This winter when the days may be gray and cold, here are a few special events to boost everyone’s spirits!

Winter Beach Party

Wear summer clothes and bring beach towels, chairs, beach balls and so on. Activity ideas:

• Sand Dig. Fill a kiddie pool with sand and bury small balls or other toys in it. Let kids “fish” for them with their bare toes.
• Visors. Decorate foam visors with foam shapes or glitter paint.
• Beach Ball Volleyball. Hang the net (or a rope) low and see how long players can keep the ball going back and forth.
• Bible Story. Act out the story of Jonah and the big fish.
• Snack. Serve Popsicles or ice cream cones.

See more activity ideas in Skipper and Scooter Celebrations or Parties and Special Events.

Fiesta Lock-In

Recruit chaperones and have an overnight party at church. Have kids bring sleeping bags and pillows. Activity ideas:

• Piñatas. Find directions online for the kids to make their own simple paper-bag piñatas to enjoy at home. Bring one or more group piñatas to break during the lock-in.
• Lip Sync. Let the kids lip sync and play air guitar to mariachi music.
• Conga. Put on Latin music and do a conga line.
• Mexican Hat Dance. Learn this together.
• Taco Bar. Build your own tacos.

Midnight Madness

If you don’t want to be up all night, try a party that ends at 12:00 midnight. Everything has to begin with M for Midnight Madness. Invite the kids to see how many M’s they can wear, such as mauve, medium blue, mint, maroon, mirror sunglasses, Mexican sombrero, mittens, moccasins.

• Food. Try macaroni and cheese, Manwiches, milk, melons, mangoes, marshmallows, marble cake and M & Ms.
• Games. Choose from Funtastic Games. You could play Moving Statues, Mr./Miss Fox, Mr./Mrs. Bear. Or pick a game from Games Galore--Mama/Papa Lion, Baby Lion; Musical Squash.
• Activities. Set up a maze. Make masks, mobiles, mosaics or murals.

Pig-Out Party

Have parents and club members come dressed as farmers. Ask each family to bring a specific ice cream topping (chocolate syrup, whipped cream, fruit, chocolate chips, etc).

• Chicken Tail Dodgeball. One team lines up one behind the other, with hands on the shoulders of the person in front of them to make a “chicken.” The other team forms a circle around the chicken. The outside team throws a ball at the “chicken tail”—the last person in line—aiming to hit below the waist. Each time the tail is hit, that player joins the circle team, and the new last person on the chicken team becomes the tail.
• Dog-Chase-Tail Relay. Run an ordinary relay race. But when the leader calls out, “Dog chase tail!” players immediately stop, spin in a circle, and then continue running. The leader calls this out many times during the relay.
• Devotions. Have club members act out the parable of the sower (Matthew 13:3-9) while someone reads it out loud. For the explanation of the parable in verses 18-23, “interview” the club members.
• Sundaes. Put out ice cream and the toppings that club members brought for a make-your-own sundae bar.