Flame: Creative Children's Ministry

This Sunday in creche, the theme was God the Creator.  Here are some of the things Catherine put out for the children to explore and play with...  Toy farm Books about plants and animals Pictures of insects Discovery basket of natural items (including seeds in the bag!) Farm and creature jigsaws Fruit and vegetables with different textures to feel... We also sang one of our favourites- Bigger than Big!

By Catherine Ward How about giving your under-fives some organic fruit or vegetables to investigate? There’s lots of evidence that different smells and textures can be a great source of interest, and for older children, a real talking point to, particularly if you are able to get hold of some really unusual looking squashes or something else they might not have come across before . This idea comes up in Penny Tissoni’s ‘Early Years Foundation Stage Practical Handbook’ and also in Elisabeth Jarman’s ‘A Place to Talk in Pack-Away Settings’ both of which are really good for practical ideas if you’re working with under-fives. We’ll be using some citrus fruit and some squashes and pumpkins next term alongside some other natural materials when our theme is ‘Great Big God’ and then again in the autumn when we celebrate harvest. 

By Catherine Ward Under Fives: inviting awe and wonder “When through the woods and forest glades I wander, And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees, And when I climb to lofty mountain grandeur, And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze, Then sings my soul, my saviour God to Thee, How great though art, how great though art” Lyrics ~ Carl Boberg, 1859 - 1940 English Translation ~ Stuart K. Hine, 1899 - 1989 What is it about the work of our creator that takes your breath away?  Like the Rev Boberg I like to be outside looking at the amazing work of his hand. I’m sure the same is true for many people, and sometimes through our awe of creation we get a better sense of the creator. I wonder why it is then, that church groups for the under-fives, and particularly those for the under threes, are so full with plastic toys. They’re cheap and durable yes, but I’m not sure they help give any real context for children to understand our talk about our creator ...