AWANA Games

AWANA Games is a half-day of fun and competition. Teams of kids from AWANA clubs around town meet up in a gym and compete against each other in a series of games that include running, bean bags, balloons, tug-of-war, and noodles. They are many of the same games that are played at AWANA each week. The kids have a blast.

This year, we had 3 kids participate in AWANA Games. Two participated in Sparky Games, and two participated in T&T Games. Does it seem odd that we made 4 participants out of 3 kids? The answer is that Jersey #2 was able to participate in both events. Being a 2nd grader, and a younger sister, has its privelages. 2nd graders (the oldest Sparky's) can "play up" to help form more participants for the T&T games. Since her older sister was signed up for T&T Games, Jersey #2 was recruited too.

Last Saturday, we loaded up the whole family and went to the Games.

This was the largest AWANA Games event we have attended. It seems more and more churches are offering AWANA. More and more clubs are participating in Games. We saw many folks we already knew, from various other kids programs around town.

There were 4 circles set up in the gym. Each circle had the ability to hold 4 teams. Our kids were on Green teams. The AWANA colors are Red, Blue, Green, and Yellow.

I managed to get at least 1 good picture of each kid participating in a game event.

At the end of the Games, awards were given. There was a 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place for every circle.

For T&T Games, Jersey #1 was on a 1st place team. Jersey #2 was on a 3rd place team...

For Sparky Games, Jersey #2 was on a First place team, and Jersey #3 was on a 2nd place team. They also received a patch for their AWANA vests.

Sometimes there are clubs who do not have enough players to form an entire team. When that happens, kids are recruited from one team to another to help out. For T&T Games, Jersey #2 was recruited to help another club. The incentive for being a good sport about switching teams is that the player receives the awards for the team they are on, AND for the team they came from. In this case, Jersey #2 received the 3rd place awards from the team she was on, and the 1st place awards from the team she belonged to originally. Getting double awards just made her day!

Jersey #4 was a restless spectator. She looked for every opportunity to leave the stands and go to the restroom, or to seek a snack from the concession stand.

Jersey #5 started was a happy spectator originally. He clapped. He cheered. He climbed up and down the bleachers, pointing out each of his siblings.

But, a few hours later, he was a sleepy spectator, unable to endure the entire event. He fell asleep on the bleacher, mid-clap, and had to be carried to the van when Games were over.