Klumps
All play. Have everyone stand and the leader calls out a number. As soon as the number is called, let’s say “3,” then each player to attempts to assemble in a huddle of 3 people. Anyone who cannot assemble into a group with the called number of people is eliminated. Continue calling different numbers until there are only two players left standing.

1, 2, 3, Hit
Have everyone stand and the leader calls out the phrase “1, 2, 3 Hit!” On the word “Hit” each player is to place their hand on their forehead displaying a number 1 – 5 with their fingers. A second leader on stage, with their back to the audience, now calls out a number 1 – 5 and anyone displaying that number is out of the game and must sit down. Play until you have a winner.

Gorilla, Man, Gun
Played like the classic “Paper, rock, scissors.” The difference is the symbolic gestures used. To start, everyone is to find a partner. Once everyone is ready to play with their partner, students are to stand back to back. At the word “Go” students turn around immediately giving their gesture of play. Here is how it is done. Students decide at “go” what they are going to be. GORILLA roars out loud with hands beating chest. MAN just stands there with his/her head faced up (as a stance of pride) with hands and arms folded. GUN is using the hand shaped like a gun and the person says bang. Here is the rules: Gorilla beats man, Man beats gun and gun beats gorilla, it you Tie you die.

People Scavenger Hunt
Good game for a crowd or audience. Divide the crowd into three or four teams, assign each section a captain. The game leader calls out certain characteristics…blue eyes, likes to play Wii Sports, has a big dog, has red hair, etc.

The captain of each team must quickly try to bring someone with that characteristic up to the leader. First one to do so wins that round. Keep score and play to 5 or 10.

FOUR CORNERS

In this elimination game, players try to survive by outsmarting the signal caller. The signal caller turns his or her back to the crowd while the students scatter and stand in one of the four corners of the room. The signal caller calls out a corner. All the students who are standing in that corner are eliminated. The signal caller then turns his back again and the process repeats itself until there is only one student remaining. To speed the game up, you can “close” corners as the crowd thins out. Be sure to name or number each corner clearly.

Apes & Monkeys
Two people are designated as “apes” and are given sticks (bats, pool noodles work well, etc.) Everybody else is designated as a “monkey”. Put about 4 or 5 nerf balls into play. The apes’ goal is to hit the monkeys with the balls…when a monkey gets hit he/she is frozen. If all the monkeys are frozen the apes win and you start a new game. The monkeys’ goal is to hit an ape with a ball (the apes use their sticks as shields.) If a monkey hits an ape then they switch (ape gives stick to monkey and becomes a monkey), and all the frozen monkeys are unfrozen.

Last Man Standing
Get everyone to stand up, then call out a list of activities. The last person standing is the winner!
Example
• Sit down if you have eaten chocolate today
• Sit down if you are wearing purple
• Sit down if you were born in September
• Sit down if you have blue eyes
• Sit down if you are the youngest child
• you have ever broken a bone
• gone for two weeks without a show
etc.

Caterpillar Race
Form teams of equal size, with five to seven players on each team (3 also works). Have kids think up one-syllable names for their teams. Then line teams up next to each other behind a starting line.

Instruct team members to place hands on the shoulders of the team members in front of them and race to a finish line according to the following rules of movement: The first person in line may hop one step forward. Continue down the line until the last person in line hops one step forward. After the last person hops, he or she must shout the team name. Then the whole team may hop one step forward at the same time. Repeat this process to move the caterpillar along. Players must keep their hands on the shoulders of the team members in front of them at all times during the race. Players may move forward only by hopping one step forward with both feet at once. If a team member breaks any of the above rules, it must return to the starting line and begin again.
Ankle Balloon Pop
Give everyone a balloon and a piece of string or yarn. Have them blow up the balloon and tie it to their ankle. Then announce that they are to try to stomp out other people’s balloons while keeping their own safe. Last person with a blown up balloon wins.

Copycat

Start by getting everyone in the group to stand in a circle facing toward the inside. Choose one person and send them out of the room. While they are out of the room, appoint a ‘leader’. This person is the one who will lead the group in various movements (eg stamping feet, spinning, standing on one foot, dancing, singing, etc). Everyone else in the circle must mimic the leader, without giving away who the leader is.

Bring the person back into the room, begin the game. The goal for person who was sent out of the room is to guess who the leader is. They get three chances to guess it right. The leader then becomes the ‘guesser’ and the game continues!

