Biblically grounded insight for today’s early childhood professionals.
Brought to you by the Early Childhood Christian Network, Reimagine Childhood delivers practical strategies, expert advice, and faith-filled encouragement for teaching and caring for young children.
Each episode features conversations with trusted voices in early education, offering tools you can use right away—whether you’re in the classroom, leading a team, or supporting families.
Welcome to Reimagine Childhood brought to you by Early Childhood Christian Network—where we equip you with the tools you need so you can confidently care for and teach young children.
We know early childhood is prime time for all development and, yet, we often overlook our critical role in providing optimal learning experiences. In every episode, you’ll find seasoned experts sharing their passion and expertise in a way that is easily applied to everyday experiences in the classroom and anywhere else you’re involved with young children. We want to protect and celebrate early childhood in all its wonder and imagination, rather than rushing through it to get “prepared” for the next stage.
So….how will you reimagine your approach to early childhood? We’d love to invite you on this journey with us!
In this episode of Reimagine Childhood from the Early Childhood Christian Network, host Monica Healer interviews Rev. Holly Wilson, family formation pastor at University Methodist Church in San Antonio, about spiritual formation in young children through Catechesis (or Chapel) of the Good Shepherd, a Montessori-rooted approach that emphasizes helping children experience God, not only learn information. Holly shares her shift from adult crisis and discipleship work to “going upstream” to form resilient disciples early, describing curated environments, dignity of the child, “freedom with limits,” and de-schooling from product-focused teaching. They discuss how children can worship with wonder, how this work transforms adults too, and stories of children forming prayer practices that draw parents toward deeper faith, urging churches to allocate their best resources to children.
00:00 Reimagine Childhood Intro
01:14 Meet Reverend Holly Wilson
08:22 Why Formation Beats Information
15:53 Practical Montessori Inspired Steps
19:04 Children Already Full
21:05 Freedom With Limits
25:04 Nourishing Not Entertaining
30:48 Reimagining Childhood