Children’s Super Saturday

Fun Games, Fun Songs, Fun Activities and Exciting Worship!  Super Saturday for children is a most exciting day packed with fun and adventure.  It is scheduled on Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and programmed for boys and girls 1^st through 6th grades.  The program involves recreation games, bowling and skating if available, field trips, movies, crafts, archery, B. B. riflery, Puppets, Bible stories and special features.  The day should be filled with excitement and exciting activities.

Youth Counselors and Activity Leaders!  Organization can be very simple using young people as counselors and adults for general supervision.  Assign counselors to different age groups preferably by grade.  As the children arrive they should be greeted warmly by someone assigned to that responsibility.  Registration tables with at least 4 to 6 registration lines should be set up to record the name, address telephone number, grade in school, church membership, special medical needs or restrictions, emergency telephone numbers and the names of the persons who can pick the child up at the end of the program.

Arrival Activities!  Some of your counselors would be assigned to lead special arrival activities with at least three separate groups: 1^st - 2^nd grades, 3^rd – 4th grades, 5^th – 6^th grades.  Interests of these 3 different age groups require different materials and different activities.  Special attention should be given to the shy child or stranger who feels out of place or threatened.  Lunch and afternoon snacks should be provided.

The Super Saturday Program begins at 10:00 a.m. with a warm welcome, Introduction of visitors, group singing using religious choruses and rounds, and a Bible story or puppet show.  If you use a puppet show it should begin with fun features and close with a spiritual message. 

A typical activity time schedule would be:

·           9:30 – 10:00 registration and arrival activities.

·         10:00 – 10:30 opening activities.

·         10:30 -  11:15 activity one

·         11:15 – 12:00 activity Two

·         12:00 – 12:30 lunch

·         12:30 –   1:15 activity Three

·           1:15 –   2:00 activity four

·           2:00 –   2:45 activity five

·           2:45 -    3:30 closing activities

·         Assemble all of the children by  group, check to see that all have their things, serve refreshments, and end with a pep rally followed by a puppet show, Bible story or Children’s message.  At dismissal follow preplanned child pick up procedure.

Different Facilities!  There are three types of facilities in which you can successfully offer a children’s fun activity: one is the activities center with a gym, skating, bowling, crafts, and swimming; another is the fellowship hall, craft room and church playground; and another is the fellowship hall used as a base of operation and then transporting the children to a park, a local skating rink, a community activity center, a community or family swimming pool, a public bowling facility  and other sites of interest for your recreation .

Fun Activities are most important.  It is through playing games and making things in crafts that really provide the fun part of the day.

·         Game Rooms!  Most fellowship halls can effectively be set up as a game room by using small portable games such as: box hockey, bumper puck, par four table golf, skittles, marble football, puzzles, chess, checkers, portable bumper pool, portable air hockey, ping pong, foosball, and other portable table games.

·         Indoor Games!  There are many indoor games that utilize balloons, ping pong balls, old stockings and other scrap materials that can be exciting and provide hours of fun.

·         Outdoor Games!  Kickball, jump rope, tag games, relays, foursquare and many other games offer many opportunities for running and playing.  The organization and rules of these games are listed in the more popular game books and can be used by anyone in almost any setting.

·         Playground Activities!  If your church has a playground with swings, sliding boards and other playground equipment you have a natural activity area for younger children.

·         Arts and Crafts!  Different crafts offer unlimited possibilities for all ages.  You will find that macramé, candle making, fabric painting, yarn animals, plaster craft, finger painting, mosaics and ceramics can be used very effectively with older children.

·         Special Activities!  Coloring books play dough, popsicle sticks, yarn and construction paper can be used to entertain the younger boys and girls at different times throughout the day.

·         Movies!  Good movies offer a break in the schedule or can be used as one of the activity periods.  A movie after lunch is always a good way for the group to relax.  If you do not have a screen projector then use a large television.  Remember movies are not a moving activity and should be used sparingly.  You want to provide activities that are fun, invigorating and that promote social interaction.

·         Remember the natural grouping for children are: first and second grades, third and fourth grades, and fifth and sixth grades.

Preparing lunch can be a lot of fun or a real chore depending upon how you organize your lunchtime.  A very effective way is to recruit a group of four to six adults to charcoal broil hamburgers, heating buns in the oven, frying French fries, and serving coke and cookies.  Hot dogs, potato chips, cookies or cup cakes and fruit flavored drinks are always very popular.  Pizza from Sam’s Club or a local restaurant is a good change of pace.

Organization!

·         Director!  Select a director to plan the program, recruit leaders, determine and schedule facilities; plan and promote the time, date and activities; purchase the supplies; plan for set up and cleanup; and supervise the activities of the day.

·         Instructors!  Recruit older youth and adults as instructors and leaders of the different the fun games and activities.

·         Counselors!  Use high school students to be counselors.  A counselor would be in charge of 10 to 15 children.  These counselors would be in charge of these children throughout the day and would assist the instructors in each activity.  It is important for these counselors to be trained in supervision of children.

·         Transportation!  Determine what transportation will be needed if you use community facilities.  Select someone to organize and supervise the transportation.  Safety and security of the children is of utmost importance.  Be careful to foresee problems and possible security breaches.

·         Lunch!  Select someone to head up the lunch committee and help them recruite a committee of four to five members to prepare and serve lunch.

·         Registration!  Determine how to register visitors and give them a promotion packet about the children’s program at the church.  Be sure to supply the outreach ministry of the church this information so that the Bible teaching and music ministries can contact them.

·         Name Tags!  Name tags are a must.  The instructors, counselors and the children need to be able to call each other by name.  Everyone needs a name tag.  This could be a group craft and be done in the opening activity.  Stick on name tags marked with a dark marker work great.

·         Group Identification!   Identify the group with a group name and identifying characteristic.  Head bands with a feather or unique color, colored arm bands, name tags with each group a different color, or a colored t-shirt for each group could be used to identify the child with the group.  The colored name tag serves two functions.  It gives the name of the person and identifies the child with the group leader or counselor.  Children should always remain in a group under the supervision of a counselor.

·         Child Pickup!  Plan a safe way for parents to pick up children.  In today’s culture a leader of children’s activities has to be sure each child is picked up by the proper person.  That leader must know who is to pick up the child and see that the child is picked up by that person.  There should be some form of identification or pick up ticket presented when child is picked up.  A pickup slip could be issued at registration and be required to be presented at time of pickup.

Remember, keep the activities moving, try to end each activity when excitement is at its peak and involve all children in as many activities as possible.  Safety of the children is most important and should be considered in each and every activity.  God bless you and Good luck as you make your Super Saturday a tremendous success.  Remember the five P’s.  Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance.