EVENTS (Page 3)
blackout / Total Eclipse sunday
Black Out Sunday
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The Sunday following any major holiday is always a noisy and active day...and when the event lands on a Saturday, you know that the following day is going to be wild!
However, you can change this but simply changing the lighting, the seating arrangement, and all the "things as usual" routine.
Turn on several battery-operated candles (or battery-operated lanterns) and place them in the center of the circle (telling the children to remain where they are...not touching the candle).
Turn the lights off! Allow the children to lay down on their stomachs if they wish...but facing you.
Don't be a stickler...if they are not looking at you but they are listening and they are not disturbing others...let it go. The object is to get through the day and to plant whatever seeds you are able to plant for the day.
Now it's up to you!
I normally do not PLAN a lesson for this day. I simply allow the Lord to lead the entire morning. I like to have several topics in my head to get things rolling and to keep the children on track. But basically, I engage the children in conversation. With the lights low, they feel more comfortable speaking and you will receive some wonderful responses.
Don't rush the day...let them talk. If you don't get through each topic...it's ok. If that is what is on their hearts then just run with it. Ask thought-provoking questions and allow the children to speak.
Remember, it's their time to speak...don't dominate the morning...simply guide the conversation and go with it. Expand on their conversations and see where God will lead!
Following are a few ideas that you may want to add...but remember, keep everything simple and calm for the most part.
Use the template below to add any details that you would like to add to your event...wear all black, wear all white, free glow sticks, free pack of starburst, etc.
Finish your day off by giving the children glow sticks and singing a song (about light)...with the lights still off. Here is a really fun song that is super simple and easy to follow. Kids can sing and wave their glow sticks in the darkness. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODLB8K7CZxY
A little tip...if you have...or can purchase... a light projector to project stars on the ceiling, it will add to the atmosphere. Use only stationary stars...nothing that involves motions or flashing stars as that will only lead to the movement of the children. You can normally order them from Wal-Mart for around $10.00.
Add whatever you would like...but remember to keep the day simple!
TOTAL ECLIPSE SUNDAY CELEBRATION
Looking for a no-fuzz Total Eclipse Sunday idea?
I normally reserve this event for a Sunday morning following a major holiday...where the children have been exposed to a lot of activities, sugar, and not much sleep.
You know what I am talking about...the day after Christmas, the day after Thanksgiving, the day after Spring Break...pick one...they are ALL wild!
To combat this, I simply change the lighting, the seating arrangement, and the "things as usual" routine.
I have the children sit on the floor in a very large circle. They can lay down or sit up...as long as they are facing me.
I place several battery-operated candles (or battery-operated lanterns) in the center of the circle (telling the children to remain where they are...not touching the candle).
And then...I turn all the lights off! (A total eclipse). Of course, you will want to flip on one of the candles almost instantly so that the children are not scared.) Or...if you have an extra $10 lying around, invest in a light projector to project stars on the ceiling. Turn it on prior to the lights going out...they will probaby won't even notice it until the lights go out.
Star projectors can normally be ordered from Wal-Mart for around $10.00.
Don't be a stickler...if the children are not looking at you but they are listening, looking at the stars and not disturbing others...it's a win!
The object is to enjoy the day and plant some seeds.
A perfect lesson for an eclipse party would be "The day the sun stood still."
If you want to enjoy snacks, a moon pie, "star"burst or any of the other snacks that I mentioned yesterday will work great!
Following are a few ideas that you may want to add...but remember, keep everything simple and calm for the most part.
Now it's up to you! Ask the children to wear all black, wear all white, enjoy snacks, etc.
Finish your day off by giving the children glow sticks and singing a song (about light)...with the lights still off. Here is a really fun song that is super simple and easy to follow. Kids can sing and wave their glow sticks in the darkness. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODLB8K7CZxY
Add whatever you would like...but remember to keep the day simple!
wonders of winter wildlife
Looking for a fun winter event? Hosting a Parent's Night Out for Valentine's Day? Are kids being dropped off at the church for an evening of fun? Why not host a Wonders of Winter Wildlife event. Create bird feeders...or gather some of your crafty men together to help the children build/paint birdhouses. If you live in an area where Park Rangers are available, consider contacting them about teaching the children about winter wildlife. My kiddo's ALWAYS love our nature hike and wildlife days!
Easter
scavenger hunt
Looking for an easy Palm Sunday event for your Children's Church or Sunday School classes? Try an Easter Nature Walk and Scavenger Hunt. Send the children out with a list of items to find. When they are finished, take one item at a time and read the appropriate scripture (Easter Lesson). Have the children share what they found and what it represents...allow them plenty of time to talk...you will get some pretty amazing responses.
When we did this event, it was a super cold day. I sent the children out to find one item at a time. When they brought their items in, we reviewed them and then sent them out in search of the next item. This gave them time to warm up between each item and allowed for some AMAZING responses from the children.
Back to School
Ice Cream Blast
Send them off to school with an Ice Cream BLAST! Complete with a FREE COLOR CHANGING SPOON!
Serve Sundae's, Banana Splits or any ice cream treat that you choose!
