Big Games KidsGames - More Than Gold 2015

 KidsGames
for the
MANUAL
Big Games
MORE THAN GOLD KIDSGAMES IV KidsGames for the Big Games! KIDSGAMES CURRICULUM 2015 – 2016 KidsGames is a registered trademark. The material in this book or on this disk may be freely copied, translated and adapted to local needs by those churches, organizations and individuals who have registered with KidsGames. Please do this via the KidsGames website at http://www.kidsgames.com Other KidsGames resources can be found at the KidsGames website. This Handbook is the result of collaborative work by the KidsGames Education and Sports and Games Workgroups, a part of the International Sports Coalition Partnership under the KidsGames Facilitation Team as well as with Scripture Union Canada. Produced in 2015. KidsGames in the years 2004-­‐2005, 2008-­‐2009, 2012-­‐2013 and 20015-­‐2016 are part of the More Than Gold partnership worldwide. KidsGames in 2006-­‐2007 and 2010-­‐ 2011 are part of The Ultimate Goal partnership. 2 TYPE THE DOCUMENT TITLE Contents
Introduction
Unit 1 The Coachable Athlete Unit 2 The Team Athlete Unit 3 The Persevering Athlete Unit 4 The Forgiven Athlete Unit 5 The Victorious Athlete Appendix
3 Getting Ready!
WHAT IS KIDSGAMES?
SPECIAL ELEMENTS OF KIDSGAMES
KidsGames is a worldwide phenomenon connecting with children through sports and games, the Bible, creativity and fun all integrated into an easy-­‐to-­‐run initiative. The 2015 curriculum is designed to be run as a 5-­‐day sports and games program for children ages 6-­‐12, although earlier versions have been designed, with great success globally to run for 10 sessions. KidsGames is being introduced with the intent that churches across Ontario will host their own KidsGames in 2015 alongside the Pan American and Parapan American Games. MULTI-­‐SPORT FOCUS The main components of KidsGames are: •
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Sports – for those children who enjoy competing in their chosen sport. KidsGames provides an opportunity for play and for coaching these skills. Experiential Games – especially designed games that teach a lesson linked to the values and Biblical message of the day. •
Big Games – a time to let children be children, to have fun, play and enjoy being kids. •
Biblical or Value Lessons – an opportunity to share our faith and give children good roots in life. KidsGames is a great opportunity for your church to connect with your community. This manual will give you the basic pieces for planning your very own KidsGames. But it doesn’t stop there … KidsGames for the Big Games focuses on the Parapan Am sports as well. This gives kids the opportunity to learn what it means to overcome against all odds, as well as teaching about compassion and accepting people with different abilities. OPENING AND CLOSING CEREMONIES Every KidsGames has an extra special ceremony to kick off and close the event – much like the Pan Am and Parapan Am Games do. The main purpose of an opening ceremony: •
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4 TYPE THE DOCUMENT TITLE To be lots of fun To introduce KidsGames to the community To introduce the sports, the values and the message in a non-­‐threatening way To set up anticipation of what will happen in KidsGames in the days/weeks ahead To raise enthusiasm of the children, leaders and the community To create a sense of belonging in a community-­‐wide event The main purpose of a closing ceremony: •
KidsGames for the Big Games will teach kids about the various sporting competitions that will be held during the Games. Fun twists on common sports will not only allow kids to try out some of these sports for the first time – but also to learn important Biblical and value lessons as well. Impacting society -­‐ the peak of the program, the big event! To give out awards and medals To reflect on the week’s activities – through videos and photos To creatively present and reiterate the good news of Jesus ABOUT THE SPORTS & GAMES
KidsGames is fun and exciting for a number of reasons. One of the key reasons is that kids get to play a lot! There are three types of sports and games that children will enjoy in KidsGames: BIG GAMES Big Games are played for enjoyment and as a way to bring your whole group together. They are used in the warm-­‐up and closing sections of each day. The Big Games reinforce the daily theme and are also designed to teach children about various Pan Am and Parapan Am sports. EXPERIENTIAL GAMES Experiential Games are those that lend themselves to helping children discover biblical and life application principles. They are found in the ‘Experiential Games’ section that introduces the ‘Small Group Time’ every day. ACTIVITY SESSIONS Activity Sessions are one-­‐hour blocks that are unprescribed in this curriculum and are selected by the KidsGames coordinator. (Highlighted in grey on the ‘Sample Full Day Schedule’ on page 13.) They will be unique to each KidsGames depending on the strengths and interests of the community in which that particular KidsGames occurs. The number of Activity Sessions used depends on the total length desired for that particular KidsGames. A six-­‐hour program would contain 3 Activity Sessions, as suggested in the Sample Full Day Schedule available on page 12. Suggested activities and resources to fill these Activity Sessions have been provided on pages 12-­‐15. Remember sports and games allow leaders to build relationships and are a universal language. To make the most of these opportunities, please spend time referring to the KidsGames Sports and Games Manual that can be found online at: http://www.kidsgames.com/en/resourcecollection.
