The Parable of the Sower is great inspiration for lessons and possible hands-on activities for a variety of ages. Parable of the Sower one of the core parables used in the Montessori-based Godly Play and Catechesis of the Good Shepherd religious education programs.
There was once someone who did such amazing things and said such wonderful things that people followed him. As they followed him, they heard him speaking about a kingdom. The kingdom was not like the one they were in. It was not like one that anyone had ever visited. It was not like any kingdom anyone had even heard about. So they had to ask him, ‘What is the kingdom of heaven like?’
One day when they asked him that, he said, ‘The kingdom of heaven is like when a sower, someone who scatters seeds, goes out and scatters seeds along the path….’ (The Complete Guide to Godly Play, Volume 3, p. 105)
When to Present the Parable of the Sower
The Parable of the Sower is most often presented before Lent in churches with Godly Play programs. In my Catechesis of the Good Shepherd training, I was told that there was no liturgical time for the Parable of the Sower, and I’ve often heard of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd programs presenting the Parable of the Sower during Lent.
If you have a homeschool, you might even want to present the Parable of the Sower as part of a gardening unit. Do what works best for your own family. While I always recommend taking Godly Play training both for your own knowledge and spiritual formation (see GodlyPlay Isn’t Just for Children), your child can benefit from a Montessori-based approach to religious education without your having the best training or materials. (See How to Add Godly Play to Your Homeschool.)
Godly Play Scripts and Materials
2018 Update: Stories of God at Home: A Godly Play Approach by Jerome W. Berryman was published in April.
The current Godly Play parable scripts are also in The Complete Guide to Godly Play: Volume 3, Revised and Expanded (2017)
Young Children and Worship by Sonja M. Stewart and Jerome W. Berryman contains both scripts (although not the latest versions) and patterns for making the materials. Many homeschoolers find Young Children and Worship helpful for home use.
Many of the materials for church-school use are wooden. For home use, wool felt often works well. If you use the patterns in Young Children and Worship, you can also color and mount the materials on poster board or even just color and laminate the materials.
How to Present the Parable of the Sower
There are variations among Godly Play storytellers as they put the stories in their own words, but the following YouTube videos give an idea of how you can present the Parable of the Sower.
The video shows the important role of the wondering questions. In Teaching Godly Play: How to Mentor the Spiritual Development of Children, Jerome Berryman talks about the importance of parables and the wondering questions:
Only those who have the ears to hear will hear. This is why it is important for children to encounter parables during childhood so they can develop the ability to hear with their own ears what Jesus was communicating when he spoke in parables.
The fundamental wondering questions for the parables are variations on: ‘I wonder what this could really be?’ It implies that there is more to what is real than ordinarily meets the eye. (p. 47)
Parable of the Sower Lesson and Activity Ideas
Training Happy Hearts has a Godly Play inspired lesson on The Parable of the Sower with many related activities.
Becky Ramsey has suggestions for questions and activities to go with the Parable of the Sower.
Explore and Express has ideas for making parable of the sower materials and ideas for parable of the sower activities (photo).
Wugs and Doozy has a Parable of the Sower small world play activity.
More Posts on Parables with Godly Play and Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Lessons
Creative Godly Play at Home – Parables
Teaching Godly Play – Free Parable Videos
I’d love to hear of your experiences using Godly Play in your home or church school!
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Michelle says
I never knew there were so many resources for this. I loved the clip, my two would love to watch this. Thanks for sharing. I love all the new ideas I get from your site!
Deb says
Thanks so much for your kind comment, Michelle! I was happy to find a video on YouTube. It shows the presentation much clear than words alone can! 🙂
Counting Coconuts says
A wonderful idea and post. As Catholics, we practice our faith through prayer and mass, but I’ve been really wanting to implement something more into our school time. Godly Play sounds like just the thing for us. Thanks, Deb!
Deb says
I LOVE Godly Play for homeschools! You might also want to look into the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. I had a Catechesis of the Good Shepherd atrium in an Episcopal church when my kids were young, and their liturgical materials for Catholics and Episcopalians are awesome! There are some home manuals now. Here are a few links you might want to check out: http://www.montessoricandy.com/2009/10/catholic-montessori-albummanual-for.html, http://ourfathershouse.biz/shopsite_sc/store/html/page29.html, and http://4real.thenetsmith.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=5543&KW=atrium+home. I also have more information at https://livingmontessorinow.com/category/catechesis-of-the-good-shepherd/ and https://livingmontessorinow.com/community/#/1378313/forum/45386/montessori-based-religious-education.html. I think you’d absolutely love using ideas from both Godly Play and Catechesis of the Good Shepherd! 🙂
Storyteller says
I trained for GP a year ago, and recently started using it with children. I’m in church rather than a school, but I welcome visits to my blog (linked above), and comments.
I hadn’t come across this video, and this is a story I haven’t presented yet, so I really appreciate this link. Thanks Deb!
Deb says
Thanks so much for your comment! I’m so happy to meet you – I love connecting to other Godly Play storytellers and bloggers! I’ll enjoy visiting your blog.
I especially have an affinity for Finland since I’m 3/4 Finnish by ancestry, both my grandmothers spoke Finnish, and my hometown and church growing up in eastern South Dakota were very Scandinavian. I’ve been to Helsinki twice (when my son competed in the Junior Grand Prix Final and my daughter in Europeans), and the traditions in Helsinki reminded me very much of my hometown.
Storyteller says
Wow! If you have even a smattering of Finnish, you might enjoy having a look at the Finnish Godly Play Facebook page (Godly Play suomeksi).
The first four GP volumes have been translated into Finnish, and there’s a Finnish artist who produces (expensive but lovely) GP materials. I doubt it’s made impact on individual families (yet?), but certainly many churches use it.
I’m unusual in Finland in doing this as a volunteer, cobbling together my own materials, and of course doing it in English! It’s nice to have made contact with you.
Deb says
I’m afraid I don’t know enough Finnish to read it at all, although it’s great that the first four GP volumes have been translated. I was always impressed with how many Finnish people were fluent in English as well as Finnish. What you’re doing is wonderful! Blessings to you in the work you’re doing! I’ll look forward to getting to know you better! 🙂
sheila says
What a amazing and wonderful message to this post! Yes, let’s teach our children when they are young. When I see some of the comments people have been making in the news I feel sad for the lack of caring and compassion for our fellow man. What has happened to society? Sad.
Deb says
Thanks so much, Sheila! It’s so true that we can truly make a difference through what we teach our children when they’re young.
Martianne says
Thank you for including a picture and link to our lesson here. You make sharing so easy…
Two pdf’s your readers might enjoy:
When I was looking up inspiration for my lesson, I came upon this interesting piece about adapting godly Play for an inclusive classroom http://www.stran.ac.uk/media/media,119911,en.pdf as well as a bevy of free scripts here: http://www.chswayland.org/PDFs/godlyplaylessonplan.pdf
Deb says
I’ve loved and appreciated all your Godly Play resources, Martianne! I just added links to your parable posts and the Adapting Godly Play for the Inclusive Classroom in my post today about Godly Play parables: https://livingmontessorinow.com/2012/02/09/creative-godly-play-at-home-parables/.
Carrie says
Perfect timing, Deb!! I am telling this story next week at church. Thanks for sharing at Sharing Saturday!!