How To Write A Captivating Script for Kids

The Writing Process
When you begin to write your script, don't worry about editing or perfection first. Just GET IT OUT. Write, write, write! You can always go back and perfect later, just make sure you get all of your ideas on the paper. Make sure you're in an environment that works for you creatively too. For me, turning on the new age music channel and turning off anything that could break my concentration is key. (My whole family makes fun of me for the new age music thing, but hey, do what works right?)

The Black Box
Then I go into something called the black box. Its kind of like a blank canvas in your mind. I close my eyes and think to myself, What do I see? And then I allow by imagination to fill in the blanks there. What do I hear? Am I in a marketplace? A garden? What do those places  sound like? What do I smell? Fresh-cut grass? Cow manure? What do I feel? A cool night breeze? The hot sun? Am I terrified, at peace, do I feel sweat dripping from my chin or cool water splashing on my face? This is the time when the senses take center stage and draw me into the story. After I have become part of the story it is much easier for me to write... because it feels like its happening to me.

[Scripts] MUST be INTERACTIVE (most of the time)
For kids this is key. Why do kids dream of going to Disneyworld/land? Because there, they become part of the adventure. They become the princess or the monster, they ride the rides they saw in the movie, etc. Your Large Group is the place where children can experience being inside the Bible and becoming a part of the story. What better way to make an impression? That being said, they don't need to be professional actors either. They can be puppets and you're the puppet master; they can become trees, waves or a ship; they can be the sound effects of a story; they can be the narrator... the list goes on and on (see my other posts)!  In whatever way you can... draw them into the adventure of knowing Jesus!

[Scripts] must have an element of WONDER

Why? Because God is wondrous. If we try to rationalize and explain every piece of the puzzle that is God, we are doing two things: pretending  we understand God which none of us do and robbing kids of their natural tendency to believe in God's divine awesomeness. Kids don't need everything explained; they believe in magic. They believe that Santa leaves presents and the Easter bunny leaves candy... the only difference is... God's timeless REAL magic never runs out, it only gets bigger.

Have VERY defined characters

Commit to your characters people! If you are a science nerd you better have white crazy hair, a weird accent, googly glasses and a white lab coat! If you are a princess you'd better have a poofy dress, sparkly tiara and be able to sing! If you are Methuselah you'd better have an old-man voice, a hunched back, a long white beard and not be able to hear a thing anyone says! THIS is where comedy happens. In whatever script you are writing, DEVELOP your characters and choose actors that will COMMIT!

For example: Methuselah keeps repeating things back incorrectly because he can't hear a dang thing, the crazy scientist keeps changing accents from German to Russian to Irish to Minnesota, etc, and the audience and narrator know it but the Scientist will never admit it; and the Princess keeps singing EVERYTHING she says and imagining musical numbers are happening which only makes her look like she needs to be medicated. POOF! Church becomes a fun, funny place to learn about God. 

Keep it LINEAR
I can't stress this enough. Many of us creative types have minds like popcorn: when we have an idea, connected ideas pop into our heads in non-connected ways - like popcorn! Then, many of us get our thoughts down on paper and never stop to put the popcorn in order. If you are one of these creative types, you MUST STOP and have someone READ your script (or a few people) to see if they understand it. After a while, you will know what to look for and be able to do this yourself, however; having another set of eyes on your work is usually a great idea. Basically, even though your thoughts may come to you in fragments and bounce around in your mind like popcorn, you must TAME THEM and put them into a 

LINEAR STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESSES 

Why? Because although other adults in your life might be able to connect the dots when you jump from A to F to C to B and in between - KIDS CAN'T. You have to explain things in a linear way: "A + B means C, and if that's true then D, E and F are also true!"

Proofread your scripts, not only for creativity, character development, interaction, wonder but also for a clear, LINEAR form of communicating God's TRUTH. 

Why The Internet is Your Friend...

 
So many times we re-invent the wheel... why do we do that? There are so many resources out there that can bring our lessons to the next level. Like...

this HILARIOUS telling of Jonah

You might be thinking, Um... this is a little incomplete and it doesn't include any Bible verses and... and...

Here's the good news... there's YOU! You, as the Large Group communicator can feel free to fill in the gaps! Use this as a review, as a lead-in, as - whatever you want but USE IT!

Bottom Line: Don't be a silo. God has people working all over the world for his Glory - use them!

The Imaginative Teach - A Storytelling Convention

 

im·ag·i·na·tion

1. The faculty or action of forming new ideas, or images or concepts of external objects not present to the senses: "a vivid imagination".