aspx?id=18 There is a wealth of open source practical resources for leaders in the ‘Downloads’ section that can be found on the KidsGames homepage: http://www.kidsgames.com Among these, you will read about the experiential learning model that is being used in KidsGames, different types of sports and games, what motivates kids, dealing with competition and 'how tos' of basic sports and games instruction. There are also many ideas for fun games and ideas for your sports practice and competition. ABOUT THE CURRICULUM
The 2015 KidsGames curriculum is designed to teach children about Pan Am and Parapan Am Sports and be a fun way to bring them into the action and hype surrounding the Games. The ‘Big Game’ and ‘Experiential Game’ sections serve the dual purpose of giving kids a taste of the competitive sports that will be happening during the Games, as well as teach biblical core values. During this program, children will reflect on the themes of coachability, teamwork, perseverance, forgiveness and living victoriously. With an equivalent focus on both Pan Am and Parapan Am sport, issues surrounding compassion and disability will also be addressed. Through the ‘Small Group Time’, children will learn how Christ treated people, and how we should do the same. The aims of the curriculum are: •
To encourage children to take the next step on their faith journey, whether that be a first-­‐time commitment to follow Christ and be on God’s team, or to take their own faith to the next level. •
To encourage children to develop and enjoy skills in Pan Am and Parapan Am sport as well as other areas of talent. •
To encourage children to reflect on, and develop the core values of being coachable, being good teammates, persevering, forgiving, and living in true victory in Christ. 5 INVITATION & RESPONSE
Our desire is that, as children participate in KidsGames, they would respond to its message of God's infinite love by choosing to follow Jesus. For those children who have already done so, we hope that the curriculum will encourage them as they continue the adventure of following Jesus. We recognize that there are many ways in which a child can respond to what they understand about God. For some children, even the choice to follow Jesus will be part of a journey which may have begun before KidsGames, or which may take its first steps during or even after KidsGames. This curriculum has been written in such a way that there is a clear presentation of the heart of the Gospel and an opportunity in every unit for the child to come into a relationship with Jesus. We recognize that some who use this curriculum may be more comfortable with a different, slower approach. If you wish to do so, please adapt the curriculum to suit your own approach but keep in mind that over the time in which children participate in KidsGames: •
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They should build up a clear understanding of the message of God’s grace and forgiveness Clear opportunities should be given for children to choose to follow Jesus and to talk with leaders about what this might mean We are not trying to minimize the urgency of our task, but to recognize the spectrum of children’s ministry approaches to this task PRAYER
In the ‘Huddle’ section each day we have made specific suggestions for prayer, but we have assumed that prayer will not be limited to these suggestions. Children need to experience prayer as conversation with a living God. We need to model how they can pray, e.g. thanksgiving, confession, praise, praying for others etc. There will be opportunities for leaders to pray aloud for and with the children, but there should also be times in which a child may pray on behalf of the group, or in 6 TYPE THE DOCUMENT TITLE which children can pray for each other. Often a time of quiet prayer will be appropriate, as we invite children to think about their response to what they have learned. Some of our children may have few links with people who know Jesus. We need to make sure that after the end of KidsGames, they will be able to use prayer to go on building their relationship with God. MEMORY VERSE: PHIL 3:14
We have chosen Philippians 3:14 as the theme verse for KidsGames for the Big Games. Leaders should aim to make memorization enjoyable and fun, so that children look forward to building up their Bible knowledge. We have offered suggestions for ways to teach the memory verse to children. These are guidelines only, and we recommend that you choose ways that are most suitable for your group, your culture and your language. Some ideas that you might consider would be: •
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Singing: Some of the Bible verses for this program may already be in song form. Otherwise, make up a catchy tune or put the verse to a well-­‐known tune. Rhythm/rap: This is particularly good for long verses! Use your imagination and put the verse to a beat. Add claps, clicks, and knee-­‐slaps… Actions: Make up actions (movements, gestures). Better still, ask children to make them up. Shapes: Some verses lend themselves to drawing the words in various shapes Jumbled words: Write the words on separate cards and have the children arrange them in the right order. Puzzles/codes: Write the verse in code form, and ask the children to decipher it. (For example, substitute numbers for letters.) Remember that the key to memorization is repetition, but this can be boring unless it is done imaginatively. For example: •
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Remove a word: begin with the whole verse on card/chalkboard Remove words (tear them, erase them) and ask the children to repeat the verse each time a word disappears. Popcorn drill: one-­‐person pops up to say the first word, followed by the next, and the next… and so on! Voices: Whispering, shouting, echoing, singing in a round, boys challenge girls, groups challenge one another etc. Make sure that: •
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Children know that the verse comes from the Bible (read it to them directly at some point). The meaning of the verse, including any difficult words/ideas is explained. READING THE BIBLE TEXT
