Godly Play - Creation Story
Before the Biblezone session.
Learn the script off by heart.
Practise telling the story.
The text in the left column is the actions. The text in the right column is the words to say. Sometimes
actions and words are to be done at the same time, and this is indicated by an arrow. If the text is in
italics, then these words are suggestions, possible responses to children’s comments. The Godly Play
Foundation has produced some videos which are a helpful guide in setting the tone and style of the
storytelling. www.youtube.com/user/GodlyPlayFndn/videos
Setting the scene.
You may wish to set up a focal table display behind you. This is a Godly Play resource featuring the Holy
Family, the risen Christ and a large candle.
During the Biblezone session
Take your time, don’t rush. Let the children engage with the story. Do not worry if there is silence or
if there is chat. Every group is different. Remember to focus everything on the story – no eye contact
unless directed by the script!
After the Biblezone session
Do not worry if the children appear to have a different understanding of the story than is traditionally
taught. The important thing is that they have experienced it in a way that is meaningful to them; they
are on a personal journey.
Creating the scene and asking questions
Actions
Settle the group into a circle.
Place the creation display rack beside you.
Sit, ready to begin.
Words
Everyone needs to be ready.
Judge when to start. Look around the
circle.
Keep eye contact, smile, encourage dialogue.
Let all speak who wish to. Don’t go round
the circle, taking turns.
What is the biggest present you ever
got?
Be non-judgmental about the quality of
each gift.
Listen. Listen to your friends. These are
all big gifts. They are wonderful presents.
Yes. Yes. That is a wonderful present
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Actions
Most gifts mentioned will be inanimate but
some may be alive —Mum, pet, friend. Make
note of the distinction in case any child
wishes to comment.
Words
Listen. There is something different about
that gift. That gift is alive.
Did you know that there are some presents
so big that nobody notices them? They
are so huge that they are hard to see.
They are so hard to see that the only
way to know that they are there is to go
right back to the beginning or maybe a
little before the beginning.
Telling the Story
Take the rolled-up black felt strip and
place it on the floor to your right, so it will
roll to the left, in front of you.
Unroll the strip slowly to the left, as you
speak.
In the beginning… in the beginning there
was… well, in the beginning there wasn’t
very much.
When the strip is unrolled, move your
hand across the surface to show ‘nothing’,
sweeping from your right to left.
In the beginning there was… nothing.
Slowly and deliberately outline a large ‘smile’
with your finger in the centre of the felt,
as seen from the children’s perspective.
Except, perhaps an enormous smile… but
there was no one there to see it.
Pause, then take out the first card – light
and dark. Place the card on the felt, on your
far right, with the dark side on your right.
Place the side of your hand where the
light and dark meet; your hand needs to be
perpendicular to the card – as if about to
chop it in two.
Then on the very first day God gave us
the
Move your hand across the light section, as
if pushing snow, ‘uncovering’ the light.
gift of light.
Each time ‘light’ or ‘dark’ is mentioned,
point to it on the card.
So now there is not just darkness, but
there is light and dark.
Now, I don’t mean just the light in the
light bulb or in the car lights at night. I
don’t mean just this light or that light,
but I mean all of the light that is light.
God gave us the gift of the light that all
light comes from.
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Actions
Place your hand flat on the card, as if
blessing it.
Words
When God saw the light, God said,
‘It is good.’
And that was the end of the first day.
Sit back for a moment and reflect.
Enjoy all that was made on the first day.
Place the second card, with the white arc,
next to the first, ensuring they touch. The
children should see a white ‘rainbow’.
On the second day God gave us the gift
of water.
Now, I don’t mean just the water in a
water glass or the water in a bathtub or
shower. I don’t even mean just the water
in a river or a lake. I don’t even mean
just the water in the ocean, or the water
that comes down from the sky in rain.
I mean all of the water that is water.
This is the water that all the rest of the
water comes from
Trace the white arc with your finger.
This is the firmament.
It divides the waters above and the
waters below.