 "Work smarter - not harder" they say (they are usually the ones not pulling their weight, but still...) Sometimes, we, as large group teachers and storytellers work too hard trying to create a set that draws kids in; we try too hard to create the world in which imagination can happen. 

Imagine this...
 
Using the natural and thriving ability of children's imaginations, allow them to create the world they want. 

How... 

By using FANTASTIC and DESCRIPTIVE writing, create a world for their five senses. Bring the Bible to life by describing the way things might sound, taste, feel, smell and look like. Feel free to use music, lighting, and sound effects to assist in this process. 

At the beginning of the lesson, explain that each of them will take their own journey through the world of their imagination. (This next part might sound a little new-age-y but just go with me...) Tell them each to lie down, close their eyes and begin playing some soft music then say a prayer to being the lesson.

A great topic for this lesson might be Heaven. Kids can allow their imaginations to show them what they think Heaven is like... 

Another great topic for this might be the Crucifixion and Resurrection... (Whoa! The Crucifixion? Are you nuts Abbey?) Here's why... you don't know the limits to which they have been exposed to sadness and violence. By acting something out, you might expose little ones to ideas of brutality they would have never imagined themselves. By using their imagination (limited by their experience) they will IMAGINE AT THEIR LEVEL. So if you use generalized descriptions of events, the older kids might imagine something more realistic that the little ones who won't. 

It's like teaching to each child individually.

As always, if you have any questions or want some advice or feedback - please mail me at abbey.mccormack@gmail.com. 

Mannequin Teach - A Storytelling Convention

The "Mannequin Teach" is a simple way to include kids in the live lesson without them having to act or read anything. Simply put, you choose as many volunteers as you need and ask them to stand on stage. Explain that they are to be mannequins or puppets and you are the puppet master. While telling the story, move each character in silly ways. **Kids are not to move on their own - only you move them**

For example:

If the character is old, have them hunch over, bend their knees and hold a cane.

If they are young, have them stand up straight, put their hands on their hips and chin up (like Peter Pan).

When each character talks, instruct the child to let their arms go dead and you (the puppet master) proceed to flail their arms around like crazy which is sure to produce a good laugh.

**If you have a K-5 group, use K-1ers as the puppets and 4-5th as the puppet masters. DOUBLE the participation!**

Bottom line: Kids are your puppets and there is no prep involved - YES!

Shadow Dancer - A Storytelling Convention

This is an artist called named Miwa Matrayek she is a visual artist that does AMAZING things.

The really neat stuff happens at 2:49

Watch the video and then keep reading...

Imagine experiencing Christmas or Easter like this as a child. What if a "shadow" character walked through the world of Jesus and observed those events first hand. Think about "Where the Wild things Are". The boy falls asleep and finds himself entering a new world. How cool would it be if we could do something like this for kids? We could create new worlds or make them come alive for them.

Christmas night? Easter? Creation?

Think of all the possibilities!  Kids could re-live these events vicariously through this shadow figure.

TIPS

-- It would be a great idea to use a dancer/actor as the shadow to insure graceful and artistic movement.

-- To be more literal and less abstract, you might need a narrator talking along with the story.

-- Its important to think about the narrator's voice for such things. A voice like Fran Drescher's would kill the moment completely.

Song Re-mix - A Storytelling Convention

Do your kids LOVE music? Do you have an awesome Worship Leader who would love to be more involved? Do you have kids with musical talent?

Try this...

Take a song that is really well-known and re-write the words to tell the Bible story! Next, perform it for your Large Group!

- Using your Worship Leader, do it acoustic which means he/she can stop and start to interact with the audience. WARNING: Only do this if you can do it well... nothing is more awkward than an awkward worship leader doing something he feels awkward doing!

- Using karaoke tracks, have a talented kid (or kids - Glee style) perform the song! Your LG will love it!! The down side is that this one is less interactive.

You will also need to include and intro/outro/application for this. Don't expect the song to do it all - just to tell the story!

Props In A Box - A Storytelling Convention

So.. this one is a bit self-explanatory.

This one is also great for a young audience.
This is ALSO great for touchy subjects like the Crucifixion. 

Basically, as you are telling the story, you pull out props from a box and hand them out to the audience to be passed around and back to you. As props are being passed, you continue with the lesson.

What makes this SC awesome? Its a great way to interact with the audience without over-stimulation and crowd control.

- Its smart to have an assistant to make sure the objects are passed nicely and returned.(especially with little kids).