SPIRITUALITY AND THE ARTS IN CHILDREN'S PROGRAMMING
A Tapestry of Faith Resource
SPIRITUALITY AND THE ARTS IN CHILDREN'S PROGRAMMING
A Tapestry of Faith Resource
BY DR. NITA PENFOLD
© Copyright 2008 Unitarian Universalist Association.
This program and additional resources are available on the UUA.org web site at
www.uua.org/tapestryoffaith.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR(S)
Dr. Nita Penfold is the Adjunct Faculty, in the Worship and Theology Arts Department, at Andover Newton Theological School
PREFACE
Children have the same existential questions that adults do. They wonder about everything from how their baby sister got here to that feeling they get when they watch a sunset or when a pet dies. They want to know how everything works, and why things happen. Religious education needs to give them the tools to make meaning in their lives at their own level at any age. It needs to help children explore the whole rather than indoctrinate them into a single way of believing. Religious exploration needs to show children how to find out who they are and the gifts they possess that can be carried out into the world. The arts can help them with this process.
Childhood has become a hurried venture; children hurry from home to school to structured activities to church school to vacation time. Children learn to tune out the intensity of the pace with TV, video games, and the Internet. We do not leave any time open for an unhurried delving into inner lives for ourselves or for our children. There is a constant bombardment of images and art meant to sell us something, and constant social pressure to join in activities that will guarantee future success. There is no time for quiet contemplation, no time to connect to something full of wonder and awe, no time to just be. Our culture seems to say that we can't get anywhere in life by sitting still, even for a few moments. Yet it is just this stillness, this chance to breathe in ourselves, that will support our hurried lives and help us to go beyond ourselves and help others.
Even young children these days have little time for unstructured play. Play is children's work; it is their time to become themselves, to figure things out, to develop and stimulate their imaginations. If we dismiss play as something unimportant, we trivialize their necessary work to become whole human beings.
The arts slow us down to experience this sense of play. They allow active participation rather than passive observation. The arts also have the potential to tap into children's deep spiritual core and help them to form their own meanings. What better education could our church schools offer?
Our responsibility as educators and parents is to open up both the world of ideas outside of children and children's inner worlds of feelings, hopes, and dreams. If all we are doing is teaching our children about Unitarian Universalism, then we are not doing our job. We need to teach children how to connect to the transformational aspect within them, to help them discover their spiritual self. We need to help them find the tools to live an active religious life. We can do this by making the church a place to explore their spirituality and giving them the time and the language to talk about it. We can do this by creating a community that shows how paying attention to the spiritual life puts a foundation of meaning and support under a life of service.
Chapter 1 - The Adult as Guide
Adult leaders need to serve as guides into the process and as witnesses to the children's unfolding. We have moved in educational theory from thinking of the child as an empty vessel that needs to be filled with knowledge to seeing children as unique human beings with differing intelligences and styles of learning and being. We have moved from treating the classroom as factory where the teacher is the giver of knowledge to viewing the teacher as a guide to the child's becoming whole as a person. These ideas are essential as part of our church school programming.
You, the adult, do not have to be a person of great knowledge or experience, but only a human being willing to help children find their own connections. Being present with children is more important that getting a particular idea across. You need to be willing to look at your own spiritual process, and to be open to others' differing processes. You need to feel comfortable with the arts activities that you wish to lead.
Your most important quality as a leader will be trust; trusting yourself enough to have fun with the arts techniques and trusting the children enough to let them connect at their own level and style. You will need to trust the arts as a container to express spirituality without letting the class deteriorate into a lesson in making a product, learning a technique, or performing for adults. Revealing your own sense of spontaneity and play is key to a successful experience — and a different role than most church school teachers have been asked to undertake.
You will want to make an environment that is safe for spiritual expression and for accessing children's deep wisdom and creativity. Encourage mutual support by setting up parameters for sharing without judgment. Children can be open to multiple levels of meaning and different aspects of themselves if a structure is created to allow deep learning and deep connections to take place
In this model, how we undertake religious education becomes just as important as what we teach. Do we embody our values when we approach children? Do we let the children make their own discoveries or lead them to conclusions? Adults need to present different ways of approaching the material to create a space where the children are free to make connections to the spiritual. Both meditative experiences such as painting to music and active experiences such as dancing a story can allow individual expression to find its way into a group response to any lesson.
Leaders also need to be able to let go of the need to control the outcome of the lesson. As leaders, we may never know the full extent of a child's response to an arts experience. It may take time and other experiences for children to articulate the connections and meaning they have made. It may take them until they are adults to realize and appreciate how the experience transformed them.
In my own experience as a religious educator, I have found that children returning as young adults don't remember the ideas of lessons from their former church school program. But they remember some of the arts experiences and how they felt doing them. They remember certain teachers and how they made the classroom a safe space where they could wonder into becoming themselves. They remember the feeling of a bigger mystery as they lit candles, dropped stones in water, or watched the things they wanted to let go of burn up on little strips of scribbled-on paper. They remember a place where respect was encouraged and no one laughed at their ideas or belittled their achievements, where they could learn who they were at that moment and dream about who they could be in the future.
Chapter 2 - Ways to Help Children Find and Make Meaning
There are many ways to set up lessons to encourage connections between children's inner experience and arts activities. These are some general guidelines.
Always begin with a practice which helps the children to center and get ready for the experience they are about to have. If you begin your classes with a set ritual each week, you could include a guided meditation, a song, a movement, or meditative drawing in sand.
Introduce the arts element with as little instruction as possible. Ideally there will be a variety of materials or choices for the children within the activity. For example, you could use a movement game where the children make their own movements and have others copy them, or the children could paint to music. You can facilitate a combination of activities for older children, but keep to one simple activity each session for younger children. Try to have a different arts modality each time the group meets, and encourage multiple styles of learning in the other parts of the session as well.
