Free Download

'The Good Practice Guide for Parent and Toddler Groups'is now available as a free download from Engage. Engage is a Care for the Family initiative.

Review ...

'This is an excellent resource for those wanting to start up a Parent and Toddler group, or for those seeking to improve the running of an existing group. It provides practical guidelines and will support you in all aspects of running a successful Parent and Toddler group. I highly recommend it.'

Mary - Tunbridge Wells

Sunday School Resources

Go Teach publications cover 4 age groups with mainly parallel lessons. Teachers' lesson books have a matching book of full colour visual aids with free CD providing all visuals in outline and colour. Activity leaflets are contained in pupils workbooks.

Sharing Ideas

Resources for children's work

Introduction

There a number of resource websites that are suitable for children and young people's work. They provide ideas for illustrations, craft work and teaching. Some are American sites but can easily be adapted for use in British churches.

Dovecot Sunday School

Dovecot Sunday School is a very good site which provides ideas for quizzes, games, activities and children's talks. It is well presented and easy to navigate. Recommended

DLTK Bible Educational Activities

DLTK Bible Educational Activities is a good site to find illustrations and craft ideas. There is a wealth of pictures and line drawings. Many are themed around Bible stories and can be used for colouring-in or to go along with memory verses. There are also craft activities suitable for Sunday schools and holiday clubs. The quality of the material is variable. While some material is excellent, some may need you to exercise a little care!

Apple Sauce Kids

Apple Sauce Kids has a variety of resources suitable for children's work. There are games, crafts, puzzles and even sound effects. (You can download the sound of a roaring lion to go with the story of Daniel). Again, the quality of the material is variable and some care needs to be exercised.

Kid's Sunday School Place

Kid's Sunday School Place is an extensive site which covers everything from games and craft ideas to teaching. It has material suitable for toddlers right through to teenagers. While some material is free, much of the material is available only to members. The quality of the free material is extremely variable - but you may find something which is useful or can be adapted.

Children Desiring God

Children Desiring God is a Sunday School resource which uses a doctrine-based approach, but it can be expensive. Its goal is to 'fuel spiritual desire in children by exalting the greatness and worth of God and His glorious work through Christ.'

Teaching doctrine to children

Teaching doctrine to children Many churches have used the ABC to teach the nature of God:

A is for Almighty (illustrated by the story of creation)
B is for Bountiful (illustrated by Israel's entry into the promised land and the blessings of obedience or the feeding of the 5,000)
C is for Care/Compassion (illustrated by God's provision in the wilderness - water from the rock or manna)
D, E ... X, Y, Z (Divine, Eternal ... [E]xalted, Yes and Amen, Zealous)

Sharing Ideas ...

... for reaching adults

Women's Meetings - To make the programme varied, use:

Testimonies.
Topical news discussed from a scriptural perspective.
Read a set book and then come together to discuss it.
Bible Study
Quizzes to familiarize people with the Bible.

dolphin Outlines for Talks and Bible Studies - Go to this page for ideas for talks or Bible Studies. There are outlines on prayer, priorities, overcoming fear and more ...

gate Lunch and Listen is used in a variety of ways to develop relationships with contacts in the community;

Retired People
Mums/Carers from the Parent and Toddler Group
Parents of children in the Sunday School/Youth Club

Holiday at Home is an activity week (like a holiday club) for people who have retired. Various activities are organised throughout the week; visits to gardens or museums, walks, demonstrations, lunches etc. Each day ends with a short epilogue.

Prayer Fellowship - For those who have retired or for those not in full-time employment - why not have a regular day-time prayer fellowship with others in your church? Commit yourselves to pray for the spiritual growth of every member of your church. Pray for the nation.

Taster Days - If there is someone in your church who has a particular hobby, interest or profession - use it! A church in Dorset recently had a 'golfing taster day' led by a church member who was a professional golfer. The day ended with a brief talk about Christianity.

Daddy and Me - If you have a successful Mothers and Toddlers Group - why not extend it to include Dads too? Dads are invited to come along with their children on Saturday morning. They can watch their children play, snack on the food provided (bacon sandwiches are popular) and get to know other men from the church.

Off-site evangelism - If a number of members from your church all have the same interest or hobby - why not join a Club or an Adult Education Class together? Use it as an opportunity to develop contacts with people who wouldn't normally go to church, with a view to sharing the Gospel with them.

Coffee mornings - If your church is near a busy shopping area - invite shoppers in for coffee. Use the coffee mornings to raise the profile of the church and to develop relationships with local people in the community. Try having a coffee morning during:

Fair Trade Fortnight (usually in February/March).
In 2012 Fairtrade Fortnight will take place from 27th February - 11th March.
The World's Biggest Coffee Morning (an annual fundraising event for Macmillan Cancer Relief).

Church Fun Days - A rounders match and BBQ held on sunny Saturday afternoons does wonders for the church family (even if only watching) and for those who are on the periphery of church life.

Church Meals - Invite groups from the church (eg the mums or carers that come to Mothers and Toddlers), out for a meal with other church members.