Gather Around the “Campfire”, Friends!

To help you share Jesus with the families in your community this Christmas season, Grow Curriculum is sharing this downloadable Kids Ministry Event Kit with you – every year Grow Kids includes these kinds of events, and we wanted to showcase this one for free!

Christmas is quickly approaching and we’re celebrating this season with a fun camping trip. The best part is… you don’t have to go anywhere! Bring the great outdoors to you with a cozy, indoor Christmas Campout. You’ll use twinkling lights, pop-up tents, camp-themed snacks, fun crafts, and exciting activities to help kids spend time together learning about the gift of Jesus.

THE GOAL OF THIS EVENT

Camping is better together! The goal of Christmas Camp-Out is to provide an incredibly fun and meaningful holiday event for people to learn about the gift of Jesus together. Deciding who this event is for can help you determine what the goal of the event is for your ministry and context. Ask yourself, is Christmas Camp-Out:

• A chance for small groups to have fun together?
• A chance for families in your ministry to get to know each other better and enjoy a meaningful holiday event together?
• An outreach event for your community to know more about your church and Jesus?
• All of the above?

Let your answer inform how you plan for the event!

HOW TO USE THIS EVENT

Where Should The Event Happen? At the church

How Long Should It Last? 2-3 hours

Who Should We Invite? Everyone

For this event, you’ll need…

• One large room for everyone to gather together for the “campfire” circle, which is the first half of the event that includes the sing-along and story time. This is where everyone will gather as they arrive. Provide enough seating (chairs, couches, cushions, or even logs). Be sure seating provides the best “campfire” atmosphere possible.
• Another large space to accommodate the stations for the “campsite” activities. A separate large space or smaller classrooms for each station could be used. If the initial large space is big enough, set up stations in the corners of the room. If your church or chosen venue does not have a large enough space, you can use multiple small rooms to host different stations.

PROGRAMMING

WELCOME. As kids or families enter, they will be invited to find a seat around the “campfire.” Fun, upbeat Christmas songs can be playing as background music. The host can run the icebreaker or game provided, which not only draws attendees into the space in an exciting way but also keeps the audience entertained while waiting for the main event to begin. The host will transition to the “campfire” sing-along by inviting the audience to stand. The sing-along leader will enter.

CAMPFIRE SING-ALONG. The sing-along leader will lead the group in singing Christmas carols. This should be jolly and fun! Include a mix of traditional carols and fun Christmas songs, such as “Joy to the World,” “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” “Away in a Manger,” and “Jingle Bells.” Use whatever songs your group would enjoy. The sing-along leader will transition to the Christmas story, asking the group to take their seats. The
storyteller enters as the sing-along leader exits.

THE CHRISTMAS STORY. The Christmas story can be shared in a variety of ways. The storyteller can share the Christmas story live using the script. A video can be made in advance with the storyteller reading the script possibly by a cozy fireplace or in a tent in the woods.

CAMPSITE ACTIVITIES. The storyteller exits and the host returns to pray, to give directions on the rest of the event, and to dismiss the audience to enjoy the activity stations.Have Christmas songs play as background music as the audience dismisses

DECORATIONS

Camping is all about simple living, and the same goes for the decor for this event! Keep it simple with these camp-themed decor ideas.

• Buffalo plaid plates and cutlery and picnic tablecloths will add the perfect camp vibes to your food station.
• White string lights hung around the room, draped on tables, and at every activity will add a cozy feel. You can even put a few battery-operated string lights in mason jars for a nice, inviting touch. Borrow these from volunteers or families in your ministry.
• Set up fake or real Christmas trees with string lights. Borrow these or check with a local store or tree farm for possible donations. These cardboard trees are also a great option.
• Borrow and set up Christmas decorations that go with the camp theme, like light-up deer.
• Create your “campfire” for the sing-along and story time using a fire pit full of red and orange tissue paper like this. If you don’t have a fire pit, you can create the same look with a stack of logs and tissue paper. Add LED stage lights for the added “firelight” effect. You can also use this inflatable fire.
• Don’t forget a pop-up tent!

Here are some examples to inspire your camp-themed decor.

• The entrance to the “campfire” space in the large room could look like this. You can use fabric or large rolls of brown craft paper to create this look.
• Give your “campfire” set a nighttime feel with a star-filled backdrop.
• Create a fun camp-themed backdrop with fake trees.
• Ensure your guests get the campsite vibe as soon as they check in.

FOOD

Your timeframe for this event can help determine what kind of food you can provide. Here are some options:

SNACK ONLY OPTION. Provide fun camp-themed snacks like bear claws, “fire logs” (biscotti or pretzels), dirt cups, s’mores mix, and a trail mix bar.

FULL MEAL OPTION. If your church has a grill or you can borrow one, serve hot dogs with single-serve bags of chips and drink

HOT COCOA BAR. A hot cocoa bar is always a fun idea, but if that is too much, regular ol’ hot cocoa will work! You can add this on to any of the options above or as a stand-alone snack option. (Make sure you have dairy alternatives and non-cocoa options as well.)

ACTIVITIES

**Screenshot of all 10 activities**

MARKETING

Holiday calendars fill up fast! Don’t wait until the last minute to advertise this free Christmas event.

• Begin recruiting volunteers at the beginning of October, and start promoting the event with registration at the end of October.
• Utilize your ministry’s social media, email lists, text opt- ins, and website to get the word out to both attendees and volunteers. Also, include a blurb in your church’s bulletin or create a flyer to be used as a bulletin insert. Consider hosting a fun, themed giveaway, such as camping gear, for those who preregister.
• Communicate clearly and let families know if kids can be dropped off or if an adult must attend. If this is a family event, be considerate of children whose parents or guardians may not be able to attend and provide options. Perhaps you can utilize some of your small group leaders or build a new team of adults to meet this need.

GIVEAWAYS & PRIZES

For volunteers and attendees who register early:

• Encourage early registration and volunteer sign- ups with special T-shirt giveaways for early bird registrants.
• Early bird registrants could also be entered into a raffle to win camp-themed grand prizes, such as a s’mores kit or a camping hammock.

For everyone who attends the event:

• Each child or family could receive a fun Christmas Campout pack. Here are some ideas that could be included:
  • Drawstring backpack
  • Stickers
  • Pencils
  • Pins
  • Hot Chocolate packets
  • Candy Canes