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Teaching Godly Play: How to Mentor the Spiritual Development of Children
An internationally recognized Christian formation program. This revised and expanded version has been redesigned to complement the eight volumes in The Complete Guide to Godly Play series. Illustrations have also been updated, and the text now better reflects the playful spirit of Godly Play. Up-to-date research in childhood development and instruction has also been incorporated in this comprehensive volume.
160 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1995
46 people are currently reading
91 people want to read
About the author
Jerome W. Berryman
66 books18 followersDr. Berryman is presently Director the Center for the Theology of Childhood, which is part of the Godly Play Foundation, established in late 2007. This is the research center for the Godly Play Foundation and is located in Denver. It includes an extensive library and a well-equipped Godly Play room.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
June 13, 2011
This is a great step by step explanation of this unique Sunday School method of teaching children based largely on the Montessori method. Obviously, this is a book that would not be a general recommendation, but for those of you who are church goers, it is definitely worth looking into. They are re-introducing godly play at our Episcopal church and I read this book for a training that I attended. It is light-hearted and well referenced without being overly-academic.
April 20, 2015
Very helpful for those using the Godly Play Montessori Curriculum. It MIGHT be interesting to those who are curious about how faith develops in children (there are probably other books out there- including by Berryman- that address that more in depth). I gave it 4 stars rather than 5 because I think someone who has never witnessed a Godly Play session might still be a little confused when reading this. I'd recommend reading it while observing or attempting to teach a Godly Play Story.
June 21, 2025
A lot of great information. Breaks things down so it is easy to comprehend. I can not WAIT to be a storyteller in the Fall.
August 3, 2025
Summary: An introduction to the Godly Play approach to the Christian formation of pre-adolescent children.
I made a mistake in picking up this book. I thought this would be a discussion of play and how one might think as a Christian about the subject. So that you don’t make the same mistake, “Godly Play” is the name of an educational approach to the Christian education or formation of pre-adolescent children developed by Jerome and Thea Berryman.
That said, I’m glad to have made this mistake. The Christian education of children is often left to committed but poorly trained adult volunteers. One of the thing I appreciated here is that the Berrymans developed an approach to the Christian formation of children that thinks about the roles of the co-teachers (storyteller and door person), the flow of lessons, how one works with a community of children, and the setup of a classroom.
The dedication, which written shortly after the passing of Berryman’s wife, Thea, explains how they developed this approach out of their experience with Montessori education, including their training with Maria Montessori. The dedication concludes with a diagram of the Godly Play Room. Bookmark this for reference as you read the book. Then Berryman explains his use of the language of play and the idea that children might come to understand their faith through the medium of play. What he offers is a brief theology of play. An explanation follows of bringing a community of children together to play through listening, wondering, through artistic expression, feasting, and blessing. The goal of this is to form children in a Christian language that enables them to make sense of their faith for themselves.
Berryman then walks, chapter by chapter, through the flow of a Godly Play class. It begins at the threshold, where parents and children leave each other with the door person’s help. Children “get ready” to enter the circle, which involves sitting quietly on the floor with legs crossed and hands folded, resting on their ankles. When the child does this at the door, they can take a seat in the circle.
The co-teacher who is storyteller sits on the floor with the children. Berryman describes setting up the circle and presenting the story. Then comes the wondering time. This is where children are invited to ask wondering questions about the story. Along the way, Berryman also offers help in dealing with disruptions in a non-punitive fashion.
The next step involves dismissing children so they can work on their own responses to the story. Children are dismissed one at a time and helped by the door person to use art or lesson materials during this time. Examples are provided of the different ways children can “work’ during this time–really a kind of wondering play. The time concludes with clean-up, putting all materials away on the appropriate shelves.
Then the group prepares for “the feast.” The feast may be as simple as cookies and juice, prepared by volunteers. Each child has the chance to pray quietly or out loud. After prayer, they enjoy the feast, which can be a time for informal visiting with children. Then it’s time to clean up. One can see how this anticipates the Eucharist.
