom pillow or behind a tree in the garden.

Get your toddler to walk a certain amount of steps and then turn in the direction of the item until you reach it.

Talk to your toddler about following instructions and that when we obey instructions given by a parent, blessing follows. Let them enjoy the toy or bubbles or blow up some balloons and swat them around for a bit of physical activity.

Instruction set for older toddler

You will need: Marie biscuits, 3 table spoons icing sugar, food coloring, Smarties, liquorice string, small jug of water, teaspoons and small plastic bowls. Have these available on a lowish table so that your toddler can reach them.

Instructions given one at a time:

Fetch the biscuits, teaspoons and bowls

Fetch the sugar, coloring, smarties and liquorice

Fetch the jug of water

Mom: mix together a tiny bit of water with a drop of food coloring and the icing sugar. Show your toddler how to make on face on a Marie biscuit and then give them the instructions on how to copy it.

Place a small amount of icing sugar mixture on the one side of your biscuit

Place 3 Smarties on your biscuit - 2 eyes and 1 nose.

Place a piece of liquorice as a smiling mouth on your biscuit

Place your biscuit on a plate to set

Enjoy these together with a cup of tea or milk.

Kindness

Showing kindness everyday starts with us moms, as we show kindness to our children by not yelling, being interested in what they are doing and by helping them when they ask. Kindness is also a Fruit of the Spirit. Jesus showed kindness to the host at the wedding feast by helping him out in a time of need.

Encourage your toddler to help others or around the home with simple chores. Some chores that your toddler can do are:

Throw nappy (diaper) away

Empty waste bin

Help to make bed

Deliver clean folded washing to correct rooms

Empty dishwasher of plastic

For more help on chores for toddler please visit my other website where there are free printable chore charts and advice on implementing them.

Water into wine activities - extension:

Teach your toddler about grapes and do this grape craft with paint and a toilet roll.

Coloured water fun:

You will need some clear glasses filled with water, Q-tips, old mini yoghurt containers, different food colouring.

Cover your work area with newspaper and ensure your toddler is dressed in old clothes.

Show them how to dip the Q-tip into some food colouring (you will have decanted a small amount of the different colours into the yoghurt containers). Then get them to hold the Q-tip in the water and watch the water change colours.

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