Have children share as they wish what they discovered during the process. Model supportive behavior and positive talk, or have children walk around in a circle and look at what was made. Incorporate individual children's work into a group process to bring all of the work together into a whole.
Talking about the lesson should be the last step, where children can say what they think about the activity. Let them respond to what they have done and say how they feel about it. Keep any questions you have as open-ended as possible so that children can respond with their own experience. Remember to let children to decide if they are ready to speak, and allow them to pass if they wish. As the children get more comfortable with the process, you can open it up for other kinds of responses such as spontaneous songs or movements or suggestions for other kinds of activities. This process is not about production, but about experience.
Below are some specific examples of connecting an art form to a particular topic. More examples will be discussed in the next section on practical tips.
CONNECTING TO A CONCEPT SUCH AS OUR FIRST PRINCIPLE, RESPECTING ALL PEOPLE, USING THE VISUAL ARTS
CONNECTING TO A SPECIFIC STORY OF A PERSON'S LIFE
CONNECTING TO A THEME SUCH AS GETTING ALONG TOGETHER IN PEACE USING STORY AND DRAMA
CONNECTING TO A PROCESS SUCH AS GROUP-BUILDING USING MOVEMENT
USING THE ARTS IN OPENING AND CLOSING RITUALS OR AS WARM-UPS
There are many ways to integrate the arts into openings and closings. With younger children it is good to have a short ritual that has at least one element that repeats every week such as lighting a chalice and singing a special song. You can use movement or meditative art at any time in the morning when you want the children to be active or to quiet themselves. Yoga and Tai Chi incorporate movement from a spiritual perspective.
A GENERAL SCHEDULE
Chapter 3 - Practical Keys to Working with Children
THE TEACHER
Your job as the teacher is to help children to be comfortable and successful in their church school experience. If you can be flexible and open to the children's responses, they will have a good experience. Your positive attitude goes a long way toward empowering the children to participate fully.
Sometimes you will have to go beyond your own comfort zone with the arts to encourage the children to do so too. If you are personally challenged by arts experiences, practice at home until you are comfortable with the process you have chosen to lead. Think of yourself as a guide into the materials and process rather than as an an expert. Bring spontaneity and playfulness to the class.
You may be an expert in some arts techniques and have difficulty getting away from professional expectations for the children. See art as communication and as a method for expressing spiritual experiences, not just as a lesson in techniques. Let the arts slow you down to be present with the process rather than the outcome. Don't only lead what you are comfortable in; take a chance so that the children will too.
Make sure that you talk to your co-teacher or assistant about the process of using art spiritually. Between the two of you, you both need to be able to approach the arts activities in new and positive ways. Children need to be invited into the process even they don't feel particularly creative
PLANNING
Think of yourself as the leader of an expedition into new interior territory. You want to prepare the expedition so that you and the children can have as meaningful an experience as possible.
You need to set up activities so that children can feel both safe and successful. The younger the child the more limited the materials need to be; older children require more interesting choices for their arts experiences.
You will need to have all materials ready and accessible for the children. Make sure that the markers and paints aren't dried up and that the appropriate materials are available for drama. Don't spend time searching for materials while children grow restless and bored. This means having the paint ready in containers that won't spill easily, choosing brushes that are an appropriate size to the activity and age of children, and making sure that the materials will be easy to use not frustrating. Have a place to put excess paper for sharing or for later projects. Have clean-up materials readily available including a broom and dustpan, sponges, a spray bottle of water, paper towels, and containers for all materials to be stored. Clean-up is part of the process, and children need to leave the space the same way in which they found it.
The materials are the structure that the children use to make their art. The best way to give children the freedom to do their own work is to offer several different types of activities that they can choose from. Research on multiple styles of learning supports this set-up.
The next-best way to offer choices is to have a variety of the same type of materials to choose from. For visual arts, individuals may choose from large paper or small, crayons or markers, watercolors or tempera. Children who are writing might choose from colored or lined paper and a variety of writing implements. For drama or movement, offer a large number of lengths of fabric or percussion instruments, or a box of interesting props. In some cases you may wish to limit the amount of materials to help children understand what it means to share and cooperate with one another. It is also good to offer children unfamiliar materials.
Talk to your religious educator before your classes begin. Make sure that you have a list that includes everything already available in the Religious Education storeroom or art shelves or ask to visit the storeroom; this will make your job much easier. Find out whether you can request new materials for your classes what the budget is if you plan on purchasing materials yourself. Find out if you may ask for donations from the church congregation either by putting a notice in the newsletter or making an announcement on a Sunday morning before your classes begin.
Take good care of the materials you have. Make sure that brushes are washed with soap and water and stored with the bristle end up to dry. Return all unused paint to the proper container and put clay in containers so it doesn't harden. Store all drama materials folded neatly in a box or basket. If you teach the children to take care of their arts materials, they will be ready for them the next time they wish to use them.
Have a finished example of any visual arts technique available if possible to show the children. It could be a sample that you have made instead of a photograph from a book. It is more important to have a sample that it is "done from the heart" than to present a perfect model; seeing a perfect example may discourage some children from even trying the activity.
Keep instruction to a minimum to let the children's natural creativity flow. Take them quickly through the steps to utilize a new technique, then get them working. Show them, don't just tell them. Too much explanation or a complicated procedure can bog down the process. With older children, you can demonstrate one part, let them get started, then show them the next step when they are ready.
