Krafty kids

Change is afoot at St Saviours with All Saints, Scarborough. Following an extensive redevelopment project, we are now the proud custodians of a beautiful space to share with our community, it has been a true joy seeing the former entrance atrium of the Church become an inviting space to welcome children and families.

Ashlie, the Community Minister at St Saviours, has worked hard to develop a working relationship with Gladstone Road School, and looked at redesigning the Children’s Corner into a dynamic and inviting learning space. 12 themed “Come and See” boxes have been developed, containing a wealth of resources differentiated for different learning abilities and linked both to the liturgical calendar and the School’s RE Curriculum. Taking support from current and retired teachers, the boxes provide an easy to rotate plethora of activities, books and toys that can be rotated on a monthly basis, keeping the Children’s Corner fresh and inviting, whilst providing an opportunity to explore the Christian Faith at their own pace. We even have a box of small world toys and books for younger children too!

Krafty Kids a monthly activity for local families has been re-launched - advertising via social media, through the school’s Parent App - we had no idea how many families would come!

Our first session, celebrating the launch of this year’s Poppy Appeal, was attended by 11 children split between 6 families… one child was autistic and their Grandparent was initially apprehensive. We talked about breakout spaces, inclusive activities and approaching things at the child’s pace, and were stunned to see how quickly they relaxed and engaged with the other children present as they joined in with simple crafts. We also welcomed a pair of siblings in care, one more outgoing than the other. Our guest speaker, a retired Airborne Engineer, quickly engaged the nervous youngster in a discussion about berets, medals and the National Standard he carried for the Airborne Engineers Association.

You could have heard a pin drop as the children listened to WO2 Wallis, the current chairman of the AEA, shared tales of his time on active service for Her Majesty’s Armed Forces, and the proud history of other members who have served. All the children enjoyed the opportunity to hold the National Standard, and posed quite enthusiastically for pictures with a “real life soldier” before the High Altar.

And that’s exactly the point of Krafty Kids - gently introducing children to some fun, themed, messy play activities, sharing a simple picnic lunch with them and giving them the opportunity to hear stories relating to the topic of the month … next month we have Advent where the children will make their own Christingles and a Nativity Scene, whilst their Grown Ups relax with a cuppa and a biscuit, chat with other adults and relax without having to worry about cleaning up the mess or keeping the children fed and entertained. And best of all … it’s free to attending families, thanks to the support of Mustard Seed and the Church Council… but we still leave out the donations box just in case!

To find out more about St. Saviours, Scarborough, click here
To read more about Ashlie and her Stepping Up journey, click here