Halloween Alternative or Fall Festival Ideas

Looking for something new and different for this year’s October family event? Look no further! You’ve come to the right place!

Folks in many churches and communities just like yours are looking for a new fall event idea, one to help them—and kids from their neighborhood—celebrate God’s wonderful love for us in Jesus. Any and all of the ideas below will help you tie everything together and keep God’s redeeming love in Christ as your central focus. Interested? Read on!

Shine Bright, Little Light!The games, craft, and conversation in this theme will encourage young children to share the Good News of Jesus, our Savior, who is the Light of the world, with family and friends.

A visit to your local party store or a quick web search can spark decorating ideas. Think: white lights, glow-in-the-dark items, spotlights, yellow streamers, etc.

Consider recruiting people from your church who have a natural, winsome way of talking with young children about Jesus. Invite them to lead an activity. This will give them an opportunity to share the wonderful truth that throughout life, Jesus’ love can shine brightly on us and through us.

JESUS TIME

Plan a large-group worship activity to begin or wrap up your event. Visit the Resource & Idea Center at www.CTAinc.com to download the free Shine Bright, Little Light! Ministry Message from CTA and focus on it as the main activity for the day.

Gather everyone around you and use the Ministry Message you have downloaded.

If possible, consider introducing this Ministry Message by showing the PowerPoint version of the book Shine Bright, Little Light (Item #SBL17HC) to the group. This free resource is also available from the Resource & Idea Center at www.CTAinc.com.

While you have everyone together, explain key details about your event and follow-up activities. Be sure every family receives information about your church and an invitation to attend future events—and Sunday school and worship services.

Consider putting the information and invitations in CTA’s Shine Bright, Little Light! Goodie Bag (Item #SBL17TS12). It will help the children keep prizes and other mementos in hand throughout the event.

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CRAFTS

Shaving Cream Painting

What You’ll Need• Shaving cream• Sheets of art paper or a table covered with a white, plastic table cloth• Powdered tempera paint—yellow, orange, or red• Buckets of warm, soapy water or a sink• Old towels or paper towels• Paint smocks (made from repurposed dress shirts, t-shirts, or hand towels; see

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFqfyvwpdnc for one quick, easy idea)• Tarps to cover the floor (if you conduct this activity indoors)• A camera, paper, and a printer (optional)

What You’ll Do1. Give each child a paint smock and help them put these on as necessary.

2. Spray the shaving cream onto the paper (or table).

3. Sprinkle powdered tempera paint on the shaving cream. (For best results, experimentwith this ahead of time.)

4. Invite the children to play with the cream, using their fingers and hands to makebeautiful shapes, swirls, and pictures.

5. (Optional) Take snapshots of the pictures the children produce—and of the productionprocess itself. Print these out and send them with the children as they leave this center.

What You’ll SayEncourage the children to have fun with friends as they “paint.” Remind them that Jesus is our Friend wherever we are and whatever we’re doing. Jesus washed away our sins and gives us peace.

Before the children leave the activity center, pray with them: Dear Jesus, thank you for ALL the fun we had together! Amen.

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Placemat Coloring Page

What You’ll Need• Printed copies of the free Shine Bright, Little Light! placemat from the Resource &

Idea Center at www.CTAinc.com• Crayons or markers

What You’ll DoIt’s best if the children can be seated in small groups around tables for this activity. Direct the children who can read to say the Bible verse aloud with you, perhaps several times. Then give everyone time to color the page.

What You’ll SayAs the children color, teach the song “This Little Light of Mine.“ (Check YouTube if you are unfamiliar with the melody or lyrics.) After most of the children know the words, add these actions:

• This little light of mine . . . (hold your left index finger above your head to representthe “light.”)

• All around the neighborhood . . . (twirl your left index finger in a small circle highabove your head)

• Don’t you try to blow it out . . . (blow on your finger instead of singing the word blow)

Then ask if the children know what the “light” in this song is. If they don’t, show them by crossing your right index finger over your left.

