Useful links for Children's and Youth Work

Your Baptism Journey

A montly resource enabling families to explore faith through secular children's books. There are also special resource sheets to help with children who are feeling anxious, starting school or coping with bereavement. More information. 

Pilgrimage at Home

Tony Cook from the Diocese of Bath and Wells has produced a pilgrimage which families can do together around the home. Download the pdf pilgrimage.

YouTube videos

• Virtual Sunday school
• Ignite Kids
• Alive Worcestershire

Going For Growth from the Church of England

Faith isn't something to be learned in church - it's to be lived out at home. But it isn't always easy for families to know how to pray together or tell the stories of Jesus together. This page offers links and ideas to help families be Christian in their whole lives, not just the Sunday bit! Visit the website.

Illustrated Ministry

Illustrated ministry is currently offering free resources to all households that want to continue to worship within their own homes. Once you register with them, they send you a free colouring page and then every Friday will send you some new resources. Visit their website

They have also put together this series of colouring pages to use when you feel anxious. Download pdf.

Little Church

Perfect for preschoolers and their parents - See YouTube for their first story featuring Noah

Pinterest

Pinterest has lots of amazing and different ideas to use. Follow Mary Hawes, hereyou will also find many ideas to help you and your church families.

Roots

Roots is offering resources for worship at home linked to the weekly lectionary for free. Visit the website.

Together at Home Facebook group

Resources, Bible readings, prayers, discussion starters and activities. Join the group

Movement

Movement aims to establish a regular gathering, bringing groups of young people together to meet with God in prayer and worship accompanied by quality Christian teaching that is practical, relevant and useful. Find out more

Advent and Christmas
A more positive Halloween

The Diocese of Bristol has launched a lectionary-based app which provides users with a bible passage, thought-provoking questions, a quote and a prayer focus. Great for young people, families or clergy looking for inspiration! Find out more 

God Venture

God Venture - Fun, creative ways of sharing God with children.

Bible Videos

The Diocese of St Albans has produced stories from the Bible as videos, which anyone is welcome to use. Have a look at their YouTube Channel.

Bible Chat Mat

An amazing free resource from the Diocese of Bath and Wells. Bible Chat Mat allows people of all ages to read the Bible and have conversation together, whether around a meal table, sitting on the sofa or wherever works best. This activity can be done as a household, friends together, home group, Sunday group or even in a school club. The sheets can be coloured and doodled on, allowing you to respond to the Bible story in your own unique way. Find out more.

Bible Podlets

The Diocese of Blackburn has just released a series of Bible Study Podcasts for adults and primary school age children called Bible Podlets. There are currently three episodes available and there’s another seven on the way – they’re released every Friday. Listen and download the podcasts and resources.

Anna Freud - Spending time in nature
Mental health and nature video featuring David Attenborough
5 ways to connect with nature to improve our wellbeing
Anna Freud - nature toolkit for Primary age children
Anna Freud - nature toolkit for Secondary age children
Mind pack on nature and mental health

General resources around mental health for children and young people:

Word on the Street have come up with some great ideas and strategies for young people struggling with loneliness.

Dan from the Diocese of Chichester has discovered some really great videos from CGP Grey on YouTube. This one looks at how we can look after our own mental wellbeing. 

Natural Resources Wales have put together a glorious booklet of activities for children outside. It includes some great activities that families could do outside

Youthscape have produced a set of Shuffle cards around mental wellbeing (Mindset) and there are some great ideas in these cards that you can use with young people either online or in real life!  They include a couple around nature. 

• Assemblies.org.uk - Assemblies for every season for everyone.
• Prayer Spaces in Schools
• Optimus Education - A collection of 40 primary school faith assemblies (Requires signing up for an account)
• Teaching Ideas: Inspiration for engaging assemblies.
• Praying Each Day - Daily reflections 
• Religion, Environments & Education (REEP) - education projects and events to educate young people about the ways that different cultures respond to and interact with the environment.
• The Stapleford Centre - Assemblies
• Schoolswork.co.uk - Resources for every Christian who works in and visits schools across the UK

Sacred stories

• Creation
• The Flood and The Ark
• The Great Family
• Exile and Return
• The Exodus
• Moses
• Jonah
• The Ten best ways
• The Holy Family
• Lessons 1-4 of Advent
• Jesus and the Children
• Jesus and Zacchaeus
• The Faces of Easter
• Jesus the Last Passover
• Jesus is King
• Jesus is Risen – Appearance to Mary Magdalene
• Jesus is Risen – The Road to Emmaus

Parables

• The Sower
• The Leven
• The Banquet
• The Great Pearl
• The good shepherd
• The lost sheep
• The good shepherd and the wolf
• The Good Samaritan
• The Mustard seed

Liturgical

• The Church Year
• The Good Shepherd and world
• Communion
• Pentecost
• Holy Baptism

As well as various people of God to make up both stories form the Old and New Testament.

We hold a number of resources centrally which you are welcome to borrow for use in your parish.

The Large Resources leaflet details several of the larger games that we hold, do please contact Joanne Wilson at Worcester Cathedral to book and arrange collection. If there is something you need which isn’t on the leaflet, do get in touch as it is not an exhaustive list and we might be able to source items from neighbouring dioceses or other churches. 

As well as these items, we have a considerable library of books relating to ministry with Children and Young People. Some are theological reflections, others are more practical guides on running holiday clubs, youth group sessions, drama and poetry scripts or collective worship outlines for schools. These are available to browse and borrow from the Diocesan Office. 

The following leaflets are guides for more specific areas of youth and children’s work and relate to some of the resources we hold or training we deliver across the diocese.

• Bringing Bible Stories to Life for KS2 and KS3
• Mental Health and Wellbeing Resources for School and Youth Groups
• Evangelism with Children and Young People
• ‘Godly Play’ sets – a list of the resources

Video conferencing

Download guidance on doing video conferencing with Primary school age children.

Netflix Party

Netflix party is a new way to watch films with friends. Netflix has a host of Christian films you could watch with your children’s groups and families altogether online. Find out more

One Way UK online resource centre

Lots of resources are being compiled on this website suggested by a range of people. Visit the site

Additional Needs Alliance

This organisation provides resources, help & guidance for families who have children with additional needs & disabilities and for those who work in churches with them. There are currently extra resources to help these children understand Covid-19 and what's happening, which could be useful for youth/children's workers as well as parents/carers. Join the Facebook group.

Holiday Clubs

• Pulse Ministries Orbiters Holiday club is totally free
• Scripture Union has online videos
• Virtual Holiday Club 2021. An online resource featuring dramatized bible stories, crafts, songs, games and competitions.  Streamed live from YouTube from Monday 9th – Friday 13th August, this virtual holiday club is available to watch for free from home or your church building.

Worship music

Here are a couple of sites/playlists with contemporary kids songs with lyrics:

• https://www.youtube.com/user/hillsongkids
• https://rendcokids.com/
• https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUmTiGOxKUOhwpvDtOl62mc4bs9JEUyFP