Elementary 252 Kids Explained
Sneak Peek at a Typical Sunday in Kidsway
The Kidsway team will do their best to prepare you for leading your Small Group, but since that group is made up of kids there will never be a typical Sunday. Hopefully your hour in Kidsway will look as close as possible to the plan, but it's OK if it doesn't. Our number one priority every Sunday is not to get to all the activities, but to have the kids leave knowing they are loved by God and cared for by you.
Lesson Plan Sample
Lesson Plans are emailed the last week of each month for the following month. Attached is a sample lesson plan. You will find all the necessary materials for the lesson plan in your curriculum bin each Sunday.
Here are few documents to look over and then let’s take a look at how it all works together.
Three Basic Truths
The Big Picture Overview & Four Faith Skills
Lesson Plan Sample
Lesson Plans are emailed the last week of each month for the following month. Attached is a sample lesson plan. You will find all the necessary materials for the lesson plan in your curriculum bin each Sunday.
Here are few documents to look over and then let’s take a look at how it all works together.
Three Basic Truths
The Big Picture Overview & Four Faith Skills
You’ll find seven segments designed to round out an hour of programming in our 252 elementary environment.
First Segment: Prelude - Setting the tone for the experience (10 min. prior to start of lesson)
You think what happens during the Bible story is important? Absolutely! But so is everything that happens from the time a kid first steps into your room! Think through the world you’re creating, from the music playing, to the posters and decorations on your walls, to the way your student assistant gets down to kid-level as children enter the room.
The relationships in your environment speak to how much a child feels LOVED.
How you create your environment speaks to how much a child feels LIKED.
BOTH are important to help a child feel welcomed into your ministry.
Once the kids enter your room, its time to launch the next segment, Social.
You think what happens during the Bible story is important? Absolutely! But so is everything that happens from the time a kid first steps into your room! Think through the world you’re creating, from the music playing, to the posters and decorations on your walls, to the way your student assistant gets down to kid-level as children enter the room.
The relationships in your environment speak to how much a child feels LOVED.
How you create your environment speaks to how much a child feels LIKED.
BOTH are important to help a child feel welcomed into your ministry.
Once the kids enter your room, its time to launch the next segment, Social.
Second Segment: Social - Time for fun interaction (10 min.)
Time for you Small Group Leaders to shine! During this segment of the 252 Basics Environment, kids connect with their SGLs for a run-down on the week. (How’s that new puppy? Is Luke still trying to steal your fries at lunch? Who did something awesome for one of their brothers or sisters this week?) We also include a fun activity that teases the big idea for the day and gets the brain ready to experience the story.
At the end of the Social Segment, it’s vital to help kids transition to large group. Now is the time to put away distractions and help kids transition their focus from small group to a large group setting.
Time for you Small Group Leaders to shine! During this segment of the 252 Basics Environment, kids connect with their SGLs for a run-down on the week. (How’s that new puppy? Is Luke still trying to steal your fries at lunch? Who did something awesome for one of their brothers or sisters this week?) We also include a fun activity that teases the big idea for the day and gets the brain ready to experience the story.
At the end of the Social Segment, it’s vital to help kids transition to large group. Now is the time to put away distractions and help kids transition their focus from small group to a large group setting.
Third Segment: Transitions - Moving smoothly from one thing to another
Nothing loses a fifth grade boy or distracted kindergarten girl like dead air or jumping focus from one thing to the next without a strong transition. For the transition from the opening social time of small group to the large group environment, we include a short phrase, you the small group leader, can say to help kids switch their focus. Lighting and music can also cue kids to be aware that it’s time to pay attention to the Story video.
Nothing loses a fifth grade boy or distracted kindergarten girl like dead air or jumping focus from one thing to the next without a strong transition. For the transition from the opening social time of small group to the large group environment, we include a short phrase, you the small group leader, can say to help kids switch their focus. Lighting and music can also cue kids to be aware that it’s time to pay attention to the Story video.
