Faith Adventures – Faith adventures for Children together and Faith Adventures youth resources
https://urc.org.uk/your-faith/children-young-people/faith-adventures-for-children-together/
Provide Bible-based games, activities and prayers for use in Junior church, clubs and even new expressions of church.
Holiday club materials – click here
Further Resources for children and young people are available on the URC website.
Visit the URC website for new material every week or contact Judy to receive the resources by email.
Resource Library
Judy holds a range of resources available to churches, they range from books, hats, musical instruments and craft resources to outdoor games equipment, Lego and Godly play sets.
A full list is available on the Children and youth Padlet. Or contact Judy Harris to ask if we have what you are looking for
Padlet Resources
Padlet Children and Youth and Safeguarding resources are now available and regularly updated.
Training opportunities form the wider Children and youth team
https://padlet.com/URCCYW/training-events-and-opportunities-pb0xf9hbk6xawrq8
Roots
Roots offers two sets of weekly resources that are available in magazine format and online. The Adult & All Age resources enrich adult, family and all-age worship and learning. The Children & Young People resources provide inspiring ideas for use with toddlers to teens. To see samples of the resources, contact Judy.
Eco- Church resources for Children and young people
There is an eco church questionnaire for children and young people that can be edited to suit your church available on the denominational website under family friendly church resources. Why not get your young people involved in your church Eco- Church journey.
https://urc.org.uk/your-church/family-friendly-church/
There is also a wide range of ideas and resources on the A Rocha website to help your young people to engage with environmental issues, these follow the main themes of the eco church questionnaire.
https://ecochurch.arocha.org.uk/resources/kids/
https://ecochurch.arocha.org.uk/resources/youth/
Brick church
Do you remember playing with Lego©?
Why not explore running a brick church session with your faith community.
Children and Youth Friendly Church Scheme
The Children and Youth Friendly Church Scheme can help your church improve the welcome it gives to children, young people and families.
What’s involved
Work alongside someone who will accompany you on the journey. They will help you to identify what they’re currently doing to welcome young people and develop ways to improve it.
This includes considering if your church has
- has a comprehensive and shared vision for children’s and youth work
- provides good opportunities for the voices of children and young people to be heard
- takes seriously and responds to feedback from children and young people
- provides opportunities for children and young people to be involved in planning, organising and delivering child friendly church services
- makes suitable provision for under 5s in church
- provides groups and organisations to help nurture children and young people
- takes safeguarding, health & safety and first aid seriously
Contact the CYDO (Judy) for more information
Other resources available
Infant Feeding
Do you have families who have young babies. Why not consider who to create a space for them to be fed within your church.
Download an editable policy that you can adapt to your own church’s needs,
https://urc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/infant-feeding-church-editable-policy.docx
Download poster to display in buildings to show visitors infant feeding is welcome
https://urc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/infant-feeding-church-poster.pdf
Quiet spaces
Here are some tips and practical advice for providing quiet spaces in church for children, young people and adults who might find a whole service or session overwhelming for any reason.
https://urc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Quiet-Spaces-Guidance.pdf
More able church resources
There are a wide range of Widget resources to aid communication.
Visual symbols can support any children or young people who have communication difficulties for whatever reason.
https://urc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Widgit-church-words.pdf
https://urc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/useful-words.pdf
Individual symbols (with accompanying text) can be cut out and laminated and velcroed to a surface.
A visual timetable can be made with symbols to help children and young people know what is happening now and what will be happening next.
https://urc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/visual-timetable-cards.pdf
Doors can be labelled so that children and young people know where to go or where not to go at particular times. https://urc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Door-labels.pdf
Golden rules signs
https://urc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Golden-Rules.pdf
https://urc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/golden-rules-alternative.pdf
https://urc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/communication-board.pdf
Christmas words
https://urc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Christmas-Words.pdf
Feelings Widget signs
https://urc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/feelings.pdf
https://urc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/If-I-feel-angry-or-anxious-I-can.pdf
Prayer cards
Welcome to prayer prompts for 4-8 year olds, these are also suitable for children with additional needs.
These cards are designed to help children pray by giving them prompts through pictures, words and symbols. There are 26 different cards, each with a simple theme.
- Download the 4 – 8 year old instructions (PDF | 400kb)
- Prayer Prompt Cards 4 – 8 Download (PDF | 7mb)
- Download the instructions in Welsh (PDF | 600kb)
- Download the prayer cards in Welsh (PDF | 7mb)
Prayer Prompts for 8 – 12 Year Olds
Download the 8 – 12 year old instructions (PDF | 646kb)
Prayer Prompt Cards 8 – 12 Download (PDF | 24mb)
Download the instructions in Welsh (PDF| 793kb)
Download the prayer cards in Welsh (PDF| 23mb)
Funding
Children & Youth work grants
The URC Children’s and Youth Work Committee supports activities and experiences for children and youth as well as the training of existing and potential children and youth workers.
This year, to help churches resume or start up activities for children, a grant of either £50 or £100 is also available to support churches running holiday clubs.
https://urc.org.uk/your-faith/children-young-people/children-youth-work/children-youth-work-grants/
Daphne and Bethan Fund
This fund is available to churches and individuals within the Wales Synod
Please contact the CYDO for more information
- They can offer a range of sessions within your church.
e.g Exploring Easter or Advent, intergenerational worship or starting up a toddler group.
- provide help and support on employing a children or youth worker.
- Provide advice on running toddler, children and youth groups.
- Offering a range of resources to support your work.