By then, parents are waiting. There is a process of saying good-bye to each child and to bless each other and commend them to their parents.
The final two chapters focus on growing as Godly Play teachers. The first asks, “How do you know Godly Play when you see it?” Berryman notes that both God and play must be present! He also outlines how the Godly Play curriculum uses a spiral approach to reinforce learning the Christian language. Finally, he contends that growth as a Godly Play teacher involves staying close to children.
The book serves as an introduction to the Godly Play approach of Christian education. On its own, it offers help to those who teach children. Better yet, seek out Godly Play training and use the Get Started resources and Godly Play resources to set up a classroom.
This book makes us consider how seriously do we take the Christian formation of children. Is it as carefully thought through as a regular classroom? Is teacher training and good curriculum materials offered? And are children treated as part of our community, with dignity? Whether or not a church adopts Godly Play, these are questions we must ask.
I made a mistake in picking up this book. I thought this would be a discussion of play and how one might think as a Christian about the subject. So that you don’t make the same mistake, “Godly Play” is the name of an educational approach to the Christian education or formation of pre-adolescent children developed by Jerome and Thea Berryman.
That said, I’m glad to have made this mistake. The Christian education of children is often left to committed but poorly trained adult volunteers. One of the thing I appreciated here is that the Berrymans developed an approach to the Christian formation of children that thinks about the roles of the co-teachers (storyteller and door person), the flow of lessons, how one works with a community of children, and the setup of a classroom.
The dedication, which written shortly after the passing of Berryman’s wife, Thea, explains how they developed this approach out of their experience with Montessori education, including their training with Maria Montessori. The dedication concludes with a diagram of the Godly Play Room. Bookmark this for reference as you read the book. Then Berryman explains his use of the language of play and the idea that children might come to understand their faith through the medium of play. What he offers is a brief theology of play. An explanation follows of bringing a community of children together to play through listening, wondering, through artistic expression, feasting, and blessing. The goal of this is to form children in a Christian language that enables them to make sense of their faith for themselves.
Berryman then walks, chapter by chapter, through the flow of a Godly Play class. It begins at the threshold, where parents and children leave each other with the door person’s help. Children “get ready” to enter the circle, which involves sitting quietly on the floor with legs crossed and hands folded, resting on their ankles. When the child does this at the door, they can take a seat in the circle.
The co-teacher who is storyteller sits on the floor with the children. Berryman describes setting up the circle and presenting the story. Then comes the wondering time. This is where children are invited to ask wondering questions about the story. Along the way, Berryman also offers help in dealing with disruptions in a non-punitive fashion.
The next step involves dismissing children so they can work on their own responses to the story. Children are dismissed one at a time and helped by the door person to use art or lesson materials during this time. Examples are provided of the different ways children can “work’ during this time–really a kind of wondering play. The time concludes with clean-up, putting all materials away on the appropriate shelves.
Then the group prepares for “the feast.” The feast may be as simple as cookies and juice, prepared by volunteers. Each child has the chance to pray quietly or out loud. After prayer, they enjoy the feast, which can be a time for informal visiting with children. Then it’s time to clean up. One can see how this anticipates the Eucharist.
By then, parents are waiting. There is a process of saying good-bye to each child and to bless each other and commend them to their parents.
The final two chapters focus on growing as Godly Play teachers. The first asks, “How do you know Godly Play when you see it?” Berryman notes that both God and play must be present! He also outlines how the Godly Play curriculum uses a spiral approach to reinforce learning the Christian language. Finally, he contends that growth as a Godly Play teacher involves staying close to children.
The book serves as an introduction to the Godly Play approach of Christian education. On its own, it offers help to those who teach children. Better yet, seek out Godly Play training and use the Get Started resources and Godly Play resources to set up a classroom.
This book makes us consider how seriously do we take the Christian formation of children. Is it as carefully thought through as a regular classroom? Is teacher training and good curriculum materials offered? And are children treated as part of our community, with dignity? Whether or not a church adopts Godly Play, these are questions we must ask.
August 22, 2023
This is the first book I've read specifically about the spiritual development of children, and I found it to be very thought provoking.
