| Intergenerational Activities |
It seems we routinely split up and go our own ways at church - to our Sunday school classes, to children's church, to a senior adult activity. All these special times are good, but wouldn't it be nice to celebrate together, too? Try these great intergenerational activities for a fun change of pace!
The ideas are perfect for seasonal celebrations: Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentines Day, Easter, Vacation Bible School celebration and even a senior adult celebration. |
| A "Thank You, God!" Celebration |
This is a good activity to use around Thanksgiving time. It could even be done as a part of mid-week worship service before Thanksgiving. A banner that says, “Thank You, God” can be displayed. People can be divided into groups to travel around together. Each group can visit each activity center:
- The alphabet group—Each person can be assigned a letter of the alphabet and given a piece of paper. People can think of words (or pictures) that start with that letter can be put on the paper.
- The note group—Each person can write and draw expressions of thanks to God on a note. These notes can be placed around the banner.
- The music group—Familiar choruses can be used to help people sing thanks to God for specific things (i.e. Alleluia, God is so good.)
- The charade group—Each person can charade something(s) he would like to thank God for.
At the end, everyone can join hands together and say one thing(s) he wants to thank God.
back to top
| Intergenerational Christmas Party |
Christmas is a wonderful time for each member of every family in the church to enjoy together. Why not set aside a time for this? You will want to have someone to tell the true story of Christmas holding his or her Bible. People hear a lot about Christmas, but not enough about what it really means.
- The crowd can be divided into groups and each group can enjoy every activity. They can enjoy making Jell-O jigglers using Christmas cookie cutters and talking about what each shape has to do with the true meaning of Christmas. Making Christmas cards is fun. They can be made from old Christmas card pictures. These can be glued to construction paper and new messages can be drawn or written. The new cards can be taken to hospitals or shut-ins.
- A plastic manger scene is a wonderful hands-on way to experience the Christmas story. We enjoy using all of our senses to learn. Charades about different parts of Christmas and how these relate to its real meaning is a fun game.
- Decorating Christmas cookies to eat and share is always fun. You can discuss the different shapes and Christmas. Your time could close together by singing familiar carols.
back to top
| Intergenerational Vacation Bible School |
Why not make the closing night of Vacation Bible School a time for the entire church to come and experience VBS? You could start with Bible Study.
- How about packing a bag with a couple of items from each of the first five days’ Bible studies? Children love to pull items out of a bag. Then they can help you remember the stories from the week.
- Everyone loves a good listening story. Tell the last Bible study interactively. Give the crowd cues about sounds to make for certain words. This way everyone will enjoy the Bible together.
- Then divide everyone into groups. Music, recreation, snacks and crafts are easy for people of all ages to enjoy. Missions needs to be done in short times. Clips from the video or activities from the week’s study will help this time to go well.
A sample schedule might be 7-7:20—Everyone enjoy the Bible Study together. Then let the rotations begin.
A: 7:25-7:45-Music, 7:50-8:10-Missions, 8:15-8:35-Recreation/Snack, 8:40-9-Crafts.
B: 7:25-7:45-Missions, 7:50-8:10-Recreation/Snack, 8:15-8:35-Crafts, 8:40-9-Music.
C: 7:25-7:45-Recreation/Snack, 7:50-8:10-Crafts, 8:15-8:35-Music, 8:40-9-Missions.
D: 7:25-7:45-Crafts, 7:50-8:10-Music, 8:15-8:35-Missions, 8:40-9-Recreation/Snack.
We enjoyed this schedule at 18-Mile Baptist Church, LaGrange. Special thanks to these friends.
back to top
Why not honor the senior adults in your church? All age groups can participate in this celebration. Cooking, table decorations and program can all be done for this special group. This event will need to be coordinated on the church calendar so that everyone can attend.
