godly play environment
DESCRIPTION
TRANSCRIPT
Unspoken Lesson: The Environment
The Godly Play Environment
• Speaks to what we believe;
• Supports the Godly Play process;
• Is always a work in progress;
• Yet how can we begin?
Your Church’s Worship Spaceand Children’s Space
• What do they say about God?
• What do they say about the people who gather here?
• What do they say about being the church?
What we don’t say may speak the loudest!
Hopefully, a Godly Play Space Says
• This is a holy space– Sacred objects– Special furnishings– Respectful handling and movement
• This is a place for children– Child sized furnishings and focus– Not too many adults– No materials are “off-limits”
• This is a place you can trust– Things will remain in place from week to week– The stories are always here– Children’s work is safe
A Model Godly Play Room
Where to Begin?
• A complete cleaning and clearing out
• Some paint and new floor covering
• A focal shelf
• An art supply shelf and place to store work
• Christmas and Easter shelves
• Other shelves and stories as you can
The Focal Shelf
The Christ Candle on a small dish.
Christ said; ‘I am the light’Christ’s presence is deepened by the image of the response he made about his own identity
The Holy Family & Risen Christ sits on the appropriate liturgical colour
cloth figure of Risen Christ behind Holy Family
Volume 2 p. 34Christ is at the centre it evokes transformation –in -ChristThe liturgical colour tells us we are in the church year
The Good Shepherdstands on a wooden/green felt circle with
sheepfold and sheep
Volume 4 page 91Christ said ‘I am the Good Shepherd’.Christ’s presence is deepened by the image of the response he made about his own identity
Holy Baptism
Volume 4, page Tray with bowl / jug : doll in a crib; 3 white felt circles (45cms diameter ) ; model dove; container of oil ; clothThe sacrament of baptism evokes our liturgical response to ‘I am the light’
Tray or basket with Cloths in Liturgical colours
Colours change according to the seasonThe liturgical coloured cloths show the passage of time as they are changed according to the seasons
Good Shepherd’s Table with small chalice and paten
Volume 4 page 91Stands on a wooden/ green felt circle The sacrament of Holy Communion evokes our liturgical response to ‘I am the Good Shepherd’
Tray with small candles; bowl of sand; candle snuffer; (box of matches in a safe container)Volume 3 page 70Candles for each child to remember their baptism
Circle of Church Year
Volume 2 page 23Wooden model and gold cordThe church tells time by colour and liturgical seasons
Basket of World People
Volume 4 page 91The people of the world are invited and come to the Good Shepherd’s table
Liturgical ShelvesChristmas and Easter
To the left of the Focal Shelf
Model of Bethlehem
Volume 3, page 27A 3-dimensional wooden model on a wooden base. Used for Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany stories.
Advent Cards & Underlay
Volume 3, page 27A tray or basket with the 5 image cards for Advent/ Christmas stories and underlay.
The Mystery of Christmas
Volume 3, page 56A gold box with 6 images mounted on wood or foam core, labels for each image, and related biblical texts for each image.
Candles – Advent Lesson
Volume 3, page 27Basket or tray of Advent candles, the same colours used in your church.
Epiphany
Volume 3, page 64Box or tray with gold, frankincense, myrrh, charcoal, fire-proof container to burn incense, and tweezers to handle charcoal. Use with Advent materials.
Supporting materials Stories of Christmas Stories of Christmas
Liturgical Shelves: Lent and EasterTo the right of the Focal Shelf
The Mystery of Easter
Volume 4, page 27A purple bag with six wooden pieces that make the mystery of Easter
The Faces of Easter
Volume 4, page 3A tray or basket with the 7 images of Christ and the purple underlay.
Synagogue and Upper Room
Volume 4, page 99Wooden models of the synagogue and upper room with the bronze figure; the lectern, the scroll, and a table. Volume 4 page 99
Circle of The Holy Eucharist
Volume 4, page 100A basket with plaques showing the different parts of the Eucharist. A large green felt circle, 1 metre in diameter
Easter Egg Lesson
Volume 4 page 74A basket of decorated Ukrainian Eggswith the support materials
Supporting materials Books and pictures Supporting Materials
Sacred Story ShelvesOld Testament
Creation
Volume 2 page 41Tray or holder with the 7 creation plaquesand a black underlay
Ark and Flood
Volume 2, page 49Ark model, baskets with people and animals,stones, prism, dovebrown underlay
Great Family
Volume 2, page 57Stones, two wooden blocks, two lengths of blue wool.
