Engaging Spiritually with Babies

My friend, Jeremy and his wife looked over at their toddler with a figure of the Baby Jesus in his mouth, and they thought, "Is this okay? Is it okay for our child to have the Baby Jesus in his mouth?" So, Jeremy decided to take some time to figure this out. Babies are oral learners, so what do babies actually experience about God and how can parents go along for this journey?

The goal of Baby Steps is to equip parents and guardians with practical tools to help them engage spiritually with their child in their first five years of life. This resource, written by Jeremy Steele, spends time developing the understanding of how children develop, discovering tools to help them grow spiritually, and finishes with a panel of veteran parents for parents and guardians to get advice on any topic.

Baby Steps Resources

Baby Steps Curriculum

Baby Steps Handout Week 1

Baby Steps Handout Week 2

Baby Steps Handout Week 3

Additional Resources

Baptism: Understanding God's Gift unpacks the biblical and theological meanings of the sacrament through the words and movements of the Baptismal Covenant of The United Methodist Church while offering initial guidance on this initiation into Christ's holy church. Ed and Sara Phillips have provided an indispensable resource for pastors, families, and others involved in preparing infants and small children for baptism. Its brief chapters provide an excellent foundation for the conversations needed both to understand our theology and ritual of baptism and to practice it with confidence and grace.

What Every Child Should Experience in United Methodist Congregations is a guide for leaders and teachers of children in the area of faith formation. This resource contains a comprehensive guide to scripture significant for children as they develop cognitively and theologically. It is meant to closely follow the three-year lectionary cycle. This resource also contains a chart of what children need and understand developmentally around the beliefs and concepts of God, Worship, The Bible, Home and Family, Everyday Life, Community and Wesleyan Heritage.

The Divine Hours by Phyllis Tickle

Books with Biblical Foundations

peace,
melanie