Explore Together (Scripture Union)

Explore together is a resource that can be used in many different settings. As a church we have used it as part of our all-age services, but it could be used in smaller kids’ groups, mixed aged groups and even in families.

At the heart of Explore Together is a desire to see people hear from God and learn more of his love for them through different zones. Each zone is carefully designed to cater for particular learning needs and preferences.

There are three books with 12 sessions each and although these books are still available in some places (Amazon and Eden) all the resources are on the Scripture Union website and are free to access. The material covers come key bible events and topics such as worry, Easter, Christmas and making disciples. Each session clearly sets out how to open the session and ideas for sharing the bible passage and praying creatively. Then ideas are given for each zone (colour, listening, chat, word, busy and quiet).

Those attending are encouraged to explore as many of the zones as they wish. In my experience some people have chosen their zone and stuck to it for the duration whilst others have moved around. The material then gives your ideas for coming back together.

As a church we found this really helped people to engage in the same idea but in different ways. Parents felt that their children had choice and older members of our congregation felt valued in an all age setting which is traditional seen as something for the kids.

Reviewed by Debbie Schofield

Flame

Flame is a brilliant resource to support the creative elements of your session. The blog is full of tried and tested activities that focus primarily on prayer but also focus on craft and sensory activities. Most of the activities are aimed at under 7's but they are easily adaptable to add depth for older children and there are plentyof activities for all ages and family services.

It is so easy to use with a key down the side of all the topics included and well-explained activities that include photos. I am passionate about getting children excited and comfortable with prayer and this is my weekly go-to resources to inspire my planning. My team have found these prayer activities fun  to explore prayer with the children and it has given them more confidence to think more creatively.

With a wide range of activities from prayer rockets to science experiements, this is a must have to support your team in creative prayer activities.

Reviewed by Debs Price

Gross

The Gross 6-Week Curriculum is designed to cover six weeks of lessons, each focusing on a different Biblical story or theme. The curriculum uses "gross" themes, like messy situations, or unexpected scenarios, to capture children's attention while underpining  important spiritual lessons.

The curriculum remains grounded in Biblical teachings and is a great way to break up your usual Sunday sessions or perhaps us as a something different for the summer. Each session is adaptable and is centrered around a Bible story or concept. Gross integrates fun and faith, to ensure that children are learning Biblical truths in a really memorable way.  

Reviewed by Sherine de Mel-Dishley

Prayer Spaces in Schools

The Prayer Spaces in Schools website is a project of 24-7 Prayer and is a great place for finding creative prayer ideas.

Although the website is set up for the school setting I have used many of the ideas in church with small groups of children, training for families in praying together and for whole church prayer sessions.   The resources can be filtered by age or subject and any resources required are ones you would have at church or home. You can adapt the suggestions for your context and I often find they are simply a starting point for an idea.

I recommend taking a look at this online resource and trying a few ideas with your groups. 

Reviewed by Debbie Schofield

Trueway Kids

Trueway Kids is an excellent resource providing children with a solid biblical foundation while keeping them engaged. The resource is actually free of charge and session topics range from Old and New Testament key strories, as well fundamental themes of the Christian faith.

The resource is incredibly user-friendly, making it simple for adults to facilitate even if they don’t have a lot of Kids work experience. Each session comprises of worksheets, activity pages, memory verses, crafts, videos and games, and can be sessions can be tailored to suit various age groups and group sizes. There is flexibility in how the session can be delivered and they cover a wide age range, whilst retaining quality.

This resource has bright, colourful graphics and is presented in an age-appropriate format that will help to bring the Bible to life for toddlers, young children and pre-teens.

Reviewed by Sherine de Mel-Dishley