Our aim is to awaken in the children a love for, and confidence in, God’s word, the Bible. We have assumed that the children either are not yet old enough to read, or will not all have access to a Bible. In the ‘Bible Discovery’ section of each lesson, we suggest different ways in which the children can become familiar with the Bible text. The story may be retold in words the children will understand, or it may be dramatized, or the Bible passage may be read aloud and the children invited to respond to questions. When Small Group Leaders read the Bible passage, they should do so with expression and enthusiasm, changing voices for different characters, altering speed, tone and volume. Choose a reliable version of the Bible that is easy for children to understand. If you need help purchasing Bibles, Scripture Union Canada has camper packages available at a very low cost that include a free New Testament Bible (when you buy the camper package) and a 20-­‐day set of follow up devotions called the ‘Camper Playbook.’ Camper packages can be ordered online at: http://www.scriptureunion.ca/bookstore-­‐1/more-­‐
than-­‐gold-­‐resources ABOUT RELATIONSHIP
The key to KidsGames is relationship. Friendships will be forged during the sports and games, the Bible discovery, the small group activities, the informal chats, the warm atmosphere of fun and acceptance and the follow-­‐through. Some children will be amazed to find adults who want to take time to get to know them, enjoy being with them. Other successful KidsGames programs have included a special location called the ‘Chat Spot’. It can be under a tree or in the corner of a room. This is a place where children can go if they want to chat more about the things they have been learning, what it means to follow Jesus, or any other issue in their lives. For privacy it is a good idea that this area be slightly separated from the area where the main activities are being held, for safety reasons, please ensure it is visible at all times. It is not a place for children to go to avoid other activities! The Chat Spot should be ‘manned’ by leaders before and after the Bible discovery and related sports and games are taking place. Some children may want to come early to talk; others will want to stay later. Try to make sure that at least one of the people in the Chat Room is permanent, so that there is continuity. Books, toys, games will make it a safe and comfortable place for children to feel ‘at home.’ Don’t assume that you know why a child has come to chat. Give every child time to open the conversation. Remember, having the perfect program is not nearly as important as building friendships. Take time to talk. Relax. Give children the opportunity to see in the way that the team of leaders interacts with each other and with them, glimpses of what it means to be a follower of Jesus. 7 CURRICULUM AT A GLANCE
Day 1 Theme: The Coachable Athlete Games Focus: Listening to instructions and following directions. Bible Theme: God created the world; He created this race and set the rules. In order to succeed, we need to listen to His instructions and read His Game Plan. Day 2 Theme: The Team Athlete Games Focus: Working as a team. Bible Theme: God created us to be on His team. He has assigned each person unique gifts and talents to be used for a specific role. It is our choice to become a team player on God’s team. Day 3 Theme: The Persevering Athlete Games Focus: Overcoming challenges as a team through perseverance. Bible Theme: God never gives up on us, and wants what’s best for us. He wants us to persevere in our prayers and in our faith. Day 4 Theme: The Forgiven Athlete Games Focus: Getting second chances. Bible Theme: Everyone has sinned and needs forgiveness. God wants us to be on His team. We can be on God’s team when we admit that we have sinned, believe what Jesus did for us on the cross and ask God for forgiveness. Day 5 Theme: The Victorious Athlete Games Focus: Victory through teamwork. Bible Theme: The ultimate prize is heaven, but Jesus wants us to complete the race to the best of our abilities and has given us a helper, the Holy Spirit, as well as the Bible and other Christians. 8 TYPE THE DOCUMENT TITLE IN EVERY UNIT
Preparation What you will need to prepare ahead of time is listed at the beginning of each activity. Character Monologue Fun sports characters that help introduce the theme of each day. Link It Up! The learning goal of each day that serves to link all of the activities together. Activity Session Main Biblical Teaching Bible Passage Timetable Big Games Adapt It The theme of the biblical lesson discussed in the Small Group Activity. The Bible passage that will be explored in the Small Group Activity. Experiential Game A game played prior to the Small Group Activity that helps children experience the biblical lesson themselves. The game is discussed afterwards. Ultimate Fan A character that appears after the Experiential Game to tie the game to Pan Am and Parapan Am Sport. An outline of a suggested 6-­‐hour schedule for your KidsGames. Suggested games to use that reinforce the theme of each day. Suggestions on how to adapt activities to include children with additional needs. An unprescribed 50-­‐minute block that you can adapt according to your resources and needs. See pages 12-­‐15 for additional sport, games and creative arts resources. Hot Seat With A quick interview with a volunteer an Athlete that gives kids the perspective of someone they know and can relate to. The interview introduces the concepts for the Small Group Activity. Small Group Activity Children will break into small groups and read the Bible passage and discuss it. The Small Group Activity is divided into ‘Warm Up’, ‘Dig Deep’ and ‘Huddle’ sections. 9 SAMPLE FULL DAY SCHEDULE
Timing Activity Notes 8:15 – 8:45 Meet and pray With volunteers and staff. 8:45 – 9:00 Participant sign-­‐in Sign-­‐in all children and keep record of attendance. Handout t-­‐
