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Religious Education Program for Children and Youth 2024/2025
Welcome to Charlottesville Quaker Meeting’s Children’s Program! We’re delighted to have your child join us for First Day School. Here’s a bit more detail about what to expect:
Younger Children’s Group (Birth to 6 Years Old)
- Supported Free Play: Our skilled childcare providers will supervise and engage your little ones in a variety of free play activities, providing a nurturing and stimulating environment.
- Optional Activity: Each week, there’s an activity aligned with the themes of our older children’s program, tailored to be age-appropriate and engaging for children six and under.
Older Children’s Group (6 Years and Up)
- Thematic Approach: Each Sunday, our program explores a specific theme or topic. Throughout the month, we cover four distinct but interconnected themes, each designed to foster learning, growth and fun.
Each theme has a set Sunday it is offered:
On the first Sunday of each month, we are excited to offer:
1) Service to the Community
This engaging program is designed to empower children to identify and develop their own community service projects. Inspired by Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots curriculum, the children will explore various needs within our broader community—encompassing human, animal, and plant welfare.
Children will start by reflecting on needs across different levels: our immediate community, the Charlottesville area, the global community, and the ecological environment. They will then collaborate to choose which of these areas they feel most passionate about addressing.
Once a focus area is selected, the children will work together to design and implement a project to meet that need. The project could range from a simple initiative, like a bake sale fundraiser, to a more extensive and long-term endeavor.
We are excited to see the creative and impactful projects the children will develop and how their efforts will benefit our community! Meeting members Will Grover and Ted Siedlecki will be with the children to guide them through this exciting project and process.
On the second Sunday of each month, our children will enjoy:
2) Cooking and Baking with Friends
In this delightful program, volunteer members will join the children for a hands-on cooking or baking experience. Each volunteer will select a recipe that holds personal significance—be it from their own life, family heritage, culture, or history.
As they prepare the recipe together, volunteers will share the story or historical context behind the dish. This not only makes for a fun and engaging baking session but also provides the children with valuable insights into the diverse backgrounds and traditions within our community.
We look forward to exploring new flavors, learning about different cultures, and creating lasting memories with this shared culinary journey!
On the third Sunday of each month, we are pleased to present:
3) Stories from the Community: Quaker History, Practice, and Life
Join us each month as we bring Quaker history to life for the children of our Meeting! On the third Sunday, a different member of our community will share a “living history” story, embodying a historical figure or moment from Quaker history that has inspired them.
Through captivating stories and, at times, costumes and interactive elements, volunteers will step into the shoes of influential Quakers and recount pivotal events and movements that shaped our Quakerism and its contributions to social change. After sharing their story, these “historical guests” will engage with the children by answering their questions in character, fostering curiosity and connection.
This program offers a unique opportunity to deepen relationships between members of our Meeting and its youngest participants while instilling a sense of shared history and inspiration. By blending storytelling, creativity, and active participation, we hope to create a memorable and meaningful experience for children and adults alike.
On the fourth Sunday of each month, we will peacefully offer:
4) Mindfulness and Enriching Silent Worship
On these Sundays, children will participate in mindfulness classes led by Micaela Raine and Katie Boyts, where they will delve into mindfulness practices and explore their connection to Quaker silent worship. Micaela, and Katie, will guide the children in age-appropriate mindfulness activities and practices, helping enhance their experience during Meeting, and life.
Research indicates that mindfulness can offer numerous benefits for children, including improved focus, attention, self-control, classroom participation and empathy. It has also been shown to reduce stress, anxiety, and disruptive behavior, while boosting academic performance, conflict resolution skills, overall well-being.
On the occasional fifth Sunday of the month, we will offer:
5) Community Music!
On these special Sundays, we’ll celebrate with joyful music for the children. Whether it’s playing with instruments, singing songs from our songbooks, or enjoying lively camp songs, these Sundays will be filled with fun and celebration.
Spaces used for Religious Education Programming
