No Screen Required Boredom Busters
Trying to keep children entertained while you do something else?  Try these ideas!  

Bringing Home the Mess from Messy Church USA.  HERE is a link to something to do in a home.  

ALLELUIA!
Colouring Page from 
Illustrated Ministry

From crafts, to children’s prayer practices, to science experiments, to printable playdough mats, this site has so many faith friendly activities to do! ​​
​Click HERE

Make kindness the norm™ at your school—here's everything you need to teach important kindness skills to your kids.
​Click HERE

Church Express
Click HERE

A resource for families created by ​
Rev. Laura Fouhse, McClure United Church

Connecting with Faith Communities
during this time of Physical Distancing

Not everyone has the luxury of being able to connect electronically. With the closure of libraries, there are even more people completely cut off from email and web access. Try the following ways of keeping connected: 

• Phone calls, just to check in and ask if they need anything. Have a list of services, volunteers or other resources on hand in case they say they do need something, so you can quickly help connect them, if appropriate. Ask if it would be okay to call again in a few days or however often they would like to hear from you. 
• Canada Post mailings, especially post cards so no one is licking envelopes! The Covid-19 virus can live on paper surfaces for 24 hours, so consider this when sending and receiving mail. Encourage people to wash their hands after they open mail or keep the package closed in a safe place for a day or so without opening it. 
• In-person visits while practicing social distancing: outdoors, if possible, always keeping at least 2 metres apart, greeting each other with a wave rather than a hug or handshake, and avoid touching or handing objects back and forth. Avoid touching doorknobs and gates where possible. And of course, wash your hands before and after going out. 

• Organize a “neighbourhood window walk”. In Alberta, a group called “Medicine Hat Rocks!” asked people to put themed pictures in their window every three days so families can walk around outside and find as many pictures as they can – one day it’s flowers, another it’s animals, April Fools day it’s jokes, etc.  Adapt this to your context. 
• Organize a group art project or written affirmation project that people can make at home and send in their own piece. Then display all the submissions in a church window where they can be viewed from the outside of the building. The Covid-19 virus can live on paper surfaces for 24 hours, so consider using gloves when handling submissions or waiting 24 hours after receiving before handling. 

Have more ideas you would like to share? Send them in to Robin or via our contact page! 

Written by
Robin Murray 
Regional Minister for Youth and Young Adults (North/Interior)
 

Share Mail, Share a Smile 
by Robin Murray
​A series of three postcards to mail out to children with Noah's Ark jokes on them, to be sent out over a period of days or weeks. Includes backs of postcard with optional Noah's Ark story and pastoral message.