Children’s Spirituality Mary Hawes January 2011. Children’s Spirituality Painting by numbers?

Children’s Spirituality

Mary HawesJanuary 2011

Children’s Spirituality

Painting by numbers?

Children’s Spirituality

Baby/toddler 3 – 5 years 5 – 7 years 8 – 11 years

Looking at the landscape…..

Children’s Spirituality Children…have spiritual abilities that defy conventional

chronological categories of faith development. Religious faith does not develop in quite the same way as other parts of our bodies and minds from small to large or from immature to mature. Growing up, in fact, does not guarantee spiritual development.

Bonnie J. Miller-McLemore

Children’s Spirituality Full of potential

Children’s Spirituality Children should be helped to develop the spiritual

qualities of wonder and inner peace – and the sense of something greater than themselves……No child is complete without some passionate spiritual engagement of this kind.

A Good Childhood: Layard & Dunn

Children’s Spirituality

Endangered

Verbal andNon-verbal

Erratic

DepthSurprise

Challenge

Integrated

Everyday

Children’sSpirituality

Children’s Spirituality Nourishing the roots

Being shaped

Shooting and fruiting

Children’s SpiritualitySpace

Process

Imagination

Relationship

Intimacy

Trust

Children’s SpiritualitySPACE Physical Focus Threshold to the sacred Emotional Stillness and silence

Children’s SpiritualityPROCESS Journey not end result Genuine open questions Opportunity to explore

Children’s SpiritualityIMAGINATION Looking at things differently Spontaneity Opening windows not closing doors

Children’s SpiritualityRELATIONSHIP More than words Depth of engagement Integrity With each other With God

Children’s SpiritualityINTIMACY Coming close Feeling safe Becoming vulnerable

Children’s SpiritualityTRUST Trusting the child Trusting God Trusting the material

Children’s SpiritualityChurch/Collective Worship

child-friendly?child-spirituality friendly?

What are the foundations we are laying to support the child’s spiritual growth?

Children’s Spirituality

Going for Growth Growth…

In spirituality In understanding In quality of care and

nurture In children and young

people themselves

Going for Growth: theology

Made in God’s image

Called to beactive citizens

Created to bein relationship

Going for Growth: principles

Precious and valued

Reflecting thevalues of the Kingdom

Importance andquality of relationship

Going for Growth: action

Enabling encounters

Providing supportand development

Embracingtransformation

and change

Children’s Spirituality

http://www.going4growth.org.uk

Children’s Spirituality Children’s Spirituality

Dr Rebecca Nye

Children’s SpiritualityThrough the Eyes of a Child

ed. Richards and Privett

Children’s Spirituality