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Fall Fun With a Purpose
by Gay L. Trumm
Ranger Kids Leader, Concord, CA
Teaching Bible truths with the American Indian theme was a unique way that held boys' interest. Through history, the American Indians were good stewards of God's creation. Also, there is a wide resource for craft ideas and devotions about nature and animals. Fall is a perfect time to introduce your boys to the way American Indians gathered and hunted. Here are some ideas that the boys really enjoy.
Have a Father/Son day to conclude this theme and call it an American Indian Big Time Powwow. It will provide an opportunity for you to involve fathers, grandfathers, or uncles in an outpost activity.
Purpose: Print a monthly calendar with all memory verses and important events on it for each boy. This will help him learn verses and inform parents about activities.
Craft supplies needed (one for each Ranger):
- Large sheet of construction paper
- Bow and arrow cutouts
- Glue bottle
- Month's calendar printout
Plus: American Indian/animal rubber stamps and ink pads to decorate the top of the calendars.
Purpose: To teach how the American Indians handed down stories to future generations by writing symbols on a hide or the wall of their tepee or hogan. In the same way, early Christians wrote down the Bible to share the good news.
Craft supplies needed (one for each Ranger):
- Animal hide shapes cut from brown paper grocery bags or brown mailing paper (approx. 12"x 10")
- Glue bottle
- Scissors (to cut symbols into squares)
- Photocopy of the memory verse (to glue on back)
Plus: boxes of crayons or markers to share to color the symbols
Purpose: To teach that the Native American chiefs used colorful sand to illustrate an important truth to their braves. In the same way our leaders and pastors tell us important stories from the Bible through illustrations, parables, and stories.
Craft supplies needed (one for each Ranger):
- 12" x 9" white poster board
- Small artist brush
Plus: four colors of sand separated into a number of containers (Can be purchased from a school supply store or made by putting food coloring in playground sand and mixing with a wooden spoon.)
Slightly-diluted glue in bowls or on Styrofoam meat trays for the boys to share.
Instruct the boys to paint a design on the poster board with glue, and then sprinkle on colors of sand. You can use trays or soda boxes to catch colored sand when it is sprinkled on the poster board.
When the boys arrive, they should wear their vests and Indian necklaces. They will make a craft with their dads or other adult. After completing their hunting pouch craft, they will come to the council fire area to be greeted by the leaders, open with prayer, and sing a few fun songs. The leader will then explain an obstacle course hunting activity.
The boys will put on their hunting pouches. After doing an activity at each station, they will put a picture of whatever they gathered or hunted into the pouch. After enjoying the course for a designated time, they sit down by the fire and have a big-time feast. Each part of the snack will represent the bounty of the hunt. It is a wonderful day that ends with an American Indian devotion told by someone in a costume. I always try to get a Frontier Camping Fellowship member to bring a tepee for the boys to enjoy.
Craft supplies needed:
- Brown wrapping paper or construction paper (12"X9") cut in the shape of an Indian pouch with folded flap and holes punched for lacing (2 each)
- Twine or yarn (10?) with the ends dipped in glue beforehand, to stiffen for threading decorative beads (1 each)
- Pieces of twine or yarn (30? each) for lacing pouch with ends dipped in glue beforehand, to stiffen for threading (2 each)
- 4-inch feathers to glue on front of pouch (4 each)
- plastic beads to thread on twine on the folded flap (8 or 10 each)
- Native American/animal rubber stamps with ink pads for decoration
- Several markers to write boys' real and "Indian" names
- Several glue sticks for attaching feathers
Hunting Obstacle Course:
At each station is a basket with a small picture of each animal or gathered item. These will be placed in their pouches. When they finish and go to the tepee for the feast, the leader will ask the boys to tell what they found on their hunt. After a prayer, they can enjoy the snacks that represent the bounty.
Stations
#1: Tepee - The boys go inside and come out one-by-one to start the hunt into the forest
#2: Forest - Crawl into the forest quietly to find a deer. (I put a pitch-black cover on four chairs and cover it with branches for a forest feel to crawl under on hands and knees.)
#3: Deer Hunt - Throw a rubber tipped spear through a hula hoop taped to a chair or a table with a deer picture on it
#4: Fishing - Walk on a balance beam and then fish in the river (a small plastic pool), with a magnetic spear, for a paper fish with a paper clip on it
#5: River Crossing for Acorns - Jump from rock to rock in the river to get to the acorn tree. (Hula hoops lying on the ground are the rocks.)
#6: Acorn Grinding - Grind nuts on a large stepping-stone with small, smooth stones. (These are make-believe acorns ground for acorn cakes. I use walnut meats.)
#7: Berry Picking - Crawl through an accordion tube. (Make believe they are crawling through berry patches.)
#8: Bear Hunt - Shoot a Nerf or toy bow and arrow at a picture of a bear.
#9: The Return - Return to the tepee for the hunters' feast.
Deer: Beef jerky in small pieces
Fish: Goldfish crackers
Acorns: Tortillas with honey
Berries: Fresh berries, raisins, or dried cranberries
Bear: Teddy bear-shaped cookies
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