Whether it’s sticky fingers colouring a wallchart, lively questions around the breakfast table or a school hall full of curious minds, 40acts is even better when children are part of the journey.
This Lent, we are delighted to be releasing a range of creative, faith-filled resources to help children engage daily with generosity and gladness.
From a brand-new children and family resource created with the Church of England to ready-to-use collective worship assembly ideas for schools and all-age sessions for church services, there are plenty of ways to help children explore the themes of 40acts in ways that are joyful, practical and wholehearted.
For individual children and families
New for 2026, we’ve partnered with the Church of England on their official children’s resource for Lent. Called ‘Draw Near with 40acts’, each daily act is centred on the same Bible passage and theme as the adult version of 40acts, but with alternative challenges that children can engage in whole-heartedly.
"Draw Near is all about teaching us how we can cultivate the habits and practices that will draw us nearer to God. And we will find that, in doing so, God will draw nearer to us, too." Archbishop-elect Sarah Mullally & Archbishop Stephen Cottrell
Get started:
• Purchase single copies, packs of 10 or packs of 50 of 'Draw Near' from Church House Publishing
• Download and print a free wallchart of the daily children’s acts
• Access the daily children’s acts throughout Lent on the Stewardship website
Parents may also be interested in ‘Growing Christian Values’, a resource released by Parenting for Faith to help families, small groups or house churches to consider together how generosity is an important part of following Jesus.
For collective worship in schools
We are also delighted to publish a six-session series of pre-prepared assemblies for you to bring the themes of 40acts to your schools. With sessions for all phases of school life, from EYFS to KS4, these acts of collective worship are inclusive, invitational and reflective. For each session there are suggested stories, songs, prayers and bible passages as well as SMSC and SIAMS links to support teacher records.
Download the collective worship resources
All-age resources for church services
In partnership with Messy Church, we are also delighted to be able to offer a ready-made session to introduce the themes of gladness and generosity, in their usual high-octane, creative style!
Download the Messy Church resource
Roots for Churches have written a lectionary linked all-age service plan including sermon starters, music, prayers and intergenerational activities to explore and respond to the theme of generosity through the Bible passages.
Access the Roots church resources
Need something else?
On the 40acts resources page, you can also download sermon guides, worship song suggestions and other digital assets to bring 40acts to your church, school, family or on social media.
View all 40acts 2026 resources
Other blogs in this series
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Clare Walker
Clare is part of the Opportunities Team, growing and developing new relationships with Churches and Charities and joined Stewardship in 2023.
Clare is excited to support causes to flourish and achieve more Kingdom impact, through joyful generosity. Previously Head of Engagement across England for Home for Good and a teacher for more than 20 years, Clare has also been a Trustee of Scripture Union and her local church. Clare has always been part of tiny rural churches and loves the richness of community that can be found living in a Somerset village.
