Listed below are some useful resources to help you with your Children, Young People and Families work.
Please select the subject area you are interested in for a list of resources.
There are links to the web resources.
Books are all avialable either as paperbacks or in Kindle editions, most from Amazon.
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Ministry with Children and Young People
Books:
- Children in the Bible: A Fresh Approach Anne Richards
- Children Matter May, S, Posterski, B, Stonehouse, C, Cannell, L
- Top Tips on Helping a Child Respond to Jesus (Scripture Union)
- Top Tips on Encouraging Faith to Grow (Scripture Union)
- Top Tips on Reaching unchurched children (Scripture Union)
- Re-thinking Children's work in Churches - A practical guide Carolyn Edwards, Sian Hancock, Sally Nash (Ed.s)
- A is for Activist, Innosanto Nagara. This is an ABC book with a difference. Just as heart-warming and just as engaging as traditional ABC books, but with a joyful emphasis on justice and equality. 28 pages, written for families who want their kids to grow up with open eyes and open hearts and written with alliteration, engaging illustrations and a call to see, hear and act. A great book for young children of all ages.
- Looking after your Mental Health Alice James & Louie Stowell. A great book addressing mental wellbeing for children & young people. Probably most appropriate for Y6-Y8.
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Child Development
Books:
- The Growth of Love K White
- A Good Childhood: Searching for Values in a Competitvie Age Judy Dunn and Richard Layer (Children's Society)
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Group Work
Together at Home lectionary based resources with questions, activities, colouring sheets and activity sheets. This was originally designed to use in lockdown but is a great resource
NexGenPro Sign up for resources for all ages
Raise Up Faith A collection of from different organisations
Superbook Bible stories, videos, games and activities
Faith in Kids thematically grouped resources for Sunday School, mid-week clubs, all-age talks, toddler groups, family time and more
Flame: Creative Children's Ministry is full of colouring sheets and activities filed by story/bible characters. The sheets are great if you need resources for activity bags for children in church. Also has prayer station ideas and suggestions for worship at home
Bible Educational Services provide bible lessons an activities across a three year plan
Sunday School Zone free resources for home, school and church
The Biggest Story bible curriculum, videos and printable colouring sheets for home and church based on The Biggest Story book.
Scripture Union resources centre covering Bible, outreach and discipleship
Christian Drama Resources Centre biblical, historical and theatrical costume hire for children and adults
Book: The Complete Guide to Godly Play J Berryman
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Worship
Messy Church official site for ideas, contacts, resources and training
Assemblies.org.uk excellent downloadable ideas for both primary & secondary schools
Barnabas Ideas Hub excellent for downloadable resources for assemblies, children’s groups, all-age worship.
The Children's Society The Children's Society provides resources for churches, including a weekly prayer & resources for Christingle
Books:
- All Age Worship Lucy Moore
- Messy Church Lucy Moore
- Top Tips on Welcoming special children (Scripture Union)
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Prayer
Prayer Spaces in Schools great source of ideas and downloads for setting up prayer stations
The Children's Society The Children's Society provides resources for churches, including a weekly prayer & resources for Christingle
Book: Ultimate Creative Prayer Judith Merrell
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Life Events
Christenings/Baptisms the official C of E site offering plenty of support & ideas
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Families
Care for the Family A national charity which aims to promote strong family life and to help those who face family difficulties. They focus primarily on the following areas of family life: marriage, parenting and bereavement. The aim is to be accessible to every family whatever their circumstances and to create resources and support that are preventative, evidence-based and easy to apply. Courses, resources, books and events to help churches to support families.
Kitchen Table Project A brilliant resourceful website to support churches and families to nurture faith together. Includes a Toolkit for Churches, course to run with parents and resources to use with families
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Discussion topics
Bible Chat Mats Great conversation starters for children, young people and adults. Themed into Christian Values, Life Issues, ‘Jesus the…’ and Spiritual Habits. Bible Chat Mats allow children, young people and adults to read the Bible and have conversation together, whether around a meal table, sitting on the sofa or wherever works best. This activity can be done as a household, friends together, home group, Sunday group, café church or in a school club. The sheets can be coloured and doodled on, allowing you to respond to the Bible story in your own unique way.
Lec Deck Cards/App A deck of 52 cards (or buy the app) for engaging young people in God’s word. Each card contains a Bible reading selected from the principal service, thought provoking questions, prayer focus, a weekly challenge and quotable quotes to stimulate thought, discussion, learning and application. It’s a resource to fit in your back pocket or bag and requires little to no planning and preparation. It has the potential to be used in multiple ways and place; youth groups, homegroups, Christian Unions, families at home, personal study, or even given to young people to use independently in a pew.
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Work with Schools
Books:
- Local Church, Local School Margaret Withers
- Top Tips on Developing Partnerships between Church and School (Scripture Union)
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Theology
Books:
- The Child in Christian Thought Marcia Bunge (Ed.)
- The Child in the Bible Marcia Bunge (Ed.)