Toddlers at High Cross URC bring older siblings to holiday club

High Cross Church leaders at Camberley decided to run a different sort of holiday event with their toddler group this year. They invited the toddlers to bring their older siblings or school age friends along for a week in August to explore the theme of ‘re-using’.

Children and family worker Sam Salt explained: “This worked well for us two years ago when we trialled running our toddler group through the school holidays as a request from parents.”

After the initial success, they decided to repeat the holiday club on 11-18 August. Toddlers brought along their older siblings, and the inventive holiday club had about three families as well as 15 toddlers and their parents/carers taking part. The week’s theme was mainly about re-using items to create something new to help God’s wonderful world last longer. They also explored the world of the animals.

“Over all we supported 27 families over the summer with the groups and packs.”

Sam told us the group was able to use a grant from the Children and Youth Work Committee to purchase a solar fountain, a new tuff tabletop and water animals for the younger children, and the older children did tie-dying and other craft activities with an animal theme. She said it help them set up an exciting week “Because we seem to have children and families that want things at home, I also put together packs of activities they could do as a family. These were very popular!”