10 Theme Night Ideas to Start Your Club Off With a Bang

Ready to start your club year off with a bang? Here are ten theme-night ideas that are sure to be memorable.

1. Grandparents’ Night. National Grandparent Day is September 8! Invite grandparents to visit: They’ll enjoy coming, the kids will be happy, and you might get a new leader or two! Awana Suggestion: Check out these Puggles and Cubbies magnet frames. Perhaps you could take a photo of a child with their grandparent(s) and give the frame as a memento.

2. Fall Fest. Talk about the colors of the leaves and how wonderful it is that God made the earth the way He did – that we get to see such beautiful colors in the fall. Decorate with corn stalks and dried ears of corn. Do a leaf-rubbing craft. Serve a fall snack, such as pumpkin pie or apple cider. Awana Suggestion: We offer fun cups to make a kid’s sipping experience even better.

3. Are You Smarter Than a Clubber? Night. One club challenged church adults to a Scripture/Bible knowledge contest against the kids. Guess what? The clubbers won! Have a good-natured friendly competition and make a lasting memory on every generation. Awana Suggestion: Give each winner a Books of the Bible Banner Pen.

4. Fruit of the Spirit Night. Talk about the different characteristics of the Christian life as evidenced by the Fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5. Teach the kids a song about the Fruit of the Spirit. Play games with fruit. Bowl with apples (and of course, the apples probably will not go in a straight line). Use bananas as batons. Enjoy a snack made with fruit.

5. Kindness Night. Teach on kindness using Colossians 3:12. Ask the clubbers for service project suggestions. Or collect Bibles for a mission, toys for a homeless shelter, gently-worn winter jackets or loose change for a GO project. Have the kids serve each other during snack time. Awana Suggestion: For older kids – use clubs postcards to write someone and tell them why they are special to you.

6. Pastor and Popcorn Night. Invite your pastor to visit. Munch on popcorn while you open up the night to any questions the kids might have. Awana Suggestion: Gift your (Senior, Children’s, Lead) pastor an inspiring read Art Rorheim: Mr. Awana.

7. Mail Delivery Night. Give each child a hand-written card telling them how much you enjoy having them in club. Have kids color a picture or write a note that can be mailed to someone who can’t get to church very often. Work together on a project or package and deliver it as a thank you to someone who volunteers at church! Awana suggestion: Don’t just use standard, write your note on fun club postcards. You’ll be sure to make a lasting impression.

8. Outer Space Night. Read Genesis 1: God made the sun, moon, stars. He created the heavens and the earth. Peek outside at the sky and see what you can see. Play with these scaled-to-size planet cutouts and marvel at the size of the universe! Mix Cheerios and Puffs snacks to create a planet and stars snack.

9. Flying High. Talk about animals that fly: birds, frogs, squirrels, and insects. There’s even a fish that can fly short distances! Talk about planes and hang gliders and parachutes and how God gave us the ability to think and create such amazing things. Ask the kids if they have flown on an airplane. Make paper airplanes and fly them around the room during Game Time. Awana Suggestion: Speaking of things that fly, glide, and twirl through the air… we have a few flying items that will dazzle and delight.

10. Neon Night. You can do a lot with glow sticks. Awana Suggestion: Need we say more? Check out all things that glow-in-the-dark.

We want to hear from you! What fun and unique theme night ideas have you tried in your club? Let us know and we might share yours with our readers.