Spirit Play (Grades 2-4)

Spirit Play is a Montessori-based method of religious education in which a lesson or story is shared using baskets that hold objects to help tell the story. Then children choose their own work to explore more. This child-centered approach leads to a fun and relaxed classroom that fosters learning and spiritual growth.

Elements of Spirit Play

Freedom

After circle time children are free to move about their environment and choose their activities. They are taught that they may respond to the lesson in any way that is meaningful to them.

Storytelling

Each lesson is comprised of a story, told by one of the two adults in the room. The stories have a variety of messages and themes, and afterwards students are given a chance to wonder about what they’ve heard.

Creativity and Artistic Expression

Children are given the opportunity to explore the lesson in an artistic medium of their choice. Spirit Play teaches that art is a form of spiritual exploration.

Spiritual Practice and Ritual

The Spirit Play experience is comfortably structured and provides an experience with ritual. Class itself is a spiritual practice, an experience of sacred space and action. The rooms are set up to reflect this and children will learn to appreciate the rhythm.

Rhythm of Spirit Play

A typical Spirit Play Class is comprised of several important segments.

Each class period we will follow this rhythm:

Entering the Classroom

Students are greeted by the Doorkeeper outside of the classroom. They will be asked if they are ready to enter the classroom, recite a Peace Greeting, invited in, and join the Storyteller in a circle. Parents are asked to wait outside the classroom.

Opening Words & Songs

Once everyone is inside, the class will mark the beginning of the lesson by reciting a prayer, singing a song or lighting the flaming chalice, the central symbol of Unitarian Universalism. This helps students feel comfortable in the space and marks the beginning of the lesson.

Storytelling

When it’s time to tell the story, the Storyteller will go to one of the shelves and pick up the story. In Spirit Play, stories are told with materials that help illustrate the story. This helps all kinds of learners understand the story and provides visual cues for the students to focus on. The story is told in a slow and calm fashion; the Storyteller does not pause for questions and appears wholly engrossed in their story. Students are asked to focus on the voice and actions of the Storyteller, who is laying out materials, which help tell the story.

Wondering

The Storyteller asks questions, and encourages students to respond. This is a time for students to ponder the meaning of the story and provide some ideas about what they want to do for the rest of the class.

Work Time

A chance for students to explore the lesson through creative expression. The classroom is full of art materials, which students are encouraged to use as they are so moved. Children are told that Work Time is a meditative and thoughtful time of reflection.

Feast

This is not simply a meal or a snack, but communal sharing of food. We will serve a small allergy friendly item and water. The Feast experience is based heavily on the Christian tradition of Communion, and serves a similar ritualistic purpose in Spirit Play Classrooms.

Leaving

There are closing words spoken in the circle & then children are invited one by one to leave the circle and join their families. We ask families to wait patiently outside the classroom until your student is dismissed by name starting at 11:45.