Making Little And Growing Boys Involved

[Micah]

Play Poker!! haha no don't do that..

hmm.. play dodgeball, then teach them a theology lesson, then eat pizza. I'd be down for that.

[Winchester]

The title ripped the fabric of space-time.

[IgnatiusofLoyola]

[quote name='tnavarro61' timestamp='1294654669' post='2198572']
Funny but I realized that when a boy has grown up it is hard to go down to the level of a child to understand them.

[/quote]

I have no suggestions, having no experience with this sort of program.

However, the comment from your quote above made me realize why, although I am not a parent or a teacher, I generally get along with kids pretty well.

In my case, I think it's because I DO remember what it was like to be a kid--because I'm still a kid in many ways.

I've had the best success when I treat kids like adults. I don't mean adult-level themes or language, but by the simple trick of doing things like showing respect for them by asking their opinion. Nothing deep, but things like "Which flavor of ice cream should I buy?" Kids get told what to do all the time, but rarely do adults ask kids their opinions. And, kids do have opinions. Asking someone's opinion is a way of showing respect--that you value what they say. So, after that, I find kids then tell me things.

The process is a little different for teenagers, but I still try to find a way to ask them their opinion on something.

I don't know what this has to do with your question. It's just that your remark made me realize that a part of me is still about 6 or sometimes 10 or 12. So, I don't have to go "down a level" to understand kids (at least a part of the time--they also still manage to baffle me)--I'm already 10.

When I used to be a volunteer guide at the zoo, I saved all my really gory stories about the vultures etc. for when the younger boys started getting bored. (For example, I showed them the hidden corner of the exhibit where the keepers put (painlessly killed) baby chicks and mice for "vulture snacks.") It was fun seeing the kids get excited, and I managed to slip in a few facts about vultures without the kids even realizing it.

Sorry--this is no help at all. Just rambling. Best of luck.

Edited January 16, 2011 by IgnatiusofLoyola

[Papist]

Boys love competition. Develop an activity that is competitive. e.g. match the saints to the stories, scavenger hunt, or who can throw the heretic the farthest[j/k]