In Monday night's class, one of the topics we learned about is a process by which we can come up with an appropriate theme for our camp retreats. One way we learned to do this is to determine some common characteristics or issues of that particular age group. So, for this blog post, pick an age group, list some characteristics for that age group (like 2 or 3), and list a possible theme that would be appreciate for that age. It does not have to be perfect, this is just an exercise to get our mind working :)
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Going into Children's Ministry, I am going to choose for the ages between 8-12. Personally, this is my favorite group to be able to work with, but this summer I am going to working with students around this age group. With this age group, these are the kids who start getting into things like teenagers would get into.
ReplyDeleteWhen I think about some themes that this age group would like I immediately think straight to something like "The Avengers." I wouldn't say exactly '"superheroes" but the "Avengers" These kids start getting into the super hero movies that are being released around this age. I have an 8 year old cousin, and he LOVES the Avengers. Sometimes, things like that may seem a little bit too "boyish"
If you wanted to do a theme where everyone can for sure will enjoy, I was thinking maybe like a board game theme. Before every service, come up with a way to play a life sized board game or something like that. I think that kids at this age would also love that.
I'll go ahead and pick high schoolers for this exercise because they seem more relatable to me.
ReplyDeleteHigh schoolers tend to get the full blow when it comes to peer pressure and trying to fit in with everyone else. They are beginning to think for themselves apart from their parents and trying to discover their identity. Understanding what high schoolers are going through with their peer relationships as well as what might be going on in their families is key to understanding what themes can have the most impact on them in planning a retreat or something and what might stick with them.
A good theme then might be something like "keeping balance" and weave that topic into everything that is done for the retreat.
I am not completely sure what age group I will end up going into, but I am going to choose middle schoolers. So like 11 to 14. This is definitely the age where kids begin trying to find themselves. There is a lot of confusion and hormones, and it is a time we all wish we could forget I think! I think its so important to really invest in those going through these transitional stages. I do think that many times kids are still into the idea of God if they were raised in the church. I do not think it is until high school they start questioning. (Just generalizing here).
ReplyDeleteA cool theme might be something related to identity. Something to do with being made in the image of God. Middle schoolers are awkward, and they need to be told how valuable they are.
I am going to pick the 1st to 3rd grade range (6-8 years old). I got to work at a kids camp this past summer with kids this age range.
ReplyDeleteThis group is a lot of fun to work with. They rely on the counselors a lot more than the older kids because they are younger. They also get tired easier. They like learning hands on. From my experience they also tend to like object lessons more than other types of lessons. Sometimes they also need more direction than the older kids.
A theme that might be good for this group would be using M&Ms or Skittles. You could apply the different things you want them to learn to each color. For example red could be used for Jesus' blood when He died for us on the cross. Yellow could be used to represent that Jesus wants us to be the light of the world.
I will choose high school age students. I think a main struggle students have, that they might not see as a problem, is too much time spent on social media. Kids seem to always be checking their phones. I think this is hurting face to face communication. It also provides an outlet for kids to express their negative feelings for others through cyber bullying. I also think they stress a lot about school and what they will do after they graduate. They worry about the future and can end up making decisions on their own without listening to God's call for their life.
ReplyDeleteA theme that would address both of these issues could be something like "unplugged." This could be used to encourage the students to stay off their phones during the retreat (not force, just encourage, and the leaders would have to set an example and stay off their phones as much as possible as well). It could also be used to exmphasize that it's important to pull away form everything sometimes and spend some quiet time with God in order to listen to Him. Less phone time would encourage more interaction with the other students attending the retreat.
I will choose a high school age group for this activity. High schoolers typically are in a growing stage when they're developing and starting to mature and think about their future. I think this is a specific time when they are trying to figure themselves out and where God fits in with everything.
ReplyDeleteBecause of this, I think it would be cool to have a theme of something like "navigation" or something like that, where they could learn more about themselves and the character of God. There could also be explorations in how to understand their strengths and gifts and how that connects with God's character and mission, helping them to see how they can serve and fit into the bigger picture of life.
I work best with middle and high school students and a good theme for teens could be having faith in Christ but not taking action in that faith. This could pertain to speaking to their peers about Christ or even avoiding bad things that their peers are pressuring them into. The them could simply be ACTION with the theme verse of James 2:17 “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead”
ReplyDeleteChildren's Ministry is my thing, and i love to see the kids having so much fun while learning at the same time. For this age group, their brains are still very plastic, and can still be molded. For this crucial time in their lives, I think it's very important to not only explain God's love for them, but show them that they too can make a change, be the change, show God's love to others, and show them how strong, brave, and fearless they really can be with God on their side.
ReplyDeleteI don't totally know if there could be a specific theme name for that, but I think those things needs to be incorporated to that theme. Maybe something like "You're not as small as you think you are." Showing them the things they are capable of even as children as long as God is on their side.
I see myself entering youth ministry. Most youth pastors with which I have interacted connect very easily with students in the high school age group, so the middle school age group is often the challenge. Middle School is a very transforming time when students are really figuring out who they want to be. A good theme for an event directed at the 6-8th grade group would be the issue of identity. In most cases, peer pressure really begins to be an issue around this time in their education. The child-like faith starts to melt away as they are presented with doubt.
ReplyDeleteAs a youth minister, I would hope to incorporate the theme of identity in my events because I want the church to be a good influence on their lives. They should root their identities in Christ and not themselves or other people. If the church can instill that belief in students at a young age, they can carry that with them through the rest of their education and lives.