Ready to explore what guides us when no one’s watching? In Episode 10- Kind Without a Creed – Exploring Humanist Values of Faithfully Explore!, Laura takes you on a whirlwind tour of Humanism, no gods or sacred texts required, to discover how kindness, courage, and curiosity can come straight from the heart. Play the Compass Quest, cozy up for Stone Soup, and pack your own Belief Backpack with free printables. Hit “Play” and let your inner compass lead the way!
Length
🕛 36 mins
Host
🎙️ Laura Menousek
Release Date
June 11, 2025
What’s Inside This Episode
Grab your Belief Backpack and set off on a values-powered adventure no creed required! In this immersive, story-filled episode, kids and families will:
Whether you’re pointing north for courage, east for kindness, or simply listening with an open heart, this episode invites you to explore how being good truly comes from within Humanism-style!
For Parents and Educators
Learning Themes:
- ntrinsic Morality & Empathy: Children explore how kindness and compassion can spring from within, not from external rules.
- Critical Thinking & Reasoning: The episode’s values-based “guidebook” invites kids to ask “why?” and weigh their choices thoughtfully.
- Responsibility & Agency: Listeners learn that every action, from telling the truth to helping others, shapes the story of their lives.
- Interfaith Bridges: By comparing humanist values with those of other traditions, children practice respect, curiosity, and dialogue across belief systems.
Suggested Uses:
- Family Listening & Discussion
- Play the episode together at dinnertime or on a car ride.
- Pause after “Compass Quest” scenarios to let kids share what they would do in real-life situations.
- Classroom Circle Time
- “Which value compass would you follow today?”
- Act out the Stone Soup story in small groups to reinforce communal kindness.
- Extension Activities
- Value Journals: Ask each child to record one small act of kindness or truth-telling each day.
- Art Project: Have kids illustrate their own “inner compass” with values that matter to them.
- Community Connection: Invite a local storyteller or ethicist to share a favorite tale about making moral choices without rules.
Bonus Tip: Host a “Values Potluck”
Ask friends or classmates to bring an object (real or drawn) that represents one of their personal values- just like the villagers added ingredients to the Stone Soup. Lay them all out on a table, let each child explain their choice, and celebrate the richness that comes when we share what guides our hearts.
Printable Activities
My Belief Backpack Coloring Page
Encourage self-expression and values exploration with the My Belief Backpack Coloring Page. A free printable for kids to design and color their own symbolic belief backpack.
Stone Soup For All Decodable Book
Engage early readers with our Stone Soup For All decodable book—perfect for phonics practice, coloring while listening to Humanist Values, and cooking community-building fun!
Books to Explore Together
Note: This section contains affiliate links. If you click and buy, we may earn a small commission—at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting Faithfully Explore!
It Started with a Big Bang: The Origin of Earth, You and Everything Else
By Floor Bal, illustrated by Sebastiaan Van Doninck
Journey through 13.8 billion years in one dazzling picture book as Floor Bal’s lively narrative and Sebastiaan Van Doninck’s bold illustrations whisk young readers from the first spark of the Big Bang to the swirling birth of stars and planets, the rise and fall of dinosaurs, and the dawn of humanity packed with simple analogies, “Did you know?” sidebars, and clear timelines that make gravity, plate tectonics, and evolution feel as thrilling as a bedtime story.
Elle the Humanist
By Elle Harris and Douglas Harris
Nine-year-old author Elle Harris (with co-author Douglas Harris) offers a warm, clearly expressed introduction to humanism in this beautifully illustrated children’s book. Explaining how empathy, kindness, and critical thinking guide us even without a creed, complete with simple examples, thought-provoking questions, and a foreword by philosopher Daniel Dennett that invites young readers to treat others with the “Platinum Rule” and explore what it means to live by humanist values.
What If Everybody Did That?
By Ellen Javernick, illustrated by Colleen M. Madden
In this delightfully mischievous picture book, a curious child discovers how just one small thoughtless action like tossing candy wrappers on the ground, jumping into a muddy puddle, or teasing a friend could spiral into a world of chaos if everyone did the same thing. Using simple, rhythmic text and vibrant illustrations to spark conversations about kindness, responsibility, and how our everyday choices shape the world around us.
