Need Ideas - calming the chaos of pre-opening!?

[sconfer]

I am looking for suggestions/advice on what to do with kids during the time after they register (in our entry/hall) until our opening begins (main room). We seem to have a lot of kids that arrive 15-20 minutes before the "official" opening time. The kids just seem to run around all over the place and it was total chaos and very noisy! I did have a table set up for our mission project for the kids to make cards for children in the Dominican Republic as well as a coin toss game to collect $ for missions, I also had a pirate ship ring toss game, hula hoops, and a home-video of last year's VBS playing... I thought these ideas would keep the kids busy - day 1 was OK, but as the week progressed, the kids were no longer interested and the choas began! What do you do with kids during this time? I really need some organized ideas!!!
Thanks!

[angie]

I had the same problem. I started using this time as sort of a theme center. Each group has a table that is theirs for the week. They meet there and at snack time have their snacks there. They are responsible for making it theirs and keeping it neat. Points are awarded! For SonTreasure I had an assignment each day. The group leaders were in charge of their group. The kids sign in with them. They decorated the visors the first night, one night they made a crew flag, banded tshirts for tye dying, decorated metal buckets for the steel drums, and had a sand castle building contest on the last night. I try to find activities to go with the theme that won't take away from crafts. They are more group projects. It is great because the kids know exactly where to check in, they start working right away no matter when they come. Now the fun will be finding theme ideas for '007! Nametags, group banners, tshirts of some sort (maybe Glow in the dark fabric stuff!)
Hope this helps! If anyone has ideas for activities I would love to hear them!

Angie

[winnipeg]

I like the idea of a table for each group; have to think about that one some. more.
In the past, our main teachers always meet for prayer and prep during the half hour before opening assembly. We have 4 preassembly helpers who do sign in and different stations. This year I was thinking that this area wound be the "Launch Pad". There would be a music station where our secret agent use a "communitcator" or "computer console" to preview music and actions; always have a science station - theme room kind of stuff happens here; reading station - books about planets, space, spies, etc., and a craft table. The kids choose where they want to go and I don't change the activities too quickly so they get to try out everything. This is where we used the treasure jars then moved them to the craft station later in the day. I think I am going to make time capules this year as these were a real hit.

Hope that gives you some more ideas,

Tammie

[Breezy04]

Tell me more about these time capsules please

~Breezy

[Cyndi]

Last year we used "holding tanks" (in keeping with the water/beach theme). Because of security issues, we had a room for each class where the kids were dropped off and then where the parents came to pick them up. We used the activity based schedule, so we didn't have a classroom per se for each group. The teachers were in the holding tank rooms and so the kids came in and each teacher did their own thing. Some had coloring pages, some had games, some just sat and talked with their kids. It was a great way and time to get to know the kids. Then at the appointed time the classes lined up to march into the sanctuary. We also used a closing assembly for the first time last year. We dismissed the kids to their holding tanks at the end and the parents met them there. They were able to keep their materials and crafts in their holding tanks until the end of the day. It really worked out pretty well. One thing about the closing assembly - we had parents who came early to watch the closing assembly to see their kids get their prizes for scripture memory and bring a friend, etc. They would follow their child to the holding tank and get their stuff and then leave.