Using the Godly creation cards I told a very short version without wondering questions. Then move the sun / moon down and said "a long, long time after God made everything, people wrote songs called psalms, one of these is about how wonderful God made the sauna and everything." Then I created the bigger card below with cards/ glow stars/ touch light. I created/ pointed to the corresponding points to the psalm paraphrase below.
We then sang sunshine related songs.
Paper plate prayers, each child was given a paper plate, a biscuit and five stick pretzels. We each created a sun (most looked like the sun rising or falling) and said a a prayer saying saying thank you for the sun and each of us. If did this again i would say five thank you prayers counting the sticks, with children choosing what they are thankful for.
You know that I am not a fan of "production line crafts" but on this occasion I actually decided I would give the children a range of collage materials, paint sticks, and crayons, and they all with significant concentration created their own sunshine. Happily they were all different, most looking like a sunrise or sunset but a couple of flu rays ones like one on left, one with no rays (which I was told "This one is not going to have rays") we even has a sunshine rabbit- which if you look at the next post you will see the link!
I love this idea!
ReplyDeleteGlad you do, thanks!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting post! 'You know that I am not a fan of "production line crafts"' - yes, I think most Godly Play folk would agree, but how nice to see that your children were able, with a limited range of materials and "the same" task, to create very different and individual works of art. It is probably a major factor here that they are used to you giving them freedom, not asking them to all do the same thing all the time. It's very typical of Godly Play to encourage children to make connections, as well, so it's wonderful to see one child creating a sunshine rabbit. How playful! Thanks for sharing all this.
ReplyDeleteSunshine rabbit will be in my memory forever I think! I absoloutly agree with you about children being creative if given freedom and being used to that. Equally I think it's about the language and expression you use to explain the activity and the presence you have during the activity, giving possible options with a questioning tone and finishing saying or maybe you can think of something else you could do with these things. Then when they come to you with something so unexpected, good or bad (in your opinion) using it as an opportunity to connect and explore either further concepts from the session or where they are taking you?
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