The Three Questions
By Jon J. Muth, based on the story by Leo Tolstoy
In this serene, watercolor-laced retelling of Leo Tolstoy’s classic, young Nikolai seeks answers to three big questions When is the right time to act? Who matters most? What is the best thing to do? Only to discover, through friendships with a wise turtle and a playful otter, that the greatest wisdom lives in each moment of kindness and presence.
You Are Stardust
By Elin Kelsey, illustrated by Soyeon Kim
With gentle, poetic text and soft watercolor illustrations, You Are Stardust traces the journey of atoms from ancient stars to the air we breathe and the cells in our bodies. Weaving simple science and warm reflection into an invitation for young readers to see themselves as part of a vast, living universe sharing the same stardust as trees, oceans, animals, and the night sky above.
The Little Book of Humanism: Universal Lessons on Love, Hope, and Happiness
By John Cornwell
In this uplifting little guide, John Cornwell distills the heart of humanism into clear, relatable lessons. Showing how reason, empathy, and creativity can help us find meaning, connect with others, and build a kinder world even without religious beliefs. Through inspiring anecdotes and practical prompts that invite readers to live with compassion, curiosity, and courage every day.
How to Be Perfect: The Correct Answer to Every Moral Question
By Michael Schur
From the Emmy-winning co-creator of The Good Place, Michael Schur takes readers on a hilarious and heartfelt tour through life’s toughest moral dilemmas asking everything from “Should you always return the shopping cart?” to “What’s the right thing to do when no one’s watching?”and offers clear, laugh-out-loud guidance rooted in philosophy, compassion, and real-world examples that show how striving for “perfection” in kindness and ethics can be as delightfully human as it is aspirational.
Belief Backpack Quick Facts
From today’s journey, we’re adding three new treasures to our Belief Backpack:
🗺️Folded Paper Map
Reminds us that our inner compass doesn’t come with all the answers—just key landmarks like kindness, honesty, and fairness—and that we get to chart our own path through life.
🔍Magnifying Glass
Symbolizes the humanist love of asking big questions and examining ideas closely. It helps us pause and wonder, “What’s fair? What’s helpful? What might happen next?”
✏️Pencil with Eraser
Represents growth, change, and the freedom to revise our beliefs. It tells us it’s okay to make mistakes, learn from them, and keep rewriting our own story.
Did You Know?
- Name Origin
“Humanism” comes from the Latin humanitas, originally meaning both kindness toward others and a commitment to learning. - Ancient Roots
Philosophers like Protagoras and Socrates in ancient Greece emphasized human reason and ethics centuries before modern religions emerged. - Modern Manifesto
The first Humanist Manifesto was published by the American Humanist Association in 1933, laying out a vision of ethics based on human needs and scientific understanding. - International Humanist Day
Every July 21, humanists around the globe celebrate the anniversary of that 1933 manifesto with community events and discussions. - Famous Humanists
Thinkers and scientists such as Carl Sagan, Jane Goodall, and Bertrand Russell have championed humanist values- kindness, curiosity, and responsibility- through their work. - Ceremonial Celebrations
Many humanist organizations offer secular ceremonies, weddings, naming ceremonies, and funerals, that honor life’s milestones without religious content.
Listener Shoutout
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💬 Join the Conversation
- Which of the three Belief Backpack items (map, magnifying glass, pencil) speaks to you most and why?
- In our Stone Soup story, every villager added something small that made a big difference. What’s one tiny act of kindness you’ve done (or received) this week?
- Close your eyes and imagine your Inner Compass. What value is it pointing to right now? Share a moment when that value guided your actions.
- Make up a new Compass Quest scenario and challenge another listener: What would they do when no one’s watching?
- Show us your own Belief Backpack! What three items did you draw or write inside? Post a photo or describe them in the comments.
- Tell us about a real-life example, big or small, when you acted out of empathy, responsibility, or truth-seeking without any rules telling you to do so.
- Which quote from Carl Sagan, Jane Goodall, Hypatia, or our script resonated with you? How does it inspire you?
- Don’t forget to enter our coloring contest by June 30, 2025! Which printable did you choose and what colors are you using?
Let us know what you think.