Hi there!! I know some are wondering WHAT to do with those LAST few MINUTES of CLASS TIME. Just so you know, I seem to RUN out of TIME every SUNDAY!!! I would LOVE to have BIBLE CLASS run 15, 20, 30 more minutes. 🙂 But, realistically speaking I would probably STILL run out of time!!! I know ME! 
But, I want to show you something that I have on the wall, RIGHT next to the DOOR. Because, I believe in using EVERY LAST SECOND for teaching, I refuse to give up the time when we are WAITING on MOM or DAD to come get the KIDDOS from the classroom. (I do not think it is WISE to release KIDDOS without proper supervision—KIDDOS LOVE TO RUN in the CHURCH building—so, I tell all my KIDDOS parents that they need to RETRIEVE their KIDDOS from the classroom.) If NOT, I think I might just KEEP them ALL!!!!! 🙂 
OK–enough of my procedures. Here is what I really wanted to SHARE with you. I have this STAR chart hanging right next to the door and right under the LIGHT SWITCH. (NOT PLANNED–but, it WORKS with this THEME!!!) I titled this area, “BIBLE KNOWLEDGE SHINES BRIGHT!” I coded the BIG POCKETS with “LIVED During the OLD TESTAMENT.” “LIVED During the NEW TESTAMENT.” Then I placed a bunch of BIBLE PEOPLE Picture Cards (they came from the Dollar Tree) in the pockets.
While Waiting on the Parents, I will PULL a CHARACTER out of the Pockets and tell the KIDDOS something about the LIFE of that Character—BTW, the back of the cards do have information on the character on the front—but, I just TELL the KIDDOS things I can quickly recall. I then ask them if that person lived in the OLD or NEW TESTAMENT TIME PERIOD. The one that answers correctly gets to put it in the correct pocket!!! We have CLEARED this chart SEVERAL TIMES through the past 5 YEARS!!! But, the KIDDOS NEVER seem to get BOARD with this. It is not “PLAYED” every SUNDAY…Due to the fact that I generally am NOT READY for the BELL to RING…but, every once in a while I will actually have a few moments waiting on the parents to get to the door and that is when I get to “PLAY” this with the KIDDOS. I do like to do this activity—It is amazing to see how many BIBLE PEOPLE they can PLACE into the RIGHT TIME PERIOD!!!
BTW, I just wanted to tell you I have a departure procedure for my classroom!!! I tell the KIDDOS—“YOU have to answer my question in order for me to open the door for your parent.” I then ask them a question about the lesson….(within the earshot of MOM or DAD) and when they answer the question I open the door and let them out!!! BTW, I am blessed to have a DUTCH door!!! I open the “TRAP” door—(the KIDDOS named the top half of the door the “TRAP DOOR.”—I don’t know why?) so that the PARENTS get to see and hear their KIDDOS answering their EXIT QUESTIONS!!!
Although I use this as a REVIEW at the End of Class Time, this could very easily be an EAA–Early Arrivers Activity too! I encourage you to use EVERY LAST SECOND for a TEACHING OPPORTUNITY!!!!! Bible Class is so important!!!
Blessings
Ronda
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