Smashing Pumpkins

This is a Halloween time activity that focuses on trusting in God.

Depending on the size of your group you either have each kid bring their own pumpkin or provide one pumpkin for each participant. As the kids arrive, you give each of them a black permanent marker and their pumpkin and you tell them that throughout the evening they should write on the pumpkins the things that are worrying them, things that are bothering them, things they are mad or angry about or problems that they just can't seem to solve.

Then we have the last hot dog and smore roast of the year, this gives the kids a chance to think and write as they mingle, eat and have fun (without everyone looking over the others shoulders to see what they are writing). After 45 minutes or so we have a prayer service focusing on giving our problems to the Lord. Everyone lifts their pumpkins high above their head in a gesture of letting go of their problems and trusting the Lord to help them. Then the participants are given a pair of safety googles, a sledge hammer and led to a large tarp we have layed out. Then they smash their pumpkins and their problems. (The tarp with the pumpkin smashings should be emptied into a dumpster or field frequently to make clean up easier.) Be sure to have a camera ready for this one!

Idea by Pat Krebs