Bus Convention - Part I

I will attempt to explain some of the exciting things that I learned and Bus Convention this year and would LOVE to start doing in our Junior Church!

**Use the "Wordless Book" in EVERY class (use ribbons, felt hearts, M & M's, crafts you have made, etc.) with the colors of yellow, black, red, white and green
--Yellow = Heaven, Black = the dark sins in your life, Red = the blood that Jesus shed, White = He will wash your sins white as snow & Green = the life that God gives once He takes away your sins
--These need to be used at least once in EVERY class (during a song, during or after your story, as an illustration, make a craft using them, etc.)

**Make every minute count, there are only 168 hours in a week, and we need to use the few we have with our children, wisely!

**We MUST have a scripture in EVERY class!
--Use the SAME scripture over and over (for a month straight) until the children have learned it and will be able to remember it and apply it to their lives!
--Know the verse yourself and what it means, before you teach it to the children.
--Before introducing the scripture to the class, write out as many questions as you can, about the verse. Who? What? Where? When? Why? How?
--Use different methods to teach the scriptures; flannel graph, acting them out, flash cards with each word on them, write them using codes (pictures to describe each word or at least the main words), by using riddles-ex: I am the door (make everyone knock), post each word in your class and have them put them in the right orders, etc.

**Use themes!!!
--Make your bulletin boards, walls, doors, etc. to go along with your theme.
--Post your scriptures on items that will go along with the theme.
--Have your crafts to go along with your theme, put your scripture on the craft.
--Use songs that will go with your theme.

**Story Time
--Get your kids involved in the story, let them participate, KIDS LOVE TO BE USED!!!
--Use different methods; flannel graph, books, acting them out, have them make certain sounds/motions every time you say a "key word" ex: the lion (make the kid's roar), the king's crown (have them put on a "crown"), the evil king (make an evil face), etc.
--Make sure you tell Bible stories, not just stories with a good "message"!

I will list some more ideas later, I hope this helps you open up "new" doors for your class!