The role of ritualized activities in nurturing children’s spiritual growth

In exploring how ritualized activities can help to nurture children’s spiritual growth, this article encourages a re-thinking of what ritual involves. The link between ritual and routine is explored. Distinctions are drawn between personal and collective and between ‘everyday’ and ‘special occasion’ rituals, with neither the sole preserve of religion. Examples of everyday collective rituals include welcomes, goodbyes and meals. Special occasions include rites of passage and/or public events. Both can strengthen a sense of collective identity and belonging. The idea of activities being ritualized helps to see these as significant, but relatively, normal elements of everyday life. The ritualized element results from how activities are carried out, encouraging individuals and groups to explore significant moments and so helping them to cope with strong emotions often associated with change and transitions. While children’s spirituality is hard to define, this is seen as involving a search for identity, meaning and purpose and a greater sense of connectedness. Spiritual growth requires time and space, but some structure, within hospitable, inclusive environments. These can act as ‘containers’ in which children’s search is enabled and nurturing relationships are created and sustained. Examples of how environments can incorporate ritualized activities in home, faith community and formal educational settings are given. The need for routines and rituals to be adapted to make them meaningful to particular children and groups, taking account of children’s ages and backgrounds, and for adults to model how to participate, is highlighted.