Remember that you are showing them a process which will become the container that they can pour their own creativity into. You will need to leave the content open to the children's own experience and imagination. Encourage their sense of creativity and fun rather than a finished product that is similar to yours. Insist on some quiet time for the children to sit with their art or writing at the end of the process, especially if there is a way to move from the individual to a group process and put their responses together.
SPACE
Space is rarely talked about in church school programming but it is one of the most important aspects of an arts experience. You need to look at the space that is allotted to your class to decide which experiences can work for the group. Do you have a large group of children and a small space? Is there too much furniture in the space to make drama, movement or dance a possibility? Can it be stacked to one side? Is the space a more formal room not conducive to paints and water? Can you request that furniture be moved or is there another temporary space that the class could use? Is there an outdoor area available that could be used if the weather cooperates? Can you cover an expensive rug with a tarp for the morning? Make sure that you discuss these questions with your Religious Education leadership beforehand so that the class goes smoothly.
Tables are great for visual art activities but there needs to be enough space to have both materials and paper ready for the children. Each child should have enough space to work without bumping into other children. Don't require all children to work at a table; they may be more comfortable on the floor or in the corner for some privacy. Provide sturdy trays or large clipboards to hold paper or clay for children who prefer the floor.
If there is no water source in the classroom, you can set one up easily with a small table, a pitcher of clean water, two tubs (one for washing hands and one for washing brushes or cleaning up), and a bucket underneath the table to pour dirty water into. This set-up will minimize children having to leave the classroom space to use the bathroom.
TIMING
Another key element in successful activities is the amount of time that you have for your church school class. Churches vary in the amount of time given to religious exploration. Some groups have only 45 minutes after children leave the sanctuary; others routinely have up to 1 ½ hours. Whatever the time you have, set aside at least half of it for an arts activity to insure a successful experience— 20 minutes at the minimum. Children need time for this process, especially if they don't feel creative because of prior negative experiences. Always plan for more time than you think that you will need, and include clean-up in your calculations. Try to make each activity a single-session class, as the same children may not attend the next week to finish up.
Chapter 4 - How to Talk to Children about Their Arts Experiences
Remember that you are the witness to the children's spiritual emergence through the arts. You are modeling for the children how to speak about the arts responses that are created in the classroom. It is not your job to interpret or comment or judge their response to the activity. A few guidelines can help you create a quiet non-judgmental atmosphere in your class.
Tell me about your work is a basic response. Don't talk about what they have made but how they felt making it, how they approached it (fast or slow, many colors or few, lots of movement or just one repeating motion). Don't try to legislate what you see as the meaning in their work, and do not force sharing, but invite it. Let each child speak about their own work as they are ready to. You can ask them to share how it made them feel to move that way or what they thought about as they worked, or how they chose certain colors or words. These comments are not on the quality of the work produced but on the quality of the process as they experienced it. This focus on process is what makes the class different from a lesson on art techniques and moves it into an experience of the inner spiritual life.
The older the child, the more likely it is that they already accept art as product and ideas about talent. You must assure these older children that the activity is about noticing how they do things, and how they feel as they create rather than the final product. The more you model this kind of talk the more meaningful the sharing will be.
There are several ways to help children to respond appropriately to their classmates' work. One is to insist that any comments must be positive and to model that as the teacher. In other words, the children should choose at least one specific thing that they liked or noticed about the art or writing or dance. This kind of attention creates supportive rather than critical sharing. Remember that these comments should not be interpretations but I liked the way you did the colors or I liked the movement you made for anger.
Another way to reflect is to have the children place their work in the center of a circle and walk around looking at each response without comment. This approach works especially well when you are going to combine the responses, as the children see all the pieces separately first. Then lay down a larger piece of paper or a large mat and ask the children to combine their pieces in silence. They may have to move their pieces several times, but they may only move their own piece. After the pieces are set, invite comments about how the process felt. Was it easier for them to do this without speaking? Were they surprised by anything? Have them walk around the finished combination to take it all in.
Don't expect great revelations from children but be in awe of them when they happen. You may not hear immediate feedback from some children because they need more time to process their experience.
HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT THE CHILDREN ARE CONNECTING SPIRITUALLY TO THE PROCESS?
It is natural for teachers to want to know if children are "getting" the ideas that they are presenting. With arts activities that express children's spirit, we need to let go of this expectation. You may never know how particular children connect this activity to their own meaning-making. What you are doing is giving them the tools to create meaning; how they use those tools is up to them. Some children will need more time to process than is allowed in class. The arts slow us down to experience and create meaning as active participants. It is spiritual if the activity connects the child's own feelings or ideas to the class's theme.
Having said this, there are signs that indicate that a child is connecting to the activity and making their own meaning:
GENERAL GUIDELINES
Always remember it's about the process, not the product.
Say what you liked or how it made you feel instead of commenting on the work's quality.
Start with simpler activities and build up to larger ones.
Start with individual activities then move to group activities.
Chapter 5 - Ways and Means Constructing Your Own Arts Activities
In this section there are specific suggestions for activities in each of the arts modalities. Each section has an introduction framing the experience followed by specific suggestions for activities and a list of materials.
THE VISUAL ARTS
The visual arts range from drawing, painting, and sculpture to combinations such as collage and assemblage. They have been used for centuries for spiritual expression. Line, pattern, color, and texture are basic elements of the visual arts. Each medium has its own joys and challenges and can support a spiritual response.
In general, the more materials there are to choose from, the more children can choose which materials call to their spirit, and the better the experience. Sometimes limiting tools such as scissors or punches teaches the children a valuable lesson in community, encouraging sharing and negotiation. You will need to decide if you want to support individual processes or a more communal activity.