People of God
Tray withbaskets holding people of God. Used with many stories
Exodus
Volume 2, page 65Tray with basket of People of God; two blue felt pieces, basket of matzo
10 Best Ways
Volume 2, page 73Tray with basket of People of God; heart shaped box; Mt Sinai
Ark and the Tent
Volume 2,Page 81Tray with baskets of People of God, tent furniture;the ark model and four cloth coverings
Ark and Temple
Volume 2,Page 87Model of temple; basket of furniture; small person; and scroll
Exile and Return
Volume 2, page 103 Tray with baskets; people of God;Chain and two wooden blocks; two pieces of blue wool
Other storiesSecond
CreationThe Falling
ApartVolume 6 p 25
that develop the above
AbrahamVolume 6, page 32
See Volume 6
SarahVolume 6, page 38
MosesVolume 6, page 58
RuthVolume 6, page 66
SamuelVolume 6, page 72
ElijahVolume 6, page 86
JeremiahVolume 6, page 103
JacobVolume 6, page 44
JosephVolume 6, page 51
DavidVolume 6,
page 76
IsaiahVolume 6, page 86
DanielVolume 6, page 116
BooksPuzzles
Referencebooks
Story booksPictures
Concordance Bible atlas JonahVolume 2 p 107
Sacred Story Shelves, continued
Prophets Volume 2, page 126Tray with basket for prophet’s scrolls;Chain; two wooden blocks; two pieces of blue wool
Books of BibleVolume 2, page 114Shelf model with individual books of the Bible; also cue cards
Jesus and the 12Volume 4,page 81Picture of Last Supper; tray or basket with apostle shields and cue cards also small last supper cue card.
PentecostVolume 4, Page 120Red wooden box with wooden blocks; red underlay; strips of brown felt; basket of apostle shields
PaulVolume 4,Page 1267 plaques telling the story of Paul; red underlay; basket or container with scrolls of Paul’s letters.
Unwritten Lesson
Volume 4,Page 143A beautiful blank book for children to write their story.
EzekielVolume 6, page 110Tray or box; image of prophet’s dream, prophet’s scroll, bones, image of Jerusalem, brick
A BibleOpened at the day’s lesson
JobVolume 6,page 126Container with wooden camel, sheep, cow, whirlwind
Desert BoxA transitional shelfseparating OT and NT
Stories Puzzles Pictures Reference books
Parable ShelvesGood ShepherdVolume 3, page 77Gold box; green underlay, blue felt, dark felt, brown felt strips, 5 sheep, wolf Good Shepherd, ordinary shepherd.
Good SamaritanVolume 3 page 87Gold box; brown underlay, light brown felt strip, Jerusalem and Jericho, figures of traveller, priest, Levite, robbers, Samaritan, donkey plaque.
The Mustard SeedVolume 3 page 115Gold box; inside a yellow underlay, green felt tree, basket of birds and nests, figure of person, box, plaque with person and tree.
The SowerVolume 3 page 102Gold box; brown underlay, basket of birds, plaques of soils, 3 harvest bags, figure of sower.
The Great PearlVolume 3 page 95Gold box; inside white underlay, felt outline houses, furniture, figures of seller and merchant, box of pearls.
The LeavenVolume 3 page 109Gold box; oatmeal felt underlay, box with measures of flour etc., box with leaven, figure of woman.
Parable of ParablesVolume 3 page 121A series of various coloured boxes of graduating sizes
Parable of the Deep WellVolume 3 page 127Wooden box; oatmeal felt underlay, model well, small bucket, strips of gold cord
All the ParablesVolume 3 page 132A basket or tray with every gospel parable written out on separate cards with references.
‘I Am’ StatementsVolume 3 page 139A basket or tray with all the ‘I am’ statements from John’s gospel – written out on triangular cards- with references.
Parable Game CardsVolume 3 page 148A basket or tray with different games and activities written on separate cards.
Stories Puzzles Pictures, etc
Response MaterialsVariety of Brushes
Thick and thin brushes, household paint brushes, pieces of sponge etc.
Wet-wipes/ Paper Towels
Variety of Glue
Liquid and sticks; glitter glue is less messy than glitter
Sticky TapeDifferent colours and sizes, double sided;masking tape
Variety of Scissors
Good quality in a variety of sizes and blades; be sure toinclude left handed
Drawing and writing
A variety of different pencils and pens; felt markers and pens in different sizes and colours; calligraphy pens
Paper
Wide selection of different sizes, colours, and weights,
Specialist Papers
Watercolour paper,pastel paper; wall paper, etc. in varying patterns and types
Variety of Paints
Washable water colour paint and poster paint
Pots/ Containers
For water, glue, beads, etc.
Water bottle or jug if your room does not have a tap
Sewing
Wool, thread, large plastic needles; canvas or burlap; embroidery hoops
Wool and thread in small jars with holes in lids, saves tangles.Colour-code the lids for the colour of wool or thread
Coloured pencils
Watercolour pencils, coloured drawing pencils
CrayonsThick and thin wax crayons.Artist’s oil pastelsand chalk pastels- these have really strong colours;Willow charcoal…
Tissue paperCrepe paperFoil Papers
Cardstock
A different selection of sizes and colours
Trays for work
Or pieces of hardboard cut into rectangles of approximately 45cm x 60 cm
Scrap Box
Fabric pieces, natural objects, ribbons, different textures and shapes
Containers of Beads/Sequins Wooden sticks
Pipe cleaners etc.
Clay/Modelling material
Traditional clay, plasticine, Femo, modelling tools and some small boards to work on…
Construction materials
Wooden blocks, wood scraps, tiles, nuts, bolts, hammers, screwdrivers, etc.
Collection of newspapers magazines
for collage, etc.
Imagine Your Space
• Draw a rough sketch of your space
• Outline where you would put the focal table, story shelves, response materials, etc.
• What needs to happen to create a space for children that is holy, a place of trust?
• What conversations do you need to have in order to make this a reality?