Flame: Creative Children's Ministry

This Sunday's Gospel is about God's provision for creation- the birds of the air, the flowers of the field, and us.  Here's a printable colouring sheet to download and colour in, inspired by the passage.  Click here to download:  Link this to the activity here for more exploration of the text.

This Sunday is Bible Sunday in the Church of England Lectionary and we get one of my favourite epistle readings. Seeing the words in a visual way really helps to keep the message in mind. I usually do something with labelled pieces of clothing and then cover all of them with a coat marked love. We have the chance to talk about the pieces of 'clothing' we find hardest to put on and the examples we see in the lives of other people we know. Here's a printable reflective colouring sheet if you'd like to use it. Talk about:   What do these words mean? Kindness, humility, meekness, patience? Which are you good at? which would you like to be better at? what does it mean to 'wear' these things? Who shows these things to you? Why is love over everything? How does love bring everything together? Pray:  Choose one of the virtues mentioned in the verses. Choose something that you wear every day e.g. socks, shoes, hair bobble. Every time you put that thing on over the next ...

Colouring is a really good way to help children to take time to sit and reflect. It also provides a great opportunity for us to chat informally with them about what they think and are learning.  I made these colouring sheets to help children to focus on the words of the Apostles' Creed and they might be especially useful to you if your church says the creed every week!  The creed is quite long (though it's actually one of the shorter creeds!), so it's been split over 3 sheets. Click here to print sheet 1 Click here to print sheet 2 Click here to print sheet 3

We are running a series on parables at the moment so this week I have made a colouring sheet for the parable of the persistent neighbour in Luke 11.  To print the sheet, click here . Have fun!

I recently discovered 'mermaid fabric' and I love it as a sensory experience and a potential refection and prayer tool! Mermaid fabric is essentially sequin covered fabric, but the brilliant part is that the sequins are one colour on the top and another colour on the bottom.  If you stroke the fabric upwards, it reveals the underside colour and I could basically sit there stroking all day! I thought the fabric would be good as a reflection tool in the 'worship' boxes we are creating for children during worship times in a service.  There is a lot of awe and wonder here!!  Here's what I did... You will need: Mermaid fabric, picture frames (with glass panel removed), PVA or hot glue, scissors. I took the glass panel out of my photo frames and then removed the backing board, which I measured and then covered with the same size panel of mermaid fabric.  I used PVA glue to stick it on and that seemed to work fine. I then put the backing boa...

Tomorrow's lectionary gospel reading is from John 14, so here is a reflective colouring sheet to help children engage with some of the verses.  We'll be using this, amongst other things in our children's activities. Click here to print off the sheet and enjoy colouring!

I ran a prayer workshop the other day and was looking for a way to make some tactile finger labyrinths that children could play with.  Lego was the obvious solution! I made some simple spiral labyrinths with a square baseboard and a circular one I bought over Christmas and I really loved the effect. Children can build them themselves and then use them when reflecting on God and thinking about journeying with Him through life.  This might work especially well with visual and kinaesthetic learners. I think I'll try some more complicated labyrinths when I have another go!

Here is a reflective colouring sheet to go with the story of Jesus walking on water (Matthew 14). The  picture shows the reassuring words of Jesus and a foot stepping out into the water.  Click here  to print off the sheet! Talk about:  What might the disciples have been thinking/ feeling when they saw Jesus? When have you needed to have courage to step out? How does it make you feel? Who helps you when you feel like you might sink? Leaders give testimonies of times when Jesus has helped you to have courage Pray: Draw around feet and cut out the shapes.  Draw or write situations on them where you would like Jesus to help you not to be afraid. Pin the shapes to some blue fabric to make it look as if the feet are walking on water

Here is a new reflective colouring sheet which focusses on Psalm 27:1- one of most favourite Bible verses: The Lord is my light and the one who saves me. So why should I fear anyone? Here are some ideas: Use the time you spend colouring to... Talk about:  What/ who is the strongest thing/ person you know? Why is light important and useful? How can God/ people be like light for others? What does it mean for someone to save us? How do you think God saves us? What makes you afraid? What helps you when you are afraid? Have you ever asked God to help you? Pray As you colour, pray for people who are afraid and ask God to help them and save them.  Children might want to ask God to help them with specific fears. To print off the colouring sheet  click here .

So yesterday was Trinity Sunday and we bit the bullet and had a go at teaching about the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit (with as little heresy as possible!) We decided that the best way of proceeding was just to talk about the many different ways we relate to God and the many different ways that God relates to us, and to do this we gathered a collection of symbols.  The idea was that the children could pick a symbol and describe what they thought it meant in relation to what they know about God and the three persons of the Trinity.  There were no wrong answers!  It helped that Pentecost had been the week before, so Holy Spirit symbols were still fresh in their minds.   Our basket of symbols contained: a cup play bread rainbow ribbons 'fire' streamers 'water' streamers a bottle of water, a battery operated tea light felt flames wooden people  a globe ball a windmill a cross a dove hearts (including a heart with arms- thank you IKEA!) ...