DRAWING
Drawing is a good way to slow children down to really look at something. Simpler drawing techniques are best because children will have different levels of comfort with drawing. Some will have definite "talent" in this area, others will resist it because they feel expected to produce something that others will admire or because they have already had a negative experience with drawing. Keep the class focused on the experience rather than the product.
There are two basic types of drawing: non-representational or imaginative, and representational or observational. Both can support the intention of spiritual expression through a personal meditative time and both can connect with themes in the classroom.
Examples of non-representational or imaginative drawings
Individual:
Leading from individuals into the group
Examples of representational or observational drawing
Creating Mandalas: Mandalas are circular drawings made of shapes, colors, and sometimes imaginative forms . Begin with several preprinted patterned mandalas to color, cut apart and trade to create new ones. Have children combine all the mandalas to create a group mandala, then offer sheets of black or white construction paper with circles drawn on them for individual mandalas. After viewing some Hindu or contemporary mandalas, let the children construct their own patterns.
Surface
Almost anything can be used to draw on: brown paper bags cut into sheets, old computer paper, cardboard, cereal boxes turned inside out and cut apart, thick paper that comes packed with mail order items. Sometimes children can play with the materials precisely because they are everyday items, rather than more precious ones. Having a variety of surfaces to choose from sometimes encourages children who might be reluctant to draw. You can find castoff paper by recycling all kinds of paper waste from your home and office for a few weeks before your classes begin.
Of course, it is lovely to have white drawing paper or thick sketch paper but it is not necessary. Personally, I have sometimes wadded up a perfect piece of paper then smoothed it out because I was afraid I would ruin it with my attempt at drawing. Avoid newsprint as much as possible except for paper making or paper mâché because it tears easily, creating much frustration.
Drawing tools
General: Younger children need very simple tools for drawing that are easy to hold. Older children like more sophisticated and abundant materials. They sometimes feel that they are too old for a particular tool, such as crayons. Regular pencils can be a good beginning drawing tools but be sure to have a pencil sharpener and some large erasers handy for children. The younger the child, the thicker the pencils. Colored pencils can be added as well.
Markers are more permanent, but be sure that they are in working order. Children are frustrated by dried-out markers so check them and throw out the old ones. There are now all sorts of fancy markers, some that erase, some that are vibrant colors, some with brush end or calligraphy heads. that are fun to use. Make sure that you use washable markers for younger children.
Chalk on dark paper is good for making marks and can be rubbed to blend colors. This type of drawing does not last.
Oil pastels may be used for older children as an alternative to crayons. Use water soluble ones, they can be blended with water on a brush or sponge. I don't recommend pastels for young children because you need to use a spray fixative to preserve them.
PAINTING
Painting can be a deep process and that bring up a child's inner life, encouraging engagement with the materials and stimulating the imagination. It is essential to emphasize how they feel as they paint rather than the product of what they paint.
Painting is obviously messier than drawing, but it is precisely this smooth movement of the paint across the paper which encourages free expression. The process lends itself to a meditative response. Don't be afraid of messes, but remember to prepare by covering surfaces (perhaps including the floor) and to leave time for kids to clean up. Have help available that day if you think you may need extra hands. Cover all surfaces with newspaper or a plastic tablecloths and have children wear old shirts or smocks to protect their clothing.
Limit colors at first to the primary colors (red, blue, yellow) to encourage mixing and experimentation. Decide whether you want a large-movement process for kinesthetic learners or a small-movement process to emphasize eye-hand coordination. As always, keep it simple for the youngest ages.
Examples of some simple painting activities
Large movements
Small movements
COMBINATION ACTIVITIES
Subtractive process: revealing something
Additive process: adding other materials or layers
MATERIALS
Surfaces: See surfaces for drawing (above).
More expensive papers such as watercolor paper, Bristol board, and canvas-covered cardboard can be painted. You can also paint wood or the pages of old books with acrylic paints. Be sure to place sheets of wax paper in between the pages as they dry so that the pages will not stick together. Finger paints require a special type of slick paper to make it easy to move the paint.
Paints:
Use washable paints as much as possible. They can be cleaned up when wet with soap and water and can be washed out of clothing.
Tempera: These thick paints that can be thinned with water. They have a tendency to flake off when dry but are very inexpensive. Tempura paints come in small containers and in large quart or half- gallon containers from art supply catalogs.
Watercolors: These thin transparent colors come in cakes. Small sets are available with color choices. Large sets good for older children.
Acrylic paints: Once dry, acrylic paints can be painted over, and a finished painting may last a long time. Acrylic paints are available in bottles, tubes, and large inexpensive containers. Thicker paints are good for younger children; acrylic paints can be thickened with acrylic mediums. Finger paints: These bright thick colors require special shiny paper and are especially good for younger children.
Acrylic Inks: Inks are good for accidental designs when dropped onto wet paper. You can never quite control the outcome. They may also be used with small brushes, eyedroppers, or cotton swabs.
Brushes:
You can buy inexpensive acceptable brushes from preschool art catalogs for painting. You, can also use foam brushes or acrylic bristle paint brushes from the hardware store, or cotton swabs, eye droppers, sponges, rags, or squeeze bottles. The thicker the paint, the sturdier the brush. For younger children, get brushes with a good sized handle to grip. If you have the budget, a few sets of good artists' brushes with synthetic bristles are wonderful for the older children. Always wash all brushes with soap and water and store with the bristles or sponge end upward to minimize damage and increase longevity.
Containers:
You will need containers for water and paint. The cheapest containers are old cottage cheese or yogurt tubs, or squat glass jars for older children. Save the lids for keeping the paint fresh from project to project and label them with the type of paint. Make sure that the brush you are using for the activity fits easily into the container and will not tip the container once it has water or paint in it. For thicker acrylic paints you can use thick paper plates or plastic plates or even well-washed meat trays from the grocery store as a palette to mix colors. Spoons or plastic knives can be used for mixing. Be sure to clean everything before the paint has dried; once acrylic paint is dry, there is no way to remove it.
