God Activities

Go with your child to a synagogue, an empty field, the ocean - anywhere you might experience divinity. Walk around and feel the grandeur together. Ask your child what they feel, what they're experiencing. Explore themes of connectedness, sanctity, and beauty.

Go on a walk through nature. Look for wonders that God created: the many legs of a bug, the different colors and patterns of the leaves, every individual blade of grass. Ask your child what stands out to them. What is beautiful? What is full of wonder?

Before we make any assumptions about what our children think about God, we should ask them to define that for themselves. Without judgement and in a playful, calm environment, ask your child to explain their views of God, divinity, and holiness. Ask clarifying questions; be curious. 

(for older children) Draw a road map of your life. Keep the road straight when things remained static, and left or right turns (or veers depending on severity) when your life changed a lot - moving to a new city, changing schools, choosing baseball instead of soccer, etc. Ask if God was in any of those moments of change. Did they feel called to make certain decisions? If the decision wasn't theirs, can they see its purpose in hindsight? Does that feel divine?

Spend some time with your community. Invite people over for a meal, volunteer at a soup kitchen, join a family book club - anything that encourages your child to see divinity beyond their family. Talk to them about how community shows up for each other, that God exists in the care we show to others.

Explore how different religions and faith groups connect to God. What are different rituals, ceremonies, clothing, prayers, etc. that various communities use to connect to Divinity? What does that teach us about God? About human connection? 

Children's spirituality and learning is often reached by song. Singing Shabbat melodies together can inspire joy, togetherness, and a sense of divinity. 

When you read a fairytale with your child, note how in every tale there is something to overcome. Each story is about growing through difficulty. Part of how children come to terms with the reality of evil in the world is by realizing that it can sometimes inspire their own growth, sense of justice, and personal achievement.

Pick a ritual or two to explore as a family. You may want to try lighting Shabbat candles every Friday night; or saying a blessing before a meal; or thanking God for a new day. Whichever rituals you choose, choose them together. They are family rituals.

Write a blessing of gratitude with your child. What are they thankful for? How do they want to express it? There doesn't need to be a special formula, but create a blessing that a child can imitate and remember. Whenever you experience that thing you're grateful for, recite your blessing together. 

Young children really want to know that things are real. They care about where things come from and how they can interact with them. But God is not a "thing" in the same way. To explore this, sit together in a dark room and light a candle (or turn on a flashlight) behind your back. Ask if they can see the light. They can see that there is light, but they cannot see the light itself. The same is true for God. We may not be able to see God, but we can see God's affect on the world around us.

Seeing something come to life is an extraordinary experience. Try growing a  plant with your child. Talk to them about the process of a seed becoming roots, becoming a bud, becoming a plant. The natural world is always beginning anew.

Giving your child a chance to do a mitzvah is incredibly important. Make sure they understand their capacity to give and that doing good is an obligation we have from God. 

Keeping a diary or journal is a great way to work through complicated thoughts and emotions. Encourage your child to keep a prayer diary, where they note the things they pray for (and maybe the prayers themselves). Regularly (perhaps creating a new ritual), you can go over your prayer diaries as a family and talk about what you prayed for and why. This is also a good way to ensure our children know what is in God's hands, and what is in ours.

Find examples of heroes who were not perfect, and even some who failed. Children (especially in early adolescence) take things literally and believe in absolute fairness. Showing them incredible people of history or fiction who "fail" teaches them that goodness is important to pursue, even though "failure." 

If a child experiences the death of a pet, you might consider having a funeral. Sharing blessings, stories, and engaging in ritual can help introduce God's place in the cycle of life and death. 

​

Encourage your children to attend funerals with you. Grieving together is a way to support both you and your child's spiritual development.