Unusual Circumstances

So this week was very interesting. Another volunteer was in charges of the activity this week. He had planned to make paper rockets with the kids. However, three hours before the Kids' Group meeting, he informed me that the activity was not going to work.

It was a scramble! I was texting everyone to find out what to do for the kids. We have to fill two hours for a random number of children. His back-up idea was to play charades, but I worried that it would not fill the time.

Planning on playing card games and doing crafts when I showed up, I found our ratio was five volunteers to one attending "kid." The kid was not interested in games or crafts. So we sat around talking the whole time.

This experience highlighted to me the importance of flexibility in planning. Even though activities need to be solid and thought through so volunteers don't find out their activity won't work the day of, but also keeping in mind that you never know what is going to happen at Kids' Group and who is going to come.

My activity idea for the week is a game show and tell. Kids bring their favorite board or card game to the activity and share why it is their favorite. Then we open up the games and play them together. This is a great way for the kids to bond with each other and share about their lives in a positive way when they are usually dealing with difficult and negative things at home.

Hopefully next week is more put together.