PRINTING
Printing is a stylized form of painting. Although it is less spontaneous process, printing's repeated patterns and design elements can be both creative and decorative.
Printing Activities
Place a piece of white paper over the design and roll the paper gently with a clean brayer. Peel the paper off of the design and set the paper aside to dry. Roll a different color paint onto the design, and repeat. You can get a number of different "prints" from the same design using different colors of acrylic paint. You can also make two different designs with different colors and print them on the same piece of paper for a more intricate design.
Stamping
Stamps can add designs to paintings, writing, or any other art.
Use cut up fruits and vegetables dipped into tempera or acrylic paints to stamp on a piece of paper or cardboard. Look for other design elements in nature that you might use for stamping: rocks, shells, sticks, leaves.
Cut up plastic foam pieces into shapes for stamping. Hot-glue several pieces of the foam together to form a knob to hold the stamp. Dip into paint, then stamp onto paper. You can stamp onto tissue paper and make wrapping paper.
Cut synthetic sponges into various shapes or designs such as the flaming chalice. Hot-glue them onto a piece of wood with adult supervision. When dry, use them to stamp tempera or acrylic paint onto paper or cardboard.
Older children can make rubber stamps. Take an old bicycle inner tube and cut a design from the rubber. Glue the design onto a piece of wood with hot glue or acrylic medium. After it dries you can use an ink pad for stamping.
Materials: You can use the same paints as for painting. Recycled scraps of wood or plain small jewelry boxes can serve as stamping bases. Plastic foam sheets may be made from grocery meat trays cut into rectangles; wash meat trays thoroughly in a dishwasher or with antibacterial soap before using.
Paper arts
Paper is a versatile medium all by itself. It can be cut, ripped, sewn, woven, punched, glued and constructed into three dimensional objects and used in many different ways.
Sample Paper Arts Activities:
3-D paper projects
Materials:
Many papers are available in large squares in packages of 100 different sheets for a minimal cost, especially if you buy them on sale or with a coupon. There are many new printed papers available in scrapbooking centers or craft stores such as Michael's, A.C. Moore, or JoAnn's Fabrics. These three stores all publish coupons, usually in the Sunday papers, for 40% off one regularly priced item. JoAnn Fabrics has an online sign-up for coupons by email every two weeks or so.
Other papers for art include construction paper, tissue paper, old wrapping paper, wallpaper samples or leftover rolls, gold paper from candy bars, joss papers from Asian grocery stores, origami paper, newspapers, old magazines, and all the surfaces mentioned in the drawing section. Again, you can collect papers by recycling junk mail, old magazines, and other paper from your office or home.
Glues:
For lighter papers such as newspaper or magazine photos, the best glue for children is the glue-stick. It is easy to manage and does not make a large mess. The UHU or purple Staples sticks are the best type as the glue is visible when wet (so you can see where you applied it), but it dries clear.
For heavier papers such as construction paper, wallpaper, or other heavy items, you can use Elmer's glue-all or acrylic matte medium from any craft store. This last item will glue just about anything to a surface, including metal. Use small inexpensive foam brushes to coat the paper with these glues. The brushes, available at any craft store, can be washed with soap and water right after use and used again. Once glue dries on the brush, the brush should be thrown away.
Scissors:
Fiskars make the best scissors for children. They have sharp ones for older children in a variety of sizes and blunt-ended ones for younger children. Try all scissors out on materials you wish to cut; if you can't cut with it, neither can a child. Be sure to have some left-handed or double-handed scissors available for those children who need them.
There are also a variety of edging scissors available that are great for children to use for decorative edges. Buy them in sets or individually from craft stores.
3 Dimensional visual art
This type of visual art has the added dimensions of depth and height and can be viewed from many angles. Again, make sure that you make a sample yourself with the materials you wish the children to use to serve as an example, and to test out the materials for the age group you are leading.
Sculpture
The class can make constructions with junk or recycled materials. Have each child bring a few items of trash (nothing with food or other items on it that could decompose). You might wish to give out a list of materials like plastic foam meat trays, old buttons, twine, wire, yarn, old envelopes, etc. Have each child choose a specific number of items and make something from them. You can link the project to a specific theme such as recycling or creativity, or to a particular feeling they are having about the earth.
Sculptures can also be made simply using a variety of wire. Ask for donations of wire from your congregation and you will get all different kinds. Electrical or telephone wire covered in plastic is good for younger children. Use small wire cutters or a heavy duty scissors for cutting. These sculptures can also have cloth, wire mesh, or pieces of cardboard added to them, along with beads and other small items.
After the children share how they felt about making their sculpture, see if the sculptures can be combined in some way to form a large sculpture representing the classroom community. As an extension, children could then write about their pieces as if they were alive, telling what they can do, and how they feel about who they have become.
Assemblage or shrines
Using shoe boxes, large gift boxes, or wooden boxes with lids, have children respond to a story or their feelings by creating a "memory" box or one that tells something about themselves. They can use the outside to show how they feel the world and school and parents see them and use the inside to show how they feel about themselves and the gifts that they have inside. They can use all sorts of materials for the inside. Pieces of paper, a drawing, or painting can be glued to the back of the box, or it can be painted. The children can place different objects inside the box to represent different parts of themselves such as a small monopoly piece or toy for the part of them that likes to play. The boxes can also be used to tell the life story of a favorite person, or made into a shrine to a particular theme such as peace or love.