Try out one of these games this week and let me know how it goes. Send me a list of your “tried and true” favorite games.

Technorati Tags: Children’s-Ministry, Family-Ministry, Youth-Ministry, Kids-Ministry, Sunday-School, Children’s-Church, Games, Youth-Games

Related Posts

• July 27, 2009 -- Preschool Ministry – It’s Not Just Toys & Goldfish!
• June 25, 2009 -- Rewards & Bribes
• September 7, 2010 -- Orange Visual
• August 25, 2010 -- GOD DOES SPEAK!
• February 25, 2010 -- Making Vision Stick

Let’s take a look at a couple of definitions first:

1. Reward – something given or received in recompense for worthy behavior; Psychology The return for performance of a desired behavior; positive reinforcement.
2. Bribe – money or any other valuable consideration given or promised with a view to corrupting the behavior of a person

I know this can be a controversial subject when we begin talking about Children’s Ministry – that’s what makes it worth discussing. First, let me say that I don’t believe I have the definitive answer, just one voice on the subject. Next, let me say that each individual needs to make their own decision and then let others decide what works for them concerning this one issue.

Now, let’s take a look at just one verse that mentions the idea of rewards:

Hebrews 11:6
”And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

Yes, we are promised rewards in scripture yet that is not what motivates me to serve our Heavenly Father. Often the question is asked of me, “What if they are only doing it for the reward.” Well if you can help a child develop the habit of “Quiet Time” with a simple reward seems like a fair trade.

We use points in competition between teams too. We give points for bringing your Bible, knowing the memory verse, and completing Bible Study with your parents. Points are FREE and FUN. Kids love competition and competing for the right stuff is again something that’s hard to fault. Think about how many of your kids invest incredible amounts of time to win a football game, baseball game, soccer game, etc. They do it just for the joy of winning. Rewards and Points are just a couple of ways to help influence a generation to know God and His Word.

Technorati Tags: Children’s-Ministry, Youth-Minsitry, Family-Ministry, Kids-Ministry, Sunday-School, Religion, Christianity, Ministry, Children, Family, Youth, Kids, Rewards, Bribes

Related Posts

• July 17, 2009 -- Top Ten No Prep/Low Prep Games
• July 27, 2009 -- Preschool Ministry – It’s Not Just Toys & Goldfish!
• June 30, 2009 -- Extreme Makeover – JimWideman.com & Kidology.org Edition
• July 22, 2009 -- Football & Children’s Ministry – Go for the WIN!
• September 8, 2010 -- Top Ten Children’s Ministry Blogs

A couple of days ago I discussed the importance of utilizing a theme design for Children’s Ministry areas within your facility. You can view that post at Creative Themes Today I want to share with a review of what I consider the Top 5 companies providing Theme Design from conception to completion.

#5 Wacky World Studios

Wacky World has a cartoon view of the world and all that is in it. One look at their themed environments and you will smile. Bruce Barry is the founder and president of Wacky World Studios and his work truly grabs people’s attention. I have seen his completed work in multiple locations and it is FUN! Visit www.wackyworld.tv

#4 Jonathan Martin Creative

Since 1995, Jonathan Martin Creative has designed and built hundreds of sets, stages, and themed environments for church interior design. Jonathan has worked as a professional artist for 17 years and brings a special flair to all of his work.  Visit www.jonathanmartincreative.com

#3 Little Mountain Productions

I was first introduced to Little Mountain Productions at Church on the Move in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The environments there are original and have a very distinct look and feel. Richard Carver, the creator at Little Mountain, has a background of over 30 years experience as a senior art director and has extensive work with both television and church design. www.littlemountainproductions.com

#2 Worlds of Wow

Worlds of Wow is a spiritually focused team with a heart for ministry. They currently have two former children’s pastors on staff with over 30 years combined experience. Reagan Hillier, creative director, has over 10 years of experience in the amusement and theme park industry combined with 6 years of working with churches. Visit www.worldsofwow.com

#1 Real Fake Buildings

Real Fake Buildings began out of a design project for North Point Community Church. Paul Mergenhagan was part of a team that brought the immersive children’s environments alive at North Point. From that grew a company that now travels extensively and designs “real fake” buildings for others. I have worked with Paul on two separate projects to construct “Kidstuf” stages and also utilized his stage design plans to build a portable themed environment. Visit www.realfakebuildings.com

Each of these companies have a unique perspective and process for designing unique and intriguing environments. You can trust that each one presented here has both a ministry perspective and amazing design skills. Let hear about your experiences in theme design.