Something I appreciated about Berryman is how seriously he takes the thoughts and feelings of children: they are not treated as empty vessels that just need filling up. Rather, experiences and internal worlds are taken seriously. This directly impacts the way Berryman goes about creating a pedagogical framework for nurturing their spiritual development. He wants them directly involved--not just with activities and "play," but with meaning-making itself.
One of the shortcomings in his model, it seems to me, is its emphasis on the existential concerns of children (e.g. the fear of death). There are points in the book that made Godly Play seem more like play therapy: the point of the play seemed to be for the child to work through their own fears and anxieties rather than an encounter with God. Berryman couches his language to anticipate this critique, but I didn't find his counterarguments convincing overall.
My primary thought throughout the book was a practical one: "What exactly would this look like? Would kids actually 'buy in' to this kind of play?" As a parent and former high school teacher, I'm skeptical that kids will go along with a lesson without resistance, especially if the rewards of the work (e.g. "play") are not immediately. Still, my apprehension is not reason enough to suggest these ideas outright. The consistent implementation of Godly Play over weeks and years has the potential to be transformative, and this book has certainly piqued my interest in the spiritual development of children.
(NOTE: If you search for Godly Play online, you can find example lessons. These were helpful for imagining what these ideas look like when they are put into practice.)
Something I appreciated about Berryman is how seriously he takes the thoughts and feelings of children: they are not treated as empty vessels that just need filling up. Rather, experiences and internal worlds are taken seriously. This directly impacts the way Berryman goes about creating a pedagogical framework for nurturing their spiritual development. He wants them directly involved--not just with activities and "play," but with meaning-making itself.
One of the shortcomings in his model, it seems to me, is its emphasis on the existential concerns of children (e.g. the fear of death). There are points in the book that made Godly Play seem more like play therapy: the point of the play seemed to be for the child to work through their own fears and anxieties rather than an encounter with God. Berryman couches his language to anticipate this critique, but I didn't find his counterarguments convincing overall.
My primary thought throughout the book was a practical one: "What exactly would this look like? Would kids actually 'buy in' to this kind of play?" As a parent and former high school teacher, I'm skeptical that kids will go along with a lesson without resistance, especially if the rewards of the work (e.g. "play") are not immediately. Still, my apprehension is not reason enough to suggest these ideas outright. The consistent implementation of Godly Play over weeks and years has the potential to be transformative, and this book has certainly piqued my interest in the spiritual development of children.
(NOTE: If you search for Godly Play online, you can find example lessons. These were helpful for imagining what these ideas look like when they are put into practice.)
September 29, 2022
In such a brief book, Berryman manages to offer profound insight into a fully-former pedagogical, theological, psychological, and anthropological vision of childhood while also giving amazing practical suggestions for implementing the Godly Play curriculum.
I am preparing for training in the Godly Play curriculum, as my school is going to switch to this curriculum soon, so I read this book in anticipation of the training. I am more excited than ever by this vision and am convinced that this move will have an incredible positive impact on our students. I can’t wait to get started. I recommend this book to anyone with an interest in religious education for children, even if you aren’t looking to switch curricula right now.
I am preparing for training in the Godly Play curriculum, as my school is going to switch to this curriculum soon, so I read this book in anticipation of the training. I am more excited than ever by this vision and am convinced that this move will have an incredible positive impact on our students. I can’t wait to get started. I recommend this book to anyone with an interest in religious education for children, even if you aren’t looking to switch curricula right now.
April 12, 2021
Godly play seems like a mindful and compassionate approach to religious education. I am torn, because I am not rating the approach, but the writing. Jerome Berryman is passionate, thoughtful, and was probably an amazing practitioner. I think he was amazing at what he did. However, this book was a repetitive, wordy slog. What could have been an informational pamphlet was stretched into a book. I struggled to pay attention to this writing style. I am attracted to his methods and approach, but would not recommend this book as a concise guide.
