A great place to meet other families interested in promoting
a caring and responsible way of life based on reason!
Our Humanist Family Program creates a fun environment for exploration and discovery. At our weekly meetings, children participate in activities that encourage them to reflect upon questions like:
- How do we know what is true?
- How should people treat each other?
- What is our own human potential to make a positive difference?
Rather than promoting a specific doctrine that dictates what our children should (or should not!) believe, we encourage our sons and daughters to explore these ideas through activities that include topics such as the natural and physical sciences, fine arts, and human relationships.
Past topics
Sciences: Evolution, Astronomy, The Big Bang, Measuring, Electric Dynamos, Friction, Sound Waves, Bubbles, Crystals, Water, Caves, Seasons, Life Cycles, Plants (Seeds, Flowers, Bulbs, Changing Color of Leaves), Life in the Deep Sea, Rain Forests, Honeybees, Dinosaurs, Sloths, Eggs, The Sense of Smell, The Eye, The Heart, Healthy Eating, Recycling, and more!
On Human Relationships: Friendship, Cooperation, Curiosity, Being Different, Communication, Racism, What is a Family? Anger, Jokes and Silliness.
Fine Arts: Poetry, Music and Sound, Color, Symmetry, Card Tricks, Zoetropes and Visual Illusions, plus many art projects exploring the above topics in Science and Human Relationships!
The Family Program is very hands-on and participatory. The weekly topic is often introduced with a story or a short talk, after which the children are invited to participate in a hands-on activity that may be: a game, a science activity (like measuring sound waves, making simple motors, breaking geodes, planting bulbs), a skit, an art project (like paper cut-outs, painting, plaster casts, masks, writing limericks, etc.) We occasionally go on field trips to local points of interest.
Family Program Sample Schedule 
10:45 Sharing Circle (Show & Tell)
11:00 Story or Introduction of Topic
11:15 Hands-On Activity
11:50 Concluding Discussion
12:00 Closing Circle
(12:10 Optional Lunch Buffet with the Humanist Community Forum)
Family Program FAQs:
What ages are the children in the Family Program? Children in the program have ranged in age from 1 to about 13. We adapt the activities to make them fun and interesting for many ages, sometimes breaking the children into groups by ages.
Will the Humanist Family Program teach my child that there is no god? We strive to teach our children to think for themselves and to ask questions. We present the scientific method as a verifiable way of learning about the world. Although most Humanists would self-identify as atheists, the subject of God rarely comes up in Family Program activities.
Can I drop-off my child with the Family Program while I attend the Forum? No; normally at least one parent participates in the family program along with his or her child/children.
Who organizes the program and leads the activities? The Family Program is participant-driven; parents and families set the agenda. Parents volunteer to lead sessions on a rotating basis. The family leading the session chooses the topic they would like to explore.
Are all parents required to lead sessions? No. There’s no requirement to lead sessions.
How long has the program been going? The Family Program has been around for about seven years.
Does it cost anything to attend? No, it’s free! Also, if you choose to stay for the lunch buffet with the Humanist Sunday Forum, children eat for free!
At the Family Program, children find an accepting and supportive environment where questions are encouraged and kids can feel comfortable expressing their own views and just being themselves.
To see examples of previous programs click here.