Have you ever wondered how many different ways you can use a pool noodle in your kidmin programs?

This review lists some of the best uses with links to the 'how-to' posts so that you can make them yourself. Check out just some of the projects  below that others have come with and you’ll find the that the ideas are only as limited as your imagination. I've tried to group the uses into 5 main areas:
 obstacle course ideas
water games and activities
 ideas to help you teach your lesson
  energetic games
 design and construction.

Of course, I soon discovered that there are other ideas, too, but many of these related more to life hacks and safety at home.  And, even as I added ideas to this post, I noticed that other ideas were being added online. So, if you’d like to add other ideas, that you've created or seen that need an honourable mention, please list them below in the comments or add them to the Google+ post.

OBSTACLE COURSE

Do you have an upcoming spies or secret agent theme- anything that requires training, skills or activity? There are many ideas for using pool noodles to create colourful and fun obstacle courses. Most of the ideas can be used indoors, too, which makes them versatile for any weather conditions. With kids’ safety in mind, pool noodle constructions are relatively soft and less hazardous for energetic kids. Check out some of the ideas below. You can find links to the instructions here:
Parents.com      NewIdeasforYou.com

WATER ACTIVITIES

When the temperature soars, there’s nothing quite like water fun for kids and pool noodles provide more fun than just as a pool toy. Check out some of these inexpensive ideas for your next water-fun kidmin event.



Noodle Sprinkler     Water Wall    Water Tunnel     Slip&Slide     Sailboats     Water-raft

TEACHING THE LESSON

There are many ways that you can use pool noodles in your lesson presentation, too. Whether you need swords or arrows, rainbows or boats, you’ll find it’s easy to create them with pool noodles. You might even want the kids to make their own, Check out some ideas below.



Swords     Horses     Rainbows     Bows&Arrows   ArkoftheCovenant     Boats

FUN AND GAMES

Whether it’s part of your program or a midweek kids’ club activity, there will be times when you really need to provide some energetic games and fun. The fun is laid on when you include pool noodles. Check out the following ideas, with the links below, as starters. You’ll probably think  up other ways that you can include these great resources for your own needs.

Croquet     NoodleTargets     GiantRingToss     GiantBaseball     IndoorBasketball   RingToss

DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION

With a bit of creativity, these versatile pool noodles can even be used for your next decorating and display project. Whether you’re considering a simple project like the pool noodle lollipops for a sweet entry to a room or area or a more elaborate display, the bright colour and light but sturdy material allows you to create wonderful, eye-catching features. The pool noodle furniture ideas are just wonderful, and the fort is something that the kids would love to help you with, too. While a fort might not be something you need, the basic idea would allow you create any structure you require. Please add your own ideas below.
Furniture     Flowers     Vines     Fort     Display     Lollipops

Weird Animals is certainly an exciting program. In the weeks leading up to the launch of the Weird Animals program at our church, we added clues about the program to the church and kidmin social media, as Group themselves had done. It's a great theme and there were many weird and wonderful clues to upload. You know, sometimes, I think that adults are just as excited to learn about upcoming kidmin programs as the children. Certainly, many of the adults tried to guess our upcoming theme.


(N.B. If you're looking for a quick review of this program, skip down to the rating of the station activities and resources listed below.)

The program can be used for many different types of events
Group has produced a really versatile program. Although it has been designed as a 5-day VBS program, some other suggested options for running this Weird Animals program are: weekday mornings or afternoons during school holidays, during the evenings as a special outreach program, a special event for your midweek kids' club, day camp, Sunday mornings, a weekend retreat or a 10-day VBS.

We ran the program for a term (10 weeks) during our regular children's church  time. We covered each Bible story and Bible Point for 2 weeks in a row.There are more than enough resources and materials and it was quite helpful to reinforce the lesson for the two week period. The Weird Animals Director's manual outlines just how you can organise the program for this style of presentation.

Clearly detailed manuals with plenty of photos, plus instructional dvds
So... what did we really appreciate and was there anything that could be improved? Honestly, if you used this hugely detailed program and didn't rave about it, there must be something amiss.. Of course, that is something that you do need to anticipate- there is a lot of information to go through; but you'll probably find it exciting rather than daunting. You'll just want to jump right into it.

But the manuals are very clear and whenever possible, instructional dvds have been included.

Decoration ideas with dvd
 The decorating ideas are incredible- wonderful if you have the space and the people to create such an beautiful themed environment. We didn't... and we also had the difficulty of creating an environment that wouldn't interfere with the other groups who use the kidmin area during the week.

