I go to one of the largest churches in SC. Therefore, our kids programs tend to be very large, and very well organized. [at least as much as you can organize kids]

Anyway, last night one of our children's volunteers asked me if I'd like to bring the puppets into one or two of the classrooms and do part of the program. Of course, I jumped at the chance. She said she'd talk to the other leaders at the next meeting.

I already work with special needs children so the powers that be know me, in fact our children's pastor's daughter is in my class.

Anyway, I don't know the theme or the age group yet, but does anyone have any general advice?

I have: Axtell Platypus [Wade], Axtell Possum [Chester] and an non-Axtell elderly couple. I also have a non-Axtell monkey, with the mouth sewn shut that has a squeaky toy in it's mouth.

Any ideas?

I do Children Messages at our Church about once or twice a month using my puppets. Dodger DeCar does a fantastic job of Scripture memory verses. Short ones for kids to learn and repeat. We tell about the scripture to help us remember the verse and understand the memory verse better.
My other puppets and I tell Bible stories and sing children Bible songs to go along with the short stories. Our kids love it. You can make each skit as short or as long as you need it. Just adjust the story and the song or the verse and the scripture to match your time need.
Matthew 28:20 is a great small verse with a fantastic story that leads up to that verse. Matthew 28:20 I am with you always. Adults like that one too. Easy for kids to repeat as well.

Rog,

Which Church are you in? I'm also in SC. I'm in the upstate at Arial Baptist Church. I'm the Youth Minister, but since my mother is the Children's minister me and my puppets end up in the Kids Zone more often than not. That's OK I love it. What I usually do is tell the bible story and have my puppet heckle me the whole time. Depending on the personality of your Platypus that could work well.


Thanks
KDD

Thanks Susie,

Kevin, I live in North Charleston, and go to Seacoast Christian Church. www.seacoast.org

Going in and out of a classroom can be a tight fit, so I recommend using only 1 or 2 puppets. You can have the puppet tell a popular story incorrectly. If you have a rhyme Bible you can have the puppet "rap" one of its poems.

Thanks again y'all. Tony, I'll probably just use one puppet the first time out, but the nice thing is that our class room is like a small theater. It has a stage, a back stage, even it's own sound system.

Yeah, we roll like that.http://www.seacoast.org/

Thanks
Rog

I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. I know that fully well.
Ps. 139 [NIV]