First: Opening prayer - The Spiritist Volunteer will bring the book LEARNING HOW TO PRAY - A BOOK OF PRAYERS FOR CHILDREN by Elsa Rossi. Get the children to choose the story they want to read from the book.

         The Spiritist worker will introduce a box of prayer after the prayer and will ask for one child to volunteer himself/herself to read the prayer for the class. Please ask the child to say his/her words as well, as to complement the opening prayer.

         Second: Welcome the children into the session. Say how happy we are to see them there and how important they are for the class. Play hot potato game with the children. When the music stops the child who is holding the hot potato ball will be asked to name who is part of their family; ask for examples.

         Third: Sing songs together; get the children to remain standing but in a circle.

         http://www.sermons4kids.com/jesus_is_my_best_friend_1x.pdf

         http://www.sermons4kids.com/jesus_is_my_best_friend_1x.mp3

         http://www.sermons4kids.com/jesus_loves_the_little_children.pdf

         http://www.sermons4kids.com/jesus_loves_the_little_children.mp3

         Fourth: Tell the children the following story, which is based on one of the stories from the book called ‘Além do arco-íris’ (O doce Mistério da vida)’. Please find the original story and the adapted version underneath which will be the one I will be telling the children due to the reality in this country.

         Original story: There was a widow who lived in a very simple home. She suffered as she was seeing her daughter sick with high fever. She had no resources to look after her. The little girl begs her mom to ask Jesus to help them as he would listen to their prayers. The mother tries to show her daughter that this was a mere phantasy. They soon noticed someone was knocking on their door. It was the local pharmacist. He came over and asked if there was a sick little girl in that house. He explains that an unknown man came over to his pharmacy, bought the medication and asked him to bring them over to that address. The mother has no doubt that this unknown man was Jesus!

         Adapted version of the story: Once upon a time there was a child who was very ill. This little child was suffering and his mommy didn’t know what to do!

         The child’s daddy already was in the spiritual world so she had no help from others. She asked for help from people she knew. She asked for money but no one could help her to look after her son.


         The child decided to pray for Jesus and ask for help.


         On the next day they received the help of friends at their home!


         The little boy also noticed he was feeling much, much better!


         He decided to pray to Jesus and thank him for his help. He also createa a beautiful artwork for his mom as a thank you gift for being his mother!


         Note for the Spiritist volunteer: Please note the pictures won’t be coloured by the volunteer to enable the children to connect with them. If the pictures are coloured and we give them a colouring activity they won’t want to perform this task as their fine motor skills are not as fine as the one from an adult.

         Fifth: Get the children to retell the story. Show these images on a powerpoint presentation, if possible, or give each child a copy of these pages from the story. Get them to retell the story according to their understanding.

         If possible, the children could colour these pictures but only if there’s enough copies for everyone.

         Sixth: The Spiritist volunteer will talk to the children and ask them to follow THE FIVE FINGERS OF PRAYER:


         Seventh: Activity to be performed by the children: ‘PEOPLE I AM PRAYING FOR’.


         Eighth: Activity to be performed by the children: GRATITUDE CARD FOR JESUS. Get the children to create a gratitude card in which they should draw or write what they are grateful for. Who do they love? Who is part of their family? How about their house? Their body?

         Ninth: Breathing exercise – Deep Breathing Activity: I’m a Little Teapot

         This breathing activity is perfect for regulating the breath and balancing the oxygen levels in the body for optimal health. This breathing exercise also promotes relaxation in a fun, playful, imaginative way. The goal of this activity is to make the exhale twice as long as the inhale; also, to allow the inhale to naturally expand. Make sure you have explained to children what “inhale and exhale” mean so that they understand what you are asking them to do.

         Steps:
         1. We are going to play a game called “I’m a Little Teapot.” You get to pretend that you are teapot and I am going to listen to the steam that you make.

         2. Imagine that you are a teapot! You can be as big or as small of a tea pot as you would like. Decide what colour you would like to be. Can you feel the lid on top of your head? Let’s sit up straight and keep our chins up so that the lid doesn’t fall off.
         3. Sit up straight.
         4. Allow yourself to inhale, let it come naturally, no need to force, push or take a big breath, just allow it to be natural.
         5. As you exhale, you are going to make a “shhhhh” sound, like steam coming out of a teapot. The steam from your teapot comes out long and slow. See if you can send your steam across the room. Let’s see how long you can make your steam.

         Tenth: Preparation for the healing time - The Spiritist volunteer will place one chair in the middle of the room. One child will be asked to sit down and show how we should behave during the healing therapy. If he/she behave well, one of the colleagues would blow soap bubbles behind he/she. The Spiritist Volunteer will explain that the bubbles mean the good energies sent by the Spirits Benefactors to all of us during the healing therapy. But, we should behave well to deserve it.

         Eleventh: Get the children to help cleaning the room; one of the children will do a closing prayer; encourage the children to volunteer for this task. If they don’t want to collaborate we could say we will follow the letters of the alphabet. The child’s name that starts with the letter A will do the opening prayer this time. Everybody will have the chance to collaborate.

         Extra activity, in case there’s enough time: Create a family using toilet rolls!.


         Closing prayer

         Class suggested being suitable for: Kindergarten (5 to 6 years old).

         Spiritist volunteer: Carolina von Scharten, London, linked to BUSS - The British Union of Spiritist Societies.

                  

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