... Children's Party!
There could be several elements to your party, such as:
Costume
Ask the children to come dressed up as a saint. Some ideas are St George,
St Francis, St George, St Lucy, and St Mary.
Party
Games
(These are suggestions only - you probably have wonderful games of your
own!)
1. Doughnut on a rope
You will need:
- A
doughnut for each child (and any adult that wants a go!)
- Shiny
string (that will not leak colour into the doughnut)
- A
skewer (adult use only!)
- Newspaper
Instructions:
To set up game, use string tied to a skewer to tie each doughnut to a
piece of string. Attach a long piece of string horizontally across the
room about children's head height, and put lots of newspaper underneath
it! Attach each doughnut on a string to the horizontal string so that
each doughnut is hanging down. Aim: Each child has to eat their doughnut
off the string without using their hands!
2.
Musical islands
You will need: CD/tape recorder CD or tape (Contemporary Christian
from local Christian bookshop), Newspaper, Prize.
Instructions:
Set out flat sheets of newspaper all over the floor. Tell the children
that when the music starts they can dance around the floor but not on
the newspaper. When the music stops the children have to get onto the
newspaper - anyone not on the paper is out - both feet have to be off
the carpet. Steadily remove the paper as the game goes on until you end
up with a winner.
Here
are a few more ideas!
- Pass
the parcel (fill with little gifts such as rubbers and pencils from
the local Christian bookshop)
- Musical
statues (dancing to music from contemporary Christian artists).
- Crab
football - football but hands and feet touch the ground with front
of body facing upwards. Kick football with feet into goal.
Crafts
- Collage
Candles
-
Pumpkin (the pumpkin that celebrates
All Saints!)
- Iced
Biscuits
- Firework
Pictures
- Star
mobile for
- Candles
1.
Collage Candles
You will need: old colour magazines, glue sticks (or pots of glue
and spreaders), newspaper, card, a candle and matches.
Instructions:
First of all, adult lights a candle and asks the children to describe
the colours of the flame (heath & safety point - at a safe distance,
and not in a draft or a confined space). Ask the children to produce a
2D collage of the candle and flame by ripping up the necessary colours
from old magazines and gluing them into position on some card (you could
use card from old cereal boxes). Lastly, cut around the candle shape and
display.
2.
Pumpkin (the pumpkin that
celebrates All Saints!)
You will need: pumpkins, adult helpers, knives (health &
safety point - to be used with adult help), spoons, nightlights, matches,
newspapers.
Instructions:
Spread out the newspaper, place the pumpkin on top and cut the top off.
Hollow out the pumpkin (this could be done in small groups with an adult
helper each if a large group of children). Cut a smile, two eyes and a
cross on the 'forehead' to create a happy face. Put the night-light inside,
and light the candle. The candle signifies the light of Christ - see the
Pumpkin page (with sound!).
Transfiguration
link
You could tell the children of the story of the transfiguration when Jesus'
"face shone like the sun, and his clothes become as white as the light"
Matthew 17: 1-13. Jesus' body is filled with his light. In baptism we
become part of Jesus' literal body, and so we too are filled with His
light.
3.
Iced Biscuits
You will need: rich tea biscuits, tubes of coloured icing, or other
sweet decorations - optional. (Health & Safety point - check no food allergies
to ingredients).
Instructions:
Decorate biscuits with happy faces, stars, or candles. Enjoy!!!
4.
Firework Pictures
You will need: A4 sheets of black sugar paper, coloured sugar paper
shapes e.g. squares, triangles, rectangles, circles, etc., glue, newspaper,
hole punch, ribbon or string).
Instructions:
Build up 2 D representations of fireworks with coloured sugar paper geometric
shapes (link to light not Guy Fawkes!!) and glue onto black sugar paper.
Use hole punch to cut two holes at top of picture. Thread ribbon or string
through holes and tie at back. Use to hang up picture.
5.
Star Mobile for
You will need: wire coat hangers, gold/silver or yellow ribbon
or thread, yellow card, star templates, scissors, pencils, hole punch.
Instructions:
Draw around star template on yellow card 6 times (template could be made
out of old cereal box). Cut out stars. Use the hole punch to put a hole
at the top of each star. Write on the stars something that Jesus brings
us e.g. love, light, joy, peace on both sides. Cut 6 lengths of ribbon
or thread and tie the end of each to a star. Tie the remaining end to
the bottom of the coat hanger spaced out to equally distribute the weight.
Hang up!
6.
Candles
There are 2 ways of making candles interesting to children that we have
found:
a) Night lights
You will need: a night light each, a lump of clay each, a tool
for marking the clay e.g. pencil or blunt cocktail stick, paints, brushes.
Instructions: Stick your thumb into the clay and squeeze the outside to
make a thumb pot. Fit the night light into the space inside the pot so
it fits snugly. Use the tool to mark decorations into the outside (don't
forget to put your name on the base). When dry, paint the pot bright colours.
b)
Rolled Wax Candles
You
will need: wax sheets cut into triangular strips - see instructions
(you can purchase sheets of wax at some art suppliers, or specialist candle
distributors by post), length of suitable string to make wicks, matches,
candle holders.
Instructions
(to be followed by children):
Before we start! IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE TAKE GREAT CARE WITH
CANDLES. Do Not light a candle without an adult present. Do Not
put matches near face or play with them.
1)
Your leader will give you a long
shape of wax. (Make sure it is warm).
2) Cut a wick the length of
with a little bit to spare at the end. Press it onto the end like this:
3)
Gently roll the wax around the wick, all the time lining up the bottom
line.
This
is very important!
4)
When you have rolled up your candle, you may need to push the bottom gently,
so that it stands straight.
5)
Place in a candle holder! (see picture)
Party
Treat!
At end of the evening, it might be fun to give the children a treat bag.
When we had the party, we bought small toys, wrapped them up and put them
in a big box with old packing shells in it. The children had previously
made 'Night of Light' associated pictures to stick on the box e.g. 'Jesus
is our light', 'Jesus is my king', 'Jesus loves me', 'Jesus is the Biz!'
etc. Each child has a go at picking a treat out from the 'Night of Light'
box before going home, which added to the fun.
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