Kool Kidz Fun Klub

a fortnightly club for 5-11s

Based in a rural area in Cornwall, KKFK started in September 2007. An average of 28 children and 6 leaders and 4 young helpers attend each session (a huge percentage as there are only about 32 of that age group who attend the local school.)

Polruan is a small rural village, which until last year had no regular community club or organisation for the under 11s, and no Sunday school or Christian based children’s work of any kind for many years. In fact local children and their families rarely attend church (except possibly two or three times a year.)

The vision of the club was to provide children of 5-11 years with a regular fun social time, and to introduce the Christian message in a low key, relevant way. Our aim was also to create opportunities for involvement of the wider community in providing helpers, leaders and parents with particular skills. As in many village congregations, the average age is fairly ‘high’, my husband and I being nearly the youngest members at the age of 52! With this in mind we have found that the involvement of 4 younger helpers (ages 13-16) who are not yet Christians, invaluable. We also have other ‘non-christian’ leaders, and encourage parents to come to help on a rota basis. Two of our young helpers in particular are becoming very interested in Christianity as result of KKFK and the week long Holiday Club we hosted in the summer.

We plan an exciting, fast moving, structured 90 minute programme for each session, including
• free time: choice of table games, arts and crafts.
• high energy organised games: for teams and the whole group.
• joke, forfeit and challenge spots: children bring jokes and leaders forfeits for the ‘box’ each session.
• team times: children are divided into 4 teams for each term, with a ‘team of the week’ each session, and a ‘winning team’ each term. We find it helps with discipline and rewards, working together, and opportunities for team leaders to build relationships with a smaller group during refreshment times etc.
• short biblical message: ideally presented as drama, story or interactive game.
• craft activities: we try to have a specific craft each week that compliments and reinforces the biblical message.
• praise time with lively ‘kool’ songs and music.
• Prayer box: children are encouraged to bring their own prayers to be read out during the ‘wind down’ at the end, when the Vicar brings a closing prayer/blessing, including all those who have a birthday ‘this’ month.

The club has been welcomed with much enthusiasm by the whole village, as something positive the church is doing for the children. We operate in a very ‘low-key’ Christian way, in order to meet the children where they are, and to win the trust and confidence of the parents. We have tried to use what we have and worked with it in order to find the right level for all of us in our particular situation.

We hosted a week long Holiday Club in July with the help of some younger youth leaders from another church, which was an incredible experience. Many local people were involved in raising money, making props, helping with refreshments and leading specific workshops. I am continually amazed and excited by how these children’s activities are touching the whole village.

We are now looking at running a young people’s Bible course for those who wish to know more.

Angela & Norman, St Saviour Church, Polruan-by-Fowey, Cornwall