Technorati Tags: Children’s Ministry, Family Ministry, Event-Planning, Event-Themes, Creative-Themes, Special-Events

Related Posts

• August 27, 2010 -- The Muppet Show…
• July 17, 2009 -- Top Ten No Prep/Low Prep Games
• June 3, 2009 -- VBS – Crocodile Dock Photos
• September 8, 2010 -- Top Ten Children’s Ministry Blogs
• September 7, 2010 -- Orange Visual

If you are involved in ministry for any length of time you will probably be expected to plan and execute a “Big Event.” Too often a large scale event is presented by a ministry and unspoken expectations are not met. With that in mind let’s look at how to plan, prepare, and host a large event for your ministry.

#1 Assemble a Team

Gathering a group of people to share the vision for the event is the first step. Taking the idea and fleshing it out through a brainstorming session can lead to creativity and ownership by the team. Carefully choosing your team will be vital to your success. A diverse group of personalities and talents with a shared passion can become a catalyst for great things.

You need to look for individuals with a myriad of talent and experience. A good number for the core team is 3 – 5. This will allow for a group large enough to bring fresh perspectives, yet small enough to be able to make unified decisions quickly.

#2 Ask the right questions

Why are we hosting the event?

You may be surprised to find out how many events happen without ever asking this core question. This needs to be the very first question asked and answered. The response to this question is going to drive the answers to all of the following questions.

What are the goals and expectations for the event?

Yes, get the expectations out in front of everyone and set goals. Make sure the goals are measurable and attainable.

Who is the target audience for this event?

This question may have been addressed in the Why. If not, the target audience will definitely drive other decisions. Is the event for families, children, teens or tweens? The elements of the event must be tailored to be attractive to your target.

What is the budget for the event?

It is definitely difficult to host an event for 200 on a budget of $50. When scheduling talent for a large scale event the budget question will arise quickly. Questions involving the budget include: Will this be a ticketed event? Is the event held on campus or is there a need to rent a venue?

When will the event take place?

Seems simple enough, right? There a number factors that must be considered prior to scheduling an event? How much advance notice does your target audience need? What other events will your event be competing with for the same audience? Ex. Hosting an event targeted at High School students on Friday night during football season can severely impact your attendance. Holidays, school events, etc. need to be considered when setting a date.

#3 Plan the Proper Promotion

Once you know the essential details of Who, What, When, Where your next step is promoting your event. While this step is vital to your success, those involved in ministry too often leave this key piece out of the equation. Taking advantage of a number of sources will go a long way to help insure your target audience is aware of your event. Create quality, event specific promotional pieces that will build awareness and communicate excellence.

Utilize as many avenues as possible to communicate the details of your event including: Church Bulletin, Newsletters, Postcards, Email, Social Networking, etc. Once you believe you have communicated your message clearly communicate it again!

#4 Finesse the Details

One team member that is vital to your success is the “accountant” personality – someone who is detail centric and will continue to ask questions that may drive the visionaries crazy! However, it is attention to the details that can make or break an event.

#5 Follow-through & Follow-up

Be sure you provide the type of event that your promotion promises and even better, provide more than you’ve promised. Quality can not be substituted. Before your event is even close you must have a plan in place to do proper follow-up. Too often this stage is where the ball is dropped. A great event with no planned contact afterward misses a unique opportunity to build long-term impact.

A “Big Event” can help expose your ministry to a wider audience and at the same time communicate a commitment to excellence. How your ministry overall will be perceived is often determined by large scale events. Use this to your advantage by making sure you take the steps that lead to success.

Technorati Tags: Children’s Ministry, Ministry, Children, Kids, Religion, Religion, Christianity

Related Posts

• July 17, 2009 -- Top Ten No Prep/Low Prep Games
• June 26, 2009 -- The Importance of the Huddle
• June 25, 2009 -- Rewards & Bribes
• May 23, 2009 -- Children’s Ministry Team Building – The Why & How of Brainstorming
• August 27, 2010 -- The Muppet Show…