Game time leader Roles

Game Director

The Game Director leads Game Time. He or she is responsible for planning games, organizing equipment, and directing the actual game play. As the game time leader, their attitude is contagious to other adults and kids and should always remain positive. If they’re having a good time, others will have a good time as well. A Game Director should encourage everyone to be energetic and have fun together.

Club Leaders

Ideally, all club leaders should participate in Game Time. Each team will need at least one team leader.  Team leaders organize kids, maintain discipline, clarify game instructions, encourage team members, and cheer for their team. Other club leaders can serve as game equipment assistants, scorekeepers, and cheerleaders. A fun way to keep your leaders involved is to have them play games with the children.

Age Groups

Game Time will look different for each age group. While you could combine Sparks and T&T together for games, we do not recommend including Cubbies with elementary kids. When planning age-appropriate games for your different age groups, consider these club characteristics:

Preschoolers (Cubbies) Characteristics

Preschoolers are constantly active and always seem to be moving. They play hard and tire easily, so you should vary the intensity of play. Preschoolers are developing their large and small muscle control, so Play Time should include games that provide fun ways to practice both. NOTE: Many clubs choose to have Cubbies stay in their room for a Play Time that is led by Cubbies leaders. Some clubs request the Game Director lead Play Time in an alternate location.

Sparks Characteristics

Though Sparks grow rapidly in uneven spurts, their physical strength is relatively consistent. However, not all Sparks excel equally in athletic skills. As with all children, some will be exceptional runners, while others may be good at throwing straight. Be sure to plan a variety of games to provide opportunities for everyone to excel and contribute.

SOME TIPS FOR SPARKS:

• Sparkies are full of energy but tire easily. Keeping this in mind, you should alternate active and quiet games to avoid overexertion.

• Sparkies find it difficult to sit still for long periods of time. Use games that give opportunities to stretch their muscles.

• Sparkies are typically less competitive, so they aren’t motivated by winning or participating on the winning team. They just want to play the games and have fun!

T&T Characteristics

Third and fourth-graders are growing steadily, not in spurts. Their fine motor skills are developing and they are active and energetic.

Fifth and sixth-graders are usually strong, healthy, and active. They are becoming competitive, but are also afraid of failure. They notice the physical accomplishments of others and compare themselves. Fifth and sixth-graders are also beginning to experience physical and emotional changes. Boys tend to be noisy and restless and love to wrestle and fight. Girls may be either athletic or reluctant.

SOME TIPS FOR T&T:

• Play active games and progress rapidly from one game to the next.

• Encourage each child to participate.

• Challenge kids with activities and expand their abilities in speed, control, and endurance.

• Recognize kids for specific abilities and help each one develop.

Game Variety

Regularly played games have the advantage of being easily understood and familiar, requiring less time for explanation. However, new games bring fresh challenges and the anticipation for something different. As you introduce new games, always try to keep the explanations short. You may also choose to have a team demonstrate the game.

Types of Games

Variety ensures that all kids can use their skills. Athletic kids will favor running or higher intensity games, while less-athletic kids prefer problem solving games or games of chance. When planning your games each week, make sure to include games for both types of kids so that each can offer an equal opportunity for success.

For instance, you can plan a running game or two, then throw in a thinking game at the end. Here are a couple of ideas:

• Create a game with Bible verses that reinforce the Scripture they have been memorizing in their handbooks.

• Place words of Scripture on index cards and have the team correctly arrange their verse before knocking over their game pin. You could expand this idea to make it a team relay.

If a child doesn’t want to participate in a game, encourage them to try the next one. Don’t force anything on a student. Remember, Game Time should offer something for everyone regardless of their athletic abilities.

Fun and Excitement

The best way to create excitement for your kids and leaders during Game Time is to be excited yourself! Here are some tips to keep the fun going throughout the club year.

BUILD ANTICIPATION

Game Directors verbalize more to clubbers than just the rules. Build anticipation for each week’s Game Time by teasing planned activities.

Clubbers love hearing you say things like, “I’ve got a special game planned for you guys today and I can’t wait to share it!!” You could also tell them, “You’ll want to bring your friends next week because we’ll be playing a game using brooms, pumpkins, and candy corn!”  When you tease an activity, you’re piquing students’ interest and building anticipation for future club interaction.

BE FLEXIBLE

If you try a game that isn’t working, modify it to work better for your kids and keep things fresh. Prepare “backup” games that are familiar to the kids and easy to set up if the one you are running falls flat. Always look to show flexibility with grace and a joyful attitude.

SUSTAIN A FAST PACE

Keep kids moving quickly between heats and games (especially older age groups). If a team is slower to set up due to inattentiveness or discipline issues, do not be afraid to start the game before all of the kids are ready to keep things moving. Children are excellent students of natural consequences  and will pay closer attention the next time it is their turn.  Explain games quickly and efficiently to keep their attention and lessen the potential for downtime distractions.

MAINTAIN POSITIVE CONTROL

Even with a great attitude and game selection, kids may not listen while you are explaining a game. Take this opportunity to stop and do a Five-Count or another appropriate method of discipline.

If you are using a points system, we recommend awarding points for positive behavior rather than taking points away when kids or teams do something wrong. This draws attention to the behavior you want to see and gives opportunity to pull offending children aside privately to deal with behavior issues in a more constructive way.

Modeling Good Sportsmanship

A huge part of your responsibility as an Awana Game Director is to make sure the kids are learning good sportsmanship that reflects a Christ-like attitude and testimony.

Game Time isn’t just a time to have fun. It is also a time to intentionally develop a child’s spiritual growth. As a Game Director, you can foster this spiritual growth by modeling good sportsmanship and publicly recognizing children who show good sportsmanship during Game Time.

Preschool and early elementary kids focus on themselves and having their needs met. They are less conscious of how their actions or words might negatively affect others. When opportunities arise, take the time to gently explain how their behavior is not pleasing to Christ and how they can handle their disappointments or perceived injustices in a Christ-like way.

Most T&T-aged kids (3rd – 6th grade) are learning about and growing in grace. Relationships are becoming central for kids in their later elementary years, so they are consciously dealing with how to treat others and how they are being treated. This is a prime opportunity to encourage kids to act with kindness and to be appropriately competitive while also displaying grace and humility towards others.

Positive Reinforcement and Discipline

In our culture, the word discipline is often used in a negative context, but godly discipline lovingly teaches children appropriate behavior. The word “discipline” comes from the word “disciple” and literally means “to teach” or “to mold”.

For all Awana leaders, the correct use of discipline includes expectations, rules, consequences, and correction. When these are effectively communicated, understood, and consistently enforced, children and leaders will feel safe and secure in your club.

At Awana, we encourage you to incorporate three primary methods of discipline in your club: Positive Points, the Five-Count, and the Three-Count.

Positive Points

Positive Points allow teams to earn collective points through a club meeting. In Game Time, teams can earn points for being quiet when asked, cheering for their teammates, displaying good sportsmanship, and winning games.

Winning teams may receive small tokens such as candy, or earn special privileges such as being dismissed first from Game Time

The key to Positive Points for discipline is that they are awarded for good behavior, not subtracted for negative behavior.

The Five-Count

The Five-Count is a proven, effective method for group discipline. The leader in charge counts to five (or from five to one) slowly and loudly, while holding up one hand in the air and counting with his or her fingers. Leaders and kids respond by being quiet and giving their full attention to the counting leader. You can use this at any time during the Game Time segment when you need to get the group’s attention. Remember, for the benefit of new kids, regularly review the Five-Count and expected behavior.

When a team responds to the Five-Count quickly, you can reward them with Positive Points!

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