All Older children articles
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ArticleNew film The King of Kings is a pleasant, family-friendly, cat-approved retelling of the gospel
Angel Studios’ The King of Kings is an animated film directed by Seong-ho Jang, loosely inspired by Charles Dickens’ lesser-known work, The Life of Our Lord. Boasting a voice cast so stacked it could pass as a Who’s Who of Hollywood - including Kenneth Branagh, Uma Thurman, Mark Hamill, Pierce Brosnan, Roman Griffin Davis, Forest Whitaker, Ben Kingsley, and Oscar Isaac - the film reimagines the gospel story through Dickens’ eyes, turning it into a bedtime tale for his son, Walter. And if that sounds like a quaint, heartwarming setup, don’t worry - there’s also a cat for comic relief.
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ArticleThe new Netflix series Adolescence raises difficult but essential issues for Christian parents to grapple with
Few television shows capture the emotional chaos of growing up as honestly as Netflix’s latest series, Adolescence. Diving deep into the complex struggles faced by young people today, this is more than just a typical coming-of-age drama. With its innovative use of single-take episodes, its raw and poignant cinematography immerses you into a world of identity crises, societal pressure, online dangers, and the hidden pain of those caught in the fallout of serious mistakes.
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ArticleHelping your teen navigate Snapchat: A Christian parent’s guide to helping them flourish online
In today’s digital world, social media is a big part of many teens’ lives. Snapchat, with its disappearing messages, fun filters, and real-time updates, is particularly popular among young people. While these features can offer entertainment and connection, they also bring risks that parents need to be aware of. As Christian parents, it can be challenging to help our teens navigate platforms like Snapchat while keeping them safe, grounded in faith, and aware of the potential dangers. This guide will help you find that balance.
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ArticleIt’s not all in the head - Physical activity is really important for the mental and spiritual health of youth and children
In 2024 there were 9.3 million NHS Couch to 5K runs started in the year as people sought to get healthy. I really enjoy physical activity but there are times (especially at the end of a busy day or if it is cold and dark) that dragging myself away from a comfy sofa is quite a challenge. However, one thing I do know is that being active is good for me and I always feel better having chosen to abandon the sofa for exercise.
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ArticleThe Garden the Curtain and the Cross is a great resource for Christian parents to try in the run up to Easter
As the last few remnants of the Christmas stock are in the seasonal sale aisle, in comes the chocolate eggs and hot cross buns. ‘Happy Easter’ is on bunting, hats, and toys everywhere we look. It can be difficult for Christian parents to navigate yet another consumer-hacked event in the calendar, as the colour pallet in the shops turns to pastel yellow, pink and green and the shelves are filled with chocolate eggs, and fluffy bunnies and chicks. So, how do Christian families manage this time of year as they explain the biblical account of the first Easter to children in a theologically accurate, yet age-appropriate way, especially as eggs, hot cross buns and bunnies can be easier to digest than sin, death and resurrection.
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ArticleChristian devotions at home for children with additional needs are hard but worth working at
Hands up if you feel pressured by your church to do family devotions every morning. In some areas of our wonderful church, we can be left feeling that having daily family devotions is compulsory and doing it in the morning brings extra holiness points.
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ArticleOur children and young people need the good news not mere happy news
Rachael Newham considers whether we are passing on an emotional prosperity gospel and what a healthier approach might be.
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ArticleParents are the key to bridging the gap between church and school
Ashley Nichols sees parents as playing a pivotal role in helping schools provide appropriate space and time for children and young people to consider the Christian faith.
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ArticleChristian parenting in hospital: surviving through everyday faith
I’m sitting just to her side, wedged between the ward wall and my child’s hospital bed. For me and many other parents this has become a familiar yet daunting place. The rhythmic soundscape of oxygen masks and intermittent beeping from machines becomes our lullaby. It merges into the background of chatter and children’s cries, as we try to rest and get some sleep.
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ArticleHand in Hand Conference 2025: A call to action for children’s and family ministry
As the skies drizzled on a chilly Friday afternoon in February, the excitement surrounding the 2025 National Children’s and Family Ministry Conference, Hand in Hand, was anything but damp. Over 600 attendees arrived at the Bethel Convention Centre in Birmingham, where the warm, vibrant welcome was evident from the moment they stepped onto the red carpet. This year, the event found a new home, bringing with it a fresh energy and a renewed sense of purpose in children and families ministry.
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ArticleAre smartphones rewiring my kid’s brain?
Robin Barfield wonders if Christian parents are sometimes a little too negative on the impact of smart phones and social media. For an alternative perspective click here.
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ArticleGrooming - What parents need to know
If you’ve been following the news lately, you’ve probably heard about “grooming gangs.”
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ArticleHelp! It’s February half term!
What is your family hungry for this half-term? I’ve put together a menu for you to peruse. It’s not a to-do list; there’s no pressure to tick things off, you don’t have to cram in as many things as possible to make half term a great time for your family (or at least bearable!).
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ArticleChild poverty is widespread but there is hope
You don’t have to look very hard to see that the majority of people in the UK are feeling the pinch of the cost-of-living crisis. Our money has to stretch further. Our jobs have become more unstable. The price of food has risen. We know that some people have to make a choice between heating and eating. But how bad is it really? What can we do as Christians to help alleviate some of the pressures from the families we might know. And how, as a Christian, can I survive in the middle of it all, living in a house with one income, three children and a high rent bill each month?
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ArticleFour parables of Jesus - Session 1-4
Our Together resource is, as always, jam-packed full of ideas and activities to help the children and young people in your groups discover more about God, grow in faith and deepen their friendship with Jesus. Together is a curriculum resource for churches to use in their Sunday ...
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ArticleBold like Joshua: Session 1-4
We’re exploring the book of Joshua. Choose the sessions and activities that best fit what you want to do:
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