Ideas for Celebrating Your Kindergartners Moving Up to Children’s Missions
The time has come to let go. You have loved and equipped your preschoolers for sharing and being kind to others. You have taught them about missionaries and how they can tell others about Jesus. You have prayed with them and may have even wiped a few tears. The work you have done with these little ones is amazing. Now some of your Mission Friends are ready to continue their growth in children’s missions.
Don’t have a children’s missions group in your church? Start your children’s missions journey today! Learn more.
Kindergartners Transitioning to Children’s Missions
Here are some tips to plan for a smooth transition as you prepare Mission Friends to move up.
- Communicate with children’s leaders about their new class members and tell them how many girls and boys they can expect to join their class. Allow enough time so they can order the correct number of materials.
- Invite children’s missions leaders to your Mission Friends class to meet kindergartners.
- Plan a time for kindergartners to visit a children’s missions class to see the room, meet other children, and ask questions.
For more ideas on helping kindergartners make the big step to children’s missions, check out “Transitioning from Preschool to Children’s Missions.”
Recognizing Mission Friends at the End of Year
It is good to celebrate all of your preschoolers, but especially kindergartners who will be moving on to the next age-level of learning more about how God uses missionaries to be a light to those around the world.
- Plan a special celebration for preschoolers. Recognize each child with the Mission Friends Participation Certificate or Mission Friends Promotion Certificate. Download and make copies of the certificates which are available for download at wmu.com/preschool under Free Downloads.
- Text, call, or send a note home to parents with information about the celebration.
- Hold the celebration in your Mission Friends classroom during your usual meeting time or at a convenient time so parents and family members may attend. Do what works best for your preschoolers and church.
- Take pictures and enjoy snacks as preschoolers enjoy time together.
- Recognize and thank leaders with a Teacher Appreciation Certificate. Download and make copies of the certificate which is available for download at wmu.com/preschool under Free Downloads.
Plan a Mission Friends Moving-Up Celebration
Plan a friendship-themed celebration for preschoolers.
- Involve all preschoolers, even if they are not moving up to the children’s missions groups.
- Share with preschoolers that they will make new friends when they move up to children’s missions groups. Remind them that missionaries meet new people and make friends all the time. Reiterate that they will continue learning about missionaries and telling people about Jesus in their new children’s missions groups.
- Open the Bible and read: A friend loves at all times (see Prov. 17:17). Jesus said, “You are my friends” (see John 15:14). Be kind to each other (see Eph. 4:32).
- Provide chenille stems and colorful pony beads so preschoolers can make friendship bracelets to share with friends.
- Print out and post the Allergy Alert Chart which is available for download at wmu.com/preschool under Free Downloads.
- Set out bowls of mini pretzels, chocolate chips, breakfast cereal, and banana chips for preschoolers to make friendship trail mix. Provide small scoops to help preschoolers add items to a sandwich-sized ziplock plastic bags.
- Remind preschoolers they can be like missionaries as they help others, make new friends, love people, and tell others about Jesus.
You may feel sad as you say good-bye to those precious faces you have seen each week. God intended for all of us to grow and you played a significant part in God’s plan to help preschoolers grow in their understanding of God’s love and His plan for the world.
by Andrea Floyd
