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JennGM
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I'm hosting an Advent retreat for ages K-2, about 15 children maximum. It's only 2 hours, and I need to put together talking, singing, praying and crafting times.
Discussion points I want to cover:
1) New Liturgical Year -- 4 weeks of Advent, colors
Visual Aids: Advent Wreath, Liturgical Calendar
Activity -- color a calendar? Cut and paste different seasons on the calendar?
2) Journey and Prepare -- show the long awaiting for the Messiah, covering Adam and Eve and hitting highlights of OT (speedy covering centuries) and then story of Annunciatiion, Visitation, Nativity.
points: Mary and others were waiting and preparing -- outside and inside. Journey to Bethlehem.
Visual Aids: Timeline, illustrations of key figures
Set up with figures (like atrium) of Annunciation, Visitation, Nativity.
Activity: prepare figures of Joseph and Mary and Donkey to move day by day through Advent?
Have "calendar path" to mark each day?
create manger to prepare by good works and prayers?
I've done the Take Along mangers -- we painted them, and then I had a little wooden figure that the children drew faces for Baby Jesus then wrapped him in swaddling clothes. I used cut pieces of Raffia to use as straws. Since the "mangers" had holes, it was a bit messy.
I will probably read a book out loud for a snack period, and will have some Our Lady of Guadalupe and/or Immaculate Conception and St. Nicholas activities and/or crafts to fill up time if needed.
This all falls short in my mind. I'm not seeing clearly. I like the children to have a chance to move around. Weather permitting we can take a walk outside and do some stretches, but I was thinking a fun game that is also learning about Advent might be good.
So, this jumbled mess of ideas...you can see I need help. I'm trying to keep the budget low, and the craft ability level is not super high (generally the group loves painting and coloring, though).
In Short, HELP!
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Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to  & ds1  '03 & ds2  '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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Erin
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JennGM wrote:
| This all falls short in my mind. I'm not seeing clearly. I like the children to have a chance to move around. |
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Wonderful ideas! What if they quickly re-enacted parts of the Christmas Story after you read to them?
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Erin
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JodieLyn
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Highlights of the OT.. wouldn't that be like a Jesse Tree?
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JennGM
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JodieLyn wrote:
| Highlights of the OT.. wouldn't that be like a Jesse Tree? |
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Yes, but that's too long to do in 2 hours. I want to tie in that when the gates of Heaven were closed the people were waiting and waiting for a long, long time.
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Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to & ds1 '03 & ds2 '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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JennGM
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| Posted: Nov 15 2010 at 5:09pm | IP Logged
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Erin wrote:
JennGM wrote:
| This all falls short in my mind. I'm not seeing clearly. I like the children to have a chance to move around. |
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Wonderful ideas! What if they quickly re-enacted parts of the Christmas Story after you read to them? |
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Yes, I was thinking about that.
I'm just can't think of the crafts. I don't have the craft juices flowing....
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Jennifer G. Miller
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Family in Feast and Feria
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Helen
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A few years ago when I was involved in an Advent Retreat for children, we prayed the Angelus together ... sorry, not a craft. 
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Ave Maria!
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Cay Gibson
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Jenn,
How wonderful!
I'm planning an Advent Retreat for our religious ed grades K-5th.
I was able to map our plans out today while my children were in their co-op classes.
I might have some time tomorrow to share here.
Loved looking at yours and seeing what I could twit and twik. 
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Lacy
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You should get packages of pink and purple birthday candles and have them make advent wreaths out of doughnuts for snack time. They could also sprinkle them with green sugar! We are going to do something like that this year at home. This retreat sounds really cool!
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Lacy
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JennGM
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Lacy wrote:
| You should get packages of pink and purple birthday candles and have them make advent wreaths out of doughnuts for snack time. They could also sprinkle them with green sugar! We are going to do something like that this year at home. This retreat sounds really cool! |
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I'm feeling less and less enthusiastic, and my plans keep changing a bit.
I love this idea! The problem is my son is allergic to wheat, eggs, and milk so this isn't really a viable option for me. 
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Jennifer G. Miller
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hylabrook1
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Jenn - maybe as the activity to reinforce the liturgical colors you might do the chasuble pasting from Level I Atrium. It would be a good connection for the children to carry over to Mass. A quick run through of the Colors Song?
Since you know the children involved, you would be a better judge of whether coloring a liturgical calendar (which could be quite tedious for some children) is a way to talk about the colors than the pasting activity would be.
A visual aid in doing the Infancy Narratives might be to light one candle of the Advent Wreath as you begin each story. Maybe read/discuss "The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.", and light the first candle; Annunciation, 2nd candle; Visitation, 3rd candle; Nativity/Adoration of the Shepherds, 4th candle.
Peace,
Nancy
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JennGM
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hylabrook1 wrote:
Jenn - maybe as the activity to reinforce the liturgical colors you might do the chasuble pasting from Level I Atrium. It would be a good connection for the children to carry over to Mass. A quick run through of the Colors Song?
Since you know the children involved, you would be a better judge of whether coloring a liturgical calendar (which could be quite tedious for some children) is a way to talk about the colors than the pasting activity would be.
A visual aid in doing the Infancy Narratives might be to light one candle of the Advent Wreath as you begin each story. Maybe read/discuss "The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.", and light the first candle; Annunciation, 2nd candle; Visitation, 3rd candle; Nativity/Adoration of the Shepherds, 4th candle.
Peace,
Nancy |
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I really, really like the visual aid idea, Nancy. Thanks for that!
Just to update the thread a bit, I think I'm going to gloss over the calendar (as my order didn't get delivered in time)...just talk about it being a new Liturgical year and what colors Father will be wearing.
I did put our crafts here, including a little daily card calendar.
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Jennifer G. Miller
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Family in Feast and Feria
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MicheleQ
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JennGM wrote:
| I did put our crafts here, including a little daily card calendar. |
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What a great group of ideas --thank you for sharing! I love that Advent calendar. Oh and the Manger Straws. I am printing that right now!
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hylabrook1
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Both of those Advent calendars are really lovely! Looks like you're ready for the retreat, Jenn.
Peace,
Nancy
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JennGM
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| Posted: Nov 23 2010 at 9:15am | IP Logged
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I messed up the candles on the wreath, so I've updated the calendar now. I also made the purple a little darker. Sorry about that!
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Jennifer G. Miller
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4Real Forums : Domestic Church
Topic: Brainstorming Help for Advent Retreat