Spoons can be found by searching on the internet...Color Changing Spoons!
Spoons will change color when they get cold.
You can also order color changing bowls, straws, etc if you choose!
Here's the scoop
Send them back to school with an Ice Cream Blast. Create a giant sundae, make ice cream in a bag or churn your own ice cream. The sky's the limit.
MORE FUN IDEAS TO MAKE YOUR ICE CREAM BLAST....A BLAST!!!
10', 20', 30' Sundae
https://www.steppingoutministry.com/giant-ice-cream-sundae
Ice Cream in a bag
https://www.steppingoutministry.com/free-two
national ice cream day - family event
national watermelon day
August ? (Event is normally the first week of August) is National Watermelon Day. Celebrate by hosting a Family Fun Day for the entire church or a children's event with a seed spitting contest, pass the watermelon, watermelon eating competition, and much more!
The new school year will be here before you know it and there will be LOTS of children in need of school supplies.
Host a "Stuff the Bus" school supply drive in your community and help families...or teachers obtain supplies that are needed.
A church bus will work great however a school bus will attract even more attention.
Contact your local school bus lot, they are often receptive to supplying a school bus for this type of an event.
think outside the box
tinker
tuesday
Tinker Tuesday (or Workshop Wednesday) can be done in several ways. Children may pickup a bag of misc. craft items (any theme that you choose...or no theme at all) on Sunday and create their own"one of a kind" piece of art at home (on Tuesday). Or, you can host an event each Tuesday...or as often as you like throughout the Summer, Spring Break, Winter Break, etc) and create the projects at church.
If Tinker Tuesday doesn't work for you? Try Workshop Wednesday instead. By switching up the theme or art medium, you can host this event as often as you like...use your imagination!! FYI...bags do not have to contain the same items...switch them up!
This event is a GREAT way to clean out your craft closet or use up odds and ends items that have been hanging around for way too long!
Homemade trophy's or hand made certificates are great prizes to hand out...or even the title of "Tinker Tuesday Champion" will work!
Tuesday's don't work for you? Try a Worshop Wednesday instead!
national lemonade day
move up /promotion day
back to school splash
Planning a "Back to School" trip to the Water Park, City Pool or even a private pool event?
Download this FREE Back to School Splash flyer and start planning NOW!
No pool available? No problem, just host your own Back to School Splash event by using this flyer and my Water Olympics activity.
blessing the backpacks
It’s that time of year again...time for school to begin.
But don't let them go without a time of prayer for a safe and successful year.
One great way to do this is by hosting a Blessing the Backpack event.
Invite all the children to come to the front of the sanctuary with their backpacks. Depending on how many children you have, you may wish to recognize each child or grade level. You may wish to give them a prayer "Backpack tag" as a reminder that someone is praying for them.
POP TARTS AND PAJAMAS
Pop-Tarts/Pancakes and Pajamas
Food Pantry Mission Event
Make any day special by hosting a Pop-Tarts and Pajamas Event.
Children will arrive in their pajamas and enjoy pop-tarts/pancakes and milk.
Turn your event into a mission opportunity by asking family or church members to bring a box (or two) of pop-tarts for the church food pantry, school, or even Sunday schools so that children can start the day off with a full tummy!
A Pop-Tarts and PJ or Pancake and PJ is a great event for any time of the year...including Daylight Saving Day so that kids can simply roll out of bed and be at church on time.
Need some Pancake Event Ideas?
Click Here:
https://www.steppingoutministry.com/pancakes-with-the-pastor
national
pi day
Looking for something different for Daylight Savings Time (March 12th), Skip the usual (DST) activities and celebrate National Pi Day instead (March 14th). Order some pizza and have a costume "Math Nerd" or "Albert Einstein" look-alike competition. Give each person who enters the completion an extra slice of Pi-zza Pi-e.
Flying High With Jesus
Tired of hunting for Easter Eggs? Try something new this year!
To celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus, Host a Flying High With Jesus...Family Kite Day instead!
Set a goal of how many kites you would like to put in the air!
Give families a choice of bringing their own kites to assemble or building one from scratch at a kite-building station. This will assure that all families can afford to participate. Make the building part of the "family fun".
Give the families a challenge...kites must have an Easter Message painted on them. Share Christ with others by putting your kites into the air for all to read!
Instead of spending $$ on candy and eggs, spend it on cheap kites and string.
Top off the event with a picnic lunch so that families can spend the day celebrating Jesus.
If you don't have a large area to fly your kites, consider hosting it at a park or a large outside area.
Host your own "Flying High With Jesus" event at Easter...or any time!
HAppy birthday babe!
Celebrate your children's birthdays with one of these cute Happy Birthday Baby Designs.
Use them in your PowerPoint, create postcards, etc.
DONUTS FOR DAD mUFFINS FOR MOM
Bring your moms and dads together for a special "time of prayer" before sending their children back to school! Serve donuts in the children's area for the children....while moms and dads have their own special time together in the family life center!
WACKY WAFFLES
back to school
Back to School! What do you get when you mix a Back to School Celebration and National Waffle Day A Back to School Wacky Waffle Day! Dress Wacky!
