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The children, assistant, and I are sitting in a circle. I had shared a Hands-on Bible story. What’s next?

I wonder aloud with them about options during their upcoming “reflection time.” There may be a Bible story to re-tell with the materials…a book to read…a Bible story to contemplate through art materials. A child shares where they want to start and then heads to that activity. And if they don’t know? They can walk around the room to decide and then circle back to me and tell me what they have decided.

Self-choosing…it can provide a layer (or two!) of complexity to the session. It also can open a child’s spiritual experience. I once had a child during “reflection time” choose materials to re-tell the same parable story over and over…week after week…for quite a while. And then, one Sunday, he chose something else. Why? The beauty is that he did not need to know “why,” and neither did I. The Spirit that moves within us with “groans that cannot be heard (Romans 8:26-7)” may not make logical sense, but what a joy when children—and we—can become more familiar with that God-force within all of us.

As you begin your new school year with your children’s worship program, take a step back. What worked well this past year? What did not? Remember: it’s okay to pull objects or stories out of the environment that new students would need a lesson on before working with them. Even returning students can benefit from a “back to basics” start.

Also, reconsider the story response shelf. Open response items, such as blank paper and crayons, may need to disappear for a while. Guided reflection materials are an easier way to explore a story while becoming acquainted (or re-acquainted) with this process. Some resource books have story patterns in the back that allow copying for classroom use. These patterns can be reproduced for the first few weeks as new participants become used to story reflection.

Blessings, Margaret

Many churches have “children’s packets” to engage younger participants in the corporate worship experience.  One thought that came out of a recent workshop discussion involved further tying the children’s worship stories from “children’s church” into corporate worship.  How? Add a page to the children’s worship packets. These pages would be blank except for naming the church’s children’s worship center at the top.  An example title could be:  “Hands on Worship:  story reflection page”. The rest could be left blank, with the possible exception of a large blank square or rectangle to fill in.  Then, when a child is sitting in corporate worship, he/she could reflect on a past children’s worship story and sketch it out on the page. The storyteller during “children’s church” could talk about the use of these pages as a tool of reflection.  Letting parents know their purpose could further help these pages be used for story reflection. This process is further reinforcement of presented stories, is an undated resource page that can be refilled as needed, and is a way to provide another avenue to engage children in the Bible while in corporate worship.

Good morning, friends.  For many of you, the hardest part of guiding children in the worship experience is through the reflection activities that follow story telling.  I found an idea in Brethren House Ministries that could help in this area:  sequence cards.  I like this activity, because it helps children break down the story in their minds as they recreate it in front of them.  It also is a stepping stone to processing the story by children who need a new way to retell it.  Here are the directions given:  ” Cut a piece of construction paper in half lengthwise.  Each child will use one of these strips (4 1/2 x 12).  To divide the strip into fourths, fold it in half, then in half again.  Draw lines on these fold marks.”** I would have these strips pre-cut and as an option on the art shelf.  Before dismissal from story time, the storyteller may demonstrate this process to the participants.  These divided construction paper squares will look a bit like the panels in the Sunday Comics, which tell a story.  Their job is to tell a story, too:  to choose the story presented that day or on a previous day by breaking down the story into segments.  They then record different pieces of the story on the squares in front of them, either using words, pictures, or both.  If they need more squares, they may obtain a second strip.  If they wish, they may cut the squares and mix them up for a friend to figure out the correct sequence.  They may reflect on their favorite wondering question for their last panel. And, they may want to use the cut-up panels to make a book.

This activity is an open-ended exercise that reinforces Bible stories in new ways for the children.  It’s just another tool to add to the tool box of reinforcement options.

May we all be open to the treasure trove that these Bible stories offer.  Happy storytelling!

**Sequence strips are found in God’s Wonder-full World Learning Activities, Brethren House Ministry, St. Petersburg Fl., 1985, page 6.

Hands-on Worship Friends:

January is a good time to settle in with your hands-on children’s worship program, with the excitement of Christmas past us and with the children being more used to the program’s procedures.  Step back and take a look:  how is it going?  What is working well/not so well?

As you get to know the students, are there some who could take on more of a leadership role?   We learn the most when we teach others; it also is true of children. In Montessori, children show mastery of a story or activity by being able to teach another.  A child could show another child stories or guide them in reinforcement activities.  This concept is different from announcing, “Susie is our special helper today”.  It takes noticing a student’s specific skills and asking them in a more private space to use those skills to help others:  “Susie, I notice how you are able to retell a story to yourself (or work with the watercolors to reflect on the story/etc).  Would you please guide our new friend Sarah?”  Children listen to other children often much more than to us, so let’s use that tendency in our favor!

Also, in Montessori, praising a child takes on a different form.  Instead of telling everyone, “Joe did such a nice job of putting away his story”, consider the following.  Make a general comment such as, “I noticed someone who took care to put all of the story pieces away and to find the correct space for the story.  Did you see something similar?”  More than one person will see him/herself in that scenario and can feel pride.

What is your particular challenge moving into 2014? What are your goals? Share, and together we can explore strategies for success.

Happy new year! -Margaret

Hands-On Worship Friends:

I wanted to check in periodically to provide some reflections on Godly Play/Young Children and Worship.  Here are some thoughts:

• When one is starting a program and there are few stories available, stories can be spread out during the response time for re-telling.  It can be arranged ahead of time for an adult or older child can sit with each story.
• Sometimes it works best to limit options for response times.  The students could be offered three options, including one group activity.  For example, students could retell the story using the figures, depict it in watercolors, or create a list of thoughts (an adult could be the “scribe”) from the point of view of one of the characters to further the “wondering” time.  (For example, here are some reflections for the story of Jesus and Zacchaeus:  I wonder what it would have been like for Zacchaeus to climb the tree. Imagine what it would have been like to be called down from the tree.)
• Students may state, “We have heard this story before!”  We can be mindful that there are many truths to gain from a story, and re-visiting it is a way to notice something new. (“I wonder if you will see something differently.”)

Reference:  Resource sheet Godly Play and Older Children adapted from work by Cheryl Minor

My prayer is that “these children experience God while learning about God.” (Young Children and Worship, pg. 13)

Blessings, Margaret