All children articles
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ArticleHaving a Disability Champion can revolutionise life for disabled youth and children in your church
When we moved to our current church a few years ago, most people who talked with me for more than a few minutes soon discovered that I’m passionate about churches becoming more accessible for disabled people, including disabled young people and children. It wasn’t too long before our vicar approached me and asked if I would consider being the Disability Champion for our church. After praying about it, I gladly accepted. I want churches to not only welcome and include disabled adults, youth and children, but to also be places where they can feel that they truly belong. But what is a Disability Champion and why might your church need one?
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ArticleClever Club Bible Bingo: A great game to help children learn and meditate on Bible stories
Clever Cub Bible Bingo is a recent addition to the collection of resources offered by David C Cook. The game is designed to help kids learn Bible truths through a familiar and engaging format. As a mother of four, eager to make the Bible enjoyable for my children, I was immediately drawn to it. Packaged in a travel-sized box, the game includes 12 double-sided Bingo boards along with perforated sheets that need to be separated to make the calling and marker tokens.
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ArticleNew film The King of Kings is a pleasant, family-friendly, cat-approved retelling of the gospel
Angel Studios’ The King of Kings is an animated film directed by Seong-ho Jang, loosely inspired by Charles Dickens’ lesser-known work, The Life of Our Lord. Boasting a voice cast so stacked it could pass as a Who’s Who of Hollywood - including Kenneth Branagh, Uma Thurman, Mark Hamill, Pierce Brosnan, Roman Griffin Davis, Forest Whitaker, Ben Kingsley, and Oscar Isaac - the film reimagines the gospel story through Dickens’ eyes, turning it into a bedtime tale for his son, Walter. And if that sounds like a quaint, heartwarming setup, don’t worry - there’s also a cat for comic relief.
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ArticleIt’s not all in the head - Physical activity is really important for the mental and spiritual health of youth and children
In 2024 there were 9.3 million NHS Couch to 5K runs started in the year as people sought to get healthy. I really enjoy physical activity but there are times (especially at the end of a busy day or if it is cold and dark) that dragging myself away from a comfy sofa is quite a challenge. However, one thing I do know is that being active is good for me and I always feel better having chosen to abandon the sofa for exercise.
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ArticleChristian parents will find that the Real Easter Egg collection from the Meaningful Chocolate Company is well worth trying
When it comes to Easter, there is one very important question that everyone should think about: When is it too early to eat a chocolate egg?!
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ArticleThe Garden the Curtain and the Cross is a great resource for Christian parents to try in the run up to Easter
As the last few remnants of the Christmas stock are in the seasonal sale aisle, in comes the chocolate eggs and hot cross buns. ‘Happy Easter’ is on bunting, hats, and toys everywhere we look. It can be difficult for Christian parents to navigate yet another consumer-hacked event in the calendar, as the colour pallet in the shops turns to pastel yellow, pink and green and the shelves are filled with chocolate eggs, and fluffy bunnies and chicks. So, how do Christian families manage this time of year as they explain the biblical account of the first Easter to children in a theologically accurate, yet age-appropriate way, especially as eggs, hot cross buns and bunnies can be easier to digest than sin, death and resurrection.
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ArticleNew Disney+ series for children Win or Lose has an openly Christian character in it, but that doesn’t mean it’s a complete cause for celebration
I’ve always loved Disney. I love the music, the predictability and the comfort of the familiar hero storyline. I marvel at the ability for its message to speak to 5-year-old me whilst still speaking to 45-year-old me, that’s meant that Disney has become a timeless classic in my life. There have however been some recent controversies, for example around Disney’s latest move to introduce characters who are gay (Strange World (2022) and Buzz Lightyear (2022)). This led some Christians to unsubscribe from Disney+. As a family we chose to keep our subscription. My children are now 21, 19 and 17, so Christian discussions around the cultural topics that Disney are highlighting are much easier. However, for many others, the way in which Disney portrayed gay characters accompanied by price hikes saw them choosing to cancel their subscriptions.
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ArticleWe might be facing a pornography pandemic but Christian parents do have weapons to fight back with
The statistics are bleak. A 2023 report from the UK Children’s Commissioner found that by the age of 13 half of all children have viewed pornography. The porn that is freely available on the internet isn’t like the magazines of the past. Videos are often harsh, involving scenes of sexual coercion and aggression.
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ArticleChristian parenting in hospital: surviving through everyday faith
I’m sitting just to her side, wedged between the ward wall and my child’s hospital bed. For me and many other parents this has become a familiar yet daunting place. The rhythmic soundscape of oxygen masks and intermittent beeping from machines becomes our lullaby. It merges into the background of chatter and children’s cries, as we try to rest and get some sleep.
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ArticleChildline’s tips on tackling loneliness are helpful. But Christians should go further.
This month Childline revealed that that they ran nearly 5,000 online or telephone counselling sessions with youth and children in 2023-24. There are lots of issues that worry youth and children but, in those sessions, the main concern was loneliness. This isn’t an outlying report. The Office for National Statistics said something similar about the same time period. Loneliness, it seems, is a big problem.
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ArticleDiscipline – Getting it right, biblically, legally and practically
When you think about discipline, what comes to mind? Perhaps it brings back memories of how you were treated as a child. Those memories could be positive or negative. As parents, we know discipline is key in helping children become well-balanced and responsible people, but the way you approach discipline can have a lasting impact on your child’s emotional and behavioural development.
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ArticleA Parent’s Guide to Safe and Enjoyable Sleepovers
Sleepovers are a cherished part of childhood—an opportunity for children to bond with friends, and enjoy the freedom of staying up far too late! For parents, sleepovers are a big moment, as the fun also comes with the responsibility of ensuring everyone is safe and looked after. With stories of peer-on-peer abuse in the media, it’s natural for parents to have concerns. So let’s look at how you can make for an enjoyable and safe sleepover.
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ArticleWhat you need to have with you in church for children with additional needs
Additional needs guru Mark Arnold gives you the list of materials he won’t leave home without…
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ArticleChallenging behaviour? Or sensory processing difficulties?
Every child and young person needs support to help them learn or engage with activities. Some need additional or different support from those of the same age to ensure that everyone benefits from all they participate in. We want to address some of the important questions around these needs. Welcome to ‘All inclusive’.
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ArticlePrivate tuition - what are the risks?
Each month, the safeguarding experts at Thirtyone:eight help us to keep those in our care safe, as well as our policies and procedures sound.
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ArticleTell me a story
Story is all around us. Whether it’s a film or video game, a book or TV show, we can’t escape the impact of story on our lives. Even the most banal of gameshows will tease out a contestant’s story and what they might do with the prize money to make us care and keep watching. Alex Taylor sits back and dives into the world of storytelling and how it can be a key part of faith development.
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ArticleMaking space for children to be heard
Each month, the safeguarding experts at Thirtyone:eight help us to keep those in our care safe, as well as our policies and procedures sound.
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ArticleWhat does Proverbs 22:6 really mean?
“Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.”