You might want to consider making placecards and assigning tables, so that everyone is included in family groupings. This will be a wonderful time for senior adults to get to know the children in the church. This might be a time to adopt “grandparents in the pew.” Parents, at times, need to be in Extended Teaching Care and their older children need to have someone to sit with in church.
Preschoolers and children can make new friends. Youth and adults can cook and serve the meal. Perhaps there are intergeneration groups who can sing or act together. This would be a perfect time to enjoy their talents.
This special time of honor will mean a lot to the senior adults. It might also help every generation in the church learn about one another. This would be a good winter, Valentine’s Day or early spring activity.
back to top
This party is good anytime of year, but especially good around Valentine’s Day. It is a party that all ages can attend. Perhaps it could be set up like a carnival or fair. Stations could be as follows.
- Musical Hearts—Instead of chairs use large red or pink hearts cut from 11X17 construction paper and laminated. Play the music and the people walk around, when the music stops and someone doesn’t have a heart to stand on, they can win a heart shaped cookie or answer a Bible story question.
- Hanging Hearts—Each person can make a heart person from a big heart, accordion folded arms and legs and hearts for hands and feet.
- Singing Hearts—Songs can be sung about God’s great love for us (i.e. Jesus loves me, Jesus loves the little children etc.) and our love for Him (O, How I love Jesus).
- Love Stories—Love stories from the Bible like “Jesus and the Children” can be told.
- Tic-tac-toe—Red hearts and pink hearts on a large tic-tac-toe poster can be used for two groups to answer questions about the Bible story.
- Heart Food—Everyone can enjoy decorating and eating sugar cookie hearts. Red or pink punch can also be enjoyed.
As the people of all ages move from station to station they can be reminded of how much Jesus loves them.
back to top
| Easter Egg/Scavenger Hunt |
Use the text below to guide you through this fun event.
Happy Easter! It is the most important day in the life of a Christian. Thank you for celebrating with our families.
We will be divided into four groups
- Group A: Birth-3
- Group B: 4 and 5 year olds
- Group C: 1st-3rd graders
- Group D: 4th-6th graders
Each family will be greeted as they arrive and fill out a card for the drawing.
Our time will be divided into 6 sections.
- 9:30-9:45
- 9:50-10:05
- 10:10-10:25
- 10:30-10:45
- 10:50-11:05
- 11:10-11:25
Everyone will start together for opening instructions, song and prayer.
Schedules
Each group will have a schedule. The Treasure Hunt is candy for younger children, Scavenger Hunt for older children.
A 1-Opening, 2-Egg Hunt/Story, 3-Snack, 4-Music, 5-Crafts, 6-Recreation/Treasure Hunt.
B: 1-Opening, 2-Story/Egg Hunt, 3-Recreation/Treasure Hunt, 4-Crafts, 5-Snack, 6-Music.
C: 1-Opening, 2-Crafts, 3-Hunt, Story, 4-Recreation/Treasure Hunt, 5-Music, 6-Snack.
D: 1-Opening, 2-Music, 3-Crafts, 4-Snack, 5-Recreation/Treasure Hunt, 6-Story, Scavenger Hunt.
For adult coordinators at each station, here's a handy list of activity schedules:
Crafts
9:50-10:05 - Group C
10:10-10:25 - Group D
10:30-10:45 - Group B
10:50-11:05 - Group A
Recreation/Treasure Hunt
10:10-10:25 - Group B
10:30-10:45 - Group C
10:50-11:05 - Group D
11:10-11:25 - Group A
Music
9:50-10:05 - Group D
10:30-10:45 - Group A
10:50-11:05 - Group C
11:10-11:25 - Group B
Snack
10:10-10:25 - Group A
10:30-10:45 - Group D
10:50-11:05 - Group B
11:10-11:25 - Group C
Story
9:50-9:55 - Group B
10-10:05 - Group A
10:15-10:25 - Group C
11:20-11:30 - Group D
Special thanks to Centerfield Baptist Church, Buckner and Woodland Baptist Church, Louisville for field testing this event.
back to top |