Fourth Segment: Story - Communicating God’s truth in engaging ways. (10-15 min)
Whether you’re producing a game show or taking down the wall of Jericho, the Story segment brings the Bible story video to life. With the help of a video the Host and a Storyteller engage kids and leaders in a dynamic telling of the Bible story using materials found in the large group section of the lessons.
The Host—a fun, relatable person—sets up the tension for why the story is important for kids to hear. The Storyteller follows, answering that tension with a story or principle from God’s Word. Stories are told with a wide variety of fun story conventions that take into account how kids learn and what they enjoy.
After the Bible story, the Host returns to wrap up the time, reviewing the bottom line for the day and giving kids a practical way to apply the story to their lives.
Keep your transitions smooth or you’ll find your kids’ focus gets rough!
Whether you’re producing a game show or taking down the wall of Jericho, the Story segment brings the Bible story video to life. With the help of a video the Host and a Storyteller engage kids and leaders in a dynamic telling of the Bible story using materials found in the large group section of the lessons.
The Host—a fun, relatable person—sets up the tension for why the story is important for kids to hear. The Storyteller follows, answering that tension with a story or principle from God’s Word. Stories are told with a wide variety of fun story conventions that take into account how kids learn and what they enjoy.
After the Bible story, the Host returns to wrap up the time, reviewing the bottom line for the day and giving kids a practical way to apply the story to their lives.
Keep your transitions smooth or you’ll find your kids’ focus gets rough!
Fifth Segment: Worship - Inviting people to respond to God (5-10 min.)
We said “people” on purpose! Sure, we want kids to worship—but it’s just important for Small Group Leaders to jump, twist and shout to the music, too! Kids need to see their peers and adults responding to God through worship. Once large group is over, small group leaders transition kids back to Small Group.
We said “people” on purpose! Sure, we want kids to worship—but it’s just important for Small Group Leaders to jump, twist and shout to the music, too! Kids need to see their peers and adults responding to God through worship. Once large group is over, small group leaders transition kids back to Small Group.
Sixth Segment: Groups - Creating a safe place to connect. (20-25 min)
This is the part of the small group where kids review the Bible story, learn their memory verse, and participate in fun activities that not only help them to apply the story to their lives, but also help them practice faith skills like prayer and Bible navigation to help them grow in their relationship with Jesus. Small Group activities are written with kids in mind – what they like, how they learn, and how they relate to the world around them. Small group leaders are given everything they need to create a incredible experience for their kids. Once small group is over, you’re done, right? Period, dot, the end—until next week. Nope.
In fact, the most important part is just beginning: the rest of a child’s week at home with their parents! The 252 experience ends with an important hand-off. As parents arrive to pick up their child from small group, small group leaders help transition families to the final segment, Home.
This is the part of the small group where kids review the Bible story, learn their memory verse, and participate in fun activities that not only help them to apply the story to their lives, but also help them practice faith skills like prayer and Bible navigation to help them grow in their relationship with Jesus. Small Group activities are written with kids in mind – what they like, how they learn, and how they relate to the world around them. Small group leaders are given everything they need to create a incredible experience for their kids. Once small group is over, you’re done, right? Period, dot, the end—until next week. Nope.
In fact, the most important part is just beginning: the rest of a child’s week at home with their parents! The 252 experience ends with an important hand-off. As parents arrive to pick up their child from small group, small group leaders help transition families to the final segment, Home.
Seventh Segment: Home - Prompting action beyond the experience.
Encourage your small group leaders to catch a few moments to tell parents what happened during group. It’s a chance to hand out Parent Cue cards to help families continue the conversations throughout the week. Kidsway and 252 believe that what happens at home is more important than what happens at church. That’s why we create a variety of options for families to talk about the lessons at home.
Now that you’ve navigated the seven segments of 252 Basics, maybe you’ll agree with us that seven is the perfect number!
Encourage your small group leaders to catch a few moments to tell parents what happened during group. It’s a chance to hand out Parent Cue cards to help families continue the conversations throughout the week. Kidsway and 252 believe that what happens at home is more important than what happens at church. That’s why we create a variety of options for families to talk about the lessons at home.
Now that you’ve navigated the seven segments of 252 Basics, maybe you’ll agree with us that seven is the perfect number!