shirts and water bottles. (Detailed info and resources available in the SU Camp Planning Manual.) 9:00 – 9:20 Big Game Look for in the daily curriculum. 9:20 – 9:35 Stretch and Discuss Look for in the daily curriculum. 9:35 – 9:45 Character Monologue Look for in the daily curriculum. 9:45 – 10:35 Activity Session 1 (Not provided in curriculum.) Have children rotate through sports or other activities according to age group. Suggested resources on pages 12-­‐15. 10:35 – 10:50 Snack Either provided by the church, or brought by children. 10:50 – 11:40 Activity Session 2 (Not provided in curriculum.) Have children rotate through activities according to age group. Suggested resources on pages 12-­‐15. 11:40 – 12:10 Prayer and lunch Either provided by the church, or brought by children. 12:10 – 12:30 Music Use familiar kids worship songs or use KidsGames Music at: http://www.kidsgames.com/en/resourcecollection.aspx?id=5 12:30 – 1:20 Activity Session 3 (Not provided in curriculum.) Have children rotate through sports or other activities according to age group. Suggested resources on pages 12-­‐15. 1:20 – 1:35 Snack Either provided by the church, or brought by children. 1:35 – 1:50 Experiential Game Look for in the daily curriculum. 1:50 – 2:00 Ultimate Fan Look for in the daily curriculum. 2:00 – 2:05 Hot Seat with an Athlete Look for in the daily curriculum. 2:05 – 2:25 Small Group Time Look for in the daily curriculum. 2:25 – 2:45 Big Game Look for in the daily curriculum. 2:45 – 3:00 Awards, dismiss, sign-­‐out Recognize kids for great effort and attitude. 3:00 – 3:30 Debrief and pray See SU Camp Planning Manual for suggestions. 10 TYPE THE DOCUMENT TITLE ADAPTING THE CURRICULUM
VISUAL AIDS
Although the lessons are fairly detailed, we want Small Group Leaders to feel free to use their own creativity and gifts to adapt the material to their own children and situation. Sections may be adapted, omitted, or replaced with other activities. As part of the KidsGames curriculum, there are some resources that can be photocopied and used as visual aids available in the Appendix starting on page 50. However we have deliberately kept to a minimum the pictures that need to be photocopied, enlarged and distributed. The reasons are that such visual aids are expensive if they are needed with small groups, and hard to see if the groups are large. The curriculum has been written so that there are small group discussions/activities each day. This is to accommodate different age groups; the small groups should be divided according to age. Remember that the younger age group will only be able to concentrate for short periods of time, so the segments of the lesson need to be broken into smaller sections. Inserting songs or a quick physical activity can do this. Younger children will require more visual aids or active involvement, and will be less able to understand abstract ideas. The older age group will be more able to discuss how the teaching applies to their own lives, so provide opportunity in small groups for the discussion of issues, sharing of opinions, or the raising of questions. Remember that children of any age can and should be encouraged to talk to God/Jesus, and can respond to his love and his call. So you want a different length of program? Although the ‘Sample Full-­‐Day Schedule’ on page 7 shows a 6-­‐hour full day format, you may wish to run a half-­‐day program, or alternatively a longer day program. For half-­‐day programs, the activity session blocks in each day can be left out, and the curriculum can be used as is without additional resources. For a longer program, we recommend checking out the additional resources listed on pages 12-­‐15. Nevertheless the program is full of ideas for visualization. These include: •
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The leaders and the children – through drama, story telling, interviews. Real people are the most effective visual aid that you have! Simple ‘props’ such as signs, ‘costume’ ideas. Materials that you can easily make or find. SONGS & MUSIC
Each culture has its own songs about God. We expect that leaders will choose songs suitable for the age of the children and appropriate to the main teaching point of the lesson. In some places special KidsGames songs are being written. We do suggest using the KidsGames Theme Song that is available for download at: http://www.kidsgames.com/en/resource/2327/Kids
Games-­‐Theme-­‐Song 11 FILLING THE ACTIVITY SESSIONS
There are countless options for filling the ‘Activity Sessions’, and what you choose should reflect the needs, values and talents of your church and surrounding community. We have included some suggestions here that range in activity style as well as cost. WORLD WATER BUCKET RELAY
THE MILLION HOURS PROJECT
Join thousands of kids at hundreds of KidsGames all around the world who are making their contribution. A million hours is the equivalent of the work done in one year by 400 full time workers! Or in more than a century of 24 hours a day service! An international phenomenon that began in 2000, the World Water Bucket Championships allow your teams to play against teams from KidsGames programs all around the world and compare their results at: http://www.worldcupofkidsgames.com/en/def
ault.aspx There are two types of Water Bucket Matches: Official World Championship Events Official World Championship Events can only be played at an official KidsGames Closing Ceremony. Within an Official World Championship Event there are "qualifying rounds" and "Championship Final rounds". Results from the “Championship Final rounds” are submitted as the official results. Fun Matches A Water Bucket "Fun Match" can be played anywhere by anyone. You can download the KidsGames World Championships Manual at: http://www.kidsgames.com/en/resource/1353/Kids
Games-­‐World-­‐Championships-­‐Manual 12 TYPE THE DOCUMENT TITLE Decide on a project your children will work on or participate in throughout the week. For ideas and helpful tips, download the KidsGames Compassion Manual at: http://www.kidsgames.com/en/resource/1356/Co
mpassion-­‐Manual You might do a little bit every day, or have a Compassion Event during the week. Then, register the hours of service your children have completed at: http://www.worldcupofkidsgames.com/en/default.
