Family Resources
Home is the heart of faith formation, and most faith formation for young Friends takes place within the family in the busy swirl of daily life. The key is to be intentional and present to moments of spiritual deepening.
If you are raising children or planning programming for home spiritual nurture, you may appreciate these resources on spiritual practice in the home to support the journey with children. In addition to this collection of resource posts, please see the “Faith at Home” section for more resources and inspiration…
Resources for parents and nurturers
Faithful Families: Creating Sacred Moments at Home
Add family faith moments to your daily routine with little or no prep, and share meaningful spiritual experiences with your children. Traci Smith, a pastor and mother of three, offers creative ways to discover and develop new spiritual practices as a family, whether...
Nurturing the Spirituality of Children
Children’s spirituality is something we still have much to learn about, is so important, and is something that can change the world. Caryl Cresswell, a recorded minister in Sierra Cascades Yearly Meeting, a member of West Hills Friends Meeting in Portland, Oregon, and...
Nurturing Children’s Spiritual Lives: A Journey of Spirit and Wonder
By Melinda Wenner Bradley When a new baby or child arrives in our lives, into our care, we learn to assess their needs: What does my crying child need? Is the baby hungry? Does she need to be fed? Is his diaper wet? What does my child need to help them fall asleep? We...
Curricula
Quaker Affirmations
Celebrating What’s Already True About Your Children The Quaker emphasis on Truth creates a wonderful jumping off point for conversations with children about special capacities they have (spiritual gifts) and ways those gifts help them to engage with others in ways...
Sparkling Still LibraryThing Collection
Looking for excellent children’s books to illustrate Friends faith and practice? Start HERE with the Sparkling Still LibraryThing collection, a continuously update catalog by theme and age group.
Religious Education for the Home and Small Meeting
This is an idea packet assembled for families and small meetings who seek to educate children in Quaker faith and practice. Originally published in 1986, this is a treasure trove, worthy of adaptation and revision given that most Quaker meetings still face these...
Lesson plans for home
Home Religious Education Guide – Sharing Our Gifts
Activities to Pair with Books and Music HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE Please use these ideas in ways that work best for your children. The Concepts listed and Bible Readings are for grown-up background material to support you. Reading aloud the book together, or watching...
Good People Everywhere
Lesson plan for the home with a book, video and music. Good People Everywhere is a soothing story to help children become mindful of the beautiful, caring people in their world. Each page delightfully unfolds with vibrant, engaging illustrations and endearing stories...
What Does It Mean to Be Present?
This book exploring practical ways to be present could be used as part of a lesson on mindfulness and how we prepare for worship. The illustrations are lovely. Melinda Wenner Bradley has created the attached children's religious education lesson plan, "Looking Back,...
Resources for children
I Think, I Am! Teaching Kids the Power of Affirmations
I Think, I Am! can be a bridge for children from hearing about their gifts to embracing those words and incorporating them into their understanding of themselves. Being able to acknowledge our gifts is a crucial step on the Quaker faith formation journey. "Your...
Jack’s Talent
"You must be good at something," said Miss Lucinda. "Everyone has a special talent." On the first day of school, Miss Lucinda asks the students to share their special talents. Francesca is a star soccer player, Matthew can catch huge fish with his grandpa, and Candace...
A is for All the Things You Are
A lesson plan for the home with a book, music and activities: A Is for All the Things You Are: A Joyful ABC Book is an alphabet board book developed by the National Museum of African American History and Culture that celebrates what makes us unique as individuals and...
Resources for teens
Finding the Light Within Us: Queries for Quaker Families
Vocations and Gifts Parents: Is your work compatible with your values? Is the life of the business/institution for which you work broadly in line with the Quaker values of peace, justice, equality, simplicity, integrity, and community? Do you listen inwardly for new...
Spirit Rising — Young Quaker Voices
Spirit Rising celebrates, critiques, questions, and reflects on the Quaker faith experience. Writing and visual art by teenage and young adult Quakers from around the world and across the theological and cultural spectrum of the Religious Society of Friends give...
Videos
Nurturing the Spirituality of Children
Children’s spirituality is something we still have much to learn about, is so important, and is something that can change the world. Caryl Cresswell, a recorded minister in Sierra Cascades Yearly Meeting, a member of West Hills Friends Meeting in Portland, Oregon, and...
Teaching the Language of Children’s Spirituality
We as human beings need stories. It's this primal part of who we are as a human race — from the very beginning. That's how we have always made meaning. Telling stories, over and over again. Caryl Cresswell, a recorded minister in Sierra Cascades Yearly Meeting, a...
QREC Videos: Welcoming children and families into Quaker meeting
A series of six videos to help Quaker monthly meetings and worship groups welcome children and families. Recorded by Melinda Wenner Bradley in the Fall 2015. Rachel Guaraldi was the Videographer.
