One Godly Play lesson tells children about the “Ten Best Ways” to live. This is the story of the Ten Commandments that God gave to God’s People.

Here we offer “Ten Best Ways” for parents—not commandments, but ways we invite you, the parent, to share more fully in your child’s Godly Play experience.

Godly Play was developed and classroom tested for more than 20 years by Episcopal priest, author, and teacher Jerome Berryman. Godly Play is based on the Montessori method of experiential learning. It "makes the player graceful so that God, the player, other players, and God's earth can all join in the game." This imaginative approach to working with children supports, challenges, nourishes, and helps guide the children’s spiritual quest.

Godly Play assumes that children have some experience of the mystery of the presence of God in their lives, but that they lack the language, the permission, and the understanding to express and enjoy that spiritual experience in our secular culture. In Godly Play, we enter into our parables, sacred stories, silence, and liturgy in order to discover God, ourselves, one another, and the world around us.

The Ten Best Ways for Parents

• Godly Play sessions take place on Sundays at New Song starting promptly at 9:00 a.m. and ending at 9:45 a.m.
• Please help your children be on time. They won’t want to miss a minute!
• The Godly Play circle is built slowly and lovingly, to welcome each child, one at a time. When children arrive, they wait outside the door while the teacher helps them get ready to join the circle.
• Please say your goodbyes at the door, and know that the teachers are ready to make the next hour a safe and welcoming time for every child.
• When you pick up your child, keep in mind that young children will not always be able to tell you what they learned, because what they learned was how to learn about the powerful language of the Christian people.
• Also keep in mind that children will not always be able to show you a physical product for their “work” that day, because some of what they’ve learned cannot be put into words even by adults. In Godly Play, we focus on our relationship with God and the depths of relationships in the community of children.
• Please don’t come into the room during class because we want the Godly Play room to be a special place for the community of children. Even the teachers keep their profiles low during a Godly Play session!
• We would be happy to welcome you on a visit to the Godly Play room outside of session time. Call us to arrange a visit or to ask any questions you might have about the program.
  • Ann Clark
    • 354.0039
    • annclarkiowa <at> yahoo.com
  • Jennifer Masada
    • 626.6851
    • jamasada <at> yahoo.com
• We welcome volunteers to support the teachers and the community of children by preparing the weekly "feast," by taking care of the classroom and materials and by making materials for teachers to use. Contact us for more information.
• We hope you will attend a parent orientation class. Time and date will be announced soon. This is your opportunity to experience the Godly Play environment and process together with other parents.