Enjoy sweet treats this Christmas with all club age-groups together, or invite parents too.
Activity
Set up stations where children can make various candy cane decorations. This event could be a service project if you plan to have the kids give away their creations to a children’s hospital or homeless shelter. Station ideas:
Pipe Cleaner Candy Canes. Kids twist together a red and a white pipe cleaner, twisting the ends to keep them together. They bend them into a candy cane shape and tie a ribbon around the middle for decoration. These can be tree ornaments or package decorations.
Candy Cane Candles. Each child needs a taper candle. Wrap double-sided tape several times horizontally around the lower part of the candle. Children stick candy canes to the tape side by side, until the lower part of the candle is covered. Crooks should be pointing down to make the candle stand up. Then children tie a wide ribbon around the candy canes for decoration and to help keep them in place. (Candles should not be burned down past the candy canes.)
Candy Cane Mice. Use the patterns for the mouse’s body to cut out felt pieces ahead of time or to make cardboard patterns for children to use to cut out their own mouse parts. Cut the slits for them. Children fit the ears through the slits in the body. Then they turn the mouse over and feed a candy cane through the tunnel made by the ears. The crook becomes the tail. They glue on wiggly eyes and a pompon nose.
CLICK HERE to download the patterns for the mouse’s body.
Games
Note: Keep candy canes in their wrappers and they’ll be ready to eat even if they break.
Pass the Canes. Divide into teams. Team members line up side by side. The first player holds three candy canes between his or her fingers on one hand (no thumbs) and passes them to the next player the same way. Players keep passing down the line and then back to the beginning of the line. Dropped candy canes may be picked up right away if not broken. Broken candy canes need to be replaced at the beginning of the line and passed down to the player who dropped them.
Candy Cane Toss. Tape a string or dowel rod between two chairs. Players toss candy canes, trying to hook them over the string. Whoever gets the closest gets one point; anyone who hooks the string gets five points.
Devotional
The Christmas Candy Cane. Though the candy cane was not invented as a Christian symbol, we can use it as a teaching device— and kids can use it with their friends. Expand on the following ideas: The candy cane is shaped like a shepherd’s crook, and Jesus came to earth to be our Good Shepherd. The white base can stand for Jesus’ living a pure and sin-free life so that he could pay the penalty for our sins. The red stripes can stand for Jesus’ blood when he was beaten and when he gave his life for us on the cross. Turn the candy cane upside down, and you’ve got a J for Jesus!
Award Ceremony
Recognizing Club Members. Hold up a candy cane and mention Bible awards that have helped club members learn about the qualities of Jesus that the candy cane represents. Call up one club age-group at a time to receive the most recent awards they’ve worked on. Read their names and awards. Hand out the awards wrapped in plastic wrap with several mini candy canes and other Christmasy candies and tied with a Christmasy ribbon. (If you’ve invited parents, let them hand out the awards.)
Snack
Try a couple of these ideas.
Spiced Chocolate. Encourage kids to swirl candy canes in hot chocolate and see how it tastes.
Candy Cane Sandwiches. Mix crushed candy canes with vanilla frosting. Let children spread the mixture between graham crackers.
Crispy Canes. Mix crushed candy canes into crispy rice treats.
Candy Cane Sundaes. Let club members spoon hot fudge and crushed candy canes into dishes of ice cream.
