IntroducingIntroducingGodly PlayGodly Play

In the Diocese of ChichesterIn the Diocese of Chichester

What is Godly Play?What is Godly Play? A discovery method of teaching and learningA discovery method of teaching and learning A method that is focused on the needs of the A method that is focused on the needs of the

whole child – body, mind and spiritwhole child – body, mind and spirit A multi-sensory approach that integrates the A multi-sensory approach that integrates the

two primary gateways to knowing for young two primary gateways to knowing for young children - language (the verbal system) and children - language (the verbal system) and play (the non-verbal system)play (the non-verbal system)

An approach that encourages a calm, quiet An approach that encourages a calm, quiet and deliberate way of workingand deliberate way of working

Godly Play aims to:Godly Play aims to:

Provide a safe space in which children Provide a safe space in which children can encounter and engage with stories can encounter and engage with stories from the Judaeo-Christian traditionfrom the Judaeo-Christian tradition

Help children make connections Help children make connections between these stories and their own between these stories and their own experienceexperience

Support spiritual developmentSupport spiritual development Make the language of religion familiarMake the language of religion familiar

Godly Play has been influenced Godly Play has been influenced and informed by:and informed by:

The Montessori tradition of educationThe Montessori tradition of education Sofia Cavalletti’s work on the religious Sofia Cavalletti’s work on the religious

formation of the childformation of the child The work of Jerome Berryman over more The work of Jerome Berryman over more

than 30 yearsthan 30 years A worldwide network of Godly Play A worldwide network of Godly Play

practitioners who have supported and practitioners who have supported and informed Berryman’s researchinformed Berryman’s research

What can Godly Play offer?What can Godly Play offer?

Creating sacred spaceCreating sacred space Building and working in communityBuilding and working in community Learning religious languageLearning religious language Using religious language to make meaningUsing religious language to make meaning

It includes the four processes of:

Creating sacred spaceCreating sacred space

The space is designed to focus the child’s The space is designed to focus the child’s visual attention on images and ideas which visual attention on images and ideas which are at the heart of the Christian understanding are at the heart of the Christian understanding of Godof God

The care with which the space is set up and The care with which the space is set up and maintained teaches about the value of what maintained teaches about the value of what goes on theregoes on there

Building and working in communityBuilding and working in community

The participants gather together in expectation The participants gather together in expectation and anticipationand anticipation

The setting aside of a special time for Godly The setting aside of a special time for Godly Play helps us to prepare to come close to GodPlay helps us to prepare to come close to God

The time allowed for ‘collective response’ The time allowed for ‘collective response’ makes it possible for participants to learn from makes it possible for participants to learn from each othereach other

Learning religious languageLearning religious language

Well-tested scripts help to convey the essence Well-tested scripts help to convey the essence of each story presentationof each story presentation

Silence and gesture are treated as powerful Silence and gesture are treated as powerful aspects of the language of the storyaspects of the language of the story

The story scripts are learnt by heart by the The story scripts are learnt by heart by the story teller; the importance of key phrases and story teller; the importance of key phrases and ‘refrains’ helps the listener make connections‘refrains’ helps the listener make connections

Using religious language to make Using religious language to make meaningmeaning

The story teller invites the listeners to ‘wonder’ The story teller invites the listeners to ‘wonder’ about what they have heardabout what they have heard

All contributions are accepted as equally All contributions are accepted as equally valuablevaluable

There is no attempt to reach a particular There is no attempt to reach a particular teaching point or explain what the story ‘really teaching point or explain what the story ‘really means’means’

The heart of Godly Play is that it does The heart of Godly Play is that it does not depend on knowledge but on a not depend on knowledge but on a

personal response and spiritual personal response and spiritual engagement with God’s word within a engagement with God’s word within a supportive, safe community of friends.supportive, safe community of friends.

Godly Play PresentationsGodly Play Presentations

Sacred StoriesSacred Stories – the stories of God’s people within – the stories of God’s people within which we invite the children themselves to become which we invite the children themselves to become part of the storypart of the story

Parables Parables – to stimulate our sense of creativity, help – to stimulate our sense of creativity, help us question our view of everyday lifeus question our view of everyday life

Liturgical Actions Liturgical Actions – a chance for children to learn – a chance for children to learn and practise the language of liturgyand practise the language of liturgy

Sacred StoriesSacred Stories ParablesParables LiturgyLiturgy

CreationCreation

The Flood and The Flood and the Arkthe Ark

The Great The Great FamilyFamily

The ExodusThe Exodus

The Ten Best The Ten Best WaysWays

…….and more.and more

The Good The Good ShepherdShepherd

The Good The Good SamaritanSamaritan

The Great PearlThe Great Pearl

The SowerThe Sower

The LeavenThe Leaven

The Mustard The Mustard SeedSeed

The Circle of the The Circle of the Church YearChurch Year

Advent 1 to 4Advent 1 to 4

EpiphanyEpiphany

Holy BaptismHoly Baptism

The Mystery of The Mystery of EasterEaster

The Good The Good Shepherd and Shepherd and World World CommunionCommunion

Godly Play in the Church Primary Godly Play in the Church Primary School and in the Parish ChurchSchool and in the Parish Church

Helps children to understand more Helps children to understand more about the Church of England by learning about the Church of England by learning religious language and modelling each religious language and modelling each session on the Eucharist .session on the Eucharist .

Preparation Preparation (meeting and greeting)(meeting and greeting)

Ministry of the word Ministry of the word ( listening to and ( listening to and responding to a Bible story)responding to a Bible story)

Communion Communion (sharing food and drink)(sharing food and drink)

Blessing and Dismissal Blessing and Dismissal (saying (saying goodbye)goodbye)

Making a start with Godly Play -Making a start with Godly Play -some principles:some principles:

Slow down Slow down

the pacethe pace

Use attractive, Use attractive,

well-madewell-made

materials materials

to help tell to help tell

the story.the story.

Focus on Focus on the the materials materials as you tell as you tell the storythe story

Use open questions to encourage the children to Use open questions to encourage the children to reflect on the story and its meaning for themreflect on the story and its meaning for them

Enable the children to respond in their Enable the children to respond in their own way to the storyown way to the story

Give the children time and space to Give the children time and space to make the story their ownmake the story their own

Bring the community together again at the end of Bring the community together again at the end of the session – to share experiences and even the session – to share experiences and even food!food!

In most religious education children are In most religious education children are told who God is.told who God is.

In Godly Play children discover who God In Godly Play children discover who God is.is.

If you would like to know more ..If you would like to know more .. Visit : Visit : www.godlyplay.org.ukwww.godlyplay.org.uk

For materials: For materials: www.stmichaelsworkshop.co.ukwww.stmichaelsworkshop.co.uk

For Godly Play training in the Diocese of For Godly Play training in the Diocese of Chichester contact : Chichester contact :

Irene Smale 07980 617584 or Irene Smale 07980 617584 or email: email: iirene.smale@diochi.org.ukrene.smale@diochi.org.uk