More than 30 children had the opportunity to learn about rainbows on Tuesday during the first session of a summer children’s program, “God’s World.”

The program is sponsored by Clanton First United Methodist Church (CFUMC) and invites children ages three through sixth grade to learn more about nature and the different things in God’s creation.

“We are going to learn about God’s creation,” said Children’s Minister Christi Mitchell. “God created a very beautiful world for us all to live in, and we are going to spend time learning about all of the things He created for us to enjoy.”

The program has been a tradition at CFUMC for more than 40 years when the late Helen E. Parrish organized activities during the summer months to teach children how to be responsible stewards of God’s creation.

“Helen E. Parrish would take a group of kids each summer and they would go to different parts of the county and find all kinds of neat things,” Mitchell said. “They would find turtle shells, snake skins and deer teeth, and she would teach the kids all about what they found. She taught her students different lessons about the things they would find.”

Some of the different topics covered during God’s World 2015 include rainbows, butterflies, animal tracks and flowers.

Mitchell started off the session by singing, “This Is the Day,” which the group sings every year.

Those in attendance learned about the colors of the rainbow, had the opportunity to take a nature walk outside, made rainbow necklaces and “milk” rainbows, and had rainbow colored popsicles for snacks.

“Rainbows are filled with beautiful colors, and the most colorful thing you can find,” Mitchell said. “Rainbows are also a promise from God that He will never destroy the earth and its creatures in a flood.”

Prior to going on a nature walk, children were given magnifying glasses to identify all of the colors in the rainbow.

“See what you can find when you go outside and look around,” Mitchell said. “You never know what colors might be out there.”

Carson Watley led a group of kids on the walk and used his magnifying glass to reflect the sun on the pavement displaying several colors for the kids to see.

“Wow, that is really cool,” Watley said.

Kylee Carlee, 11, said this is the first year she has attended God’s World, and enjoyed learning about rainbows.

“I thought making the milk rainbows was really neat,” Carlee said. “It is just fun to learn about God’s world and how He made everything.”

Destiny Peterson echoed Carlee’s statements saying she enjoyed the day with her new friends.

“The craft has been really fun too,” Peterson said.

During the program, the children will take two field trips. On June 18, they will visit the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. The group will depart from the church at 9 a.m. and travel by bus with plans to return by 2:30 p.m. The trip is free and children will need to bring a sack lunch. The second field trip will be on June 25 at the Alabama Nature Center at Lanark in Millbrook. The group will leave the church at 8 a.m. and travel by bus with plans to return by 2:30 p.m. The cost to attend is $12 per child, and each child will need a sack lunch, a change of clothes, a towel, and water shoes to wear for a creek hike.

Children will also learn memory verses and interesting facts about nature.

The sessions are held each Tuesday from 9-11:30 a.m. until June 23.

Mitchell said there is still room for students who would like to register, and all children in the community are invited to take part.

For more information, call 755-0490 or visit www.clantonfumc.org.