Lock-In

Amazing. That's the word for it. Amazing.

I just looked at the pics today and relived all the fun. We had 10 extra kids from the church (those who normally don't come to KidsInC) and about 5 visitors and then our normal crew. Here are the highlights (remember the theme was friendship):

• Pizza--we always start with pizza
• I shared pictures of my friends and me throughout the years. The kids loved laughing at my 80s hair and grunge look in the 90s. Plus, one of my friends was able to come and help that night, so I was able to share that friendship story, too.
• encouragement bags--they decorated bags and put their names on them, and we put them in a designated area. Throughout the night, people could write notes of encouragement to each other, and then they'd get to open their bag the next morning at breakfast.
• small group time--making fellowship posters about what it takes for a good friendship; discussion of great friends in the Bible and what held their friendship together
• getting acquainted games--they had a lot of fun with these, and they learned a lot about each other. They were designed so that kids had to get out of their cliques and comfort circles and learn more about everyone. Then they had to pick one person they talked to and write an encouragement note to them.
• small group time--snack sculptures (playing with food; we took pictures and voted on them at breakfast); trust drops and some discussions about trust and some "opening up" questions; writing an encoragement note to someone in their group
• partner games--random games to break them up into partners and then doing a trust walk with their partner down to the gym (one is blindfolded); encouragement note to partner
• large group time--run them until they are about to pass out games. My favorite? Go to the Wall. Yell out, "Everyone who loves ______, go to the wall" and they have to run the length of the gym. They love this, and you can keep them running for as long as you need, AND you can tie it in by talking about how we all have different likes and dislikes and even peer pressure (did you run just because you didn't want to stand without your friends?)
• small group time--playing board games together (Friendzee is a great game)
• lights out--we watched movies until they fell asleep

It was great, and the adults were running right along with them. So much fun! One of my favorite parts was that a visitor became really close friends with another girl that night.