October 11, 2022
Helpful for learning more about the Godly Play system. It is a totally new way of thinking about learning for me and I think more experience with the actual classroom would be better. At times the book felt rambly but I think there are some good insights on helping children experience God, and I appreciate his treatment of children as holistic (mind, body, soul) and also the description of children as “a means of grace.”
February 25, 2018
I read this book in preparation for a more in depth Godly Play training I am attending. I really enjoyed reading about all the thought behind Godly Play and how to make the process work. I am excited to see how this comes to life in my church. I only wish the book did not have so many spelling and punctuation errors!
February 10, 2019
Christian Education Tool
Excellent tool for raising young Christians who understand their faith and live it out with enthusiasm. This understanding comes through self-discovery rather than information dumping.
Excellent tool for raising young Christians who understand their faith and live it out with enthusiasm. This understanding comes through self-discovery rather than information dumping.
October 16, 2021
Such a detailed and exciting book about how to encourage and teach kids to explore Bible stories for themselves!
July 6, 2025
A thorough resource for planning a children’s chapel.
July 7, 2024
This book gave great guidance in teaching Godly Play at my school.
October 6, 2020
Lots of interesting concepts:
...there is something about play that is more real than ordinary experience. It helps us work out new solutions to old problems and become re-created—which is very real.
...Christian language system has the functions of identity making (sacred story), stimulating exploration of Christian meaning (parable), making redemption available to the community (liturgical action) and opening the way to experience the presence of the mystery of God directly (contemplative silence).
Somehow the God of Power and the social Church God both needed self-authentication to be integrated.
The teasing and playful aspect of parables, the deep play of liturgy, the identity deepened by sacred stories and the wonder of contemplative silence are all a kind of “stylized performance of existential themes.”
First, we are invited to play with God by participating in the play of God’s creation. Second, we are invited to play with God’s Son by participating in the gospels and in the worship and life of the church. Such play can result in redemption. Third, we are invited to play with God within, where we meet the Holy Spirit, to create, with God’s grace, a meaningful life that adds beauty to God’s creation.
The goal of Godly Play is for children to move through the spiral curriculum during early, middle and late childhood in such a way that they will enter adolescence with an inner working model of the classical Christian language system to root them deeply in the Tradition and at the same time allow them to be open to the future.
...sometimes good to give up such “adult-ish ways” and choose to become like children and experience a second naïveté—that is, to truly play with meaning—because that can lead one into the Kingdom.
These limits that box us in like the four walls of a room—the border experiences of our own death, the sense of fundamental aloneness despite community, the need for meaning, and an awareness of the threat of true freedom. A young child left alone experiences the presence of all four of these limits.
The adults have the responsibility to be good guides and that means keeping children moving on the path to maturity while at the same time the children invite the adults to become like them to enter the Kingdom.
Christian language is beginning to function when these limits begin to appear in the expressive art and the deep play of the children with the teaching materials.
1. What are these limits? There are four major boundaries that press in on us. They involve death, the threat of freedom, the need for meaning and our fundamental alone-ness.
There is, however, always a subsidiary kind of knowing that is going on at the same time that is not the focal target of our attention. It is based on a lifetime of memories, feelings and other accumulations of experience, which provide the clues for understanding what our attention is focused on. As Polanyi wrote, “It is what is at the end of the cane that engages the blind man’s interest, not the feelings in the palm of his hand.”
Play enables the two generations to participate in the same language game without completely giving up either communication world. This allows the adults to be understood and the children to understand what the adults have to teach. It is also important for the power differential between children and adults to be reduced as much as possible without the adult surrendering the ethical responsibility to teach what is best for the children.
The adult’s ethical responsibility is to provide children with what they need to live a good life. Among these needs is a way to cope with the limits to life—death, the need for meaning, the threat of freedom, and aloneness.
Analysis is good but ruminating about the experience as a whole is contemplation, which is more likely to connect with “the peace that passes all understanding” than analysis.
5 criteria of play:
• Play is pleasurable.
• Play is done for itself.
• Play is voluntary.
• Play involves deep concentration.
• Play has links to the creative process, problem solving, the learning of languages and social roles.
