Praise and Play

A friendly group for babies, toddlers and their grown-ups

Praise and Play is our friendly Monday morning group for under 5s and their grown-ups. We meet at St James Church, Thrapston for a morning of play, friendship, stories, songs and fun.

Whether you are new to the area, new to church, or simply looking for somewhere welcoming to bring your little one, you are very welcome to join us.

Come and play

There are lots of toys and activities for children to enjoy, with plenty of space to explore and make friends.

While the children play, there is also time for grown-ups to chat, get to know one another and enjoy a cuppa. We know that having a young child can sometimes feel like a busy and tiring season, so Praise and Play is a chance to slow down, meet other parents and carers, and enjoy some time together.

A little bit of church

Praise and Play is also an opportunity for our youngest children to discover something about God and the Christian faith.

Each session includes a simple Bible story, prayer and songs that everyone can join in with. Everything is designed with little ones in mind – short, simple and lots of fun!

We want children and their grown-ups to know that they are loved, valued and welcome in God's church.

What happens?

We start with plenty of time to play and explore. Then we gather together for a snack, a Bible story, prayer and some favourite songs.

We also celebrate birthdays, share news about what's happening at church and enjoy getting to know the families who come along.

There is no pressure to join in with everything – just come along, settle in and enjoy the morning at your own pace.

Everyone is welcome

Praise and Play is for babies, toddlers and pre-school children together with their parents, grandparents, carers or other grown-ups.

Everyone is welcome.

We'd love to see you!

When and where

Mondays 9.00am to 10.30am
St James Church, Thrapston

Please check our church calendar for the latest session times and any changes.

If you have any questions before coming along, please get in touch. We'd be very happy to hear from you.

16/09/2026

Hello and welcome to our church. If you are a new visitor, we have a page for you to get to know us and learn more about planning a visit.
Click here to see more.

Visitors click here.

Planning your Visit

A Warm Hello

The following information is specifically for those planning a visit, so that you know, beforehand, what to expect on a Sunday morning.

Where and When

We meet weekly at 9.30 a.m in St James, Thrapston and at 11.15 a.m. in Holy Trinity, Denford, also fortnightly at St Nicholas, Islip. For your first visit, we recommend arriving 10-15 minutes early to ensure you get a parking space and find somewhere to sit before the service begins. When you arrive, you should be greeted by someone on our Welcome Team.

We serve tea, coffee and biscuits after the service in St James and at 11.00 a.m. before the service begins in Holy Trinity Denford. It is a great way to meet people, or simply take time to find your bearings. All refreshments are free.

Accessibility: There is wheelchair access, and a sound loop for anyone who needs it in St James. Please let one of the Welcome Team know on your arrival and they will help you to get set up. There are disabled toilets available.

Our Service

The main service begins with a warm welcome from one of our team members. Then follows a time of sung worship intertwined with liturgy and prayer. Each week our sung worship is slightly different at St James to reflect the diversity of our church family. Denford and Islip are more traditional in style. We also share news and notices, usually about what’s going on in the life of the church. One of our leaders will give a sermon that is bible based and that we can apply to our everyday life. We then finish with a final worship song. Sometimes there is an opportunity to receive prayer at the end of the service.

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What about my kids?

We have a great programme lined up for kids of all ages:

James Club (3-7 years)
James Club Plus (7-11 years)
St James Youth (11-17 years)
Young people (15+ years) are welcome to remain in the service.

Children stay with their parent or grown-up at the start of the service for the welcome, songs and notices. We really value worshipping God all together as a family. At the end of the notices someone will announce that it’s time for the younger members to go to their various groups.

The kids group activities vary depending on the age, but usually there is a friendly welcome, bible stories, testimonies, praying, craft, and fun games. The group leaders will bring your children back into the service towards the end.

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Getting Connected

Small Groups

While Sundays are a great way to meet new people, it is often in smaller gatherings that you can really get to know someone. Being part of one of our small groups allows you to make new friends, share together and support each other. We have a variety of groups that meet throughout the week, some afternoons and some evenings. Check out Small Groups and see if there’s one that you could join, or we can put you in touch with a small group leader who will be more than happy to invite you along to their group.

Other Ministries

We also run the following ministries:

Men's Ministries
Women's Ministries

Get in touch with us to plan your visit

If you would like to come and visit the church beforehand you are more than welcome! Get in touch and we can arrange a time that suits you.

Name:

Telephone:

Email Address:
Comments / Questions or anything you would like to say?

Next, we will contact you by email to say hello and help arrange anything necessary for your visit.

We hope that whoever you are, you will feel at home at our church.

Best Wishes

The St James church family.