Mask-making
Masks are particularly powerful responses to self-identity and feelings. You can make a mask that shows how you feel inside, or for something that you wish to let go of so that you can take it off, or for an identity you want to assume. Mask-making is an extended process and may require several weeks of work depending on the materials you use. You can make masks using cereal boxes, cloth, or paper; use glue guns on these materials. Wire mesh or other wire can be used as a base for paper mâchß or cloth masks.
There are also kits that can be purchased with face forms. Older children may wish to use plaster gauze on their faces; directions for this type of mask come with the forms. Be sure to cover any forms you use with the gauze with aluminum foil or plastic wrap so that you can re-use them.
Materials:
Use acrylic paints from the paint section to paint assemblage, sculpture or masks. A low-temp glue gun available at any craft store with glue rods will attach any lightweight items to masks, but requires adult supervision. E6000 or Gorilla Glue can be used with adult supervision to attach heavy objects, but theses glues must dry overnight. Paper or cloth can be attached with acrylic matte medium painted on with a foam brush.
Have sharp and heavy-duty scissors available for cutting. For heavy cardboard or other materials you can have a mat knife available for use either on an old board or a self-healing mat. Again, adult supervision is required. Always teach children to cut away from themselves with any type of sharp instrument. You might want younger children to mark where they want a cut and then cut for them. Always have a first aid kit available in the room if you are cutting materials.
Plastic materials:
Clay and other plastic materials are ideal for kinesthetic learners who need something pliable to work with in their hands. Working the clay can promote contemplation, especially when there is music playing or during a guided meditation.
Have children make pendants with a symbol that they would consider sacred or spiritual to them. Give each child a ball of white Sculpey clay and have them flatten it to make a pendant, adding their sacred symbol to it with a toothpick or other small sharp object. Clay tools or small sharp relief stamps can also be used. When the pendants are finished, poke a hole in them so that they can be hung, then bake them according to the package directions; a tray full of pendants in a small toaster oven takes about twenty minutes. Be sure to have the children put their initials on the backs of their pendant before baking. When the pendants cool, the children can decorate them with permanent markers or paint and suspend from a length of string or yarn. This activity is recommended for 2nd grade and above.
Life beads
Have children think about the things they love in their lives and those things that they consider their gifts. Suggest they make beads to represent each thing. They could choose a different color, shape, design, or word on each one. They can also put two colors together or make a shapes such as a fish.
Make beads by rolling up Fimo(TM) or Sculpey(TM) clay into balls or cylinders or shapes. Pierce the beads with a wooden skewer used for barbecue. Make sure that the hole is large enough to thread elastic or string through when finished. Designs can be added before or after the beads go on the skewer.
Bake the beads according to the package directions in an old toaster oven used only for this purpose and well-ventilated, as the fumes are toxic. Have children wash their hands after working with this material. This activity is recommended for 2nd grade and above.
Afterward, the children can add some commercial beads or alphabet beads to their own beads and string them on a length of round elastic to wear. Check the elastic to make sure that it will be narrow enough to fit through the holes in the beads, or use a long craft needle with a large eye to thread the necklace.
Materials:
Red or gray clay can be air dried or fired in an oven. I have found the clay that air dries can sometimes be crumbly when handled and may fall apart before the child gets it home. If you have someone in your congregation with a kiln who could work with the children, it is a great experience to have their work fired. Otherwise, I would avoid this type of clay.
Nondrying clay comes in blocks of colors. It has to warmed and kneaded in the hands to become pliable, so allow time to work with it. The colors will blend together. Keep nondrying clay in plastic bags or containers with lids; if it is left out to dry, the clay will be hard to work with. This material is recommended for 3rd grade and up.
Playdoh (TM) is not recommended for these types of activities. It crumbles easily when dry and can get mashed into the rug or floor. It can be used if the purpose is to manipulate the material and not to make anything from it.
Model Magic (TM) can be twisted and formed without too much pressure and seems sturdy when dry. It is recommended for all ages, although it is more expensive than some of the other materials.
There are also some newer clays that might work with children. Be sure to read the package carefully before buying and make a sample yourself to see how it holds up. There are also many recipes for inexpensive homemade materials.
Have a variety of tools available to help children manipulate the clays. Tools include small rolling pins made from fat wooden dowels, plastic knives, or anything that will imprint the clay such as buttons, metal findings, nails, or small deeply etched rubber stamps, along with burlap and other textured materials.
CLOTH AND FIBER ARTS
Framing the experience: Cloth and other fibers are excellent materials. Cloth can be woven, stamped on, ripped into strips and braided, and used for collage. It can substitute for wallpaper for making beads. The more complicated the process, the older the children need to be to be able to manipulate the materials. Fiber activities are good for recruiting members of the congregation who sew but are not currently involved in the RE program.
Sample fiber arts activities
Simple sewing for younger children:
You can use plastic foam meat trays as bases for younger children to sew with brightly colored yarns or string using large-eyed plastic sewing needles from the craft store. Children can draw a design or a shape on the tray and fill it in by sewing yarn.
Prayer flags:
Tape a piece of bleached or unbleached muslin to a piece of cardboard with masking tape. Have the children draw a design for their prayer (peace, happiness, joy, etc.) on the fabric with fabric markers or permanent markers. Iron each piece to set the marker ink, then string the flags together with yarn, string, or twine. Adults should make sure the muslin is prewashed to avoid further shrinkage. If possible, sew on small strips of cloth to attach fabric pieces together.
