Adapting Faith & Play Storytelling for Virtual First Day School

Useful information from the Faith & Play Group

As meetings rethink how to support children, families, and religious education through virtual classes, Faith & Play Stories are a resource available to Friends trained in Godly Play/Faith & Play storytelling. Soon after physical distancing began, a lively conversation emerged on social media among storytellers interested in how to use Zoom or other online platforms to share the stories. While some vital elements of story sharing, building the circle and wondering together, are different in a virtual setting, the stories themselves offer language and images that may be a comfort to children (of all ages) in this challenging time, and create a space to explore feelings of both isolation and community. For more information about story experiences, online conversations include on Facebook: the Faith & Play Stories page, and the groups "Knowing Godly Play in a New Way," and "Valiant Together: Sharing Quaker RE Support and Resources During COVID-19."  
Both Faith & Play Stories, Inc. and the Godly Play Foundation support Friends sharing stories in virtual settings during this time, and also ask that if stories are recorded, language is included about the source and copyright of the material. Videos of stories on the Faith & Play and Godly Play YouTube channels can also be shown to First Day classes. For more information about Faith & Play Stories, training, and how Friends are using this resource in classrooms and virtually, reach out to faithandplaystories@gmail.com and visit faithandplay.org.  Ideas and advices on religious education in the time of COVID-19, and how meetings are supporting children and families with both online and at-home resources, are explored in this article from Philadelphia Yearly Meeting.