Today I have been challenged by requests for ideas on two stories that I haven't covered yet on this blog and so I decided I needed to get my act together! One request was about the story of Martha and Mary- how have I managed to miss this one?!  Thanks, Peggy, for you request :-) This story comes in Luke 10: 38-42 and involves Jesus visiting the home of the two women.  Mary sits at Jesus' feet as a listening disciple, while Martha is more concerned with the work of cooking and cleaning.  Martha always seems to come off worse in interpretations of this story, but this is because her focus is off.  Hospitality and serving others, as Martha is doing, is not, in itself, wrong, but Martha is distracted by worries that are taking her focus in hospitality away from Jesus.  I do like Martha because I realise that I act like her quite a lot! Here are some ways to help children to explore themes in the story: Taking time to focus on Jesus: Make or use finger la...

Here is the reflective colouring sheet we used in our 'worship' based Messy Church this month.  It really fitted in with the celebration and both adults and children made use of it during the afternoon. Click here to find and print the PDF.  Have fun colouring!

This week the lectionary pointed us to the story of Jesus telling the people that he is the Bread of Life (John 6).  As a response, here is a reflective colouring sheet to help children to think about Jesus' words.  I know that this comes a little late if you looked at this story on Sunday, but who knows when it might come in handy in the future! Click here  to print off the sheet.

This is the last sheet in the series of reflective colouring based on Holy Communion.  This sheet explores what it might mean to be 'sent out' in God's name.   Click here to print out the sheet. Have fun reflecting!

Here is a reflective colouring sheet for Easter day.  I'm posting it a few days early so I apologise to those who are still burying the Alleluias!  Click here to print off the sheet. Happy Easter when it arrives!

This is a very tactile way of praying for people who are going through difficult times and can be used with a variety of Bible stories where difficulties of some kind has to be faced e.g. the story of Joseph in the Old Testament. I love it because the wool 'sticks' to the sandpaper naturally, creating a colourful picture and breaking up the roughness of the surface with softness.   It is quite a reflective activity so children might even like to use it if they are having some quiet time with God... You will need: Sandpaper, short lengths of wool Talk about: The rough feel of the sandpaper.  What does this remind you of?  Which stories from the Bible do you know where people were having a difficult time but God brought a change and a new start for them? Share times from your life and from the children's lives when things have been rough and God has helped you through. Pray;  Feel the sandpaper with your fingers. Think about people you know who are going th...

This is a new colouring sheet to help children reflect on the story of Jesus' baptism in Luke 3. Click  here  to print off the sheet.  After they have heard the story let the children colour in, maybe in silence or with some music playing in the background and then give them the chance to share any reflections they might have on what they have heard!  Alternatively, use the colouring-in time as a space to discuss the story and what their response is.

This is a good activity to help children reflect on the Spiritual fruit of patience- how we have to sometimes wait and slowly and carefully do something in order to get to the end.  Because this craft takes time and concentration it is a great all-round reflection activity too!  Below are instructions and some ideas to talk and pray about. You will need: Paper plates, wool or string, thin paper strips Cut slits in the sides of a paper plate and thread wool or string through them to make a weaving frame.  Start to weave the paper strips in and out of the frame. Talk about: When do we have to be patient in life?  Can you think of a time?  Do you find it easy? Why is it sometimes better to be patient than to rush? Have you ever asked God to help you to be patient?  What happened? Pray: Choose colours of paper to reflect your personality.  As you weave, ask God to help you to be more patient Write or draw on the paper slips area...

This is a lovely, peaceful yet colourful way to encourage children to be reflective and to pray for others. You will need: bubble mix containers and bubble wands, paper plates, food colouring (gel works fine for this!).  DO NOT try adding paint instead- the bubble mix ceases to work! Mix food colouring with the bubble mix- a different colour in each pot.  Experiment to find a level of colour that works for you.  The colours I have used are quite delicate, but you could go much bolder! Give each child a paper plate and ask children to think of the people they would like to pray for and ask God to bless them.   Spend a moment in silence thinking about them, then encourage the children to blow a set of bubbles onto their plate for each person they are praying for.  Wait for the bubbles to burst while you are praying for that person, then continue.   When the burst bubbles dry, the paper plate is a piece of prayer art work that the children can...

This Sunday the lectionary covers the story of Thomas being invited to touch the wounds of the risen Jesus and recognise him.  A lot of the time when we cover this story with children we focus of the idea of faith and being able to believe even though we don't see.  It struck me that it's also about how we recognise Jesus and what implications that might have for us as disciples. Here are some ideas to help explore the theme! Games:   'Feely' bag.  Can you recognise the item even if you can't see it?  How did you know? Blindfold a child and get them to fell the face of another child.  Can they guess who it is? How? Get a collection of celebrity photos or photos of people in the church.  How many people do you recognise? How? 20 questions- can you guess the mystery person?  What helped you to guess? Make a diagram to identify eveyone in the group by looking at hair/ eye colour etc. Think about: Even after doubting, Thomas saw Jesus...