All Saints' Episcopal Church: Godly Play

Godly Play is a Christian Education curriculum based on the research of Maria Montessori. One of her teachings is that children should use concrete materials to learn abstract concepts. Godly Play involves the use of concrete materials to teach religious lessons and stories.

In our classrooms at All Saint's we have a Desert Box and all the tools we needed to watch God's people move through the desert, into Exile, and into God's hope again. We used Nativity sets to prepare for and rejoice in the birth of Jesus. We are currently opening a precious Gold Box each week to learn the gifts of the Parables of Jesus.

Godly Play allows the children to develop a sense of sharing and community while learning religious concepts and language. I was privileged one week to be a part of a discussion with our 2nd-5th graders about why there was a fence around the temple in the desert. Was it designed to keep people out -- or in -- or ????

For more information please contact Diane McMorris at mcmorris2427@charter.net.