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Faith Formation: Curricula

Resources including: Children & Family Curricula & Storytime; Confirmation/Affirmation of Baptism; Denominational Resources; Tween & Teen Mental and Spiritual Health; Sexuality & Identity; and Online/At-Home Tech

General Curricula

Graphic with 4 vertical rectangular panels in red, yellow, blue, and white, showing text "Say it," "Pray it," "Live it," and "The Big Way of Love for Kids" with black silhouette illustrations of four children; first child on the left has hair in a ponytail, second child has short wavy hair and is sitting in a wheelchair and holding a pinwheel, third child has long hair and is walking or running hand in hand with a shorter child with short hair

 The BIG Way of Love for Kids.

Start with 76 on-the-go cards with short prompts for prayer, conversation, and activity that engage the seven practices of the Way of Love:

  • TURN to Jesus
  • LEARN about him
  • PRAY to God
  • WORSHIP God
  • BLESS people close to us
  • GO walk with people who are different
  • REST in God’s love

Through small moments of scripture, prayer, and play, these cards invite children to love like Jesus.

partner imgCelebrate Wonder All Ages! includes One Room Sunday School. it's designed to empower your ministry with children ages 3-12. Whether you have a mixed-age group or separate age divisions, our curriculum offers unforgettable experiences, spiritual practices, and opportunities to build stronger relationships with God and each other. It features interactive stories, exciting activities, reproducible kids' pages, and printable posters.

Help children grow a faith that's as big as their imaginations with Cokesbury Kids Big Faith. Each year of Big Faith is designed around four Big Faith Ideas: Faith in God (fall), Faith in Community (winter), Faith in Jesus (spring), and Faith in Action (summer).

Through timeless Bible stories, hands-on-activities, and child-friendly themes, Big Faith offers faith-formation experiences that are tangible, applicable, and meaningful to children's everyday lives.

Big Faith is availble in two age levels: ages 3-6 and ages 7-12.

Scope & Sequence - Year 1

Start Planning

No-Prep Curriculum for Children's Ministry An Illustrated Invitation: Joining God at Work in the World. This is a 12-week curriculum geared toward K-5th graders. It highlights Hebrew Scripture and New Testament stories, including the five daughters of Zelophehad, Lydia, and Hagar and Ishmael.

FREE SET of the Illustrated Invitation Coloring Posters is included when the curriculum bundle is ordered, while physical poster supplies last.

Celebrate Wonder Music CD · Cokesbury KidsPOWERXPRESS DIGITAL CURRICULUM

PowerXpress is a rotation model curriculum using seven stations (art, cooking, games, video, music/movement, science, storytelling) using a life to Bible format. For children grades K-6 with activities for both younger and older children.  A favorite downloadable curriculum among churches for years!

Michelle Gribble's Story and Stretch:

  • online videos
  • easy to share
  • enjoyment for all ages
  • movement together
  • a fresh perspective on ancient stories and truths

Sparkhouse Digital:

  • customizable
  • accessible for teachers and parents
  • engaging content available for pre-K-12
PC(USA) Store's Growing in Grace is appropriate for ages 3-5 or 5-10.
Living the Questions Provides curricula for all ages in a variety of progressive modes and topics.

The Unofficial Holy Bible for Minecrafters Box Set     The Unofficial Holy Bible for Minecrafters: Old Testament     The Unofficial Holy Bible for Minecrafters: New Testament     The Unofficial Holy Bible for Minecrafters

Narrative Lectionary Based Curricula

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Spill the Beans

  • Narrative Lectionary
  • worship and learning
  • resources for all ages

Revised Common Lectionary Based Curricula

Mini Revolutions Curriculum Monthly Subscription

Mini Revolutions

Download a sample.

Feasting on the Word is a lectionary based curriculum that allows all ages to study the same text each week. Preparatory materials equip leaders with the biblical background they need to feel confident with any age group.

Sample Sessions are available for:

The Free Guide offers tips for online use.

young smiling girl playingSpark Lectionary

Three-year curriculum that corresponds with the Revised Common Lectionary

Why choose Spark Lectionary?

  • brain iconHelp kids learn at their level

    Sunday school lessons connect kids with Bible stories heard in worship.

  • paint palette iconFocus on hands-on learning

    Engage with the Bible story with lessons packed with activities, interactive games, and creative crafts.

  • tools, wrench and screwdriver iconCustomize your leader content

    Support and prepare your leaders and volunteers with detailed, customizable leader guides, lesson prep videos, and additional supplemental content.

  • calendar iconConnect Sunday school to the church year

    Extend worship to Sunday school with readings from the week’s Revised Common Lectionary readings.

