Thank you for your kind words. I actually work with two different types of large groups. On Wednesday nights I run games for our Awana clubs. We have three different sets of groups (based on age), and they range from probably 50-70 kids depending on the group and the week.

On Sunday mornings, I teach in the kindergarten-1st grade room. Our structure is as follows:

First, the kids meet in small groups for a short introductory type activity. Sometimes, we do a large group game instead of the small groups to get the class started. This generally depends upon the lesson and the availability of small group leaders. When I talk about small groups, ours tend to be around 8 kids, though I would like to see them smaller. I think 5-6 kids per leaders is probably optimum.

Following small groups, all the kids get togther for our large group setting. We do worship, announcements and the lesson for that weekend which I generally present. In the classroom I lead, we average around 30 kids or so. That said, I think many of the entries in this series can be applied to much larger groups. Many of the types of activities I incorporate into large groups will show up here soon in this series. For the first part of the series, I have focused principally on big picture ideas such as preparation, prayer, etc. Many of the upcoming entries include more practical tips about things that people can do to "mix up" the large group teaching to keep things fresh and engaging. Right now I think I am at 42 total entries, but will see if that expands or contracts as the series continues.

Finally, after the large group time, the kids are sent back to their small groups for activities and hopefully more one-on-one conversations regarding the lesson. The activities in small group might include crafts, answering questions about the lesson, sharing personal stories and helping the kids apply the lesson to their individual circumstances. For example, when we talk about sharing the gospel, one of the things the kids might do in small group is draw a picture of one person they want to share the Good News with that week. In short, one of the goals of small group is to take the large group lesson and really individualize it for the kids. Small groups are also intended to allow the kids to form a deeper relationship with their leaders (though we sometimes have a problem with this because of the lack of consistent volunteers)..

I used to do small groups, and still get to from time-to-time, which I absolutely loved. I enjoyed the opportunity to really connect with the kids on an individual level and learn what was going on in their lives. When I took over the large group portion, I was a little hesitant to give up that small group connection, but I have enjoyed finding ways to connect in the lager group setting.