We want a kid-friendly small group but are still figuring out what that will look like in this new group. There are so many variables when you want a kid-friendly group—the number of kids, the age of the children, the needs of the adults and kids, the configuration of the host home.
How to Have a Kid-Friendly Small Group
Last night we had six children ages 18 months to 16 years old. We included them in the icebreaker along with the adults. It was fun. As we went around the circle all but the youngest answered the question, “What is your favorite time of day?” Here are their answers:
1st grade boy, the first of us to answer: “Lunchtime.”
Girl, sophomore in HS: “In the evening right after I have finished my homework.”
7th grade girl: “3:17 p.m. when the end of school bell rings.”
6th grade boy: “Study hall when I play paper football with my friends.”
Another 1st grade boy: “Playing on the computer with my dad when he gets home from work.”
After the icebreaker, we prayed blessing on the kids and our evening and dismissed them to go play.
By including children in the icebreaker, everyone gets to know one another.
In some of the groups we have been in or led in the past we have had a kids’ small group time concurrent with the adult small group time (after doing the icebreaker and one worship song together). We might do that in the future in this group but right now with the age of kids and the spacious toy-laden host home, it works great to let them play together after the icebreaker and they are enjoying this time with one another. Right now we have a wonderful situation with two teen girls that are willing to oversee the smaller kids when necessary.