So, we did our best with backdrops and posters (both of which are very colourful) and added smaller areas of the huge cardboard flowers, foliage and pool noodle vines. (Pool noodles are wonderfully versatile!) It was enough it make the kids dance with excitement and drew admiring comments from the adults.. so I'm sure you could use the ideas to create marvelous displays.

Promoting your event
As with everything else in this program, you'll find many helpful ideas and suggestions for promoting your event and the available clipart is really helpful. You'll also find bulletin inserts and flyer templates, news release and parent invitation. You can purchase posters, banners and t-shirts. There also is the option to set up your Weird Animals website to enable families and volunteers to register online for your event.

The best promotion of our events is by word-of-mouth and we ensure our church family is excited about the event, too. So.. a couple of editable powerpoint slides would have been a useful addition. This is one of the slides I created myself to promote Weird Animals with our church family using the clipart files.

Social media
Another important means of promotion is social media and some program publishers are beginning to include resources for this use. I would have liked some ideas and promotional materials for use on social media both to promote Weird Animals and to add some interest throughout. We snapped photos of the snacks and the decorations and included info about the lessons and Bible points but some simple graphics would have been really helpful and would save helps of time.

Collectible Bible Buddies
These collectibles are great. The characters come alive with the free app and reinforce the Bible point and verse. The kids can also feed and groom their creature. The dvd clips for each character are quality clips and the kids love learning about each animal and the Bible point each teaches.

I really appreciated the interactive Bible learning experiences but these will work best with an experienced leader. These segments are 'designed to prepare the heart of  each child to receive the gospel message in an unforgettable way'. We certainly had some amazing responses for the kids. We felt, though, that we needed to be quite clear for those who were really seeking to make a step of faith, and we presented a simple ABCs of salvation. You might like to speak with your leaders and include this yourself.

Extras
So... what else is there? Well, yes, there's more... name badges and holders, buddy chains, zoo keeper boxes, sticker sheets, photo frames, water bottles, parachute and more. There is also a Preschool and Youth program- Zoo Zone.

Any negatives? Well... for those overseas, the cost is really daunting. Yes, I know it's the postage.. There are some downloadables which is great, but many leaders will now only consider programs which are fully downloadable. I can certainly understand.

You'll find a simple overview of the different activity stations listed below including a rating for each activity. 

QUICK OVERVIEW OF ACTIVITY STATIONS

Sing & Play Stampede Music
This music and worship segment is the first activity station for evnad eryone.
What did we like about it?

• Great music and easy actions
• Kids loved copying the other kids on the clip doing the actions.
• The words of the songs reinforce the Bible lesson and Bible point.
• 
  

Imagination Station
A Sciency-Fun Gizmo that connects with the Bible point  that kids can take home.
What did we like about it?

• All the kids loved the gizmos.
  
• The activities required very little set up time.
• The gizmos were very cost-effective.

Untamed Games
Zany games that also teach. Fun games and simple to organise.
What did we like about it?

• Plenty of game options 
• Energy level information for each game is provided
• Low energy games could be used indoors (bad weather).

One-of-a-Kind Bible Adventures
These Bible stories are not merely told, but experienced. What did we like about this?

• Kids were very involved in the lesson and content.
• These segments work best with an experienced leader and extra time is needed to rehearse some of the segments where more than one character is required for the story.

Kidvid Cinema
Kids meet real kids who rely on God as they face different life challenges. 
What did we like about this?

• Life application was a really good concept- kids enjoyed watching.
• Some of the segments were difficult for kids to hear and understand, especially when adults were interviewed- needed to simplify the content.

Critter Cafe
What did we like about this?

• This was one of the most popular activity stations.
• They loved making the snacks themselves.
• Some kids would ask how the snack illustrated the Bible point before we even started.

Home Connection
The home connection is always a challenge. Will there be any follow-up at home?
What did we like about this?

• We knew that the Bible bands were going home- they were well attached.
• The printed material and content was well produced.
• You need to remind parents about the extra content on the bands.

Bible Buddies
The collectible Bible Buddies and downloadable app were an instant hit. What did we like about this?

• They were a wonderful incentive for new kids to come along.
• Great reinforcement of Bible point and verse- good dvd clips of animals.
• Kids enjoyed brushing and feeding their Bible Buddies.

Decorating Places
The intense brightness and colour added instant appeal for children arriving for this program. What did we like about this?

• The instructional dvd was great!
• The posters are wonderful- amazing colour.
• The animals had instant appeal for kids.