aspx You don’t have to stop there: •
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You’ve done it once – continue to do more Compassion Days, Projects or KidsGames Keep on registering the hours! Together, kids around the world are making the goal of one million hours of service attainable! MORE RECOMMENDED DOWNLOADS
Register online at: http://www.kidsgames.com for access to dozens of free manuals for organizers, including planning tools, extra curriculum, sports manuals, games ideas, songs, videos and templates. For KidsGames for the Big Games in particular, we would recommend the following downloads for use with this curriculum: •
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KidsGames Sports and Games Manual: http://www.kidsgames.com/en/resource/1
350/KidsGames-­‐Sports-­‐and-­‐Games-­‐Manual KidsGames Disabilities Manual: http://www.kidsgames.com/en/resource/1
357/Disabilities-­‐Manual KidsGames Theme Song: http://www.kidsgames.com/en/resource/2
327/KidsGames-­‐Theme-­‐Song 13 SCRIPTURE UNION CANADA
SU CAMP PACKAGES
Scripture Union Canada (SU) has been in Canada for more than 100 years with the aim of connecting Canadians with Jesus and His Story. One of the main focuses has always been children’s ministry – and for years SU has gone out into communities across Canada and worked alongside churches to tell children about Jesus. SPORTS CAMP WITH A MISSION TEAM -­‐ $750 Work with an incoming mission team and choose from soccer, basketball, ball hockey, baseball or volleyball (or choose a combination). You will receive: •
SU is committed to equipping the church – we are here to support you! With over 8 years of experience in sports ministry in a recreational context, SU is a great resource for any church looking to connect with their community through sport. SU Camps are quality sports camps run in communities across Ontario each summer – SU has taken their experience and used it to provide this KidsGames manual for you. SU has also developed two different optional sport camp packages to compliment your KidsGames program. WHY USE SPORTS?
Glad you asked! At Scripture Union Canada, we have found that using a sports-­‐based format for our camps can attract as many as 80% of children from outside the church. During the Pan Am and Parapan Am Games, Toronto and the GTA will be sports crazy! What an amazing opportunity for the church to capitalize on the buzz and excitement of the games and offer opportunities for kids to play the very sports that their favorite athletes will be competing in! •
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To book a sports camp with a missions team go to: http://morethangold2015.ca/get-­‐your-­‐church-­‐
involved/sports-­‐outreach/sports-­‐camps/ SPORTS CAMP WITH RESOURCES ONLY -­‐ $250 Run by your own staff and volunteers, this option includes: •
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Full day of training for three people provided by SU Canada as part of More Than Gold’s ‘Get Set’ training tour. SU Camp Planning Manual. Three SU Sports Coaching Manuals (choose three from soccer, basketball, ball hockey, baseball or volleyball). 25 camper packages: includes a Bible, and Bible reading guide. Additional camper packages available for purchase. T-­‐shirts and water bottles available for purchase. To book a sports camp with a resources only go to: http://morethangold2015.ca/get-­‐your-­‐church-­‐
involved/sports-­‐outreach/sports-­‐camps/
14 TYPE THE DOCUMENT TITLE Full day of training for three people provided by SU Canada as part of More Than Gold’s ‘Get Set’ training tour. Mission team matching through More Than Gold. SU Canada will provide coaching manuals and training in advance to the mission team. SU Camp Planning Manual. Three SU Sports Coaching Manuals. 25 camper packages: includes a t-­‐shirt, water bottle, Bible, and Bible reading guide. Additional camper packages available for purchase. ADDITIONAL CAMP RESOURCES FROM SU CANADA
‘The Camper Playbook’ will help 8-­‐
12 year olds continue their faith journey long after your camp or program has finished. Based on 20 readings from the Gospel of Matthew, this booklet comes with a free New Testament Bible. This edition of ‘The Camper Playbook’ is based on 20 readings from the Gospel of Mark. Free New Testament Bible included. This edition of ‘The Camper Playbook’ is based on 20 readings from the Gospel of Luke. Free New Testament Bible included. This edition of ‘The Camper Playbook’ is based on 20 readings from the Gospel of John. Free New Testament Bible included. ‘Decathlon’ will help youth aged 12 -­‐ 18 dig deeper into the Bible through sports-­‐themed, guided discussions. ‘Sports Fun for Messy Churches’ will help the whole family participate in fun-­‐filled sports and games together. For information and ordering: www.scriptureunion.ca/bookstore-­‐1/more-­‐than-­‐gold-­‐resources
15 1
The Coachable Athlete
UNIT AIMS
PREPARATION
Link It Up!: Children will discover that an effective way to be prepared for the ‘race of life’ is to listen to the coach. Main Biblical Teaching: God created the world; He created this race and set the rules. In order to succeed, we need to listen to His instructions and read His Game Plan. ❐ Markers and crayons to decorate badges ❐ Pan Am facts for each country station (Appendix 1.2) ❐ KidsGames theme song or other Opening Ceremonies music cued ❐ ’Flame’ that can be ‘lit’ during Opening Ceremonies. (Visit http://www.wikihow.com/Make-­‐
a-­‐Fake-­‐Fire for suggestions.) Bible Passage: John 10:1–11 ❐ Script and instructions given to Announcer for Opening Ceremonies APPROXIMATE TIMING