When God saw the water, God said,
Place your hand flat on the card, as if
blessing it.
‘It is good.’
And that was the end of the second day.
Sit back for a moment and reflect.
Enjoy all that was given on the second day.
Place the third card – the sea, land and
trees – on the strip and touching the second
card.
Move your hand to the right, ‘uncovering’
the dry land.
Point to ‘green and growing things’ on the
card each time they are mentioned.
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On the third day God gave us the gift of
the dry land.
God divided the water and the dry land,
and gave us the gift of green and growing
things.
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Actions
Words
When God saw the dry land and the green
and growing things, God said,
Place your hand flat on the card, as if
blessing it.
‘It is good.’
And that was the end of the third day.
Sit back for a moment and reflect.
Enjoy all that was given on the third day.
Place the fourth card – the sun and moon
– on the strip, the moon half touching the
third card.
Point to the lights on the card, each time
they are mentioned.
On the fourth day God gave us the gift
of the day and the night. God gave us a
way to count our days.
Here is the great light that rules the
day, the sun, and here are the lights
that rule the night, the moon and the
stars.
When God saw the day and the night,
our way to keep time, God said,
Place your hand flat on the card, as if
blessing it.
Sit back for a moment and reflect.
Enjoy all that was given on the fourth day.
‘It is good,’
and that was the end of the fourth day.
Place the fifth card – the birds and fish –
touching next to the fourth card.
Point to the birds and to the fish each time
‘flying creatures’ and ‘creatures that swim’
is mentioned.
On the fifth day God gave us the gift of
all the creatures that fly in the air. Not
just the birds but all of the creatures
that fly. And all of the creatures that
swim in the water. All of them.
When God saw all of the creatures that
fly and all of the creatures that swim,
God said,
Place your hand flat on the card, as if
blessing it.
‘It is good.’
And that was the end of the fifth day.
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Actions
Sit back for a moment and reflect.
Enjoy all that was given on the fifth day.
Words
Place the sixth card – the people and
animals – touching next to the fifth card.
Touch the creatures on the card as you
name them.
On the sixth day God gave us the gift
of all the creatures that walk upon the
earth: the creatures that walk with two
legs and the creatures that walk with
many legs
Move your hand over whole row of cards,
starting from the sixth card.
and all the gifts of the other days.
Place your hand flat on the card, as if
blessing it.
‘It is very good.’
God said,
And that was the end of the sixth day.
Sit back for a moment and reflect.
Enjoy all that was given on the sixth day.
Place the seventh card – all white, touching
next to the sixth card.
Point to the seventh card.
On the seventh day God rested and gave
us the gift of a day to rest – and to remember the great gifts of
all the other days.
There is nothing here, because people
go to different places to remember the
great gifts. You can put something there
to show your favourite place to remember. It might be in your back garden
by a tree, in a church, or in your room.
It might be in the mountains or by the
ocean or a lake. I don’t know where your
place is. Only you know.
What I do know is that this day is so
special, that sometimes the Christian
people mark it
Trace an image of the cross on the card
with your finger.
with a cross
Trace an image of the star of David on the
card with your finger.
the star of David.
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and the Jewish people mark it with a
star,
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Actions
Words
From the storyteller’s perspective
I wonder…
Ask the wondering questions and give time
for the children to consider and answer
them before moving on to the next question.
Point to each card as you ask each the
question.
When a suggestion is given, move the
corresponding card down, to highlight it.
Return it to its original position, when a
new suggestion has been given.
For the last two questions, you may wish to
have one or two cards highlighted at the
same time.
Now, I wonder which one of these days
you like the best.
I wonder which day is the most important.
I wonder which day you are in or which
one is especially about you.
I wonder if we can leave out any one of
these days and still have all the days we
need.
You may wish to explore the sequence of
the days. Can they be changed?
Tidying up
Replace the cards to the rack, starting with
the seventh card. Roll up the felt, starting
on your left and replace in the rack.
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