The competition between boys and girls is strong among our Sunday morning kidmin group. We'll often hear the question: "Who was best at singing, the girls or the boys?" or "Did the boys find the Bible passage first, or the girls?" And the rivalry becomes intense during our review segment at the close of each lesson.

A challenging review segment for added fun

The review segment poses questions to see how well the children remember the content of the lesson, the Bible point and the Bible verse. But our focus, along with reinforcing a basic understanding and application of the lesson, is for kids to have fun! The link between fun and learning is strong. So, if a child answers a review question incorrectly, we still award points for trying. And we generally include the opportunity for bonus questions, if they care to attempt a challenge... and most do. How do you structure your review?

Bonus challenge 

We'll often include a 'Minute to Win It' style challenge to win those extra points. And yes, the kids all clamour to be picked to answer the review questions and to attempt the challenge. The challenge doesn't have to involve a lot of extra planning or expensive resources. You can find some great ideas and resources for these types of challenges here...

Pom pom popper challenge

Here's a simple activity, a fun challenge, that you could include for such a segment- a pom pom popper. 

The concept is simple; shoot a pom pom a certain distance to gain extra points. You can use masking tape to mark out various distances with corresponding points. 

Lay out a hoop as the starting point. Shoot the pom pom and gain the points. (I'd give the kids 3 attempts- it's not as easy as it looks.)

You'll need a pom pom popper

So now, all you need is your pompom popper. Although there are numerous instructions on the web for creating a plastic cup popper, this one from FrogsandSnailsandPuppyDogTail uses a pool noodle. (How versatile are pool noodles? I don't know what we did without them!) 

It's a more robust popper and one that even younger children should manage.

And.... you'll only need 3 items to create one: a pool noodle, a balloon and some masking tape.

Oh.. I guess you'll need some pom poms, too. It's almost easy enough for kids to make their own.

Instructions:

1. Use a craft knife to cut a length of pool noodle approx 7cm long. I tried using a slightly longer length with little success.
2. Cut the end off a balloon and discard. Stretch the cut edge of the remaining balloon piece across one end of the pool noodle.
3. Wrap masking tape around to secure the balloon in place.
4. Tie a knot in the neck of the balloon... and you're ready.
Slip a pom pom into the popper. Pull back the knotted end of the balloon and ...let go! 
Actually, you'll need to pull the balloon back quite a bit to shoot your pom pom far. I was a little tentative to begin with.

So.. do the boys win or the girls? The competition is intense but everyone enjoys being involved since it's a challenge that anyone can attempt. But more than that- kids are really listening, remembering and learning. And the review part of our program is a real highlight. Disappointed wails accompany the occasional sound of the 'big church' finishing before we get to the review. What a great way to finish- kids disappointed because it's time to finish!

It's wonderful when you learn that something is free, and even better when the quality of that something meets high standards. And that's what you'll find with the free resources listed below. You'll find some kidmin videos, parenting newsletters, posters and curriculum. And you won't need to worry about the cost of postage and handling- it's all downloadable.
Don't pass this opportunity to access and obtain these resources. Some of these resources are only available for a limited period so don't delay.

1. Bible-teaching kidmin videos

This video series is described as a new way to tell an old story and the stories available to download are: Paul and Silas in jail, God sends His Holy Spirit, John the Baptist and Simeon at the temple.

You'll discover that more of these Bible videos are available by subscription and you can choose those that correlate with Orange curriculum, through the Bible videos of stories from Genesis to Revelation, or the ultimate collection. Use these videos to supplement your regular lesson materials and add interest and impact.

Find your 4 free videos and details of how to access more here...

2. Weekly parenting newsletter

Looking for a quality weekly newsletter to print and hand out to parents of your weekly programs? It's especially helpful for those who attend your weekly playgroup, kids activity club or after-school event.

These FREE parenting newsletter from Focus on the Family provide a family devotion plus a parenting insight. Download and print these newsletters and use the reverse side to provide information about your upcoming events or regular programs. The download is available as either colour or black/white.   You will find themhere...

3. Volunteer Campaign
A kidmin volunteer team is an integral part of weekly and midweek programs. Where would you be without their enthusiastic involvement? A large portion of your time will be devoted to developing, encouraging and training this team- that's crucial. But you also want to remind others of the importance of volunteers and inspire them to consider their own involvement. 

Download this FREE series of five posters from  ElevateatChurch.com that highlight the importance of volunteers and get people talking about volunteering.
Print them off or add them to your church Facebook page. You can find it here.