Cardboard weaving:
Prepare heavy tagboard or corrugated cardboard pieces 8" by 8" or 12" by 12" squares are good sizes for small potholders or mats. Make notches every ½" or 3/4" at the top and bottom to hold the string or heavy yarn for the weft. Tie off one end of the weft in a hole punched in the bottom left of the cardboard. Wind the yarn up to the first notch, around the notch, then down to the first notch on the bottom, keeping the fiber on the front of the cardboard. Do not wind the yarn too tightly as the weaving will tighten the fibers and can buckle the cardboard. Wind the fiber up and down and around each notch until you have filled the cardboard and have a grid of long lines down the front. Tie off the end. You may wish to prepare the wefts in advance of time so that the children can concentrate on the actual weaving.
Have children choose colors of yarn, string, feathers, strips of cloth, or other materials such as twigs or flexible straws to weave through the weft as the warp. Starting at the base of the cardboard they will take one end and go back and forth, over and under each long string. At the end of the row they can start on the next row by bringing the fiber above the last row and beginning again. Always alternate over and under for each row, and try to keep the rows tight together. You can use a wide-toothed comb to pull the rows tightly down if you are using yarn. When the weaving is finished, the children can remove their work by bending the cardboard piece and popping it off. If the weaving is too loose, tighten it by tying the weft ends in knots along the top and bottom.
Group weaving project
A large weaving project that can be left out week to week or started and left in a social hall for the whole congregation to add to. Use two small tree limbs connected with loops of yarn or string, with a weft similar to the base for cardboard weaving. Suspend the weaving by tying string to the top branch and hanging from a plant hanger or other sturdy hook. Have a basket of yarns, ripped strips of fabric, and other materials for children and adults to add to the piece. Make sure that you start the weaving at the bottom to anchor it and give a model for weaving.
Braiding
Strips of cloth can be ripped and braided with yarns and beads to add to talking sticks, sculptures, altars, pendants, or as decorations for prayer flags. Have three strands of the material you wish to braid. Tie strands together at the top, then tie the bundle onto a chair or doorknob to hold the strands while you work. Take the right strand and bring it over the middle one, then bring the left strand over the middle. Pass each strand over the middle one in turn until you reach the bottom and tie off all three strands. You can add beads as you go, or add them to one strand ahead of time.
Quilt project
This project works well for a theme such as peace, community, thanksgiving, etc. Each child chooses a large square of material, then sews or glues other materials onto the square such as beads and buttons. These designs are then sewn or glued onto a larger piece of material, with the children deciding where to place their own pieces.
You can also put out a large piece of fabric on a table and have children sew directly onto it. Older children can move around the circle to work on different pieces; it helps to them to mix it up a little and to let go of their particular designs.
Materials:
Any type of fabric, yarn, ribbon, or other fiber can be used in these projects. Bleached or unbleached muslin is a good base fabric but any cotton material can be used. If you buy fabric by the yard, be sure to pre-shrink it by washing and drying it before using it. If you ask your congregation for fabric donations, you will probably get more than you can use. You can also ask for old buttons and left-over yarns and ribbons for more variety.
Scissors:
These activities require sharp scissors to cut the material. Fiskars sharp children's scissors work very well but it's good to borrow a couple of sewing shears as well.
Chapter 6 - Written Arts
Writing is a time-honored practice on the spiritual path, helping people to name their experiences and to use specific senses to express their feelings about the world. Children must be readers in order to be writers, so these activities are best for ages 7 and above, unless the adults wish to write what the children say. One activity is to simply write down thoughts inspired by an image; a visual stimulus lends itself to description and feeling, so children do not have to create their writing from nothing.
Children's work may come out naturally in poetry or prose forms, depending on their experience. Any kind of writing should be acceptable responses for writing exercises.
When the children begin sharing, make sure you specify how they are to respond to their partner's work. They may only say what they like about it, in positive terms. It is good in the beginning to assign partners at random. Later in the morning, you can have the children choose partners, but make sure that they choose someone they haven't worked with already so that the pairs are mixed.
BASIC EXERCISE IN WRITING FROM AN IMAGE
Cut images from magazines (National Geographic is especially useful). Lay the images on a table. Have each child choose an image that calls to them. Then have the children sit with the images for a few minutes before writing about them. Ask the children why they chose their images, what they like about them, and what makes them curious about the images. Remind them to use their five senses to describe their images. Let them write for ten minutes.
Have the children read their work to themselves and underline key words or phrases or images in their own work then write these special words on another sheet of paper. The children should continue writing for about five minutes, then share their writing with a partner. Sometimes the children will write poetry or prose during this exercise.
Other images you may use for this exercise: a selection of postcards, images on a certain topic such as space or the earth to stimulate writing on a particular topic, a collection of images from a particular book, tarot cards or other sets of cards such as animals, nature images, or images from other religions.
WRITING FROM WORDS
Gather many small or large color cards from your local paint or hardware store. Generate a list of words that are appropriate for children and tape one on each color card. See the Gargantuan Word Jar Inventory in the bibliography for possible words or explore word lists according to grade level available through teaching web sites.
Have each child take a handful of cards and use them either for a specific exercise like writing a poem of praise or a prayer or for open writing. They may use the word taped on the card and the color name in their work and any other words that they need to have their work make sense. Children can trade in words for new ones, but it is better if the choice is random and they use what they have.
Poetic forms: Good form for children are haiku, cinquain, and free verse poems. Give them some examples to help them understand the structure. See the bibliography for books with specific exercises in poetic forms.
Prose forms:
SOME COMBINATION ACTIVITIES
Materials:
Any type of paper may be used. If you will be doing a great deal of writing in the class you may wish to have a notebook for each child, with some extras for new children. Have pencils and pens available and crayons and makers for children who wish to add drawings to their work. If possible, provide clipboards for children who want to sit away from the table to write
Chapter 7 - Drama, Movement, and Dance
Although we use our bodies in all of the visual arts and writing activities, drama, movement, and dance are all about embodying our spirit and creativity.
