By Rev. Doug Forbes

The Weather Channel is my favorite television network.  Weather has always fascinated me, and I believe it interests many others as well, especially children.

The Weather Wheel is a great way to teach young children about the weather and seasons.  It can also lead to discussions about God and His loving care in sending different types of weather.

To make the Weather Wheel you need:  Bibles, Bible concordances, 22-by-22-inch sheets of white poster board, blue poster board, paper fasteners, rulers, crayons and markers.

Cut out a circle of white poster board 22-inches in diameter.  Divide the circle into four equal sections making a giant “X” with a black fine tipped marker.  In each section draw a picture that relates to a different season.  An umbrella with raindrops could be spring, a snow person could represent winter, a cloud with blowing leaves could designate fall, and a sun with flowers below could be summer.

Cut out a pointer 2-by-8-inches from the blue poster board and fasten the center of the pointer to the center of the white poster board.  (Make sure that you have made an actual point on one end of your pointer.)

Instruct your students to use their Bibles and concordances to find passages on weather, especially instances where the weather has been helpful to people.  Allow time for the young people to share their findings.  (If your class is made up of pre-readers, you could do the research in advance and share your findings with the class.)

Your Weather Wheel is now ready to help the children in your class appreciate the weather God gives and to thank him for his loving care.

Ask the children, “What kind of weather did God make for us today?”  Ask your students to spin their pointers and tell you what season they have landed on.  Discuss with them the different types of weather that are typical for that season and its benefits.  For instance, the spring rain helps things grow.  Winter storms bring us snow for skiing and sledding.

Discuss with the children how good God is to send us the sun or rain or snow that we need and how such weather is helpful.  Explain that even the wind helps us by moving the air about to make it fresh and clean.

Close your class session with a short prayer thanking God for His beautiful world and its interesting and helpful weather patterns.