PlaytimePlaytimeNational Conference 2019

Resourcing church toddler groups

Wigan Saturday 28 September

Gathering

This year’s conference will give us the opportunity to gather together to dream big, develop new plans and build momentum for the year ahead.

Toddler groups are a vital ministry allowing churches to be a lifeline to young families, so it is important that we receive encouragement to keep going. Packed with workshops, resources and new innovative ideas, the Playtime National Conference will enable us to build confidence in ourselves and in our groups.

Last year, Who Let The Dads Out? joined Care for the Family and we’re delighted to further resource churches through this initiative. Mark Chester will be running a workshop on reaching dads, father-figures and their children – we believe this will have a massive impact.

Let’s join together and increase, develop and gather momentum to make a difference in our cities, communities and groups around the UK.

Gathering

As toddler group leaders it isn’t always easy to keep momentum going. So much time is spent investing in families, volunteers and communities but when creativity dries up and enthusiasm fades it can be tough.

Keeping goingRob Parsons, OBEChairman and Founder, Care for the Family

Building momentum can be hard when sometimes we feel we hardly have the energy to keep standing! Rob will share three keys that can help us make the most of our gifts and talents, re-energise our teams and even see our dreams come to fruition.

Winning waysKatharine Hill UK Director, Care for the Family

The day to day challenges of leading a toddler group can wear us down, and we can easily forget why we do what we do. Katharine will share strategies that will help us keep momentum going week by week, keep the flame alive in our own hearts and help us grasp a bigger vision for the communities we serve.

Worship LeaderSue Rinaldi

Sue travels internationally as a worship leader, concert artist, speaker and creative consultant, and has also been instrumental in developing the new Playtime: Action Songs for Toddlers and Playtime: Praise Songs for Toddlers CDs.

We’re excited to be joined by Rob Parsons and Katharine Hill who will share messages full of affirmation and encouragement.

Main sessions

Saturday 28 September The Edge, Riveredge, Wigan, WN3 5AB

9.20 am to 4.45 pm (Registration from 8.45 am)

A packed lunch and refreshments are included in your booking fee. Please let us know of any dietary requirements by calling us.

TicketsEarly bird rate! Until 3 July 1-3 tickets - £25 4+ tickets - £22

Standard rate 4 July – 26 Sept 1-3 tickets - £31 4+ tickets - £28

Playtime National Conference 2019

To book: cff.org.uk/playtime 029 2081 0800

It’s re-energised me and helped me remember how vital and important toddler groups are.

A fantastic choice of workshopsA great line-up of guest speakersA time to worship, share and pray togetherA day full of creativity and opportunities to network with other leadersLunch and refreshments all includedExhibition zone and shop packed with resources

YOU AND YOUR TEAM Paula Pridham, Care for the Family

JESUS IN THE EVERYDAY: HELPING PARENTS NURTURE FAITHClaire Burton, Care for the Family

RAISING RESILIENCETim Perris, Imagine for Schools

YIKES, WHY DO I DO THIS? Jo Gordon, Daniel’s Den

EMBRACING FAMILIES WITH ADDITIONAL NEEDSPippa Ankers, Care for the Family

UNLOCKING THE DOOR TO FRIENDSHIP EVANGELISM Rhiannon Goulding, Activate your Life

WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT DADS?Mark Chester, Care for the Family

STORYTIME AS PLAYTIME Bob Hartman, children’s author and storyteller

TODDLER GROUPS: A FRONTLINE IN MENTAL HEALTHJennie Frost, Snowdrop PND support toddler group

SUPPORTING GRIEVING FAMILIES Steve White, Care for the Family Volunteer

THE ART OF PUPPETRY IN TODDLER GROUPSIan Jones, One Way Puppets UK

DEALING WITH DIFFICULT BEHAVIOUR Pippa Ankers, Care for the Family

Have you ever asked ‘Why do I do this?’ when you’re thinking about GDPR, hot drinks and glue stick lids? This workshop will look at the logistics of running a toddler group and will be an interactive session where you can bring your concerns and questions.

Our goal is to welcome every family but what does it mean to truly embrace and integrate those who come with additional needs? This workshop will give you an opportunity to learn from others’ experience and to share what has worked for you. Leave freshly enthused to reach out ‘beyond’ and with an idea (or two!) that could work in your setting.

Mark will take a closer look at the 21st Century father and explore how we can grab their attention and serve them well in toddler groups and Who Let the Dads Out? groups.

Puppets are a fantastic way of interacting with both the children and adults in your toddler group. Find out how to use puppets to share the gospel at Christmas and throughout the year in a practical and fun way. Never underestimate the power of a puppet.

Enjoy building bridges to move your toddler group community towards a lifelong journey with Jesus. With tried and tested methods for authentic relationships, this workshop will give you the tools to help integrate families into church.

How do we respond effectively to a toddler’s difficult behaviour in a busy room in full view of other people? How can we support parents in their challenging role without undermining or taking over? What has worked for you? Come and share ideas and leave armed with a few new tips.

Playing your way through God’s Big Story: Bob will help us to retell the Bible in a fun, interactive and engaging way. If you are looking for fresh relatable ways to communicate biblical stories, this workshop is for you.

One in five mums face mental ill health after having a baby. The conversation is changing, but support is still limited. Could your toddler group be on the frontline in helping mums? This practical workshop is aimed at equipping you to create a safe space for struggling mums.

Steve will help you understand how to support grieving families in your group. This session will unpack the impact that grief has on family life, what to say or not to say and how to tell if someone needs professional support.

A fun and interactive workshop exploring how adults can influence a child’s resilience, attitude to failure and ability to embrace challenges. With a unique blend of games, stories and neuroscience, Tim explores how our beliefs about ability, language and even praise can affect children.

Volunteers are vital to the success of virtually every parent and toddler group. In this workshop we’ll look at some of the dos and don’ts that will help us not only get the best from our volunteers, but make it a worthwhile experience for them too.

Come and explore easy, practical ways to bring faith into your toddler groups. Discover how to show parents faith in action and encourage them to value helping their little ones grow spiritually.

Afternoon session 1Morning session Afternoon session 2

Bring your team! Have someone in all of the workshops and maximise the impact of the day.

Sign up to receive our free Playtime newsletter by email at cff.org.uk/playtime. You'll get: Articles to inspire you and ideas to resource your toddler group

Access to a treasure trove of crafts, recipes and special events

Smalltalk articles to give out to families within your groups

Connect with the Playtime community on Facebook /playtimecff facebook

Keep in touch

Please note we don’t have the facilities to accommodate babies and children at this event. Care for the Family – a Christian response to a world of need. A registered charity (England and Wales: 1066905; Scotland: SC038497). A company limited by guarantee no. 3482910. Registered in England and Wales. Registered office: Tovey House, Cleppa Park, Newport, NP10 8BA.PL

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Lovely ideas for moving and developing our toddler group. Lots of great resource ideas.

A new sense of purpose, direction and momentum for our group.

Exhibition Zone

and many more!

Care for the Family are grateful to The Entertainer for their support of the Playtime National Conference 2019.