Younger children are eager to move, but most youth lose this sense of bodily expression in our intellectual Western culture. Unless they participate in sports or dance, children do not use their bodies in this way, and they grow self-conscious as they get older. Leaders must give children permission to be silly and to stretch their imaginations through their bodies. The invitation to participate is vital; if the leaders are willing to move, the children usually will move too. Incorporate these types of activities into the weekly routine so that the children get used to moving as part of the class.
SIMPLE MOVEMENT ACTIVITIES
SIMPLE DANCE ACTIVITIES
Body prayer can be used in the opening or closing rituals to have children get used to moving as a spiritual response. You can also have someone knowledgeable teach some yoga or tai chi moves as a form of body prayer. Below is a simple body prayer that anyone can do.
Universal Body Prayer (movements in parentheses)
Everyone stand.
I will teach you the movements first, then we will practice them once. You will then do them three times at your own pace.
Take a deep breath and let it out, feeling your connection with all through the breath.
Begin in an attitude of prayer for we are all seekers. (hands in prayer position)
Lift up and out with your hands, reaching up to that which is beyond you: the universe, the mystery, the spirit of life, God. Ask for what you need, praise the universal good, set an intention for yourself. (lift hands up and out over head)
Then gather in all the gifts that you have been given, wisdom, nurture, comfort, talents.
Hug them to yourself and be thankful. (bring hands back to body and hold or hug across heart)
Then, as with all gifts, what we have been given needs to be shared. So let your gifts go back into the world. (let hands go forward in front of body then downward to let go)
Practice once more.
Deep breath and let it out.
Attitude of Prayer.
Lift arms up and out to what is beyond you.
Gather gifts back in.
Let gifts go back into the world.
Now do this three times at your own pace.
(When everyone has finished, say "Blessed Be" or "Amen.")
EASY DRAMA EXERCISES
MATERIALS
Chapter 8 - Concluding Remarks
It is my hope as a religious educator that you have found this essay and the activities useful for your religious exploration classes. May you envision many more ways to help our children nurture their spiritual being and to support their work in becoming whole and holy in transforming the world.
Dr. Nita Penfold
Adjunct Faculty, Worship and Theology Arts Department
Andover Newton Theological School
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Spirituality and Creativity
Briggs, John and F. David Peat. Seven Life Lessons of Chaos: Spiritual Wisdom From the Science of Change. San Francisco : HarperPerennial, 1999.
Dissanayake, Ellen. Art and Intimacy: How the Arts Began. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 2000.
Fox, Matthew. Creativity: Where the Divine and Human Meet. NY: Jeremy P. Tarcher/Putnam, 2002.
O`Murchu, Diarmuid. Quantum Theology. New York : The Crossroad Publishing Company, 1997.
Shannon, Maggie Oman. The Way We Pray: Prayer Practices from Around the World. Berkeley, CA : Conari Press, 2001.
Children and Spirituality
Coles, Robert. The Spiritual Life of Children. Boston : Houghton Mifflin, 1990.
Fitzpatrick, Jean Grasso. Something More: Nurturing Your Child's Spiritual Growth.
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Hay, David with Rebecca Nye. The Spirit of the Child (Revised edition). Philadelphia : Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2006.
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Myers, Barbara Kimes and William R. Myers. Engaging in Transcendence. Cleveland : The Pilgrim Press, 1992.
Myers, Barbara Kimes. Young Children and Spirituality. New York : Routledge, 1997.
Nieuwejaar, Jeanne. The Gift of Faith: Tending the Spiritual Lives of Children (at www.uuabookstore.org/productdetails.cfm?PC=10). Boston :
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Visual Arts
Cunningham, Bailey. Mandala: Journey to the Center. NY: DK Books, 2002.
Kohl, MaryAnn F. and Jean Potter. Global Art: Activities, Projects and Inventions from Around the World. Beltsville, MD :Gryphon House, 1998. www.gryphonhouse.com.
_____. Good Earth Art: Environmental Art for Kids. Bellingham, WA : Bright Ring Publishing, 1991. www.brightring.com.
_____. Science Arts: Discovering Science Through Art Experiences (Bright Ideas for Learning). Bellingham, WA : Bright Ring Publishing, 1993.
_____and Judy McCoy. Scribble Art: Independent Creative Art Experiences for
Children (Bright Ideas for Learning). Bellingham, WA : Bright Ring Publishing; 2Rev Ed edition, 1994.
_____, Kim Solga , and Rebecca Van Slyke . Discovering Great Artists: Hands-On Art for Children in the Styles of the Great Masters (Bright Ideas for Learning). Bellingham, WA : Bright Ring Publishing, 1997 .
_____. Mudworks: Creative Clay, Dough, and Modeling Experiences. Bellingham, WA : Bright Ring Publishing; 1989.
_____ and K. Whelan Dery . Preschool Art: It's the Process, Not the Product. Beltsville, MD : Gryphon
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Writing
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Tucker, Shelley. Painting the Sky: Writing Poetry With Children. Tucson Arizona : Good Year Books, 1995. (www.goodyearbooks.com)
Drama, Movement, and Dance
Benzwie, Teresa. Moving Experience: Dance for Lovers of Children and the Child Within. Chicago : Zephyr Press; New Ed edition, 1987. zephyrpress.com.
Nash, Grace C. Creative Approaches to Child Development With Music, Language, and
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Spolin, Viola. Theater Games for the Classroom: A Teacher's Handbook, Evanston, IL : Northwestern University Press, 1986.
Wiertsema, Huberta. 101 Movement Games for Children: Fun and Learning with Playful Moving. Alameda, CA : Hunter House, 2001.