❐ Script and costume give to Roger Run-­‐A-­‐Lot ❐ Script, costume given to Sports Geek ❐ Accreditation badge for each child (Appendix 1.1) ❐ Volunteer chosen and prepped for ‘Hot Seat with an Athlete’ 1
Opening Ceremonies 45 min 2
Stretch and Discuss 15 min 3
Character Monologue 10 min ❐ Choose 3 activities for activity blocks if doing full-­‐
day programming (see pages 12-­‐15 for ideas.) 4
Experiential Game 15 min 5
Ultimate Fan 10 min ❐ Consider how to adapt activities as necessary for children with special needs 6
Hot Seat with an Athlete 5 min ❐ Collect necessary equipment for activity blocks and provide leaders with coaching manuals or directions 7
Small Group Time 20 min ❐ Enough blindfolds for half of your group to use during Experiential Game 8
Big Game 20 min ❐ Prepare awards/prizes for the end of the day ❐ Small group leaders given copies of small group questions as well as Bibles for children 1. OPENING CEREMONIES
45 minutes … Have an announcer conducting the opening ceremonies. Make sure you welcome each child to the program. Give the children their own accreditation badge (Appendix 1.1) or let them make their own. You could have a special security gate, like at the Pan Am Games, and check each child in. Make it fun and special for the children. Once the children have been welcomed, divide them into their different ‘national teams’ (these will be decided according to age and will be the same groups that will rotate through activities together throughout the week). This is a time to get to know the children, laugh and especially have fun! It is important that leaders are involved in the games and build relationships. WARM UP ACTIVITY Present each ‘national team’ with the fact sheet about their own Pan Am country and their flag (Appendix 1.2) Have children learn about the country they will represent for the week and colour the flag if desired. Be sure to build on the knowledge of the group by asking if they know any additional facts about the country. Decide on a team name (e.g. ‘The Mexican Chihuahuas’) and make up a team cheer. PARADE OF NATIONS: 8 MINUTES Announcer presents countries as they walk in. Music plays if available. (KidsGames theme song available for download at: http://www.kidsgames.com/en/resource/2327/Kids
Games-­‐Theme-­‐Song ) ‘National teams’ sit together and watch until all the countries have marched in. WELCOME: 5 MINUTES Announcer welcomes everyone to KidsGames and Announcer leads kids in singing the national anthem of the home/host country and introduces staff/volunteers. Announcer: Welcome Athletes and Coaches to KidsGames! We are so glad that all of you have joined us this week to learn about the Pan Am & Para Pan Am games and to participate in Pan Am & Para Pan Am sports. We will now commence the opening of these games by lighting the KidsGames flame to symbolize the light of spirit, knowledge and life. I invite you all to join me in the singing of the Canadian national anthem. (Anthem is sung.) I would like to introduce you to all the coaches and staff who will be here this week. (Introduce everyone.) RULES/ATHLETE & COACH OATH: 10 MINUTES Announcer presents the rules of KidsGames (make this fun by asking people to act out everything they should not do to) and the athletes (kids) and the coaches/volunteers/staff read their respective oaths. Announcer: Part of participating in any sporting event is respecting and following the rules that have been put in place. The rules exist to ensure that everyone is safe and able to participate. Here at KidsGames we have five rules that everyone needs to remember this week. All of the rules have to do with respect. Who can tell me what respect means? (Allow children time to answer and discuss). The rules are: 1) Respect the leaders 2) Respect each other 3) Respect the facilities 4) Respect the equipment 5) Have fun. Another important part of any sports games is the integrity of everyone involved. Today I invite everyone to join with me in repeating an oath committing to respect KidsGames values. Please repeat after me: In the name of all the athletes here today we promise we will participate in these KidsGames, respecting and following by the rules which have been put in place, agreeing to play fair without cheating, in the true spirit of sportsmanship, to praise God and respect and honour one another. LIGHTING OF THE KIDSGAMES FLAME: 2 MINUTES Announcer: It is with great excitement and anticipation that I declare the 2015 KidsGames officially open! (Flame is lit.) Let KidsGames begin! 17 2. STRETCH & DISCUSS
3. CHARACTER MONOLOGUE
20 minutes … 10 minutes … Announcer: Just like any athlete, it’s very important that we warm up our muscles each day before we get active. Come and join me in a big circle while we stretch for the day. ROGER RUN-­‐A-­‐LOT SUGGESTED STRETCHES (See Appendix 1.3 for photos) •
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Stretch shoulders by holding arm straight across chest and holding with opposite hand for 10 seconds on each side Arm circles from small to big to small again Stretch quadriceps by standing on one leg and holding the opposite ankle with the hand of the same side behind your glutes for 10 seconds on each side Sit down to stretch hamstrings by sitting with the sole of your opposite foot against your thigh and reaching with the same hand across to your outstretched ankle for 10 seconds on each side Stretch inner thighs and glutes by sitting in a butterfly stretch, with the soles of your feet pressed together, and elbows on knees for 10 seconds Have children count in different Pan Am languages together while holding the stretches: •
