Invite parents. Invite a representative from your nearest Camp Cherith to help lead the Mini Camp and provide a camp video, brochures and information. Designate areas of the room as cabins and activity areas.


Do Ahead:
Ask each child and parent to bring a sleeping bag (or other camp item) to get in the mood. For each person, print out the registration form.

As participants arrive, have them “register for camp” by filling out a registration form. Answers will be used during Lunch time.

Assign each person to a “cabin group” of 6-8 people. Use cabin names such as Fox Cabin, Raccoon Cabin, Bear Cabin, Wolf Cabin. Have campers (kids and parents) go to cabin areas, meet their cabin groups and unroll their sleeping bags. Do Ahead:
Gather supplies. Recruit a color guard.

Have campers form a circle. Have a color guard bring in the national flag. Say the pledge of allegiance together or sing, “O Canada.”
Do Ahead:
Choose one or more of the following activities. Set up supplies and tables in the activity area of the room.

At camp, you get to choose from all kinds of activities, like canoeing, nature craft, drama, swimming, and archery. Today we’ll do nature craft. Have cabin groups go to the nature craft activity area and do the project.

• Nature Picture. Provide tacky glue and lots of nature items (pods, twigs, pebbles, shells, pinecones, feathers, etc.). Campers glue them onto cardboard to make a picture.
• Seed Frame. Campers glue different kinds of dried seeds to an inexpensive wooden picture frame to cover the front of it.
• Ice Cream Cone Bird Feeder. Campers use a pipe cleaner to poke a small hole in the pointed end of a sugar cone. They make a knot in one end of the pipe cleaner and thread the other end through the hole for a hanger. They use a plastic knife to coat the cone with peanut butter, then roll it in O-shaped cereal, and then sprinkle on bird seed to fill in the empty spaces.

Do Ahead:
Make microwaved s’mores: Layer a piece of chocolate bar and a large marshmallow on half a graham cracker and top with the other piece of graham cracker. Microwave on high for 15-30 seconds or until the marshmallow starts to puff.

At camp, you sit with your cabin group at lunch time. There’s good food! Have campers sit in cabin groups. Serve s’mores. While campers eat, read some of the answers on the questionnaires from Arrival time.
Do Ahead:
Choose from the following games, and gather supplies.

Let’s move on to Afternoon Activity—today it’s nature games. Play the games you chose.

• Camp Scavenger Hunt. Cabin groups hunt for camp-related items you’ve hidden (pinecone, feather, toothbrush, washcloth, canoe paddle, piece of firewood, acorn, etc.).
• The Elements. IT stands in the middle of the circle, points to a player, and says, “Earth! 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10!” Before IT reaches 10, the player must name an animal that lives on land. If IT says, “Air,” the player names a flying creature. For “Water,” the player names a water animal or fish. For “Fire,” the player remains silent. If unsuccessful, the player trades places with IT.
• Rainbow Game. The first player says, “I stepped into a rainbow and found a red robin (tulip, etc.). The next player finishes the same sentence with something else red that God made. Continue around the circle. When no one can think of any other red things, go on to the next colors of the rainbow (orange, yellow, green, blue, purple).
• Animal Tag. Play like regular tag. Players can be safe if they crouch down and imitate any animal. For more challenge, limit this to animals you might see at camp.

Do Ahead:
Ask one or more children or adults who have been to Camp Cherith to tell why they liked it. Gather supplies to make a real or pretend campfire (could be crumpled tissue paper over a flashlight). Choose camp songs. Recruit a song leader, if desired. Plan to tell the story of how God ministered to Elijah at the brook Cherith (1 Kings 17:1-6).

Gather campers around the fire. Sing camp songs. Tell the story of Elijah and the brook Cherith.

• When do you feel as if you want to get away from your everyday routine?

Sometimes to feel closer to God, we need to get away from all the busy, noisy things in our everyday lives. We need to be alone with God in a special place. This could be your bedroom, your backyard, or sometimes a place called Camp Cherith. The name Champ Cherith comes from the special place where God helped Elijah. The counselors have “bird names,” like Robin or Tweety, because God helps them give you good things, just as he helped the birds feed Elijah.

Have the people you recruited tell about their experiences at Camp Cherith. Have the Cherith^® representative show a video and tell about camp. Tell about scholarships or fundraising plans your church has.
Close in prayer. Hand out camp brochures to parents.