What Godly Play helps children and teachers to notice is that the context for ethical choices is the existential environment and not the current cultural agenda.
Ministry is an action. It involves four key dimensions—education and communication, pastoral care for support and counseling for change, administrative leadership and organization, and theology and ethics—which need to be taken into consideration to provide a continuing corrective critique for ministry.
...there is something about play that is more real than ordinary experience. It helps us work out new solutions to old problems and become re-created—which is very real.
...Christian language system has the functions of identity making (sacred story), stimulating exploration of Christian meaning (parable), making redemption available to the community (liturgical action) and opening the way to experience the presence of the mystery of God directly (contemplative silence).
Somehow the God of Power and the social Church God both needed self-authentication to be integrated.
The teasing and playful aspect of parables, the deep play of liturgy, the identity deepened by sacred stories and the wonder of contemplative silence are all a kind of “stylized performance of existential themes.”
First, we are invited to play with God by participating in the play of God’s creation. Second, we are invited to play with God’s Son by participating in the gospels and in the worship and life of the church. Such play can result in redemption. Third, we are invited to play with God within, where we meet the Holy Spirit, to create, with God’s grace, a meaningful life that adds beauty to God’s creation.
The goal of Godly Play is for children to move through the spiral curriculum during early, middle and late childhood in such a way that they will enter adolescence with an inner working model of the classical Christian language system to root them deeply in the Tradition and at the same time allow them to be open to the future.
...sometimes good to give up such “adult-ish ways” and choose to become like children and experience a second naïveté—that is, to truly play with meaning—because that can lead one into the Kingdom.
These limits that box us in like the four walls of a room—the border experiences of our own death, the sense of fundamental aloneness despite community, the need for meaning, and an awareness of the threat of true freedom. A young child left alone experiences the presence of all four of these limits.
The adults have the responsibility to be good guides and that means keeping children moving on the path to maturity while at the same time the children invite the adults to become like them to enter the Kingdom.
Christian language is beginning to function when these limits begin to appear in the expressive art and the deep play of the children with the teaching materials.
1. What are these limits? There are four major boundaries that press in on us. They involve death, the threat of freedom, the need for meaning and our fundamental alone-ness.
There is, however, always a subsidiary kind of knowing that is going on at the same time that is not the focal target of our attention. It is based on a lifetime of memories, feelings and other accumulations of experience, which provide the clues for understanding what our attention is focused on. As Polanyi wrote, “It is what is at the end of the cane that engages the blind man’s interest, not the feelings in the palm of his hand.”
Play enables the two generations to participate in the same language game without completely giving up either communication world. This allows the adults to be understood and the children to understand what the adults have to teach. It is also important for the power differential between children and adults to be reduced as much as possible without the adult surrendering the ethical responsibility to teach what is best for the children.
The adult’s ethical responsibility is to provide children with what they need to live a good life. Among these needs is a way to cope with the limits to life—death, the need for meaning, the threat of freedom, and aloneness.
Analysis is good but ruminating about the experience as a whole is contemplation, which is more likely to connect with “the peace that passes all understanding” than analysis.
5 criteria of play:
• Play is pleasurable.
• Play is done for itself.
• Play is voluntary.
• Play involves deep concentration.
• Play has links to the creative process, problem solving, the learning of languages and social roles.
What Godly Play helps children and teachers to notice is that the context for ethical choices is the existential environment and not the current cultural agenda.
Ministry is an action. It involves four key dimensions—education and communication, pastoral care for support and counseling for change, administrative leadership and organization, and theology and ethics—which need to be taken into consideration to provide a continuing corrective critique for ministry.
April 19, 2022
This is for people actively involved in Godly Play. Anyone else that reads it will be bored, confused, and not find value in it. This book serves a very specific purpose and does that in very clear fashion.
August 12, 2016
This is a good overview of the Godly Play method and approach. It is simply written, and structured in progressing chapters to explain the various parts of a typical 'Godly Play experience.
Read
January 12, 2019(I read the original edition.)
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews