Skip to main content

Posts

Trinity Play Dough Mat

The Trinity is a notoriously difficult concept to explain without committing a heresy of some kind or another, so I tend to veer on the side of mystery.  We don't know how it works, but how amazing is it that God can exist as a community of love and invites us also to live as a loving community of believers?  Very often, we get so caught up in having to understand and make sense and have all the answers, that we don't leave any room for mystery and wondering. It can be really liberating for children to see us modelling that we don't always have the answers but we choose to believe. In terms of speaking to children, it's useful to explore the different persons of God- Father, Son and Holy Spirit and to let them wonder and think about how they experience and describe God.  If you're exploring the Trinity, this is a useful play dough mat to use. As you fill the shape, use the time to chat, maybe using these questions to help: What words would you use to describe God? W...
Post a Comment
Read more
Recent posts

Ascension Play Dough Mat

This mat is part of our Ascension celebrations this week.  The Ascension of Jesus has so many themes to pull on, the one one I've chosen to pull for this mat is the theme of waiting- a reminder of the disciples heading back to Jerusalem to wait for the Holy Spirit to come and help them in their new job of going out to all the world as his witnesses. As usual, cover the sheet with a plastic folder and get creating! To print off the page, click here . As you create, here are some questions to chat about: I wonder what the disciples felt when they saw Jesus disappearing in the clouds? I wonder what is was like to go and wait for the Holy Spirit? How does it feel to wait for something you want? What helps you when you are waiting for something?
Post a Comment
Read more

Noah's Ark: God's Promise Printable Play Dough Mat

 This week's lectionary has a variety of stories to choose from, but we will be looking at the old testament reading: the story of God putting a rainbow in the sky as a sign of his promise never to flood the earth again.  Some parts of the story of Noah's ark can be quite upsetting, and can inspire big questions about life, God's power and the consequences of doing wrong things. In the background, however, is the overarching story of listening to God, rescue, new beginnings, and God's promise to be with us. As the story ends, we have the powerful symbol of the rainbow stretched across the sky as a sign of God's life-giving love for us and his creation, and his promise never to send a flood again.  This week's play dough mat is an invitation to explore this part of the story and also to think about what promises mean. What is a promise? What does it mean to make a promise? What does God promise and what do God's people promise Him in return? How does it feel ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Do not let your hearts be troubled printable play dough mat

 Here is a play dough mat to help explore Jesus' words in John 14:1-14.  I've chosen to go with the theme of 'do not let your hearts be troubled', giving space for children to bring worries to Jesus and then chance to chat about who we trust to help us. As usual, print out, put in a plastic sheet protector and chat as you create! Click here to print off the sheet. I wonder what worries you? I wonder who helps you when you are worried? I wonder what helps you when you are worried? I wonder what it feels like when you tell someone about your worries?
Post a Comment
Read more

Psalm 23 Sensory Discovery Tray

 Themes you might investigate: God's love and protection God being with us in good times, hard times and danger Feeling safe Following the shepherd and following God
Post a Comment
Read more

Road to Emmaus Seeing Clearly Activity

If you're looking at the story of the road to Emmaus, this is a really effective activity to help explore the theme of recognition and seeing clearly who Jesus is! You will need: A clear glass baking pan, a glass, paint, water, a story or Bible verse sheet (see below). Mix some paint and water so that you have a cloudy but not thick mixture. Do NOT mix this in the baking pan as the sediment sticks to the glass bottom and makes it hard to see the pictures!  Pour the paint mixture into the pan. Put the sheet you are using under the pan and push the bottom of a glass onto the bottom of the tray to reveal the pictures underneath! Either: Reveal pictures that tell parts of the story and see if children can recognise which part of the story the picture relates to. Or Reveal numbered parts of a bible verse from the story and put them all in the correct order. Talk about what a 'fire' burning inside you might mean! To print off both of the above options, click here.
Post a Comment
Read more

The Road to Emmaus Printable Play Dough Mat

 This Sunday, as we journey through the resurrection story, we get to the story of the disciples who meet Jesus on the road to Emmaus.  This play dough mat will help children to explore the story they've heard, while also creating something with their hands.  Click here to print off the sheet. As usual, cover with a plastic sleeve and you'll be able to use it again! Extra things to talk about as you create a path: I wonder... ...how the disciples felt when the stranger joined them? ...where have you seen Jesus breaking and sharing bread before? ...what it felt like to recognise Jesus? ...why Jesus vanished/
Post a Comment
Read more