... 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

  1. Collage Candles
  2. Night of Light Pumpkin Pumpkin (the pumpkin that celebrates All Saints!)
  3. Iced Biscuits
  4. Firework Pictures
  5. Star mobile for
  6. 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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