Waffle Cones or Frozen Waffles are perfect too!
the great scarecrow capers
Looking for some new ideas for October? Look no further!
The Great Scarecrow Capers is the perfect 3 in one activity. Host one...two...or all 3 events all based around scarecrows.
milk and bookies
Are you looking for a way to connect with your community this year?
It may be hard to believe, but many children do not own a book of their own.
This is one reason you see Little Free libraries popping up in communities.
Research has found that children who own a book are 15 times more likely to read above the level expected for their age, They are also four times less likely to read below the expected level.
Hosting a "Milk and Bookies" event is a great way to bring awareness of this issue to our children...and their families.
By simply donating their unwanted books, they are giving less fortunate children in their community a chance to own a book of their very own...and to become better readers.
There is no set list of rules for hosting your event. Simply collect books and donate to a literacy organization in your community or take the kiddos out and fill Little Free Libraries in your community.
Your event can be a simple morning of bringing unwanted books and enjoying some cookies and milk OR it can be an entire evening of "Book" fun!
Below are a few things that I have done at our book drive events in the past. Keep in mind, your event can be as elaborate or as simple as you choose!
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I ALWAYS ask the children to clean out their books and bring whatever books they no longer want...or books that they have outgrown.
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Create a cookie and milk bar...always a big hit!
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Bake cookies if you choose. You can send the cookie dough home in ziplock baggies with baking instructions if you do not have a way to bake it. The children LOVE making and stirring the dough!
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Have the children come in their jammies...complete with a pillow and cozy blanket. Enjoy milk, cookies, and reading time where they can choose to read any of the books that were brought in before they are donated. (Keep this time rather short...perhaps 30 minutes as some children are not big reading fans.
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Create teams and plan a scavenger hunt throughout the church.
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Have the children come dressed as their favorite book characters.
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My daughter is a children's public librarian and one year, she was able to hook me up with some sample books. Our children selected 2 to 3 books each to take home for themselves (with the promise of donating them when finished). Check with your public libraries. They receive many free books that they do not put on the shelves for various reasons...paperback, not sturdy enough, etc. You can also snag some book jackets from them. These are perfect for making book jacket pennant banners for your event.
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Do a storytelling time.
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Create a story...start the children off by making up the first line of a story. Then go around the circle having each child add another line to create an original fun story.
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Set up a create-your-own bookmark table with craft materials.
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Set up a BIG milk and cookie bar with all sorts of cookies plus chocolate, strawberry, and white milk.
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Allow the children to create bookplates to go inside the books with a special message or scripture to the recipient.
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Have the children come dressed as their favorite book character
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Set up a fun "Book" themed photo booth with props
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Set up a "cake walk" and hand out books (again, check with your public library. If they do not have new books that they can give you, they will probably have some used ones that they are discarding)
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Have 2 or 3 people show up at different times dressed in costume. Allow the children to have their pics taken with the character (For example Dr. Seuss or Thing One and Thing Two, etc)
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Have Bible Characters show up and tell their story from the Bible.
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Each event is different so just use your imagination.
Open a Book and you will find, people and places of every kind. Open a book and you will be, anything you want to be. Open a book and you can share, the wondrous words you find in there. Open a book and I will too. You read to me, and I'll read to you.
the mad hatter
Celebrate Spring with a Mad Hatter Day!
Ask your children/families/entire church to decorate hats and wear them on Mad Hatter Day.
Prizes can be awarded for different categories. (prizes can be fun and cheap). Create several different silly prize categories.
On Sunday (whichever day you choose for Mad Hatter Day), everyone will wear their hats and join in on the "parade of hats" showing off all the wonderful creations.
Make your event even more fun by hosting a "Creation" evening. Provide various craft items, glue, silk flowers, etc, and ask everyone to get creative. This is a great way to clean out the odds and ends in your resource room.
Children/Families/Entire church will bring their own hats and spend the evening decorating them for Mad Hatter Day! The devotion for the evening? Creation of course!
If involving the entire church, perhaps the Pastor could do a sermon on creation.
Have fun brainstorming!
solar eclipse
Host a "Total Solar Eclipse Party" ...What better time to teach the children about the "Son" and living in darkness! Free Solar Glasses can be found at many public libraries "Free." Check to see if your library has them. Allowing the children to decorate sun visors is also fun!
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touch a truck / trunk or treat
Looking for something new this Halloween/Fall?
Tired of the same old thing?
Want to switch up your Trunk or Treat event?
Want an event that will bring families in...and keep them there for a while?
Be the first in your neighborhood to host a Touch a Truck/Trunk or Treat event! Get your church involved in lining up vehicles for your event...the more the better!
No more trying to come up with trunk ideas, no searching for tons of volunteers...simply line your parking with vehicles of all kinds and allow the children to look, touch, learn about, and climb on board those vehicles that call for a little more exploring! The vehicle owners will be added volunteers for the evening...cutting down on the number of volunteers needed...and they are always eager to share information about their rides with the children.
Don't forget the candy...the children will still expect lots of candy! And don't forget to share Jesus!
