Programming for Children & Teens
We offer childcare and youth programming free of charge on Sundays at Abington Monthly Meeting. Youth programming in Quaker meetings is typically called First Day School (in Quaker parlance, Sunday is First Day). At Abington Monthly Meeting, First Day School (FDS) is less religiously focused than you might find at a more traditional church or even other Quaker meetings. Our Meeting tends to focus on the Quaker testimonies -- Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality, and Stewardship (SPICES) -- and what it means to live our Quaker values. To register your child(ren) for childcare or First Day School/youth programming, please CLICK HERE.
Childcare is offered every Sunday throughout the year, 9:45 - 11:15, for children under kindergarten age. September through May, childcare is offered on the second floor of the meeting house, while during the summer months we gather on the playground at The Step Up Academy. Childcare is also offered for children of all ages during adult class and Meeting for Business, when these occur at the rise of Meeting for Worship.
First Day School/youth programming starts at 10:00 in the Short Stable, and typically follows the schedule below:
~ 1st & 3rd Sundays: We meet for a short Meeting for Worship and then engage in an activity grounded in the SPICES and designed to explore how we live our Quaker values. Children will join parents/caregivers in the Meetinghouse for the last 15 minutes of Meeting for Worship (10:45 - 11:00).
~ 2nd Sundays: We meet for a guided project (e.g. art project, service activity, etc.). Children will join parents/caregivers in the Meetinghouse for the last 15 minutes of Meeting for Worship (10:45 - 11:00).
~ 4th Sundays: We meet for sandwich making in the Short Stable, a community-wide activity for all to join! This project supports Face-to-Face in Germantown.
CLICK HERE for the full 2025 - 2026 Family Programming calendar. This list of events will be updated as programming gets created and added, so please check back. The Committee will also notify parents/caregivers of any changes and updates via email.
Children are also always welcome to remain in meeting for worship with their adults. We offer a children's corner inside the meetinghouse where children may wish to sit with some quiet activities. Look for the rocking chair and quilts.
If you are interested in registering your child(ren) for the Childcare Program or First Day School/Youth Programming at Abington Monthly Meeting, please CLICK HERE.