This may not immediately seem like an idea for children, for more and more research and experience is showing how little space we all have in our lives, including children, and how some quiet and even silence can really help us connect with God.

I first tried this with my energetic, always bouncing, delightful god-daughter and her two (also bouncing and delightful) sisters when my god-daughter was 7. It’s an idea from Rachel Turner’s Parenting for a life of faith book (which I love). This idea is to cultivate a chatting with God about any and everything. I did it first with my god-daughter and her two sisters one night when I was ‘doing’ bedtime prayers, and it was a great way for us all to pray our own prayers to God, and one of them later told their Mum that it was great because she could say things to God that she wouldn’t have said out loud. Fab.

Just pick a topic and a time – maybe start with something easy like The Best Thing That Happened Today and 30 seconds. Then get everyone to chat with God about that topic for that length of time. Simples!
Here’s some other topic ideas, although it’s fun to invent your own. I’ve done this where I offer the first three topics, giving a mix of silly and sensible, spiritual, emotional and factual, then open up to others taking it in turns to offer their suggestions.

The Worst Thing About Today

The Thing I Would Most Like To Be

Something I Regret

Somewhere I Would Love To Go

My Favourite Colour

A Person Who I Didn’t Help Today

What I Love Doing

My Favourite Type of Chocolate

Where I Will Be Next Year

Things Which Puzzle Me

What questions would you add?