Our weekly children’s program continues with a combination of singing, stories, activities, and joining the adults for the end of Quaker worship. We usually spend some time playing outside on the swings or inside on our climbing structure. Families are welcome to check out books on our themes from our extensive children’s library.
In November, our children learned about quilts, and how they have been used to record family history and to make maps for the Underground Railroad, among other things. Melissa Foster helped us paint quilt squares about trees that she will sew into a small quilt to hang on our wall. Then we celebrated Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Lights, and sang the “George Fox” song about how Quakers also talk about a “light” being in every person. We made mandala-like patterns called “rangali” with colored powders, lit traditional clay lanterns called “diyas”, played Indian drums called “tablas”, and ate traditional Diwali sweets! We used the rangali to make thank you cards for adults who have helped us this fall, and a card for a member who is sick.
In December, we will prepare our song and story contributions to the meeting’s annual Christmas Program, including leading the adults in a version of “The Twelve Days of Christmas” with funny motions. We may have time to learn about Hanukkah. We will give the children’s program a vacation on December 24 and 31.
In January, we will return to our “Trees” theme, maybe read about Martin Luther King, do some cooking, continue our full moon celebrations, and maybe learn about how to be with people who have disabilities.
Some of our children enjoy attending New England Yearly Meeting Quaker weekend retreats for young people; one young person from our meeting is now serving as a “junior staffer”, and one older adult is a regular “staffer”. To see upcoming New England Yearly Meeting retreats for elementary, junior high, and high school young people, look at https://neym.org/attend-event/youth-retreats-programs (click on “search for retreats on our Events Calendar” to see retreats for 2024.)
Check out Friends Camp in China, Maine, which many of our children have loved attending and staffing. Registrations fill up quickly, so look at the Friends Camp website at www.friendscamp.org soon.
The Tanglewood Marionettes, a professional troupe operated by friends of Framingham Friends Meeting, will be giving free performances at the Acton Recreation Center during February, March, and April. The performances are terrific, and children are invited to come and see the marionettes and how they operate up close at the end of the show. While the shows are free, you do need to register in advance at http://actonrec.com. Look at https://tanglewoodmarionettes.com/shows for a description of the shows, brief videos, and recommended age ranges.
If you would like to be added to our weekly email reminder about what we plan to do during the next few weeks, let Anne Anderson know.
