Hang Time Guide Welcome to your guide to a successful Hang Time! Hang Time is not just free time; it s time for you to be intentional with campers and hang out with them in a setting that is unlike Bible Study or Tracks, and yet just as important. Throughout these pages you will find ideas that many CentriKid staff have found to be helpful, fun Hang Time activities! Your Camp Director will work with your team to help pick Hang Time options that fit your team and locations. Remember, your job at CentriKid Camps is to ensure that every person at camp has a life-changing encounter with Jesus Christ. Hang Time is another opportunity to make that happen!
AFTERNOON HANG TIME Camp Store The Camp Store is one of the most popular locations during hang time, and it should be a very exciting place! Your Store Manager will help create the proper environment. Every kid at camp will make a trip to the store at some point. Spread out through the store and assist in re-stocking and helping campers get correct sizes. Make sure everyone in the store has a great experience. Snowcones Your Camp Director will make sure that you have permission to sell SnoCones at your camp location. You will need one staffer to scoop, one to pour syrup, and one to take money! The additional staffer for backup is a good idea since SnoCones are popular! Pick a central location and have fun. You may even want to make up cheers or names for each SnoCone flavor. Archery Keep the archery targets set up and allow kids to learn how to shoot (or practice). Archery is one of the most popular activities at camp, and many kids will not get the chance to take the track. Keeping the targets up during hang time will allow more kids to have a great experience. Ask your Archery track leader to debrief the activity and make a connection to Scripture. Slip n Slide Make sure that you have permission from your location contact to create a Slip n Slide. Do this on a day that you already have the Slip n Slide out for Wet n Wild. You ll need a long hose, some tarps, and remember to buy extra baby shampoo! Outdoor Games Pick an outdoor game and round up a group of kids! Some games you could play include: Capture the flag, Ultimate Frisbee, Wiffleball, Four Square, or Kickball. Make sure to take a moment to debrief the game, connect it to Scripture, and share God s truth with kids. Hang out @ the Snack Shop The Snack Shop, ice cream store, game room, or campus bookstore are always popular locations on campus (if applicable). Spend time having fun with kids and talking with them about the gospel. Girl Time / Centrikid SALON (Female Staff Only) Girls will love this time to connect with female staffers. Painting nails, braiding hair, and making friendship bracelets are always good things to do while striking up conversations about the gospel. Make sure you buy extra supplies for these activities during your weekly supply run. If you are fixing hair, remember to ask the girls to bring their own hairbrushes. Guy Time (male staff only) Guy time should have a very relaxed, yet intentional, atmosphere. Arrange to meet some male campers at The Spot (around the same age, if possible), and then find a place in public view to hang out, play games, and have conversations. Ask questions like, Do you have a relationship with Christ? or What are some things that you are doing to live for God? Use this as an opportunity to talk about what it means to be a man of God.
Face Painting Face painting is a great way to be intentional with kids! They are sitting still (for once) and you actually have one-on-one time! Remember to use good judgment when painting anything on a kid, and keep face paint on faces. Sponge Dodgeball There will be a day whenever Wet & Wild plays Dodgeball with Sponges. You should extend this fun activity into hang time. To make the game last longer you can yell Prison Break and all the campers who were out get to come back into the game. They will love this. While kids are in prision make sure you connect with them about what they are learning that week. Pool Many kids will head to the pool during hang time. Check the pool rotation, and try to go to the pool at the same time as your Church Group. While you are having fun with kids in the pool, ask them about what they learned in Bible study, and continue to drive home the theme for the day. Basketball Offer to provide basketballs and shoot some hoops with kids. Play a knock-out tournament, or practice drills. Make sure to take a moment to talk with kids about Christ. Ninja Tournament Meet a group of kids at The Spot and orchestrate a Ninja tournament. Play with them, and have fun! Depending on the size of the group, numerous games could run at the same time. Ask Adults! We have almost an entire truck of recreation equipment at our disposal. Your Camp Director will communicate with adult sponsors that we can make almost anything happen during Hang Time. We can either share our equipment or we can facilitate activities for them. If a church wants to play soccer, make it happen! If they want to play volleyball, make it happen!
Evening Hang Time Remember, Church Group Time is open-ended. Unless you are required to leave early, stay with your church group until their group dismisses. Evening hang time is lightly structured, but it is still an incredible opportunity to make connections and build relationships with kids. Take every opportunity. Consider offering some of the following options: Camp Store The Camp Store should be open during hang time every evening. Your Store Manger will assign workers each day. SnoCones If permissible, sell SnoCones! Hang out @ the snack shop Or Game Room By location. This will be a popular spot. Spend time with kids and have conversations. Night Swim Your Camp Director will work with your location to have the pool open in the evening if at all possible. This will allow more kids the opportunity to get in the pool. Camp Fire Some campuses may have a suitable location for a camp fire. Your Camp Director will check with your location contact to make sure this is permissible on campus. This may require planning beforehand (purchasing firewood and supplies, obtaining burn permit, etc.). Karaoke Some locations have equipment for karaoke and performances. Make sure to help monitor the kidfriendliness of songs. Indoor Games Find a group of kids and play circle games such as Ninja, Little Sally Walker, etc. Light-Up Frisbee Find a group of kids and a light-up Frisbee and head out onto the lawn. Jam with the Band If the band is cool with it let them play instruments with kids who are interested in learning instruments or who already know how to play. Kids love to connect over music.
End of the Day Song Take time at the end of the day to sing the end of the day song. You will learn this song at training week and you will sing it at the end of every camp day. This song is to the tune of We are the Champions And the fun will go on and on and on and on... We ll see you tomorrow our friends... We hope that you ll sleep well until then... See you tomorrow, SEE YOU TOMORROW... Can t wait to have fun, We ll see you tomorrow... At CentriKid! Hang Time Testimonies Hang time is not free time; it s time for you to be super intentional with campers and hang out with them in a setting that is unlike Bible Study or Tracks. Over the years, we ve given you a guide to leading Bible Study, Recreation, and also one on how to be an amazing staffer. We believe that Hang Time is just as important! During Hang Time, you will be given an assignment to either make Sno Cones, work in the Camp Store, paint fingernails, play basketball, and many other options. Those are all really fun, but your number one assignment during Hang Time will be to have those intentional conversations with kids. Many staffers say that Hang Time is their favorite time of the day. We d love to hear about your cool Hang Time stories! Send them to centrikid@lifeway.com.