Godly Play FAQs

“Play is the work of childhood.” ~ Jean Piaget

What is Godly Play?

Godly Play is an experiential way of teaching children to worship. The program is based on the work done by Dr. Jerome Berryman, using the child-centered teaching method applied to religious education. Dr. Berryman is an Episcopal Priest, author of “Teaching Godly Play” and founder of the Center for the Theology of Childhood.

This method termed “Godly Play” by Berryman, describes an approach to children’s spiritual formation that is based on creating a sacred space in which to present the stories of our tradition. The key to this approach is a worship context for sharing Biblical stories, instead of a traditional school environment. Children learn to find the quiet place within, which enables them to prepare for worship, all by themselves.

The stories are told very simply and without interpretation or moral instruction. After a story is presented, the children and the storyteller wonder together about aspects of the story that draw their interest. After a time of exploring and wondering, the story is put away. Th children then choose what they would like to work with; art supplies, story materials, or books. They spend time creating whatever they choose in response to the story. This method of spiritual formation invites personal involvement in the story, utilizing a child’s natural sense of imagination and wonder; thereby helping them become more fully aware of the mystery of God’s presence in their lives. Godly Play allows us to meet God along with children rather than teaching them what we, as adults, think they ought to know.

This approach uses simple, yet beautiful, natural materials, sparse language and movement and quiet centering response time and is useful for all ages. This tradition honors the children’s natural sense of the sacred and enables children to experience God while learning about God. It is learned from the inside out. Godly Play is also deeply satisfying for the mentors who engage in stories along with the children.

What are Goals of Godly Play?

• Helping children and adults develop their own inherent spirituality
• Helping children know God, in addition to knowing about God
• Presenting Bible stories and liturgical lessons in an interesting and engaging manner.
• Encouraging children to move into larger dimensions of belief and faith trough “wondering questions” and open-ended response time.
• Making religious education a joyous and interesting opportunity.
• Addressing the reality that children learn at different paces and have different learning styles. Success in the Godly Play classroom is not dependent on reading ability or on group discussion.
• Helping children manage their own time and space by making choices, and caring for the Godly Play environment. Children also learn how to respond to one another in a way appropriate to a faith community. The worship center becomes a peaceful place in which to experience and explore the mystery of God’s presence.
• Learning stewardship through caring for the Godly Play materials and classroom. 

How Can I be a Godly Play Parent?

One Godly Play lesson introduces children to the “Ten Best Ways” to live. This is the story of the Ten Commandments. The following ten best ways are not commandments, but the ways we invite you, the parent, to support your child’s Godly Play experience.

• Help your children be on time and ready! The ideal arrival time is between 9:20 and 9:25. Teachers need time to prepare for the day’s lesson, so please do not send your children to Sunday School early. Encourage your child to go to the bathroom before class. Children are always welcomed into the circle, but it is best if everyone is settled before the story starts.
• Be patient, knowing that part of what we are teaching the children is the importance of slowing down and being ready to be with God. The Godly Play circle is built slowly and lovingly, to welcome each child, one at a time. When children arrive, they wait outside the door while the doorperson helps them get ready to join the circle.
• Say your goodbyes at the door and know that the mentors are ready to make the next hour a safe and welcoming time for every child. Even if your child is not ready to go in, you may leave them to continue getting ready with the doorperson once the rest of the children have gone into the room.
• Do not come into the room during drop off, class, or pick up. The Godly Play room is a sacred space for the children and having additional adults in the room is disruptive to the flow of the class. The doorperson will dismiss the children one at a time so that each child has time to clean up their own things and say goodbye to the mentors. Again, please be patient! This is an important part of the lesson.
• Do attend our next Open House for parents. The environment is a critical part of the curriculum and knowing more about the way things are set up will help you connect with your child about what happens there. You may also observe a class by appointment. It is best to observe when your own child is not a part of the group.
• Try not to be discouraged if children do not have the words to tell you about their experience in the classroom. Young children will not always be about to tell you what they learned, because what they learned was how to learn about the powerful language of the Christian people.
• Know that there may not be a physical product for their “work” that day, because some of what they are learning cannot be put into words even by adults. In Godly Play, we focus on our relationships with God, the depth of relationships in the community of children, and learning how to use the Christian language to make meaning of our experiences.
• Understand that some days we will choose not to include all of the parts of the lesson. In Godly Play we believe that we have “all the time we need ” and it is more important to respond to the needs of the children than to stick to a strict schedule. Skipping a particular piece of the lesson is not a punishment, it is an intentional decision made for the benefit of the entire group based on the time available.
• Support the program by learning more about Godly Play. Introductory material is available to borrow from the Godly Play room.
• Stay connected with your child’s Godly Play mentors. Always email or call if you have questions or concerns!