Playtime National Conference 2024 - Workshop bookings

How it works:

• If you have booked for a group, everyone must register individually for their chosen workshops.
• You can either register for each member of your group yourself or send them the link to this page.
• There will be three sessions of workshops throughout the day, please choose only one workshop from each of the following sessions: Morning Session, Afternoon Session 1, Afternoon Session 2
• There is limited availability for some of the workshops.
• To register for your chosen workshops, please click the Get Tickets button and select one ticket for each workshop.
• The complete selection of workshops is below.
• Advance booking will close on Wednesday 18 September. Those who have not booked in advance will have to sign up for workshops on the day, however, some workshops will already be fully booked.
• If you have any problems please contact Care for the Family at [email protected] or call us on 029 2081 0800.

MORNING SESSION

Embracing diversity: Joanna Gordon, 1277 and Daniel’s Den. ‘I felt really loved and accepted.’ Discover practical ways to welcome and build an authentic, intergenerational community made up of different faiths and cultures.

Puppet potential: Ian Jones, OneWay UK. Puppets are a great way to communicate with adults and children alike, yet many of us feel a bit unsure whether it’s something we can actually do. This hands-on workshop will show you how to get started with ideas anyone can use straight away.

Refresh cafés: Caroline Montgomery, Refresh pioneer. Refresh café is a drop-in group for families – but with a difference. We focus on refreshing the adults spiritually with a five minute ‘thought for the day,’ where we share something of God in a gentle, relevant and accessible way. Come and see how Refresh could work in your community.

AFTERNOON SESSION 1

An introduction to Makaton: Becky George, Makaton ambassador & tutor. Makaton is a language development programme that supports children & adults with communication difficulties and is a useful tool for the whole family. Discover a new world of communication for your church, and toddler group.

Baby loss: Marianne Fernandez, Optimums. Every time you welcome parents and their little ones to meet under your roof, some will walk in carrying the heartbreak associated with one or more parenting taboos such as infertility, miscarriage, SIDS or post-abortion sorrow. This gentle taboo-busting workshop helps you lean into the conversation with compassion and quiet confidence.

Sensory Tray Bible Stories: Kirstyn Oliver, Alma Autism UK. The aim of Alma Autism is to raise awareness and acceptance, making a difference in the way we support each person's soul to thrive and connect with God in their own unique way. One ways is by experiencing stories and worship through our senses. In this session you will learn how to make your own sensory tray based on stories from the Bible.

AFTERNOON SESSION 2

Story telling – making it come alive: Bob Hartman, Children’s author and storyteller. We are all storytellers. And we all have the untapped potential to become even better, especially in those occasions where it is God’s story we need to tell. So whether you are an experienced biblical storyteller or just getting started, this workshop will help you improve your ability to engage children, in an interactive way, with God’s story!

Team talk: Paula Pridham, Executive Director at Care for the Family. Toddler groups rely on the many volunteers who dedicate their time and talents week by week. We’ll look at how can we make sure they are valued, use their gifts in the right roles, enjoy what they do and feel part of a cohesive team - and what to do when it sometimes goes wrong!

Joining the dots: Gareth Hillier, Care for the Family. Unpacking simple and practical ways of connecting your toddler group with your church. Helping us to look at how we can make the most of the opportunities that exist to build relationships within our groups and help join dots between church and the vital work of your toddler group.

Host or Publisher Care for the Family