SUNDAY GROUPS’ MATERIALS

LIGHT

Weekly curriculum published quarterly by Scripture Union (starting in January, April, July and October each year). Similar themes for older and younger children and all-age outlines.

The Light range includes: Splash! for 5-8 year olds Xstream for 8-10 year olds theGRID for the 11-14 age group

Also available: Supporting web site; Bubbles for under 5s; SUbstance for older teenagers; resources for all-age worship including Light for the Lectionary and the All Age Service Annual; music for children.

ROOTS

Weekly, ecumenical, lectionary-based resources in bi-monthly magazines, with similar themes for children, adults and all-ages.

The Roots range includes: Roots for Children and Young People

Also available: Roots for Adult and All Age; supporting web site.

GO TEACH

Weekly curriculum with a Board of Directors appointed by the FIEC, the Grace Baptist Sunday School Association and the Evangelical Movement of Wales. Published 3 times a year – Spring, Summer and Autumn – with 15 sessions and a family service outine in each book. Similar themes for all ages (Young Teens varies sometimes).

The Go Teach range includes: Primaries for 5-7s Juniors for 8-11s Young Teens for 12-14s

Also available: Beginners  for 3-4s; visual aids CD covering all age ranges.

CLICK

Weekly curriculum published by The Good Book Company. Twelve units of 10 sessions are available for each age group. Age groups rarely cover the same Bible passage and not always the same theme.

The Click range includes: Click 5-7s Click 8-11s

Also available: Click 3-5s

MOSAIC

Based on the Scripture Union Light materials, Mosaic is designed for small groups of children with a wide age range (from 3-14 years).

A growing series of books, each providing 12 sessions.

GODLY PLAY

For all ages, Godly Play is an approach based on Montessori principles – responding to the child’s request to ‘help me do it by myself.’ The teacher is in the role of spiritual supporter or guide who fully accepts that each child has his or her own relationship with God already. Generally people will receive specific Godly Play training before using the materials.

A series of books, each containing a number of teaching units is available.

MUSTARD SEED GAMES

For 3-15+, active learning designed for integrating children with special needs and English as a second language.

Five resource books, each covering 10 units and with an associated pack of cards for games.

Give me 5

(Olly Goldenberg, Children Can)

2016, 2015 & 2014 conference recommendation by Olly & Helen Goldenberg

Packed full of over 700 activity ideas that you can use to creatively teach and develop children and young people in five different areas: welcome; worship; Word; warfare; witness. This resource can either be used to supplement your regular teaching material or to create your own tailor made material. The next generation deserve the best that we can give and, with over 100 activity ideas in each section, this book will help you deliver quality teaching, full of variety, week after week.

Few children, great opportunities

(Sue Price & Ruth Alliston, BRF)

2014 conference recommendation by Catherine Kyte and Lucy Moore

An introduction designed to help you think through how to prepare sessions when you don’t know the number and ages of children, if any, that will be present on a Sunday, followed by 12 sessions looking at the 12 characteristics of God, that can be used in any order and adjusted as you go if you have older or younger children than you expected. The material seeks to engage head, heart and hands by giving several ways to tell a Bible story and offering a variety of activities that help children engage with the story. It includes storybook activities to provide continuity, cohesion and recall and a family follow-up sheet with ideas to encourage families to continue to explore the topic at home together.

Sue says: I’m biased on this one as I’m a co-author! It was written out of the experience in my own church when we couldn’t find appropriate material for a very small group of children ranging from toddlers to teens who may or may not be present on any given Sunday.

God’s love is unstoppable: 10 big sessions

Welcome to the BIG Academy: 12 big questions

(BIG Ministries, Elevation)

Ready-to-use, bible-based resources for use with children aged 7-11 using songs from the BIG Ministries albums, God’s love is unstoppable and Welcome to the BIG Academy. God’s love is unstoppable  explores stories about Peter and  Welcome to the BIG Academy looks at questions including: What is worship? Is Church important? Is God faithful? and What is sin? Both include worksheets you can photocopy for the children, a script for the Bible story and up to an hour’s worth of fun and creative teaching and worship ideas.

Participate! Helping young people explore discipleship and vocation

(Meg Prowting, Penny Fuller & Mike Seaton, Barnabas)

A seven-week programme designed to enable 9-14s to gain the understanding and skills needed to live out their Christian lives within the local church and wider community. After the first six sessions the young people are given the opportunity to choose a task that they are interested in trying as a voluntary placement. Under guidance they then work alongside someone who is already performing the task and are encouraged to reflect on the role undertaken and what it means to serve others and God in that way. The authors are all part of the Methodist Church Children and Youth team.

A My Participate! Journalis also available for the young people to use.