Teams is a monthly series that celebrates the talent and impact of various groups at Hoboken Grace.

Peer into the Little Steps classroom on any Sunday morning and you’ll find toddlers molding Play-Doh into pyramids, tracing handprints and coloring scenes from the Bible. Patient teachers kneel alongside them, teaching them about Jesus, praising their work, sharing stickers and catching runaway crayons.

The Little Steps teachers got their own craft time Friday night, assembling the Play-Doh costumes they’ll wear to the Grace Kids costume party on Sunday, Oct. 25 (pick out the kids costumes and mark your calendar parents, it’s an amazingly fun Sunday!).

“We were throwing ideas around and a few of us had gone as crayons in the past, so we wanted something fun like that that the kids would enjoy, ” says Sheena, one of the four teachers who made the costumes.

With fabric, ribbons, paint and food plates strewn across the floor of a Hoboken living room, they snipped, stitched, stenciled and snacked for hours.

“The process seemed pretty simple in theory — make containers out of yellow fabric, using Stitch Witchery to iron the seams instead of sewing, add straps and paint on a label,” says Courtney, another teacher. “In practice, it took us three hours with a few additional snack breaks.”

They worked into the night, draping themselves in neon yellow fabric and assembling all the pieces with the help of an iron and a hair dryer.

“It seemed like the four of us shared a love of crafting, so the time flew by and we had a lot of fun!” Courtney says.

Having fun, after all, is one of the Little Steps teachers’ goals each week. They work year-round to organize lesson plans, games, crafts and music to create an atmosphere where every child — and parent — feels comfortable. Each week, they hope everyone leaves with a greater sense of God’s love. And the teachers say they get something out of it too.

“The most rewarding part is the unconditional joy that the kids show in nearly everything they do,” says Courtney. “And since our activities are so Christ-centered, that transfers to an enthusiastic joy in God that inspires me every week.”

The Little Steps team

Vision: Our teachers seek to create a safe environment where children can experience, learn about, respond to and grow in the truth and love of Jesus Christ.

Age group: 18 months to 3 years

The commitment: Serving Sunday mornings and attending a monthly team meeting

How you can join: Email rachel@hobokengrace.com

Want to learn more about serving on a team at Hoboken Grace? Attend Intro to Impact after service on the first Sunday of every month.