Whether an outreach or a fundraiser, parents love a “Mom’s Day Out,” especially at Christmas. Nothing stresses parents out more than shopping with children hanging off their sleeves or asking for every toy they see.
Plan this fun night in and give Moms and Dads a teensy break so they can play “Santa” or just enjoy a dinner out together. You’ll need to plan and organize a Christmas Mom’s Day Out in advance to get the volunteers this event requires.
- Pick a date that doesn’t conflict with the church calendar. We hosted ours on a mid-month Saturday, giving parents a chance to shop before the last-minute rush.
- Limit the time. A three-hour stretch in the afternoon or early evening works great and won’t keep volunteers busy for too long. Make sure the start and end times are listed on your advertisement or you might end up babysitting much longer than you planned.
- Post the age range of the children you are willing to watch. Small children require constant attention and specific services like diaper changing and feeding. If you can’t minister to a young’s child needs, you’ll have to say no.
- Plan age-appropriate Christmas activities. Putting 20 kids in a room with nothing to do isn’t fun for anyone, kids or adults. It’s good to have a flexible schedule so kids can fellowship but you still need structure. Play gift-wrapping games, have a marshmallow toss or build a candy reindeer.
- Create contact forms but keep them short. A Mom’s Day Out shouldn’t require filling out a dozen forms. You’ll need a signed permission form, contact information and allergy information.
- Line up volunteers. I find one volunteer for every three kids works great. This fun event is perfect for new volunteers who want to get to know you.
- Consider hiring some entertainment. If it won’t upset the members of your church, a visit from Santa might be nice. Kids love a silly (not scary) clown or even a balloon artist.
- Keep the holiday music hopping to set the Christmas mood. I love playing the Charlie Brown Christmas DVD and coloring pictures with my kids.
Our Mom’s Day Out was a wonderful fundraiser and it was the perfect opportunity to get to know the kids without teaching a class. We’ll be doing this again next year!