Say: Jesus loves you! He washed away your sins when he died on the cross for you. You can shine with Jesus’ love—not like a lightbulb! (That would be silly!) But you can show Jesus’ love wherever you go!

How can YOU show Jesus’ love at home? in your neigh-borhood? at school?

As the children leave this center, give everyone one or more Finger Lights (Item #SBL17CFL) to take along as a reminder to shine out with Jesus’ love.

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GAMES

Musical PumpkinsAhead of time, cut out and decorate paper or cardboard pumpkins, one per player. Use dou-ble-sided tape to attach these to the floor. They need to stay in place, but be easily remov-able during the game.

The game proceeds like Musical Chairs. Children move around the pumpkins while the music plays. When the music stops, everyone sits down or stands on a paper pumpkin. Instead of eliminating players, allow two or more children to share a pumpkin. Remove one pumpkin after each round. By the end of the game, everyone will have to squeeze onto one spot.

Who Is It?Hang a white sheet across a doorway, the wider the better. Direct a spotlight or the beam of a strong flashlight toward the sheet.

Choose one child to be It. That child stays on the side of the sheet opposite the light. The others line up at random near the light in such a way that It can’t see them.

The first person in line dances behind the sheet, casting a shadow on the sheet and trying to disguise his or her shadow. It tries to guess who is dancing.

If It guesses correctly, the dancer comes out from behind the sheet and sits quietly beside It. The game continues until everyone has been guessed correctly.

Pass the Bracelet Help the children form a circle and sit down on the floor. Give one child a Shine Bright, Little Light Slap Bracelet (Item #SBL17SBT). The children will pass this around the circle to each other (as in the game Hot Potato) while a leader beats a drum.

When the drum is beaten slowly, the bracelet should be passed slowly. When the tempo speeds up, the bracelet should be passed more quickly. (The drummer should change tempos frequently.)

When the drummer stops, the child holding the bracelet stands up, takes a bow, and sits down in place as before.

Then the game begins again.

Consider giving each child his or her own Shine Bright, Little Light Slap Bracelet (Item #SBL17SBT) as the game ends.

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GLOW Balloon VolleyActivate a mini glow stick (snap and shake) and place it inside a latex balloon. Inflate the balloon and tie it off. Challenge the children to keep it in the air, not allowing it to touch the ground. Together, count the number of volleys.

You may want to send a prize home after game time. CTA’s Shine Bright, Little Light! Gospel Fun for Little Ones (Item #SBL17GF) will give children ages 3–6 some fun and engag-ing activities to do at home, after your event ends. The book will lead them to see Jesus’ love for them shining bright in their lives. In addition, they will learn ways they can shine bright with the light of Jesus’ love and forgiveness.

SNACK/FOODUse the Shine Bright, Little Light! Plastic Tumbler (Item # SBL17PT) to serve orange juice or lemonade.

Try one or more of these for snacks:

• Create colorful crispy rice cereal treats, using the original recipe, but adding a cup of candy corn to the mixture. Hint: Recruit older children or teens to help you make these during your event.

• Make little pumpkins from crispy rice treats. To the traditionalrecipe, add about 15 drops of yellow food coloring and 8–9drops of red food coloring after you melt the marshmallowsand margarine. Mix it well before you add the cereal. Tomake the pumpkins, form balls 2–3 inches in diameter. Usestrips of green apple fruit roll-ups to make stems for your pumpkins. Very cute!

• Serve apple slices and caramel dip.• Call on all the tailgaters and BBQers in your church. Invite them to cook and serve hot

dogs, burgers, or both. This will not only be a treat for your guests, but it will get more members involved in a great service opportunity!

#SBL17DCE

© 2017 CTA, Inc. www.CTAinc.com. Permission to make photocopies or reproduce by any other mechanical or electronic means is granted and is intended for use within a church or other Christian organization, but not for resale.

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