How to Make Your Online Club Spacen Welcoming to Kids

When kids enter Awana at church, they are welcomed in by bright colors, decorations, friends and smiling faces. For kids who attend Awana virtually, they may miss the colorful stimuli unless you, their leader, provide it. In this blog, part three of a four-part series, I will offer a few ways—both virtually and physically—you can make your space welcoming and fun for your kids when they come into your club. 

Virtual Ideas to Make Your Online Space Welcoming

Unless you choose a virtual background, your kids could be staring into your kitchen, your living room, or wherever you’ve set up your computer. Although they might enjoy seeing what their leader has on the counter or bookshelf, it could distract them from listening to you and learning about Jesus. 

Create a virtual background by uploading engaging images you have on hand or find on the Internet. Do you have a picture of your church or your Awana room? That could be a way for your kids to feel connected to the club they’re used to. Find images to reflect your theme or lesson for the night. Or take advantage of the several Awana Clubs backgrounds we’ve created for you. 

Involve your kids by having them take turns drawing and sending you a picture to upload each week. Imagine how excited they will be when they come to club and their art is your background!

Many online meeting platforms allow you to share your screen and the programs you have open on your desktop. You may find that sharing PowerPoint slides and other images make your background more stimulating for your kids. Read part one of our blog series to learn about features of Zoom that allow you to do that.

Using virtual means to make your space more welcoming is an easy way to set the stage for an engaging night of Awana. If you like to create with your hands, the following ideas for decorating your physical space will inspire you.

Physical Ideas to Make Your Space More Welcoming

If you have been an Awana leader or volunteer for any length of time, you have most likely made a craft for club or decorated an Awana room. This year you might be serving from home, but you can still take out your scissors and tape, and your construction paper and string, and get creative.

Set your computer and desk in front of a blank wall and decorate the wall with an Awana banner or balloons. Use peel-and-stick faux tiles to make a pattern or hang some bright fabric. Decorate the wall in different ways throughout the year to match your theme or lesson, and stick your kids’ names to it. Once they start earning awards, you can hang a different colored ribbon under each name and pin their emblem achievements to it.  

If you don’t have a blank wall to sit in front of and decorate, a room divider screen or large cardboard panels covered with contact paper would be a good substitute. You could embellish them throughout the year in the same way you would a blank wall.

Another option is to decorate a rolling clothes rack and set it up behind you. Wrap flowers around it for a Hawaiian theme night or lights in December. Purchase S hooks and hang a flip chart or map to use during teaching. Or wrap colorful fabric around the frame and pin items to it you want to discuss. If your rolling rack has a low shelf, you can store all your supplies for the night on it and easily reach what you need. The advantage of using a rolling rack is that, if you want, you can easily push it out of the way—most likely without leaving your seat. 

Your Kids Can Decorate Their Space Too!

Suggest to your children that they make their space special for club by using some of the same ideas described above. Contribute to the atmosphere they’re creating by sending them a goodie bag that includes a cup, an Awana Clubs pencil or pen or any other small items. The cup can hold their favorite drink or snack during club, and they can use the pen or pencil to make notes and fill out their handbooks.

Non-Visual Ways to Welcome Kids into Club

When kids attend Awana in person, they see bright colors and smiling faces, but they also hear laughter, conversations and music. Personally welcome each child into your virtual club and encourage kids to talk with one another until everyone has arrived. Play upbeat music of your choice, something your kids have recommended or Awana Clubs CDs, available on Amazon Music or Apple Music. At this time, if you are using Zoom and want to play music and talk simultaneously, you’ll need to play your music from a remote source.

On occasion, change it up and suggest that everyone claps their hands, whistles or plays an instrument or other noise maker when someone enters the club setting. Teach them to be observant and make it a game to see who can be the first person to welcome a friend to club.

As a club leader or volunteer you already have the knowledge, skills and materials to make Awana the highlight of a child’s week, and a fun place to learn about Jesus and grow spiritually. Decorations are the icing that make coming to club—physically or virtually—inviting.  Now, with a few tweaks to your personal space, your home environment can be fun and welcoming, too!

How have you set up your virtual space? We’d all love to hear your ideas, so please comment below.

To find the previous blogs in this series—How to Make Your Zoom Time More Interactive and Fun, parts 1 and 2— as well as other helpful blogs, go to awana.org/blog. Tomorrow, part four of our series will highlight games to play online during club.