Flame: Creative Children's Ministry

This is a craft that will be as individual as the child who makes it and would work well either in a small group or family situation.  I'm using it here to help explore the Exodus story but it would work just as well when you are looking at creation. You will need: Sticks, wool (or I have also seen cardboard strips covered in double sided tape used for this activity- see this inspirational post ), nature! Go for a walk outside and encourage children to pick up interesting leaves, flowers etc that they find on their journey (make sure that children don't pick wild flowers though!!).  Fasten the objects to the stick by wrapping wool around them (or sticking them to the tape). These are memories of their journey. When you get home, talk about what you have collected and where on the journey you found it. Talk about: Moses led the Israelites on a journey through the desert where they learned many things about themselves and about God.   Did you learn anythin...

This is a really great activity to help children to explore and interact with God's creation and it can be used with any age, including under 3s! You will need : Paint, paper, natural objects e.g. flowers, leaves, pine cones, sticks, stones, shells Get the children to feel the textures of the natural objects and talk about the patterns you can see.  Discuss how intricate nature can be and how much thought must have gone into creation. Use the natural items to paint a picture with- look at the different shapes and patterns you can make with them.  Give the children the freedom to explore and keep chatting as they create!  It's amazing the kind of observations they make and what they choose to do with the objects. When you have finished, display all the paintings and thank God for the things He has made and especially for each child's favourite painting object!

I've recently come to hear about story stones and have become quite excited!  We're trying out different methods of story telling and I thought that we might try using some story stones, especially with our 3-5s.  The idea would be that we could tell the story using them and then, afterwards, let the children re- enact what they have heard if they choose to do so! As per usual, once I get excited about something, I have to get started right away!  Last night I painted some stones and it literally took me about 10 minutes (using our favourite Giotto decor pens and a fineliner for detail!).  Here's what I came up with... Healed Leper (reversible stone!) Leper (reversible stone!) Reversible stones- Calming of the storm Reversible stones- calming of the storm The lost sheep/ Good Shepherd Feeding of the 5000 Can't wait to test them out next term!

By Catherine Ward God in Crèche:  helping children to enjoy being at church Eleanor Goldschmiede is one of the most respected writers on providing play opportunities for the under threes. Her work has shaped much of modern nursery provision. Treasure baskets and Heuristic play are two fantastic ideas which, simple as they sound, are not to be underestimated. Treasure baskets are intended for babies who can sit up but are not yet crawling they are intended to contain everyday household things and natural objects made from wood, metal, cloth, leather, cork or rubber, but not plastic. Unlike plastic toys treasure basket items have different weights, smells and textures.  Some feel cold to the touch, others make fascinating noises when they are dropped or shaken. Research into how babies learn has established that babies rely much more on touch, and smell than adults do to find out about their world. Babies have been observed to play, investigating treasure baskets for up to an h...

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 ...