4. Access to Orange for FREE

If you've always wanted to check out the Orange resources, then now you can. You can evaluate 2 months of curriculum from your choice of the Orange preschool, First Look, the children's curriculum, 252 Basic or XP3 Students plus leadership resources- free.

You'll find this resource available here... 

I hope you will find the time to check out these resources and take the opportunity to download some wonderful resources- free! And... I really appreciate those who provide these free quality resources to assist those involved in presenting programs that will impact young lives for Christ.

So... Mother's Day this Sunday.... are you ready?

I'm sure you have organised, prepared and presented your Mother's Day promotional material and prepared the Mother's Day activities, media clips, breakfasts or brunches and the presentations to highlight the importance of mothers in the lives of every one of us.
But... have you organised and prepared a small gift for the kids to make and present to their mothers?

It's not easy, is it? While there are some lovely handcrafted gift suggestions on Pinterest, not too many are easy for kids.

 Yes, they could make another card; yes, they could add their hand or footprints but, if you'll like me, you're looking for something a little different.

Soap decals
So, we're creating decals on soap. This is something that was very popular a few years ago.. actually, quite a few years ago, which dates me considerably. But then everyone switched to beautiful hand and body washes. Lately, however, you would have noticed a growing number of lovely, natural soaps bursting with botanical essences and sweet natural fragrances.

So, we're going to re-create these simple soap decals for Mother's Day.

Materials
The technique is simple- it really is. First, you'll need the following:
* soap - try to find some that have a relatively smooth surface.
* white PVA glue
* small plastic lids (squeeze a small amount of glue onto the lids for the kids to use- it prevents glue going everywhere.)
* cotton buds
* clear nail polish. I found some with glitter that gives a lovely frosted finish.
* decals. (You can use stickers or have the kids cut out small images to use. I've included a printable below (floral and with kids), in case you need some.
* small cellophane bag with tie
* gift tag

Directions
1. Cut out a small decal.
2. Using the cotton bud, smear white pva glue over the entire back of the decal.
3. Gently press on to the soap and smooth out the decal to ensure it is sticks well to the surface of the soap.
4. Stress care with the kids, and paint a coating of clear nail varnish over the decal ensuring that it extends a little beyond the edges of the decal. (Please open your windows to ensure fresh air circulates. While the aroma of nail polish has certainly improved, it can be a little overwhelming in a closed space.)
5. It will take a few minutes to dry but then it can be slipped into a cello bag.

6. Tie a ribbon bow to secure your cellophane bag or use a twist tie.
7. Add a small gift tag and it's done.

There are small gift tags included in the printable files below. Print the decals and gift tags onto paper that is a little thicker than the normal bond.. perhaps 100 or 110 gsm. Punch a hole in the gift tag to thread through the ribbon or twist.

If you're looking for other gift tag designs, you might like to check out this collection from Jen @tattertots&jello

The decal and tag printable is listed below. The first is a floral design and the second includes kids.. see below...

More creative ideas for Mother's Day

Last Sunday was the last week of our Weird Animals program,(review coming soon), and our lesson dealt with Saul and his actions, following the death of Christ, in the pursuit and persecution of the early Christians and leading up to his conversion.
How frightening that must have been for those sought by Saul; how frightening, too, for Ananias who had been directed to approach Saul!

Our Bible verse was Joshua 1:9.. "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

Create and take home
Following our lesson experiences, games and activities and to conclude, we wanted the kids to create a 'take-home' that they could share with their friends and family. We wanted something that would remind them of the lesson but also the Bible verse that we had learned throughout the lesson. 

So, to introduce the activity, we created some scary looking shadows on-screen using Weird Animals characters and talked about times when we see things that we might imagine to be scary, perhaps even monsters. 

Then we produced our scary monster faces, not to scare everyone, but to remind everyone that, no matter how scary something may appear, God really is with us and can handle anything.

Printable monster faces
We found these great-looking printable monster faces from Jessica Weible on Etsy here. Yes, they cost a couple of dollars to purchase and download but they were so easy and fun to create! I guess you could make your own but I think they're worth the small outlay.


Directions:  Easy.. 
1. The kids merely had to cut out the monster face of their choice. 
2. Attach a straw or thin dowel to the back to the face with tape.
3. Glue a copy of the Bible verse to the back of the monster face. (You could print the verse on to labels to make it a little easier if you wished.)
4. We took photos of the kids and their monster masks and printed up a copy for each of them to collect the following week.

 They thought it was great and, more importantly, they remembered the Bible verse.