Sacred Story Time: Winnie-the-Pooh booklet

Sacred story time is a perfect example of contemplative play, where we allow ourselves to rest in a low-stakes setting—like reading a children’s book—and take a minute to reflect on what is happening inside us, below the surface. Recently, I’ve started shifting my book reviews into sacred story time prompts. I also spent quite a while creating prompts and prayers to accompany the first chapter of Winnie-the-Pooh.

With each story, I always include three prompts and a prayer as a way to guide you in noticing. That said, as I’ve shared before, you can always simply read and then ask yourself, “What am I noticing?” or “What am I drawn to, and why?” before bringing that noticing to God.

The first prompt is what I call the Noticing Prompt. This sits at the heart of what I mean when I talk about using children’s stories for contemplative play. It’s the simple act of reading a gentle story and allowing it to stir something within us. The prompts are there to help guide you, but honestly, you can do this without them too. My hope is that, as you read, you’ll pause to notice what’s happening in your heart. Afterward, you’re invited to offer that noticing to God in prayer. That prayer piece is essential—it shifts our focus from ourselves back to Him. I usually provide a simple prayer you can use, though you’re always welcome to pray in your own words.

The second and third prompts are a bit more playful. These are activities you can do on your own, with a friend, or with a child—something lighthearted, creative, and intentional. Even when they seem a little silly, they often open the door to meaningful reflection as well.

Finally, there is the prayer. It might look like an afterthought, but it is actually the center of the whole practice. Reflection is valuable, but the goal isn’t just self-awareness; it’s connection with God. The prayer is our chance to lift up our hearts, remember who He is, and invite His presence and help into what we’ve noticed.

This booklet, then, is a compilation of all the sacred story times I created with the first chapter of Winnie-the-Pooh. I hope there will be more to come, but for now, I wanted to offer a printed collection so you can have all the prompts and prayers in one place, right alongside the text. It is available for sale on my Etsy store, but all the prompts, coloring pages, and text are available for free download on my play page.