One thing I enjoy doing are simple craft activities which link in with the Christmas story in some way, giving me an ‘in’ to chat about it both with my family, and with whoever comes into contact with the final product. Making chocolate creams is ridiculously easy, and yummy so a perfect gift for a … Read more
I find it interesting to look at the Christmas story and see what messages from God to the people back then are also relevant for us. It’s a little risky, as it’s possible to take Bible verses out of context when applying them to ourselves, but there are definitely some messages in the Christmas story … Read more
A few years ago my children were really into Lego, so I planned some ways to explore the Christmas story using Lego. You can buy a set online but, like these ones, they’re not cheap and only feature a small number of the characters actually mentioned in the Bible story, so here are a few … Read more
I love open-end activities. They provide choice and freedom which lead to deep exploration and creativity. They are easy to set up, are suitable for any age or size of group, and you can use the same materials each time. They provide a safe space to explore spiritual things including Bible stories and how they … Read more
We’ve been celebrating Shabbat as a family each Friday for over a decade now. We love it, and couldn’t imagine our week without it. We’ve shared it with lots of different people, and we’ve adapted it as we’ve gone along to keep it accessible and relevant to everyone present. I’ve made a version of our … Read more
I don’t know about your children, but mine love things in boxes. So here’s an Easter activity in a box. I’ve used it with my children since they were toddlers, but the simplicity of it lends itself to use with all ages, including adults. And using it each year, gives further depth to each Holy … Read more
Thankfulness is so powerful! It really does change how we see our lives, and encourages us when things are tricky. This activity is a way of identifying, focusing on and being thankful for the good things in our lives. You could make a thanks jar at any time of year, but I especially like starting ours on January 1st and reading … Read more
One thing we’ve found helpful during December is to celebrate Saint Nicholas. There are lots of lovely story books out there about him, and his story is a combination of fact and myth. What I love is that our traditions of gift giving and specifically Father Christmas are linked to him. I really like this … Read more
This month I’ve been doodling my thanks to God, each day aiming to draw three little symbols or pictures of things I’m thankful for. I find it helps focus my heart in the morning, making me aware of the good things right now in my life, and connecting me with The Giver of Gifts. I … Read more
As part of our Passover preparations, we listened to the Exodus story (Exodus 1-15) using the NIVUK version on Biblegateway, streaming the audio read by David Suchet (aka Poirot) from my phone over breakfast and in the car. Afterwards, as we began to reflect on the story, my 6yo ask: Why did Joseph’s family stay … Read more
Making an Easter garden is a great way to share the Easter story together. We made ours after my daughter decided to collect a selection of things from the garden when we were outside on a sunny Spring day. I added a biscuit tin lid, lemon and cumin glitter playdough, some play people and we were … Read more
When having some fun in the snow, why not add in some prayer? The opportunity for this type of prayer is very seasonal and geographically limited but may be more special for it. Get everyone to write, draw or make a snow model of something they’d like to say sorry to God for doing, something they … Read more