Events

EVENTS - ( PAGE 1)

Back to School Pics - Promotion

PROMOTION
WEEK

Promotion Week/Back to School
Kids Promoting Into The Children's Department

IT'S PROMOTION DAY!!!

WELCOME CHILDREN ENTERING THE CHILDREN'S DEPARTMENT WITH A "WELCOME TO OUR CLASSROOM/DEPARTMENT PARTY." IF YOUR PROMOTION DATE COINSIDES WITH THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, HOST A COMBINATION PARTY.

Throw a big "Welcome to the Children's Department party....complete with decorations, snacks, music, fun photo pics, games and more!
Introduce your teachers
Go over classroom rules
Take silly prop pics (don't forget to include your teachers)
Send home a "Welcome to the Children's Department bag full of fun and informative items.

Not back in the church building yet? Do a porch drop with "Back to School" bags and a FaceBook "First Day of School" picture competition.

Set up a photo area and take lots of silly "Promotion"/"Back to School pics." Remember to include your teachers in the activities.

DOWNLOADABLE PHOTO PROPS

First Day of School - No CR - My Design.jpg

Last Day of School - No CR - My Design.jpg

BAG TAG

Bag Tag Instructions:
Download and print out the bag tag
Using a hole punch, punch two holes in the bottom left-hand corner. (Use the two black dots as your guide).
Run the two ends of the ribbon up through the two holes.
Place a piece of chalk...or a pencil between the two holes.
Tie the ribbon tightly around the chalk.
Tie a bow.
Using a hole punch, punch one hole in the upper right.
Run a ribbon through the hole and tie the two ends together to form your tag hanger...or glue the tag directly to the bag.

Bag Stuffer Suggestions

Today is an important day-girls - Red Ar

Today is an important day-boys - Red Are

YOU ARE ENTERING THE WORLD OF A CHILD.jp

Bag Ideas to Consider

This is a great time to connect/reconnect with all of your families. A bag with the following info is beneficial to all families.

Customize your bags to fit either the newcomer or the families who have been with you for a while.

List of Classroom Rules
Children's Department Brochure
List of activities that families may want to participate in
Calendar of events
Contact Information
Teachers' names and contact information
Website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter etc. Info
Child Information Sheet (to be completed and returned)
Bus Rider Forms
Photo Permission Form (I have this on the Child Information Sheet
Any other forms that are required by your church.
Candy
Prizes (think school supplies)
Etc.

Mission Possible

MISSION
POSSIBLE

Mission Possible

Possible Mission Force

Get ready to share Christ's love and promote a positive change in your community.

Here's How It Works

This mission event is similar to a "Secret Santa" event.

Families will do little acts of kindness or hide items around their community...with the goal of not getting caught.

A "Spread Kindness" card will be left behind for each Act of Kindness.

Encourage families to keep a low profile...completing their missions without getting caught!

Of course, any mission involving baked foods will have to be done in person...but items can be dropped off and a request to share can be given.

Give families some examples such as:

Purchase a new pair of socks, and attach a "Spread Kindness" envelope to the socks. Leave the socks in an area that homeless people frequent.
Purchase a can of food, and attach a "Spread Kindness" envelope to the can. Drop the can off at a local "Little Free Pantry" or local food bank.
Purchase a box of crayons (or any school supplies), attach a "Spread Kindness" envelope to the box, and drop it into a school supply drive dropbox.
Bake cookies, attach a "Spread Kindness" envelope to the container and drop it off at your local fire/police station.
See a need in your neighborhood? Take care of the need without getting caught...leave a "Spread Kindness" card behind.
Pick some flowers and drop them on a neighbor's doorstep. Leave a "Spread Kindness" card behind.
Encourage families to get creative!

The event will run for 8 weeks...or however long you choose.

Here's what you do!

Purchase one large manila envelope and one composition notebook per family.
Purchase boxes of small envelopes. These will be used to place the "Spread Kindness" cards inside.
Download the manila envelope label and attach one to each envelope
Download the notebook label and attach one to each notebook
Download the flyer and place one inside each envelope
Download the instructions and place one inside each envelope.
Download a "decoder" (if you choose) and place one inside each envelope.
Download the tri-fold "Spread Kindness" cards/sheets and place SEVERAL inside each envelope.
Place several "spread kindness" size envelopes inside each manilla envelope.
Download the 2 sheets of "small envelope" tags and place one of each sheet inside the manilla envelope.
Download a detective badge (name tag) for each family member (if you choose)...you may add a piece of yarn, a piece of string/ribbon, or an actual lanyard inside as well.
If you want to purchase black plastic spy glasses (Oriental Trading Company), pencils, magnifying glasses, etc to go inside the envelope...go for it!
Be Creative!!!

Small Envelope Tags

Families will cut out tag, tape or glue onto small envelopes

Tasks tags for the small envelopes

Spread Kindness - Tri-Fold Cards

You will need to purchase a box of

envelopes for these cards to be placed into

Card - Tri Fold - Mission Possible - Cro

Drop-offs tags for the small envelopes

Agent Badge

Notebook Label

Mission Accomplished Card

Manila Envelope Label

Instructions

If you "Chews" to accept this Mission.

Wrap label around a package of Gum.

Want to add some more fun to your event? Download this free Secret Decoder from Dabbles and Babbles and place one inside of each child's envelope. Add a secret message for them to decipher.

Post a new "secret messages" on your children's Facebook page each week.