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French: Un, deux, trois, quatre, cinq, six, sept, huit, neuf, dix. Spanish: Uno, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco, seis, seite, ocho, nueve, diez. Portuguese: Um, dois, três, quarto, cinco, seis, sete, oito, nove, dez. You may want to add funny voices, superheroes, different volumes, etc. Make it fun and silly! Have each group teach everyone what they learned about their different Pan Am countries and present team cheers if ready. 18 TYPE THE DOCUMENT TITLE (Roger Run-­‐a-­‐Lot enters wearing running clothes with one shoe on and the other just attached to his ankle by its laces. He is absent-­‐mindedly holding a sign with a bunch of different coloured arrows on it He is panting heavily, sweating like crazy, and limping.) Roger Run-­‐a-­‐Lot: “Hi … (pant, pant) Hi, guys! How’s (pant) KidsGames (pant) going? Who’s excited to be here? I’m so excited that you’re all here! (pant, pant) Guess what? This week each day you lucky kids get to meet my family and myself. My whole family is into different sports and I’m excited for them to tell you about themselves … but I’m the best just so you all know. Can we all say that together? On the count of 3 everyone: “Roger Run a Lot is the best! 1, 2, 3!” (Get kids to repeat.) Anyway who can guess where I just came from? (Get kids to guess) That’s right I was running! But while I was running I had something big happen to me that I bet has never happened to you kids. I just accidentally ran a marathon! Have any of you guys ever accidentally run a marathon? I think it’s my own fault that it happened though. I had signed up to run a short 5km run. There were a lot of races going on along parts of the same route. The race staff gave us a sheet with a map that showed our route and what colour arrows we needed to follow to stay on the 5km course. But well, I was really excited about the run and sometimes I get impatient so I just threw out the sheet of paper without looking at it. Has anyone ever done that? (Give children a chance to respond.) Anyway, so when I arrived at the race there were different color arrows pointing different ways and I didn’t know where to go for the 5km path. Hey look here is one of the signs (pulls out stick with different color arrows on it). Anyway I just decided to follow the arrow with my favorite color on it, which is blue! Anyone else have blue as a favorite color? (Give children time to respond.) Yeah, blue is the best color. Anyway turns out the blue was for the marathon runners who were running 42km! Boy was that way longer and harder than I expected. I also think I may have pulled a muscle (limps around). I think if I ever do a running race again I need to prepare better. I need to listen to the advice and instructions I’m given and I need to train better if I want to run a longer race. I think this experience has shown me that there are people all around us who want to help guide us if we are willing to listen. Hmm that reminds me of something my mother Jessica Jogs-­‐a-­‐Lot once told me: God created the world; He created this race and set the rules. In order to succeed, we need to listen to His instructions and read His Game Plan – that He has given us in the Bible! Do you guys think that maybe if I had listened better to the instructions I would have succeeded at staying on the 5km route instead of getting lost? (Give children a chance to respond) ... yes you might be right. I guess it’s something I should think more about. Anyway I have to go get this leg of mine looked at. Bye guys! (Limps, hops, away and almost falls over.) partner from group one in order to finish the game. VARIATIONS •
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ADAPT IT! •
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4. EXPERIENTIAL GAME
15 minutes… Children will experience a game where they need to listen and obey the instructions in order to succeed. BLINDFOLDED OBSTACLE COURSE •
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Divide children into two or more groups. Take group one over to a simple obstacle course that you have set up (i.e. a weaving line around small objects/cones). Leave group two with a leader, where they can’t hear or see you. Demonstrate the obstacle course path to group one. Explain that they will have to lead a partner from group two (who is blindfolded) through the course only using verbal directions. They can’t touch their partner. Bring the blindfolded group two over. Explain that they will need to listen to their Have guides stand on one side of the course and have all of their partners go through the obstacle course together. They will have to know the sound of their partner’s voice in order to avoid stepping on the obstacles. Depending on numbers, you can use side-­‐
by-­‐side obstacle courses or just have one pair go through at a time. Time the pairs to make the game more challenging if desired. If there is time, have the groups switch blindfolds, and change the obstacle course and repeat. If you have children with mobility challenges, simplify the obstacle course so that they can complete it safely. If you have a child with a visual impairment, be sensitive to their needs. Let the children know that while they are experiencing blindness for a short moment, this is not really what it is like to be blind every day, all the time. If the child is comfortable speaking about their experience, this would be a great opportunity for them to share how important it is for them to be able to follow and trust those who help guide them in everyday life. QUESTIONS ABOUT THE GAME •
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What was it like going through the course blindfolded? What did you find challenging about giving directions? What did you find challenging about following the directions? 19 5 . ULTIMATE FAN?
