I was on professional experience placement when the alarms sounded.  Children and adults evacuated the building and mustered at the emergency meeting place as smoke billowed out of the childcare centre’s kitchen.  The firefighters arrived.  A fellow prac student began to cry as she realised she was responsible.  She’d planned a painting with crayons activity and the crayons melting in the oven had caught fire. 

Are you old enough to remember that craft idea?  It used to appear in a lot of craft books (back when books were all we had) but I think its origin must have been from the war or post-war years when nothing was wasted.  Crayon stubs were melted down and used as paint.  What seemed like a good idea in the book was in reality a different matter!

Test Drives

I can’t think of anyone who has bought a car without giving it a test drive first.  A road test enables the buyer to test a vehicle under practical operating conditions.  I’ve found there are many things to ‘test drive’ in life and Kid’s Church in particular!

Crafts

Because of websites and YouTube, it’s easier to find crafts for Kid’s Church but it’s still a good idea to test-drive them yourself first.  There’s a big difference between a skilled crafter and a year three student.  I try the crafts myself because I’m not great at crafting so if I can follow the instructions and it turns out okay I know an eight-year-old will be able to do it. Besides skill levels being different sometimes you may need to substitute supplies.  You need to know a different weighted paper is going to fold just as well.  Most children are very disappointed when a craft does not work or looks nothing like what it’s meant to.

Games

How to play a game can be difficult to communicate.  Some YouTube channels demonstrate how a game is played which is helpful.  I have some books that provide diagrams.  If you can’t work out how a game is played it will be impossible to explain the rules and objectives to the children.  You need to try it first or ask your volunteers to try it otherwise chaos may ensue!

Minute to Win It 

I’ve been caught out on a Minute to Win It game because I did not try it first.  Children had to hang nails by the head from a line tied between chairs.  (I think we had some kind of building theme.)  I did not have a fishing line so substituted twine but the twine was too rough and furry for the nail head to sit on and not one child could beat the clock.  It was so frustrating.  I learned that day to test drive every game.  And do it in the Kid’s Church because another game I test-drove at home did not work as well at Kid’s Church because of a difference in floor coverings.  UGH!

Songs

I know this may seem an odd one but some songs grab kids and others don’t.  It might be the video you are using.  It’s too old-fashioned or too boring.  The actions or steps are too babyish or too difficult.  Children are very honest and will share their feelings about these things!   You can persist and over time children can come to appreciate a song especially if your volunteers are enthusiastic.  Test drive songs in your living room before you introduce them to your kids. This also provides great entertainment for your family to watch:)

Technology

Do you have a Wi-Fi connection?  Have you got a backup on a USB?  Will your laptop ‘talk’ to the projector?  All very important questions when you are about to begin your Kid’s Church program.  It’s so discouraging to spend time organising a PowerPoint only for it not to open.  Or to find the perfect song on YouTube but you can’t access it.  I’m challenged in this department but thankfully have a tech-savvy husband.  If like me this is an area you struggle with find a volunteer to help you (usually any teenager) and run through your computer-dependent media before the children arrive at Kid’s Church.     

I looked up crayon painting on the internet and found it on only one website.  Times change.  These days you can melt crayons in a microwave instead of putting them in the oven.  I wonder if they would melt faster in an air fryer.  I’d better test-drive that one!