Just for fun! Fingerprint Chart

http://dabblesandbabbles.com/printable-secret-decoder-wheel/

Get Creative!!! There are so many things that you can do with this theme!

If I can help with anything...please let me know!

For more FREE Mission Possible Resources, follow me on Facebook.

Watch for instant POP-UP resources...available on my Facebook Page first!

https://www.facebook.com/SteppingOutFootprintswithJesus/

Where's Wally

where's wally?

Where's Wally
Community Wide Family Event

WHERE"S WALLY?

The real question should be ...Where "isn't" Wally?

For this fun family event, families will receive a

map, a mission, and a mystery verse to solve.

The map will be of an area that covers several city blocks. Several blocks long and several blocks wide. You can do this in a downtown area or select a neighborhood area...several streets wide by several streets long.
The mission is to find "Wally." There will be 29 Wally's inside the map area. (families will be traveling by car...not on foot)
The mystery verse is a scripture from the Bible...John 3:16 (you may create your own scripture or switch this up any way that you choose.)

Families will begin their journey at the church where they will receive their map, their team color, a pencil, their mystery verse, and any other information that you would like to add to your event. You may want to print up a page with your text information on it and ask participants to text a few pics of themselves with the different Wally's.

If you are hosting your event in the downtown area, check with businesses inside your map area and request free coupons for drinks, ice cream, etc. for each participant.

If you are going into a neighborhood, consider setting up a hot chocolate stand or something similar for participants to stop and enjoy.

TEAM COLORS AND MAP AREAS

If you are a smaller size church, you will want to use one team color and one map area. If you are a larger church you may want to create more map areas or expand the size of your map area to accommodate more cars. I have created 4 different team colors in case you need room to grow.

Keep in mind, if you create more teams, you will also have to recruit more Wally volunteers. Each area requires 29 Wally volunteers. (+- Depending on the reference scripture being used)

THE HUNT BEGINS

For this event, participants will not be looking for clues, objects or places...they will be looking for Wally (There will be 29 Wally's)

Once they find a Wally, they will write down the number from the back of Wally's shirt and the coordination letter from the front of his shirt.

These numbers and letters will be used to solve the mystery scripture on the back of the map pamphlet.

WALLY'S

Who is Wally? Wally is a volunteer dressed in stripes...hanging out and blending in with all the other Wally's in the neighborhood.

"Wally" may be riding a bicycle, roller skating, sitting on the porch, playing basketball, visiting with neighbors, or simply hanging out on the corner with friends.

All "Wally's" are dressed the same...they are all dressed in stripes...the stripes are all the same color...and they all have the same name...Wally!

Families will drive up and down the designated streets...looking for Wally.

This is the perfect event for your teens to participate in. However, make sure that there are plenty of adults hanging out to keep a close eye on them.

Ask your Wally's to get creative...they can ride their bikes up and down the street, roller skate, skateboard, play basketball (if it is a home of someone they know), visit with neighbors, sit on a porch, or hang out on the corner talking with their friends. Have them use their imagination to come up with some fun ideas.

Wally's should not hide...but they can be a little hard to find.

Wally's should have a mask with him...and be willing to pose (socially distanced) for pics with each family if they request a picture.

STRIPED OUTFITS

All Wally's must be dressed with the same color stripes. You can accomplish this by purchasing white sweats and a white sweatshirt and using red tape to make the stripes of purchase white disposable painters coveralls and taping or painting the stripes on them. I have seen the coverall range from $3 - $5 each for the thin ones...which is all that you need.

If you can't afford either of these options, do some brainstorming to come up with some fun...easy to spot...alternatives.

Below is a sample of what I have referred to... painter's disposable coveralls.

SAFETY

If you are hosting your event in a neighborhood, try to include some streets where your members live. Designate their house as safe zones by placing a flag or marker in their yard.
Ask your safe zone families to speak with other neighbors requesting that they sit outside their homes and watch the fun...or look out occasionally to make sure that all is well.
Ask for adult volunteers to park their cars throughout the area to

keep an eye on everyone.

Set up a drink or snack area throughout the map area and have adults pass out snacks, keep an eye on the Wally's, and provide a safe area for youth to come to if necessary.
Recruit some adult Wally's to mix in with the children.
Request police drive by's throughout the event
Host your event while it is still light. (4-6 pm approx)
Create photo op areas where families will stop to get their pics taken. Photographers will be an extra set of eyes
Have your Wally's buddy up or stay within eyeshot of one another
Instruct Wally's not to enter any homes (except designated safe homes)

USE YOUR IMAGINATION

All of my ideas are to get you motivated...and inspired.

Don't look at an event and say that it doesn't fit your church...or that your church can't afford to do it. Instead, take it and tweak it to fit.

Add to them, take away from them however you like.

I add some teaching and scripture but I purposefully leave most of that to you.

I want them to be adaptable to everyone...every denomination, every church.

Add your lessons, your scriptures, your inspiration to make them fit your church!

There are several lessons that can be taught with this activity...such as:

Being unique
NOT having to look like everyone else.
Seek and you shall find
How God looks at the inside...not the outside.
Samuel...God looks at the heart

HOSTING THIS EVENT AT YOUR CHURCH

This would be a great event to host at your church once COVID-19 is a thing of the past. Families...youth or kids (perhaps with a parent)...could search your campus on foot to find the Wally's. It would take a little bit of tweaking but it would be a load of fun!