How it works:

Each Spark Lectionary lesson follows a four-part sequence:

  • Gather – Begin the day by gathering together and trying a warm-up activity
  • Open the Bible – Open Bibles and explore the day’s story
  • Activate Faith – Get moving and become engaged in the story they just read by using their leaflets
  • Send – Finish with a closing activity and prayer

Spiritual Practices Based Curriculum

Celebrate Wonder Music CD · Cokesbury KidsLEARNING THROUGH A LENS OF WONDER

Celebrate Wonder is a Sunday school curriculum that engages children’s natural sense of curiosity to help them understand God’s love. It creates a safe environment for kids to ask big questions — helping them explore the Bible in ways that feed their imagination and encourage creativity. Through carefully-selected Bible stories, songs, videos, and hands-on activities, Celebrate Wonder gives children the tools to explore their faith while incorporating it into their daily lives.

Includes Celebrate Wonder All Ages - adapted for children and families in 'broadly graded rooms'.

The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Method

Contemplation and enjoyment of God foster religious values of childhood.

CGS is a common religious experience involving children and adults in which the religious values of childhood, primarily those values of contemplation and enjoyment of God, are predominant. This experience is shared in a place particularly prepared for the religious life of children called the Atrium.

Learn the CGS approach here.

Watch an intro video here.

Godly Play

The Godly Play® method is:

  • created by theologian, author and educator, Rev. Dr. Jerome Berryman
  • a curriculum of spiritual practice
  • explores the mystery of God’s presence in our lives
  • teaches us to listen for God and to make authentic and creative responses to God’s call in our lives

Relational Curricula

ht_website_curriculum_page_banner.pngAimed at middle grades ages (8-14), this curriculum has scaffolds and activity options for younger children and older youth. All lessons are drawn from the profiles in the Holy Troublemakers & Unconventional Saints book, which tells stories of people of diverse faiths (past and present), who have worked for more love, kindness, and justice, even when that rocked the religious boat.

Each curriculum has 12 lessons with dig deeper options that can easily extend to two-three additional sessions. Each lesson also has a coloring sheet with a quote that connects to the theme.

There are three versions (licenses) available based on the size of your organization:

Part I: Personal/Family Part II: Personal/Family
Part I: Church 1-100 Member Part II: Church 1-100 Member
Part I: Church 100+ Members Part II: Church 100+ Members

Manna and Mercy: A Brief History of God's Unfolding Promise to Mend the Entire Universe Manna and Mercy Board Book Bundle     A Place for You Bilingual Edition

From Augsburg Fortress:

  • a full intergenerational curriculum
  • based on Daniel Erlander's beloved book Manna and Mercy
    • a book about God and the continuity of God’s covenant of life, justice, and inclusion to all people and all of creation.

The curriculum includes:

Peer Ministry Leadership – Leadership Training Peer Ministry works with all denominations. The theology is Christian, and flows from the Good Samaritan Story, with emphases on relational caring, welcoming and affirming skills. PML is a good fit for many denominations and adapts well for various settings. Programs include:

Other Curricula Lists

The Association of United Church Educators shares a giant list of at-home faith formation activities and ideas.

Keep up with Disciples Home Missions on their website and fb for every-day at-home faith formation ideas.

The PC(USA) Store has a huge list of resources for on-lining church (worship and study groups) and free downloadable faith formation for all ages.

In Our Library - Curricula

Around the Year in Children's Church: 52 Programs for Kids Ages 3-7  -     By: Lisa Flinn, Barbara Younger     Blessed to Be a Blessing     

          
ProgressiveChristianity.org's  A Joyful Path (ages 6 - 10):
  • behavior-over-belief curriculum
  • connects children with their own inner wisdom
  • works well in-person or online
It teaches:
  • interdependence
  • self awareness
  • respect for nature
  • stillness
  • forgiveness
  • prayer
  • meditation
  • integrity
  • utilizes the Bible and other wisdom stories
Choose Year 1 or Year 2 Full Year Version - Book, PDF or DVD
Year 3 (for ages 9-12) lessons offer:
  • a Christianity that is radically inclusive
  • a willingness to foster connections
  • questions in pursuit of "the Oneness and Unity of all Life" and includes:
    • heart-centered and experiential practices
    • informed by Christian mysticism and Earth-centered spirituality
    • includes interfaith and inter-spiritual perspectives

In Our Library - Out-of-the-Box

Help! I'm a Sunday School Teacher!   -     By: Ray Johnston     Story & Stretch: A Guide to Teaching Kids Yoga Using Gospel Stories     The World Jesus Knew: A Curious Kid's Guide to Life in the First Century

Picture of Delicious Bible Stories     9781791020255: Milk and Honey Cooking School