Storytelling, Teaching and Information

Looking forward to Christmas with Timothy Bear

18 five-minute stories and assembly outlines for Advent and Christmas

Brian Sears

Looking forward to Christmas with Timothy Bear contains 18 pick-up-and-use assembly programmes for KS1 teachers, complete with memorable easy-to-read stories, telling tips, Bible links, suggestions for songs, optional prayers, and questions and activities to explore and develop the theme of the story - ideal for collective worship and classroom follow-up.

More information on Praise and Play!Praise and Play!
Alison Harris
Worshipping with under-fives

The aim of Praise and Play! is to help young children and their parents or carers to feel comfortable and accepted in the church community, not be entertaining the children but by enabling them to experience what it means to worship God.

Praise and Play! includes twelve tried and tested service outlines designed to give a picture of Jesus, covering His life from birth to the post-resurrection stories.

More information on Creative Ideas for Quiet CornersCreative Ideas for Quiet Corners
14 visual prayer ideas for quiet moments with children
Lynn Chambers

Creative Ideas for Quiet Corners is designed to encourage children to find space for prayer by creating a physical prayer space in the home or at church that children can visit and enjoy.

Each prayer idea uses simple but effective materials to create a quiet, reflective corner. The book also offers practical support to parents and leaders, so they can help children to move at their own pace into a sense of quietness and prayer.

Creative Ideas for Quiet Corners is also available as a PDF Download.

More information on Bethlehem Carols UnpackedBethlehem Carols Unpacked
Creative Ideas for Christmas carol services
Lucy Moore and Martyn Payne with BibleLands

Bethlehem Carols Unpacked, published in partnership with BibleLands, offers all those planning a Christmas carol service with the opportunity to create a vibrant service through a wealth of pick-and-mix ideas, including creative storytelling, poetry, prayer, drama and worship. Taking eleven popular carols as its starting point, the material explores the different aspects of the Christmas message and gives you the chance to create a truly memorable carol service.

Bethlehem Carols Unpacked is also available to purchase as a PDF Download.

More information on Living in a Fragile World (PDF Download)Living in a fragile world
Peter Privett

Living in a fragile world uses three-dimensional materials based on the methodology of Godly Play, an imaginative way of telling Bible stories, or presenting parables or lessons about Christian tradition following the Montessori principles of education. Week-by-week the sessions move from the wider planetary view, to the land, to the community, to the self. Each week as the story unfolds the group is invited to recapture the interconnectedness of all things and thereby something of the vision of God.

35 Stories to Make you Think35 Stories to Make you Think Teaching values through RE Heather Butler

Sensitive and topical issues approached through 35 imaginative stories for 7-11s. This book brings together the whole series in one volume: Stories to Make you Think, More Stories to Make you Think and Further Stories to Make you Think. Relevant Bible passages, thinking time, prayers and suggestions for further discussion are included with each story.

Age range: 7-11

Tales for the Prayer Journey Tales for the Prayer Journey
30 five-minute stories for all-age reflection and discussion, with Bible links
Eve Lockett

An imaginative collection of five-minute stories, designed to explore key aspects of prayer. The stories encourage children and adults to pray in their own way and their own language, but with a deeper understanding of prayer through exploring the Bible passages. The intention of the book is that prayer should be seen as integral to the life of a child, not merely a ritual act at the end of an event.

Tales of Grace Tales of Grace
50 five-minute stories for all-age talks, sermons and assemblies
Eve Lockett

This book contains a wealth of imaginative five-minute stories written with both children and adults in mind. They can be used with only children present, only adults present, or with a mixed-age group and are suitable for use in a variety of situations.

The stories illustrate some of the main-themes of the Christian life, such as grace, forgiveness, friendship, guidance, trust and prayer. Some have a traditional flavour, others a contemporary setting. Each story is accompanied by sermon pointers for four key Bible passages relating to the theme, questions for young listeners and suggestions for visual aids and actions.
Age range: All

Parable Fun for Little Ones Parable Fun for Little Ones
10 sessions of pick-and-mix stories and activities for under-fives
Renita Boyle

A flexible and fun-filled exploration of 10 of Jesus' parables for use with under fives at toddler groups, playschool and preschool classes.

Famous Prayers Unpacked Famous Prayers Unpacked
26 five-minute stories exploring The Lord's Prayer and the prayer of St Francis
Brian Sears

Come on an adventure with Tom Wetherby! His everyday escapades will be recognized by children aged 6-10 and are ideal for assemblies at KS2, unpacking the prayer of St Francis and the Lord's Prayer phrase-by-phrase.

Living Church Living Church
A ready-to-use interactive learning experience for schools
Murray McBride

For many children, their first encounter with the local church is a school visit. This book provides everything you need to turn that visit into a memorable learning experience. Unlocking the building and the community of Christians it represents, the Living Church project encourages interactive learning through storytelling, re-enacting Christian celebrations, constructing a model of a church, completing activity sheets, and linking to other curriculum subjects.

Stories for Interactive Assemblies Stories for Interactive Assemblies
15 story-based assemblies to get children talking
Nigel Bishop

These easy-to-tell stories combine biblical teaching with contemporary storytelling. Set within the world of the classroom, each story has its roots in one of Jesus' parables. Primary school children will recognise themselves and their classmates in the stories and relate to the underlying message that is the essence of the parable. Nigel Bishop, a teacher for over 15 years, includes plenty of follow-up material and suggestions to think and talk about in the classroom.

Through the Year with Timothy Bear Through the Year with Timothy Bear
24 five-minute stories for special days and seasons of the year
Brian Sears

24 short stories devised to help those working with 5-7s to teach biblical and moral truths through storytelling. There is a story for each special day of the year, as well as stories for the four seasons. The stories can be used in collective worship and assemblies, PSHE and circle time, as an aid to the teaching of RE or purely for enjoyment at story-time.

Age range: 5-7

A-cross the World A-cross the World
An exploration of forty representations of the cross from the worldwide Christian church
Martyn Payne and Betty Pedley

Telling the stories behind forty crosses from a wide diversity of cultures and Christian faith traditions. It is packed full of ideas for activities, icebreakers, games, prayers, poems and crafts.
Age range: All

Stories of Everyday Saints Stories of Everyday Saints
40 stories with Bible links and related activities
Veronica Heley

Forty read-aloud stories of people who have lived their lives for God. Covers New Testament, historical/ legendary, worldwide and contemporary saints.
Age range 6-10

Special People, Special Places Special People, Special Places
Making connections between Christian pilgrimage and everyday life
Janet Marshall

This book seeks to enable Key Stage 2 teachers to introduce children to the exciting and challenging concept of pilgrimage as part of their RE lessons. All the material is curriculum-linked in order to supplement the teaching of various units of study in the QCA national framework for RE and QCA non-statutory guidelines. The book is divided into three separate, yet interdependent, sections, each containing teacher fact files, creative activities, photocopiable worksheets, questions for discussion, drama, and ideas for art and craft, dance and music.
Age range: 7-11

More information on Special People, Special Places (PDF Download)Special People, Special Places

Special People, Special Places is now available as a PDF Download.

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