Today's Accomplishment

We have created a "Children's Corner" in the Atrium (gathering space) just outside of the sanctuary.  Adults have a tendency to get into conversations after worship and the table of sweet treats doesn't hurt!  Children were often bored and somewhat left out.  The Children's Corner has a table with the same treats as the adult tables and often a little something extra!  There is information about upcoming events and sign up sheets for various activities.  There are also two tables at child's level for coloring.

Today I organized 52 weeks worth of Children's Corner activity sheets. One side has a scripture reference, memory verse and picture to color (we have Crayons on the tables).  The opposite side of the sheet has instructions for parents to lead a Bible study at home during the week.  There are discussion questions, questions which encourage you to think of how you will incorporate the Bible lesson into your life and a craft.

I'm excited to see how these are received!

Make Your Own Worship Bag

We had a one hour workshop for children and parents to come and complete a lap book, choose and fill a bag and talk about using it to prepare for worship during the week and as a tool to help them participate in worship on Sunday morning.

We had a selection tote bags for the children to choose from; red, navy, pink and black canvas, medium blue denim and some sturdy vinyl bags with outside pockets.  There was something for everyone!

This is the outside of a lap book designed to help children participate more fully in worship.

Inside the book are laminated copies of the Lord's Prayer, Doxology, and Gloria Patri.  The cute index cards are children to write down people and things for which they want to pray in the coming week. There are 4 bookmarks, 1 for the scripture reading and 3 for the hymnal.  At the top of the center page is a list of things to do when they first get into the sanctuary, for example mark the scripture reading, look at the prayer list etc.

This is a dry erase sleeve that I put a blank "worship notes" sheet into.  Children can use it to take notes on Sunday morning and then erase it and use it over and over.  I plan to make several different inserts so that they may vary what they are looking for in the service.  I just finished a sheet for pre-readers as well!

Above is a sample of what the children put in their worship bags.  Bible storybooks, Bible puzzle books, Bible flashcards, greeting cards to write to those who led in worship and those we prayed for, and chenille stems for busy hands.  Not shown: Each child got a clip board so that they would always have a hard writing surface.

Each child got a pencil case with crayons, a pencil, a dry erase marker, a small eraser for their dry erase board, offering envelopes, Kleenex, and hand wipes. 

Hide and Seek; Find and Follow

Back in the spring I was trying to think of a fun way for families to focus on the real meaning of the season of Advent.  "Hide and Seek; Find and Follow" was born.  Families are invited to search for the star and follow it to the gift of Christmas, just like the Wise Men so long ago.

I asked a church member is he could cut out some wooden stars which were thick enough to stand on their own.  He created these using a cookie cutter as a pattern.  As families arrived, they were given a star an invited to paint and decorate it.  When the decorating was complete, I hot-glued a small clothespin to the back.  Each family was given a set of 30 note cards (3X5 cards cut in half) and an instruction sheet.

Here's how Hide and Seek; Find and Follow is played:  One family member writes a note with instructions for an activity which the family family can complete together.  (The instruction sheet listed 25 samples such as scriptures to read, singing a favorite Christmas carol as dinner grace, cleaning out closets and donating unused clothes to a local charity etc.) After the note is clipped on to the star, the star is placed somewhere in the home.  The next day, as family members go about their routine, they look for the star.  When the star is located, everyone gathers to read what they are to do together.  The person who finds the star hides it the next day.

Special thanks to my friend Ann Boles whose family Elf helped inspire this activity!

The boys and girls who made the stars were eager to share their unique ideas for tasks which will remind them of the good news of Christ Jesus.  They were not willing to share their ideas for hiding places!