May 18th, 2014 Planning for Pentecost

SPECIAL NOTE: Our schedule below is a new format to help us prepare for June 8th. Please read carefully and call Lauren if you have any questions.

Kids PM Time Schedule (4pm-6:30pm)

4-4:45 Prep

4:45 Meet & Greet kids and check in with Parent/Guardians.

5:05 Art Center
5:20 Gather for circle time.
Snack, Pass the Peace & Go Around

5:25  The story of Pentecost

5:30 Music & Dance

5:40 Solidarity Prayer
5:45 All go to the playground together

You will see this plan up in our room. Have kids help you check things off as you complete them during your time together. This will help us know week to week what we are getting done.

Art Center: This week we are making our visual instruments. Jess will be leaving us an exemplar and Lauren will bring the tissue paper and glue. Simply glue strips of tissue paper, by dipping a brush into glue, on to the cut bottle spot and let dry.

Gathering Time suggestions: Think of a fun way to round up the kids (sing a song, clap your hands in a call and response, flash the lights). Show and tell kids how and where to gather.

Pass the Peace & Go around suggestions: Take a moment to have kids pass the peace to each other. Maybe think of a fun way for kids to do that (high five, elbow bumps, etc.). Ask a simple, fun question to help them settle in.

Music Suggestions:  You can find links to our new COH albums and COH music log to the right on this blog.

Reading & Dialogue Suggestions:Our reference for this month will be the story of Pentecost.  Acts 1:1-14, Acts 2:1-13, Acts 2:29-41. This week will be our first reading.

Remember that our job is simply to create a safe space for dialogue. Some fun ways to do this are by:

• having them take turns drawing parts of the story as you read the sections to them.
• having them act out the story, or creating a song about the story. 
• having or creating props or visual aides. 
• asking them what they think the characters were feeling in the story.
• asking them what they think happened before the story, or what may happen next.

Suggested dialogue questions: Can you think of a time when you ________? What are some ways we can remember to ________ this week?

Solidarity Prayer: This season we are learning about and praying for our watershed, and waterscapes. “We will not save a place we do not love; we cannot love a place we do not know; we cannot know a place we have not inhabited.” HERE is a link to to a little more information, or find some on your own. 

Playground Time: 

• Make sure kids  have gone to the bathroom.
• Ask someone to be the line leader. 
• Assign adults to specific kids.
• Leave a sign on the door saying where you are, what time you will be back, and a contact number for someone who is with the kids.