10 minutes … THE ULTIMATE FAN (The Ultimate Fan comes bursting in, wearing various sports team gear, with a giant foam finger, or some sort of a sign, noisemaker, etc. He or she is very loud and enthusiastic about all things Pan Am.) Ultimate Fan: Woooooohooooooo! Hey kiiiiids! Is this awesome or what? Can I hear you shout? (Give kids the chance to cheer.) C’mon, what about the wave?? Can I see some wave action here? (Leads kids in a few rounds of the wave.) It’s time for me to welcome you to my show. Welcome to … (in big, booming monster truck voice) THE ULTIMATE FAN! And you know what I am excited about? (Have kids guess.) That’s right, THE PAN AM GAMES! But did you know that the fun doesn’t end there? Did you know there’s another amazing sporting event that happens right after? Do you know what it is? (Give kids chance to guess.) It’s the PARAPAN AM GAMES! These are Games for athletes who compete with some sort of a disability. And I think it’s super cool, because not only have these athletes overcome some major challenges in their lives, they’ve gone on to become crazy good athletes as well! At the Parapan Am Games, which will happen from August 7-­‐15th, there will be athletes competing who are blind, which means they can’t see! Some of these athletes rely on guides just like the ones who guided you through the race course – except these guides are usually attached to the athletes who are blind by either holding their arm, using a special rope, or for cycling, ride on a special bike called a ‘tandem’ that is made for two people! (You may want to use the images available in Appendix 1.4 to show the children pictures of athletes competing with sighted guides.) It is very important that the athletes who are blind listen very carefully to their guides. It is just as important that the guides do a good job in leading their athletes – they need to be very clear in what they are saying, and make sure that they know the race course as well! 20 TYPE THE DOCUMENT TITLE Next on The Ultimate Fan we are going to talk to an athlete who competes in ______ (insert any sport here) – another sport where it is very important to listen to your coach before you compete! Put your hands together and welcome our next guest, ______________. (Have children clap and cheer.) Hello, and welcome to this special portion of our show, THE HOT SEAT! Today we will be interviewing you! 6. THE HOT SEAT
5 minutes … (The Ultimate Fan proceeds to ad lib the interview with the volunteer.) •
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What is your name? What sport do you do? What’s your favorite thing about your sport? What are some of the things you do to get ready to compete? Who taught you how to do your sport? What is the best advice you’ve been given by a coach? Why was it important to listen to what your coach had to say? Well thank you so much for joining us today on the ULTIMATE FAN! Let’s give our guest a big round of applause. (Children to break out into small groups.) 7. SMALL GROUP TIME
20 minutes … WARM UP Thank God for parents, coaches, teachers and other leaders who help us make good decisions and keep us safe. Ask God to help us learn more about His plans for our life. JUMP IN John 10:1–11. DIG DEEP •
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How does the shepherd call the sheep? (By name. John 10:3) Why do the sheep follow him and not the thief or the robber or the stranger? (Because they know his voice. John 10:4) What part of the sheepfold, (the pen where the sheep are kept) does Jesus compare himself to? (The door. John 10:9) Why does He compare himself to the door? What does He mean by this? (Because He is the only way to get to the truly good life, and the only way to be with Him in heaven. John 10:9) Why did Jesus say He came? (So that they may have abundant life. John 10:10) What does ‘abundant life’ mean? (Really, really good! Filled right to the top!) Why should we listen to Jesus? (Because He has a good life in store for us. John 10:10) What does that last verse say will happen if we listen and obey? DO IT! •
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Who or where do you get advice from? How has that person guided you? Why is it important to choose carefully where we get advice? God has a plan for your life, and it’s a good one! Sometimes though, it can be hard to know what that plan is. Just like some racecourses, we can come up against turns and blind corners. We might not know why certain things have happened, or we might not know what’s coming on the path ahead. But God promises to be with us, and asks us to listen for His voice. He has given us the Bible to be a “light for our paths” (Psalm 119:105). Reading it will make the path we are supposed to follow easier to see. God promises us that this path will lead to good things, but in order to stay on the path, we need to listen and obey. Otherwise we might get on the wrong track and go the wrong way! God asks us to listen so we won’t veer off course and get hurt. He can see around those blind corners that we can’t – that’s why it’s so important that we listen to Him! This week, we will learn more about some of the things that God has put in the Bible to help us out – it’s like our road map for life – but we need to know how to read it, or we won’t know what it says. HUDDLE Thank God for His word that is in the Bible, and for coaches in our lives who guide us and teach us the right way to live. Ask God for wisdom and strength to follow his instructions; not just hear and forget. MEMORY VERSE “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” ~ Philippians 3:14 Check out ideas on page 15 to make memorization effective and fun! 8. BIG GAME
20 minutes… CAPTAIN’S COMING Remind the children that the theme of the day has been being a coachable athlete – and that means being a good listener! Introduce the game “Captain’s Coming!” •
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Ask: How many different Pan Am Sports can you think of that use boats? • Rowing: single, double, pair, four, quad, eight • Kayaking: K1, K2, K4 – flat-­‐water, K1 whitewater • Canoeing: C1, C2, C4 – flat-­‐water, C1 whitewater Explain that at the captain’s orders, all crew members must do one of the following: o Bow: Run to the ‘front’ of the ‘ship.’ o Stern: Run to the ‘back’ of the ‘ship.’ Demonstrate where the children should run. o Port: Run to the ‘left’ of the ‘ship.’ o Starboard: Run to the ‘right’ of the ‘ship.’ o Climb the Rigging: Stand on the spot and climb the ‘rigging’. 21 Captain’s Coming!: Stand at attention saluting – must be absolutely still. o Man Overboard!: Pretend to be drowning. o K4: Get into a line with four people. o C2: Get into a line with a partner. o Rowing Eight: Form a line with nine people; eight facing one direction, and a ninth ‘coxswain’ facing them in the other direction. • Make sure to demonstrate with each command where in the playing area the children should run to, and the different actions they should complete. o
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Make the game simpler by using fewer commands for younger children. Make the game more difficult by eliminating the last person in the correct position. Add those who are ‘out’ to the captain’s crew and have them help identify the next person ‘out.’ ADAPT IT! •
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If you have children with mobility challenges, eliminate the running portion of the game and adapt the actions for each command so that they can be done standing/sitting on the spot and/or with arms only. If you have a child with a visual impairment, team them up with a buddy to help guide them to the different parts of the playing space, or adapt as above to minimize running. If you have a child with a hearing impairment, use signs with the various commands on them. You may also consider making up ‘captain’s actions’ instead. 22 TYPE THE DOCUMENT TITLE