Are your weekly announcements predictable? Spice up your announcements by getting the children involved. Children with props and signs will make your announcements memorable.

Use an adult leader. Check with the leader to establish what the announcements will be for the day. Create a script. Rehearse so the announcements go smoothly.

Use Props

Gather the props. Try these:

• grocery items to highlight donations needed at a local food shelf
• paint brushes to invite people to participate in a painting project
• mittens or school supplies that will be donated to a school or shelter
• friendship bracelets that will be distributed to the children at a church you partner with in another country

For small groups, give each child a paper bag of props. The leader stands at the center and children gather around the leader with their prop bag. As the leader delivers an announcement, the children hold up the prop that reinforces that announcement. A new prop is held up for each announcement.

For large groups, do a parade of props. Divide the children into small groups and have them gather stage right. As the leader stands center delivering an announcement, a small group parades in front of the leader displaying the props that highlight each announcement.

Signs

Paint letters or words on tagboard to make signs for children to carry. Try these:

• Plant – when recruiting volunteers to help in the gardens
• Help – when looking for people to decorate the sanctuary
• Volunteer – when the office is in need of help with a mailing
• Donate – when the youth are collecting donations for a shelter for teens

For small groups, give word signs to each child (ex: HELP). As the leader delivers an announcement, a child enters with the word sign that draws attention to that announcement.

For large groups, divide the children into small groups and have them gather stage right. Give individual letters, that spell a specific word, to each small group. (ex: H-E-L-P) As the leader stands at the center delivering an announcement, children with letters parade in to spell their word.

Whether you use props or signs, include even your youngest children in the announcements. It gives them an opportunity to lead worship and enables them to be a part of the important work of invitation: inviting God’s people to share their gifts with others.