Children Learn Gratitude through Labyrinth Workshop

Some of the best lessons are learned through play — at Emmanuel Church in Eastsound this July.

July 15 to 19 at Emmanuel Parish Hall

By Margie Doyle

“The Spiral of Gratitude” is a Children’s Workshop, a  week-long journey exploring the practice of gratitude through story, song, movement, healthy food, creative arts, and labyrinth engagement with Antoinette Botsford, Storyteller,

The children’s workshops will be offered from July 15 to 19 for children from five to 12 years old, Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 12 noon at Emmanuel Parish Hall and church grounds.

The children will explore community, creativity and fun in the workshops, designed to cultivate a practice of gratitude.

Indoor labyrinth

Cheryl Danskin, who initiated the workshop last year, said that this year’s program, “Started with the recognition that children are innately spiritual beings;  sometimes more formal ways — in churches and synagogues — are not the way people connect with spirituality in today’s world.

“Children need to nurture their spirits.  The “Spiral of Gratitude recognizes that dimension in children without saying there’s one right way,” Danskin said.

Last year the workshop took up the  theme of Journey, this year the emphasis is on Gratitude; this year the labyrinth is a tool rather than the focus, says Danskin.

She outlined the ways the week-long camp will guide participants to be grateful, to practice gratitude.

Antoinette Botsford will tell stories that lead to reflections and realizations of gratitude. The labyrinth will be a tool to deepen understanding of gratitude. Botsford says, “For example, in one story a little grebe will not give up in his search for earth to make a safe place for Sky Woman to  land on.  “I won’t give up, I won’t give up…”   Thinking about the story while walking the labyrinth can help someone to further embrace the value of persistence, even though he or she may not articulate this intellectually at the time.

“And as for immediate gratitude, the opportunity to practice my art while being with the children and the very gifted and big-hearted adult volunteers in this intensive way over the course of a week is a particularly wonderful gift.”

Also included are movement and music to dovetail with the story, and creative stations to do crafts to relate to the story and express gratitude. On Thursday, the group will create land art at the beach, working with natural materials.

There will be trips on finger labyrinths, the indoor floor labyrinth and the lawn labyrinth outdoors. “Some of the best lessons are learned through play!” organizers add.

Planning and assistance with all aspects has been provided by  Karen Russell, Louise Tucker, Louise Boone, Amanda Troxel, Nancy Ayer, and Judy Tepley, as well as Antoinette Botsford and Cheryl Danskin.

The “Spiral of Gratitude” workshop for children takes place at the Emmanuel Episcopal Parish Hall on Main Street in Eastsound. The cost is $15 per child for the 10 hour workshop, and scholarships are available upon request. “The Spiral of Gratitude is offered by Emmanuel Episcopal Children and Family Ministry

Online registration : www.orcasepiscopal.org/kids or email families@orcasepiscopal.org, or phone at 360-376-2352

Emmanuel Parish founded in 1885, is home to the permanent labyrinth, created in 2011 for the entire island community and beyond. Designed after the labyrinth in Chartres, France, Emmanuel’s labyrinth is a place for children and adults alike to explore the inner path.