We have some great ideas and resources to help your church families and children explore the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during (and after) this weekend’s national observance of his birthday.
See the timeless treasures that our Children & Family Ministries Correspondent, Elizabeth Christie, recommends:
- This is a good book for elementary school-aged children and older. It makes a good read-aloud, too! amazon.com/Picture-Book-Martin-Luther-Biography/dp/0823408477/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1515108671&sr=8-4&keywords=martin+luther+king+childrens+book
- This book is a good one to use with the youngest of the congregation. It could be the start of a Sunday School lesson or a good jumping-off point for a children’s message in the worship service. amazon.com/Story-Martin-Luther-King-Jr/dp/0824919742/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1515108671&sr=8-6&keywords=martin+luther+king+childrens+book
- This is a secular, but useful site that gives some places to start a conversation with children about Martin Luther King, Jr. teacher.scholastic.com/researchtools/articlearchives/honormlk
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s favorite hymn was “Precious Lord, Take My Hand.” It would be a great hymn to have playing during your Sunday School sessions in January. (It would be a great way to start a hymn-a-month study this year!)
- This is a fabulous, recorded webinar. It does not specifically speak to the life and ministry of Martin Luther King, Jr., but it is a very important conversation about how to begin to address social justice with children. “The Church: Children, Race, and Reconciliation” is the title of the 1-hour, 13-minute program. umcdiscipleship.org/resources/the-church-children-race-and-reconciliation