General
Resources on a range of children’s work issues such as, creativity, spirituality and contemporary life.
Creative Spirit - Introduction
This session and pack are designed to encourage you to look at activities which may be familiar and ask how they can help children to explore and express feelings - theirs and other people's: how can these creative activities provoke reflection, discussion and wonder?
Download Creative Spirit - Introduction
Companions in Christ
A pack from a diocesan training session looking at this resource (by Doug Swanney & Steve Pearce) for working and journeying with children in the church. Its reflective approach encourages children to ‘slow down, listen to their inner voice, listen to God, and begin to discover themselves’.
Download Companions in Christ pack
Creative Spirit - art & craft
This session relates to art and craft from a variety of perspectives including looking at art, craft ideas, techniques and subjects.
Download Creative Spirit - art & craft
Creative Spirit - music
This session relates to the creative aspects of music, including basic skills, responding to stories, meditation and explorations.
Download Creative Spirit - music
Creative Spirit - drama
'Drama' as a teaching tool goes far beyond 'acting out'. Doing anything 'in character' - e.g. writing a letter, choosing decorations for a house, applying for a job - is part of getting inside the person and is a powerful way of learning about and reflecting on their situation from the inside. In this session, reflection and discussion are the 'end products', not a performance - although any performances you do give in church or elsewhere will be improved by the skills the children will pick up on the way!
Download Creative Spirit - drama
The Big Issues
The 2003 summer training programme for children's work leaders was planned under the cloud of preparations for the Iraq war. The situation reminded us that our children are concerned about many of the 'big issues' in the world around them, and the decision was made that the summer programme would look at ways of addressing some of these issues in our work with children in the church.
Good practice in planning
This session explores ideas for choosing topics, what to explore with the children, planning sessions and where to look for resources.
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Growing together
Fostering spiritual growth for all God’s children
This resource aims to consider the nature of spirituality, examines some models of spiritual growth and faith development, and explores the possibility of multi-generational programmes for spiritual growth and faith development.
Running a holiday club
There is a lot of work to be done before your holiday club starts - some of it long before. This pack includes information on a variety of issues to consider.
Download Running a holiday club
Children sharing in leadership
Involvement of children in the design of their group activities can take two forms. Firstly, material can be used which is either drawn from, or has direct reference to their life experience. There can be an element of decision-making on the part of the children in this, and at the very least they can feel that their own concerns are having an influence on the activities they are taking part in. Second, choice can precede or be built into the activity.
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